Jesus' "State of the Kingdom" Address

Good News of the Kingdom: Costly Grace

Edited by Maryann Spikes

Ichthus77.com

It's published 🙂 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPLP5NDG 

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These are the words of Jesus found in the Gospels, Acts, and 1 Corinthians, including combined parallel passages, with some of the language only slightly adapted to a modern context, as not much has changed in 2,000+ years. The order, rather than being (say) chronological, is according to the concepts being communicated. Verse references for further study, and discussion questions and commentary for individual or group reflection, are included after the address. Multiple English translations are credited on the copyright page.

Peace be to your family!

What do you seek? It is finished!

Everyone who loves truth recognizes my voice. Come, and you will see. I had come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me need remain in the dark. Come to me, all of you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest! Put on my yoke and learn from me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Follow me, and I will equip you to attract others who will follow me through you. You are my witnesses to the very ends of the earth!

I must tell the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God. That is my mission. So all must change their hearts and minds and believe the good news of the forgiveness of sins proclaimed in the Christ’s name for all nations when the time had come at last and the kingdom of God had arrived.  Yes, they did not cover the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrived.

Indeed I am a king. The reason for my birth and the reason for my coming into the world was to witness to the truth. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to preach the year of the Lord’s favor.” I tell you the truth, they saw heaven wide open and God's angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth!

The kingdom of God is very near to you even now. In fact my kingdom is not founded in this world. If it were, my servants would have fought to prevent my being handed over to the Jews. God is spirit, and true worshippers can only worship in spirit and in truth. Indeed, the Father looks for people who will worship him like that.

Understand and believe all that the prophets have said. Fulfilled are the words that I spoke during my earthly ministry; that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must come true. That is how it was written, and that is why it was inevitable that Christ would suffer, rise from the dead on the third day, and so find his glory.

The Beatitudes And Woes

How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs! How happy are you who weep now – you are going to laugh! How happy are those who know what sorrow means – they will be given courage and comfort! How happy are you who own nothing – the kingdom of God is yours! Happy are those who claim nothing – the whole earth will belong to them! How happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness now – you will be fully satisfied!

Happy are the merciful – they will have mercy shown to them! Happy are the utterly sincere – they will see God! Happy are those who make peace – they will be sons and daughters of God! How happy you are when people hate you and turn you out of their company, when they slander you and detest all that you stand for because you are loyal to the Son of Man. Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness – the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

What happiness will be yours when people blame you and mistreat you and say all kinds of slanderous things against you for my sake! Be glad then, yes, be tremendously glad when that happens and jump for joy – your reward in heaven is magnificent! That is exactly how their fathers persecuted the prophets before your time.

How miserable for you who are rich – you have had all your comforts! How miserable for you who have all you want – you are going to be hungry! How miserable for you who are laughing now – you will know sorrow and tears! How miserable for you when everybody says nice things about you – that is exactly how their fathers treated the false prophets.

The Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets: The Golden Rule

You must not think I had come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I had not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Indeed, I assure you, while heaven and earth last, the Law will not lose a single jot or comma until its purpose is complete. The Law and the Prophets were in force until John's day. From then on, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and some are forcing their way into it. Yet it would be easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for a single point of the Law to become a dead letter.

This means that whoever now relaxes one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever teaches and practices them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. So in everything, treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them – this sums up the Law and the Prophets!

No one is good but the one God. If you want to enter that life, you must keep the commandments. You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not bear false witness," "Honor your father and your mother." The first and most important commandment is this: “Hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” so “you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." The second is like it: "You will love your neighbor as yourself." The whole of the Law and the Prophets depends on these two commandments. No other commandment is greater than these. You are not far from the kingdom of God! If you want to be perfect (merciful), go now and sell everything you possess and give the money away to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven.

I gave you a new command: “Love one another just as I have loved you.” There is no greater love than this – that a person would lay down their life for their friends. This is how my Father is glorified – in your becoming fruitful and being my disciples. This is how all people know that you are my disciples – because you have such love for one another. I love you just as the Father loves me. You must go on living in my love. If you keep my commandments, you live in my love, just as I keep my Father's commandments and live in his love.

This is how the Father loves through me - that I laid down my life, and I laid it down to take it up again! No one took it from me, but I laid it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again. This was an order that I had received from my Father. I had told you this so that you could share my joy, and that your happiness may be complete. This I command you: Love one another!

Parable of the Rich Fool

A rich man's farmland produced heavy crops. So he said to himself, "What will I do, for I have no room to store this harvest of mine?" Then he said, "I know what I'll do. I'll pull down my barns and build bigger ones where I can store all my grain and my goods and I can say to my soul, Soul, you have plenty of good things stored up there for years to come. Relax! Eat, drink and have a good time!" God said to him, "You fool, this very night you will be asked for your soul! Then who is going to possess all that you have prepared?" That is what happens to the one who hoards things and is not rich where God is concerned.

How difficult it is for those who have great possessions to enter the kingdom of God! A camel could squeeze through the eye of a needle more easily than a rich person could get into the kingdom of God. What people find impossible, humanly speaking, is perfectly possible with God.

The Widow’s Mite

Alas for hypocritical liberals and conservatives, you utter frauds! Frauds neglect the things which carry far more weight in the Law - the justice and love of God, mercy and good faith. These are the things you should have observed and ought to have been concerned with - without neglecting the others. It need not mean leaving the lesser duties undone. You were only heading for deeper damnation. You paid your tithe of mint and rue and aniseed and cumin and every little herb. I assure you that the poor widow put in more than all of you, for you had all put in what you can easily spare, but she in her poverty had given away her whole living.

Judging Others

Don't criticize people, and you will not be criticized. You will be judged by the way you criticize others, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive. Make allowances for others and people will make allowances for you.

Parable of the Speck and Log

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye" when you cannot see the plank in your own? You fraud, take the plank out of your own eye first and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother's speck.

Resolve Conflicts

You have heard that it was said to the people in the old days, "You will not murder,” and anyone who does must stand their trial. I say to you that anyone who is angry with their brother or sister must stand their trial, anyone who contemptuously calls their brother or sister a fool must face the supreme court, and anyone who looks on their brother or sister as a lost soul is themself heading straight for the fire of destruction.

Forgiveness

For instance, if while you are offering your tithe, you remember that your brother has something against you, you must leave your tithe unoffered and go away. Make your peace with your brother first, then come and offer your gift. If your brother or sister wrongs or offends you, take them to task about it at once, just between the two of you. If they are sorry, forgive them. Yes, if they wrong you seven times in one day and turn to you and say, "I am sorry" seven times, you must forgive them. Not seven times, but seventy times seven!

If they will listen to you, you have won them back as your brother or sister. If they will not listen to you, take one or two others with you so that everything that is said may have the support of two or three witnesses. If they still won't pay any attention, tell the matter to the church. If they won't even listen to the church, then they must be to you just like a sex worker or a drug dealer!

You have heard that it used to be said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," but I tell you, don't resist the person who wants to harm you. If someone hits your right cheek, turn the other one to them as well. If someone wants to sue you for your coat, let them have it, and your shirt or overcoat as well. If anybody forces you to go a mile with them, do more - go two miles with them. Give to everyone who asks anything from you, don't turn away from the person who wants to borrow, and when someone has taken what belongs to you, don't demand it back.

You have heard that it used to be said, "You will love your neighbor," and "hate your enemy," but I say to all of you who will listen to me: No, you are to love your enemies and do good and lend without hope of return. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who treat you badly, so that you may be sons and daughters of your heavenly Father. He makes the sun rise upon the evil as well as the good, and he sends his rain upon honest and dishonest alike.

If you love only those who love you, or do good only to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sex workers and drug dealers do good to those who do good to them, and love those who love them! If you lend only to those from whom you hope to get your money back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners and expect to get their money back. If you exchange greetings only with your own circle, are you doing anything exceptional? The whole world does that much.

Parable of the Master and His Servant

If any of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep, are you likely to say to them when they come in from the fields, “Come straight in and sit down to your meal”? Aren't you more likely to say, “Get my supper ready, change your coat, wait until I eat and drink, and when I've finished, then you can have your meal”? Do you feel particularly grateful to your servant for doing what you tell them? I don't think so. It is the same with yourselves: When you have done everything that you are told to do, you can say, “We are not much good as servants, for we have only done what we ought to do.”

Parable of the Faithful and Sensible Stewards

Happy are the servants whom their lord finds on the alert when he arrives. I assure you that he will take off his outer clothes, make them sit down to dinner, and come and wait on them. If he comes just after midnight or in the very early morning, and finds them still on the alert, their happiness is assured.

When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once that it is going to rain, and so it does. When you feel the south wind blowing, you say that it is going to be hot, and so it is. When the evening comes you say, "Ah, fine weather - the sky is red." In the morning you say, "There will be a storm today, the sky is red and threatening." Don't you say, "Four months more and then comes the harvest”? I tell you to open your eyes and look to the fields - they are gleaming white, all ready for the harvest! The reaper is already being rewarded and getting in a harvest for eternal life, so that both sower and reaper may be glad together. In this harvest the old saying comes true, "One sows and another reaps." I have sent you to reap a harvest for which you never labored. Other people have worked hard and you have reaped the results of their labors.

Yes, some of you know how to interpret the look of the earth and the sky, but these frauds have no idea how to interpret the signs of the times! Why can't they decide for themselves what is right?

Parable of the Master of the House

You can see, then, how everyone who knows the Law and becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a master of the house who can produce from their store both new and old.

Parable of the Good Samaritan

A man was on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell into the hands of bandits who stripped off his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Another priest came on the scene and when he saw him, he too passed by on the other side.

Then a Samaritan traveler came along to the place where the man was lying, and at the sight of him he was touched with pity. He went across to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own mule, brought him to an inn, and did what he could for him. The next day, he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, "Look after him, will you? I will pay you back whatever more you spend when I come through here on my return." Which of these three seems to you to have been a neighbor to the bandits’ victim? You go and give the same.

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When he had started calling in his accounts, a man was brought to him who owed him millions of dollars. When it was plain that he had no means of repaying the debt, his master gave orders for him to be sold as a slave, and his wife and children and all his possessions as well, and the money to be paid over. At this the servant fell on his knees before his master, "Oh, be patient with me!" he cried, "and I will pay you back every penny!" Then his master was moved with pity for him, set him free, and canceled his debt.

When this same servant had left his master's presence, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and seized him by the throat, crying, "Pay up what you owe me!" At this his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and implored him, "Oh, be patient with me, and I will pay you back!" He refused and went out and had him put in prison until he repaid the debt.

When the other fellow servants saw what had happened, they were horrified and told their master the whole incident. Then his master called him in. "You wicked servant!" he said. "Didn't I cancel all that debt when you begged me to do so? Oughtn't you to have taken pity on your fellow servant as I, your master, took pity on you?" His master in anger handed him over to the jailers until he repaid the whole debt. This is how my heavenly Father will treat you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.

When you are going before the leadership with your opponent, do your best to come to terms with them while you have the chance, or they may rush you off to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the police officer, and the police officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will never get out again until you have paid your last cent.

The Precious Ointment

A man came into a house but was provided no water to wash his feet. A woman came in with him and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. There was no warmth in the house’s greeting, but the woman, from the moment he entered the house, had not stopped covering his feet with kisses. The house gave him no oil for his head, but she had put perfume on his feet. That is why he told the house that her sins, many as they were, are forgiven, for she had shown him so much love. The one who has little to be forgiven has only a little love to give.

Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors

There were two men in debt to the same moneylender. One owed him fifty dollars and the other five. Since they were unable to pay, he generously canceled both of their debts. Now, which one of them do you suppose will love him more? (The one who is forgiven more will love more.)

Parable of the Lost Sheep

What do you think? Wouldn't anyone among you who owned a hundred sheep, and lost one of them who wandered away from the rest, leave the ninety-nine to themselves in the open or on the hillside, and set out after the one which has wandered away until you find it? Yes, and if you chance to find it, I assure you, you are more delighted over that one than you are over the ninety-nine who never wandered away. You will put it on your shoulders with great joy, and as soon as you get home, you will call your friends and neighbors together. "Come and celebrate with me," you will say, "for I have found that sheep of mine which was lost."

I tell you that it is the same in heaven: There is more joy over one sinner whose heart is changed than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need for repentance.

Parable of the Lost Coin

Or if there is a woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one, won't she take a lamp and sweep and search the house from top to bottom until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together. "Come and celebrate with me," she says, "for I have found that coin I lost." I tell you, it is the same in heaven: There is rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner whose heart is changed.

Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son

There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, give me my share of the property that will come to me." So he divided up his property between the two of them. Before very long, the younger son collected all his belongings and went off to a foreign land where he squandered his wealth in the wildest extravagance.

When he had run through all his money, a terrible famine arose in that country, and he began to feel the pinch. Then he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him out into the fields to feed the pigs. He got to the point of longing to stuff himself with the food the pigs were eating and not a soul gave him anything.

Then he came to his senses and cried aloud, “Why, dozens of my father's hired people have got more food than they can eat and here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go back to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have done wrong in the sight of heaven and in your eyes. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Please take me on as one of your hired people.’”

So he got up and went to his father. While he was still some distance off, his father saw him and his heart went out to him, and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. His son said, "Father, I have done wrong in the sight of heaven and in your eyes. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore…”

“Hurry!" his father called out to the servants, "Fetch the best clothes and put them on him! Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet, and get that calf we've fattened and kill it, and we will have a feast and a celebration! This is my son - I thought he was dead, and he's alive again. I thought I had lost him, and he's found!"

They began to get the festivities going. His elder son was out in the fields, and as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants across to him and enquired what was the meaning of it all. "Your brother has arrived, and your father has killed the calf we fattened because he has got him home again safe and sound," was the reply. He was furious and refused to go inside the house, so his father came outside and called him.

Then he burst out, "Look, how many years have I slaved for you and never disobeyed a single order of yours, and yet you have never given me so much as a young goat, so that I could give my friends a dinner? When that son of yours arrives, who has spent all your money on sex workers, for him you kill the calf we've fattened!"

The father replied, "My dear son, you have been with me all the time, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate and show our joy. This is your brother. I thought he was dead - and he's alive. I thought he was lost - and he is found!”

Parable of the Two Sons

What is your opinion about this? There was a man with two sons. He went to the first and said, "Go and work in my vineyard today, my son." He said, "All right, sir," but he never went near it. Then his father approached the second son with the same request. He said, "I won't." Afterwards he changed his mind and went. Which of these two did what their father wanted?

Yes, the second one, and I tell you that drug dealers and sex workers are going into the kingdom of God in front of some of you! John came to some as a saint, and some did not believe him - yet the drug dealers and the sex workers did! Even after seeing that, some would not change their minds and believe him.

Parable of the Landowner and Vine Growers

Now listen to another story. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, fenced it around, dug out a hold for the winepress and built a watch tower. Then he let it out to some farm workers, and went abroad for some time. Then, when the vintage season arrived, he sent servants to the farm workers so that they could give him the proceeds of the vineyard.

The farm workers beat one servant up and sent him back empty-handed, killed another, and drove off a third with stones. So he sent more servants, a larger party than the first, and they knocked one servant on the head while insulting him, beat the whole group up, and sent them back empty-handed like the first group. Then he sent many others a third time, but after wounding some of them severely, they threw them out, and some they murdered. He had one man left - his own son who was very dear to him. He sent him last of all to the tenants, saying to himself, "What will I do now? I will send them my son who is so dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him."

When the farm workers saw him, they talked the matter over with each other and said, "This man is the heir. Come on, let's kill him, and we will get everything that he would have had!" They threw him outside the vineyard and killed him.

What do you suppose the owner will do to them? He will come and destroy the men who were working his property, and hand it over to others.

Parable of the New Cloth on an Old Garment

Nobody tears an unshrunken piece from a new coat to patch up an old one. If they do, the old patch tears away from and ruins the new one and the new piece does not match the old, and the hole is worse than ever.

Parable of the New Wine in Old Wineskins

Nobody puts new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will burst the skins. The skins will be split and the wine will be spilt. No, new wine must be put into new wineskins. Of course, nobody who has been drinking old wine will want the new at once. They are sure to say, "The old is a good, sound wine.”

Here, I tell you, lies the reason why the kingdom of God is going to be taken away from some and given to a people who will produce its proper fruit.

I tell you the plain fact that in Elijah's time, when the heavens were shut up for three and a half years and there was a great famine throughout the whole country, there were plenty of widows in Israel, but Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent to Sarepta, to a widow in the country of Sidon. In the time of Elisha the prophet, there were a great many lepers in Israel, but not one of them was healed - only Naaman, the Syrian.

It is not the healthy, fit, and flourishing who need the doctor, but those who are ill. Some still need to go learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." In any case, I had not come to invite the "righteous" but the "sinners" to change their ways. If they had grasped the meaning of the scripture "I desire mercy and not sacrifice," they would not have been so quick to condemn the innocent! You must not judge by the appearance of things, but by the reality!

The Test of Greatness

You can understand, then, that it is never the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones be lost. It is the humblest among you all who is really the greatest. If anyone wants to be first, they must be last and servant of all.

You must let little children come to me, and you must never prevent their coming. Be careful that you never despise a single one of these little ones, for I tell you that they have angels who see my Father's face continually in heaven. My Father is still at work and therefore I work as well. The kingdom of God belongs to little children like these.

It is inevitable that there be pitfalls, but alas for the one who is responsible for them! It would be better for that person to have a millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the depths of the sea, than that they trip up and disturb the faith and lead astray one of these little ones.

I tell you, the one who will not accept the kingdom of God like a little child will never get into it at all. Believe me, unless you change your whole outlook and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. It is the one who can be as humble as a little child who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Anyone who accepts a little child in my name is really accepting me, and the one who accepts me is really accepting the one who sent me. Whoever listens to you is listening to me. Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me is welcoming the one who sent me. I tell you truly that anyone who accepts my messenger will be accepting me, and anyone who accepts me will be accepting the one who sent me. The one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me!

Whoever welcomes a prophet just because they are a prophet will get a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes a good person just because they are a good person will get a good person’s reward. The one who is not against us is on our side. You must not stop them. No one who exerts power in my name would readily say anything against me.

Believe me, anyone who gives even a drink of water to one of these little ones, just because they are my disciple, will by no means lose their reward. In fact, I assure you that the person who gives you a mere drink of water in my name because you are followers of mine will most certainly be rewarded.

“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise." I tell you that if they kept quiet, the very stones in the road would cry out!

Ah, if some only knew, even at this eleventh hour, on what their peace depends - but they cannot see it. Some showed clearly enough how they approved their fathers’ actions. Their fathers did the actual killing and they built memorial tombs for the prophets - the very people whom their fathers murdered - and decorate monuments for good people of the past, and then say, "If we had lived in the times of our ancestors, we never would have joined in the killing of the prophets." Yes, their “ancestors” - that shows them to be children indeed of those who murdered the prophets. They tried to finish off what their ancestors tried to do!

Those serpents, that viper's brood, how do they think they are going to avoid being condemned to the rubbish heap? That is why the wisdom of God has said (listen to this), "I will send them prophets and apostles, wise and learned people. Some they will kill and crucify, and some they will persecute. You will flog them in your churches and hunt them from town to town!" So that the innocent blood of all the prophets spilt from the foundation of the earth, from Abel the good, to Zachariah, Barachiah's son, whom were murdered between the sanctuary and the altar, will be on the hands and laid at the doors of that generation!

They murdered the prophets and stoned the messengers that were sent to them! How often have I longed to gather their children round me like a bird gathering her brood together under her wings, but they would never have it. Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me is really scattering.

Yes, and I do blame those experts in the Law, for they have taken away the key of knowledge. They have never gone in themselves, and have hindered everyone else who was at the door! They lock the door of the kingdom of heaven in others’ faces. Alas, what miserable frauds they are, those liberals and conservatives, play actors that they are! They scour sea and land to gain a single vote, and then they make them twice as ripe for destruction as they are themselves.

Believe me, I assure you that a person cannot even see or enter the kingdom of God without being born again from water and from Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit gives birth to spirit. The wind blows where it likes; you can hear the sound of it, but you have no idea where it comes from and where it goes. Nor can you tell how a person is born by the wind of the Spirit. You must not be surprised that I told you that all of you must be born again.

I assure you that we are talking about something we really know and we are witnessing to something we have actually observed, yet some will not accept our evidence. If I have spoken about things which happen on this earth and they will not believe me, what chance is there that they will believe me if I tell them about what happens in heaven?

Parable of the Cost of Discipleship

If any of you wanted to build a tower, wouldn't you first sit down and work out the cost of it, to see if you can afford to finish it? Otherwise, when you have laid the foundation and found yourself unable to complete the building, everyone who sees it will begin to jeer at you, saying, "This is the one who started to build a tower but couldn't finish it!" Or, suppose there is a king who is going to war with another king. Doesn't he sit down first and consider whether he can engage the twenty thousand of the other king with his own ten thousand? If he decides he can't, then while the other king is still a long way off, he sends messengers to him to ask for conditions of peace.

If anyone comes to me without "hating" their father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even their own life, they cannot be a disciple of mine. Anyone who puts their love for father or mother above their love for me does not deserve to be mine, and they who love son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and neither is the one who refuses to take up their cross and follow my way.

The one who will not take up their cross and follow in my footsteps cannot be my disciple. If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps and enter my service, they must deny self-focus, carry their cross every day, follow my way, and keep close behind me. And where I am, my servant will also be. I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one approaches the Father except through me. My Father will honor everyone who enters my service.

Anyone who does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me. You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. If you really love me, you will keep the commandments I have given you. When a person loves me, they follow my teaching. The one who does not really love me will not follow my teaching. Everyone who knows my commandments and obeys them is the one who really loves me, and everyone who really loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and make myself known to them.

We will come to that person and make our home within them. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Have you ever read this scripture: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”? The person who falls on that stone will be broken, and the person on whom it falls will be crushed to powder.

Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders

Let me show you what everyone who comes to me, hears what I have to say, and puts it into practice, is really like. They are like someone building a house, who dug down to rock bottom and laid the foundation of the house upon it. Then when down came the rain and up came the flood, and flood water swept down upon that house while the wind blew and roared - it could not shift it, it did not fall, because its foundations were properly built on the rock.

Everyone who hears me and does nothing about it is like a fool who built their house with its foundation upon the soft sand. The flood water swept down upon that house while the winds blew and battered it until it fell and collapsed and the whole house crashed down in ruins.

The Disciples’ Reward for An Exacting Discipleship

Foxes have earths, birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere that he can call his own. Believe me, I promise you nobody has left their home or spouse, or brothers or sisters, or mother or father, or children or property for the sake of the kingdom of God, for my sake and the Gospel’s, without receiving very much more a hundred times over - now in this present life - homes and brothers and sisters, mothers and children and land - though not without persecution - and inheriting eternal life in the world to come.

The one who loves their own life will destroy it, and the one who hates their life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever has found and tries to preserve their life will lose it, and the one who is prepared to lose their life for my sake and the Gospel’s will find and preserve it. What is the use of a person gaining the whole world if they lose or forfeit their own soul? So it is with you: Only the one who says goodbye to all their possessions can be my disciple. Be on your guard against covetousness in any shape or form. A person's real life in no way depends upon the number of their possessions.

That is why I tell you, don't worry about life or live in a state of anxiety, setting your heart on what you are going to eat or drink. Don't pile up treasures on earth, where moth and rust can spoil them and thieves can break in and steal. Get yourselves purses that never grow old, keep your inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where neither thief nor moth nor rust can ever reach or ruin it, and nobody can break in and steal. Then come and follow me. Wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there, too!

Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Valuable Pearl

The kingdom of heaven is like some treasure which has been buried in a field. Someone finds it and buries it again, and goes off overjoyed to sell all their possessions to buy themself that field. Or again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When they have found a single pearl of great value, they go and sell all their possessions and buy it.

The Cure for Anxiety

No, set your heart on his kingdom and his goodness, and all these things will come as a matter of course. The whole world is busy about getting food and drink, and your Father knows well enough that you need such things. So stop worrying about what clothes you will need. Life is much more important than food, and the body more important than clothes.

Think of the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and they have neither store nor barn, but your heavenly Father feeds them. How much more valuable do you think you are than birds? Can any of you make yourself an inch taller however much you worry about it? If you can't manage a little thing like this, why do you worry about anything else?

Think of the wild flowers, and how they neither work nor weave. Yet I tell you that King Solomon in all his glory was never arrayed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass, which flowers in the field today and is burnt in the stove tomorrow, is he not much more likely to clothe you, you little-faiths? Don't be afraid, you tiny flock! Your Father plans to give you the kingdom.

The market price of five sparrows was less than a penny, wasn't it? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. Not a single sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even the very hairs of your heads are all numbered! Never be afraid – you are worth more than a great many sparrows! Don't worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day's trouble is enough for one day.

Parable of the Unrighteous Steward

There was a rich man whose agent was reported to him to be mismanaging his property. So he summoned him and said, "What's this I hear about you? Give me an account of your stewardship. You're not fit to manage my household anymore."

At this the agent said to himself, "What am I going to do now that my employer is taking away the stewardship from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I can't sink to begging. Ah, I know what I'll do, so that when I lose my position, people will welcome me into their homes!" So he sent for each one of his master's debtors.

“How much do you owe my master?" he said to the first. "A hundred barrels of oil," he replied. "Here," replied the agent, "take your bill, sit down, hurry up and write in fifty." Then he said to another, "What's the size of your debt?" "A thousand bushels of wheat," he replied. "Take your bill," said the agent, "and write in eight hundred."

Now the master praised this rascally steward because he had been so careful for his own future. The children of this world are considerably more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the children of light.

Now my advice to you is to use "money," tainted as it is, to make yourselves friends, so that when it comes to an end, they may welcome you into eternal homes. Give and others will give to you. Yes, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will they pour into your lap. Whatever measure you use with other people, they will use in their dealings with you.

The one who is faithful in the little things will be faithful in the big things, and the one who cheats in the little things will cheat in the big things, too. If you are not trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? So, if you are not fit to be trusted to deal with worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches?

Allegory of the Narrow and Wide Gates

You must do your utmost to get in through the narrow gate, for many, I assure you, will try to do so and will not succeed once the master of the house has got up and shut the door. Go in by the narrow gate, for the wide gate has a broad road which leads to disaster and there are many people going that way. The narrow gate and the hard road lead out into life and only a few are finding it.

Believe me when I tell you that anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the door, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a rogue. It is the shepherd of the flock who goes in by the door. It is to him the doorkeeper opens the door and it is his voice that the sheep recognize.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out of the fold, and when he has driven all his own flock outside, he goes in front of them himself, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger. Indeed, they will run away from him, for they do not recognize strange voices.

I do assure you that I Am the door for the sheep. All who have gone before me are like thieves and rogues, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If someone goes in through me, they will be safe and sound; they can come in and out and find their food.

Allegory of the Good Shepherd

The thief comes with the sole intention of stealing and killing and destroying, but I came to bring them life, and far more life than before. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd will give his life for the sake of his sheep. The hired person, who is not the shepherd, and does not own the sheep, will see the wolf coming, desert the sheep, and run away. The wolf will attack the flock and send them flying. The hired person runs away because they are only a hired person who has no interest in the sheep.

I Am the good shepherd. I know those who are mine, and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. My sheep recognize my voice and I know who they are. I gave my life for the sake of the sheep. I have other sheep who do not belong to this fold. I must lead these also, and they will hear my voice. Happy are those who have never seen me and yet have believed! So there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Parable of the Lamp Under a Basket

Is a lamp brought into the room to be put under a bucket or underneath the bed? You are the world's light. It is impossible to hide a town built on the top of a hill. No one takes a lamp and puts it in a cupboard, or under the bed, or under a bucket, or covers it with a basin. No, surely its place is on a lampstand, so that everybody who comes in the house can see the light! Let your light shine like that in the sight of others. Let them see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Giving to the Poor

However, beware of doing your good deeds conspicuously to catch others’ eyes or you will miss the reward of your heavenly Father. So, when you do good to other people, don't hire a trumpeter to go in front of you like those play actors in the churches and streets who make sure that others admire them. Believe me, they have had all the reward they are going to get! No, when you give to charity, don't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be secret. Your Father who knows all secrets will reward you.

Parables of Hypocritical Religiosity in the Hearts of Humanity

I tell you that your goodness must be a far better thing than the goodness of the liberals and conservatives before you can set foot in the kingdom of heaven at all! They are the people who advertise their goodness before others, but God knows their hearts. Remember, there are things others consider perfectly splendid which are detestable in the sight of God! Alas for you, hypocritical liberals and conservatives! People walk over your corruption without knowing it is there, like you are unmarked graves which look fine on the outside, but inside are full of dead people's bones and all kinds of rottenness. You appear like good people on the outside, but inside you are a mass of pretense and wickedness.

Listen to me now, all of you, and understand this. Can't you see there is nothing outside a person which can enter into them and make them vulgar or unclean? It is the things which come out of a person that make them vulgar or unclean! You see, things from the outside don't go into our hearts, but into our stomachs, and pass out of the body altogether, so that all food is clean enough.

Whatever comes out of a person, that is what makes them vulgar or unclean. It is from inside, from their hearts and minds, that evil thoughts arise out of a people’s mouths - lust, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly! All these evil things come from inside a person and make them unclean, not eating without washing their hands properly!

What miserable frauds you are, you liberals and conservatives! You conservatives are fond of cleaning the outside of your cups and dishes, but inside yourselves you are full of greed and wicked self-indulgence! Have you no sense? Don't you realize that the one who made the outside is the maker of the inside as well?

First wash the inside of a cup, and then you can clean the outside. If you would only make the inside clean by doing good to others, the outside things become clean as a matter of course! You call yourselves leaders, and yet you can't see an inch beyond your noses, for you filter out the mosquito and swallow the camel. This is typical of much of what you do. You hypocrites, Isaiah described you beautifully when he wrote, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of humans."

Be on your guard against the politicians who act one way for attention, and another when no one is watching, doing all only for show. They love seats of honor at dinner parties. Yes, alas for you religious leaders, who love the front seats in the churches and having others show respect to you in public and call you "pastor" while all the time you are evicting widow and covering it up with long prayers and public donations and fundraisers.

It is true that I have given you the power to tread on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the enemy's power - there is nothing at all that can do you any harm. Yet it is not your power over evil spirits which should give such joy, but the fact that your names are written in heaven. Yes, but a far greater blessing to hear the word of God and obey it.

So when you pray, don't rattle off long prayers like the pagans who think they will be heard because they use so many words. Some of you are fathers, and if any of you were asked by his son for bread would you be likely to give him a stone? If your son asks you for some fish, would you give him a snake instead, or if he asks you for an egg, would you make him a present of a scorpion? So, if you, for all your evil, know quite naturally how to give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that God, who is your heavenly Father, who knows your needs before you ask him, after all, will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him‽

Then when you fast, don't look like those miserable play actors! They deliberately disfigure their faces so that people may see that they are fasting. Believe me, they have had all their reward. No, when you fast, brush your hair and wash your face so that nobody knows that you are fasting - let it be a secret between you and your Father. Your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. Keep your eyes open! Be on your guard against yeast - I mean the "yeast" of the legalists, which is sheer pretense.

A Tree and Its Fruit

Be on your guard against false religious teachers, who come to you dressed up as sheep but are really greedy wolves. You can tell them by their fruit. Do not people know what a tree is by its fruit? Do you pick a bunch of grapes from a thorn bush or figs from a clump of thistles? You cannot pick figs from briars, or gather a bunch of grapes from a blackberry bush! It is impossible for a good tree to produce bad fruit - as impossible as it is for a bad tree to produce good fruit. So you may know people by their fruit. A good person produces good things from the good stored up in their heart, and a bad person produces evil things from their own stores of evil. The tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and burnt.

Giving Your Oath

You have heard that the people in the old days were told, "You will not swear falsely, but will perform your oaths to the Lord," but I say to you, don't use an oath at all. Whatever you have to say, let your "yes" be a plain "yes" and your "no" be a plain "no." Anything more than this has a taint of evil.

Alas for the blind leaders! They said, "If anyone swears by the temple, it amounts to nothing, but if they swear by the gold of the temple, they are bound by their oath." Those blind fools! Which is the more important, the gold or the temple which sanctifies the gold? They also said, "If anyone swears by the altar it doesn't matter, but if they swear by the gift placed on the altar they are bound by their oath." Had they no eyes? Which is more important - the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift? Anyone who swears by the altar is swearing by the altar and whatever is offered upon it; anyone who swears by the temple is swearing by the temple and by him who dwells in it; anyone who swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the one who sits upon it. Don't swear by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. No, and don't swear by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black!

Honor Your Father and Mother

Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother" and "They who curse father or mother, let them be put to death." The blind leaders said, "If someone says to their father or mother, Korban - meaning, I have given God whatever duty I owed to you - then they need not lift a finger any longer for their father or mother," so making the word of God invalid for the sake of the tradition which they held. They were so busy holding on to the traditions of humans that they let go the commandment of God! It boggled the mind to see how they could set aside the commandment of God to preserve their own tradition!

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

Have you never read what David and his companions did when they were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, took the Bread of the Presence, ate some himself, and gave some to his companions, even though the Law does not permit anyone except the priests to eat it? Have any of you read in the Law that, every Sabbath day, priests in the temple could break the Sabbath and yet remain blameless?

All that was left to those blind leaders was their circle and their house, but they dared to turn my Father's house into a market! Doesn't the scripture say, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”‽ They had turned it into a "den of thieves”! I told you that there is something more important than the temple present with you. They destroyed this temple and I rebuilt it in three days! Earth and heaven will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Sabbath was made for humanity's sake; humanity was not made for the sake of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath.

Moses gave them circumcision (not that it came from Moses originally, but from their forefathers), and they will circumcise a man even on the Sabbath. If a man receives the cutting of circumcision on the Sabbath to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, why should they have been angry with me because I had made a man's body perfectly whole on the Sabbath? I am going to ask you the same question I asked them. Does the Law command us it is right to do good on Sabbath days, or do harm - to save life, or destroy it?

If any of you had a sheep which fell into a ditch on the Sabbath day, would they not take hold of it and pull it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep? If a donkey or a cow belonging to one of you fell into a well, wouldn't you rescue them without the slightest hesitation, even though it were the Sabbath? Those hypocrites! Every single one of those legalists untied their ox or their donkey from the stall on the Sabbath day and lead them away to water! The woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom all knew Satan had kept bound for eighteen years, surely should have been released from such bonds on the Sabbath day! You see, it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.

Concerning Marriage, Adultery, Divorce, and Singleness

You have heard that it was said to the people in the old days, "You will not commit adultery." I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman or man lustfully has already committed adultery with them in their heart. Yes indeed, if your own right eye or right hand or foot leads you astray and is a hindrance that spoils your faith, you must pluck it out or cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to go into the kingdom of God, through life, one-eyed, maimed or crippled, and lose one of your members, than to keep both eyes, and both hands, and both feet, and your whole body be thrown onto the rubbish heap, the everlasting fire, where "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."

It also used to be said that "Whoever divorces their spouse, let them give them a certificate of divorce." It was because you knew so little of the meaning of love that Moses allowed you to divorce your spouses! That was not the original principle. I tell you that anyone who divorces their spouse on any grounds, except unfaithfulness, and marries some other person, makes them an adulterer and commits adultery, and whoever marries the person who has been divorced also commits adultery.

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, and the two will become one flesh." So that in body they are no longer two separate people, but one. That is why no one must ever separate what God has joined together.

It is not everybody who can live up to this, only those who have a special gift. Some are incapable of marriage from birth, some are made incapable by the action of others, and some have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. If you are in error, is it not because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

The people of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come, when the dead rise in the resurrection, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Because they will be like the angels in heaven, they can no longer die. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

As for this matter that the dead are raised, have you never read in the book of Moses what he showed to be true in the passage about the bush, when he calls the Lord what was once said to the children of Israel by God himself: "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? God is not God of the dead, but of the living. All people are alive to him. No, do not be surprised - out they will come - those who have done right will rise again to life, but those who have done wrong will rise to face judgment! Let the one who can accept what I have said accept it.

Preferment Asked

Who is the greater, someone who sits down to dinner or someone who serves? Obviously, the one who sits down to dinner - yet I am the one who is the servant among you. No, whoever among you wants to be great must become the servant of you all, and if he wants to be first among you, he must become last, the slave of all!

Among the worldly it is their kings who lord it over them, and their rulers are given the title of "benefactors" and have absolute power. It must not be so with you! Your greatest elder must become like a junior and your leader must be a servant. The only "superior" among you is the one who serves the others. The Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life to set many others free.

Don't you ever be called "teacher." You have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. You have one Father, and he is in heaven. Don't call any human being "father." You must not let people call you "leader." You have only one leader - Christ! You call me "teacher" and "Lord" and you are quite right – I am your teacher and your Lord. As your teacher and Lord has washed his disciples’ feet, you must be ready to wash one another's feet.

Parable of the Invited Guests & the Lowest Seat at the Feast

When you are invited to a wedding reception, don't sit down in the best seat. It might happen that a more distinguished person than you has also been invited. Then your host might say, "I am afraid you must give up your seat for this person." With considerable embarrassment, you will then have to sit in the humblest place.

No, when you are invited, go and take your seat in an inconspicuous place, so that when your host comes in he may say to you, "Come on, friend, we have a much better seat than this for you." That is the way to be important in the eyes of all your fellow guests! Everyone who promotes themself will be humbled, and everyone who learns to be humble will find promotion.

Everyone who makes themself important will become insignificant, while the one who makes themself insignificant will be made important. When you give a luncheon or a dinner party, don't invite your friends or your siblings or relations or wealthy neighbors, for the chances are they will invite you back, and you will be fully repaid. No, when you give a party, invite the poor, the lame, the crippled and the blind. That way lies real happiness for you.

No, you must be perfect (merciful), as your father in heaven is perfect (merciful). He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked! Your reward will be wonderful and you will be sons and daughters of the most high. They have no means of repaying you, but you will be repaid when good people are rewarded - at the resurrection.

Parable of the Early and Late Laborers in the Vineyard

The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer going out early in the morning to hire laborers for the vineyard. He agreed with them on a silver-coin-a-day wage and sent them to work.

About nine o'clock he went and saw others standing about in the marketplace with nothing to do. "You go to the vineyard, too," he said to them, "and I will pay you a fair wage." Off they went. At about midday and again at about three o'clock in the afternoon he went and did the same thing. Then about five o'clock he went out and found still others standing about. "Why are you standing about here all day doing nothing?" he asked them. "Because no one has employed us," they replied. "You go off into the vineyard as well, then," he said.

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to the foreman, "Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first." So those who were engaged at five o'clock came up and each man received a silver coin. When the first to be employed came, they reckoned they would get more, but they also received a silver coin a man.

As they took their money they grumbled at the farmer and said, "These last men have only put in one hour's work, and you've treated them exactly the same as us who have gone through all the hard work and heat of the day!"

He replied to them, "My friends, I'm not being unjust to you. Wasn't our agreement for a silver coin a day? Take your money and go home. It is my wish to give the latecomers as much as I give you. May I not do what I like with what belongs to me? Must you be jealous because I am generous?" So, many who are the last now will be the first then, and the first, last.

Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Crooked Judge

There was a judge in a town who had neither fear of God nor respect for others. There was a widow in the town who kept coming to him, saying, "Please protect me from the man who is trying to ruin me." A long time he refused, but later said to himself, although he didn’t fear God and had no respect for others, “This woman is such a nuisance that I will give judgment in her favor, or else her continual visits will be the death of me!" Notice how this unjust judge behaved. Do you suppose God, patient as he is, will not see justice done for his chosen, who appeal to him day and night? I assure you he will not delay in seeing justice done. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?

Parable of the Friend in Need at Midnight

If any of you has a friend, and goes to them in the middle of the night and says, "Lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has just arrived after a journey and I have no food to put in front of them,” and then they answer from inside the house, "Don't bother me with your troubles. The front door is locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I simply cannot get up now and give you anything!" Yet, I tell you, that even if they won't get up and give you what you want simply because they are your friend, if you persist, they will rouse themself and give you everything you need.

Instruction on Prayer

So I tell you, keep asking and it will be given you, keep seeking and you will find, keep knocking and the door will be opened to you. The one who asks will always receive, the one who seeks will always find, and the door is always opened to the one who knocks.

When you pray, you should say, "Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven! Give us each day the bread we need, and forgive us our unfulfilled duties, for we forgive anyone who has failed in their duty to us, and keep us clear of temptation and save us from evil."

Whenever you stand praying, you must forgive anything that you are holding against anyone else, and your heavenly Father will forgive you your sins. If you forgive other people their failures, your heavenly Father will also forgive you yours. If you forgive any person's sins, they are forgiven, and if you hold them unforgiven, they are unforgiven. If you will not forgive other people, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your failures.

I have appointed you to go and bear fruit that will be lasting, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, I assure you he will give to you in my name and I will do it, that the Son may bring glory to the Father, and that your joy may be overflowing. You will make your requests to him in my own name, for I need make no promise to plead to the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Mark this: Whatever you forbid upon earth will be what is forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be what is permitted in heaven. I tell you that if two of you on earth agree in asking for anything, it will be granted to you by my heavenly Father. Wherever two or three people come together in my name, I am there, right among you! It is not that you have chosen me, but it is I who have chosen you.

Parable of the Legalist and the Drug Dealer

Two men went to the temple to pray. One was a legalist, the other was a drug dealer. The legalist stood and prayed like this with himself, "Oh God, I do thank you that I am not like the rest of mankind… greedy, dishonest, impure, or even like that drug dealer over there. I fast twice every week. I give away a tenth of all my income."

The drug dealer stood in a distant corner, scarcely daring to look up to heaven, and with a gesture of despair, said, "God, have mercy on a sinner like me." I assure you that he was the man who went home justified in God's sight, rather than the other one. Everyone who sets themself up as somebody will become nobody, and the person who makes themself nobody will become somebody.

So when you pray, don't be like the play actors. They love to stand and pray in the churches and at street corners so that people may see them at it. Believe me, they have had all the reward they are going to get. When you pray, go into your own room, shut your door and pray to your Father privately. Your Father who sees all private things will reward you.

The legalists speak with the authority of Moses, so you must do what they tell you and follow their instructions. What you must not do is imitate their lives! They preach, but do not practice. They pile up back-breaking burdens and lay them on others’ shoulders, yet they themselves will not lift a finger to bear them. Their whole lives are planned with an eye to effect. You must not give holy things to dogs, nor must you throw your pearls before pigs, or they may trample them underfoot, and turn and attack you.

Christ is Lord

They were saying that I expel evil spirits because I was in league with Beelzebub. If I expelled devils because I am an ally of Beelzebub, who was their own children's ally when they did the same thing? They can settle that question.

If people call the master of the household the "Prince of Evil," what sort of names will they give to his servants? The disciple is not superior to their teacher any more than the servant is superior to their master, for what is good enough for the teacher is good enough for the disciple as well, and the servant will not fare better than their master. Believe me, the servant is not greater than their master, and the messenger is not greater than the one who sent them.

No servant can be loyal to two masters. They are bound to hate one and love the other, or give their support to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and the power of money at the same time. It is written, "You will worship the Lord your God, and him only you will serve."

What is your opinion about Christ? Whose son is he? How can the legalists make out that Christ is David's son? David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said in the book of psalms, "The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” David is plainly calling Christ "Lord." Where do they get the idea that he is his son?

Parable of the Divided Kingdom versus Christ’s

I have been telling you from the beginning I am the Son of God. Is it not written in your own Law, "I have said you are gods”? If he called these people "gods" to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), can you say to the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, "You are blaspheming" because I said, "I am the Son of God”? If it is by the finger of God, the Spirit of God, that I am expelling evil spirits, then "the kingdom of God has swept over you unawares!”

Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven. Believe me, all people's sins and blasphemies can be forgiven, but there can never be any forgiveness for the one who speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, either in this world or in the world to come! That is an eternal sin.

Any kingdom divided against itself is doomed, and a disunited household is bound to collapse, and no kingdom, town or household divided against itself can last for long. If Satan disagrees with, or drives out, or leads a rebellion against Satan, how does his kingdom continue? His days are certainly numbered. When a strong person armed to the teeth guards their own house, their property is in peace. No one can break into a strong person's house and steal their property without first tying up the strong person hand and foot. If they did that, they could ransack the whole house. When a stronger person comes and conquers, they remove all the arms on which the first pinned their faith and divide the spoils among their friends.

Yes, I was watching and saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning! However, nothing can drive out some kinds of spirits except prayer and fasting. When the evil spirit comes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for rest, and when it fails to find any, it says, "I will go back to my house from which I came." When it arrives, it finds it cleaned and all in order. Then it goes and collects seven other spirits more evil than itself to keep it company, and they all go in and make themselves at home. The last state of that person is worse than the first - and that is just what happened to that evil generation.

I had much to say in judgment of them. He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world. Yet they were looking for a way to kill me, a man who had told them the truth that I heard from God, because they had no room for my word. I was telling them what I had seen in the Father’s presence, and they were doing the works they had heard from their father. Abraham did not do such things.

If God were their Father, they would have loved me, for I had come from God. I had not come on my own–God sent me. Why was my language not clear to them? Because they were unable to hear what I say. They belonged to their father, the devil, and they wanted to carry out their father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, they did not believe me! Could any of them prove me guilty of sin? If I was telling the truth, why didn’t they believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason they did not hear is that they did not belong to God.

For judgment I came into this world, that those who could not see had their eyes opened, and those who thought they could see became blind. This was the judgment: Light had entered the world, and people preferred darkness to light because their deeds were evil. Anybody who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear their deeds may be exposed. The man who hates me, hates my Father as well. Anybody who is living by the truth will come to the light to make it plain that all they have done has been done through God.

If they were blind, nobody could blame them, but when they insisted "We can see," their guilt remained. If I had not come and spoken to them and done among them things that no other human had ever done, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they had no excuse for their sin. As it is they had seen and had hated both me and my Father. Yet this only fulfilled what is written in their Law: "They hated me without a cause."

That serpent's brood could not say anything good out of their evil hearts. A person's words will always express and depend on what has been treasured in their heart, what fills it. I tell you that people will have to answer in the day of judgment for every empty word they utter. It is your words that will acquit you, and your words that will condemn you.

They said that I was bearing witness about myself, that therefore what I said about myself had no value, but I reminded them that there is one who witnesses about me, and I know that his witness about me is absolutely true. In their own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me. God loves the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not be lost, but will have eternal life.

A person who speaks on their own authority has an eye for their own reputation. The one who is considering the glory of God who sent them is an authentic person. There can be no dishonesty about them. They had never at any time heard what he says or seen what he is like. As I heard, I judged, and my judgment was true; I did not live to please myself, but to do the will of the Father who sent me. Even if I testified on my own behalf, my testimony was valid, for I knew where I came from, and where I was going. They had no idea where I came from, or where I was going. They judged by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. If I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me.

I was not seeking glory for myself, but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. The Father is no one’s judge: He had put judgment entirely into the Son's hands, so that all people may honor the Son equally with the Father. He had given him authority to judge, because he is Son of Man. You must understand that God had not sent his Son into the world to pass sentence upon it, but to save it - through him. Anyone who believes in him is not judged at all. It is the one who will not believe who stands already condemned, because they will not believe in the character of God's only Son. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Nor do they really believe his word in their hearts, since they refuse to believe the one who he has sent. I honor my Father and they dishonor me.

Some sent to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that it is humanity's testimony that I accept. Humanity’s approval or disapproval means nothing to me. I could tell that they had none of the love of God in their hearts. I had come in the name of my Father, and they would not accept me. Yet if another person came simply in their own name, they would accept them. How on earth could they believe while they were forever looking for each other's approval, and not for the glory that comes from the one God? You see, it was impossible for them to arouse the world's hatred, but I provoked hatred because I showed the world how evil its deeds really were. I only told them this to help them be saved.

John certainly was a lamp that burned and shone, and for a time some were willing to enjoy the light that he gave. I had a higher testimony than John's. The work that the Father gave me to complete, yes, those very actions which I did were my witness that the Father had sent me.

If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom they claimed as their God, was the one who glorified me. Though they did not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like them, but I do know him and obey his word. Their father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.

Before Abraham was born, I Am!

If I had failed to do what my Father does, then they would have had cause not to believe me. That I didn’t fail, even though they had no faith in me personally, should have given them cause to believe in the things that I did. Then they would have come to know and realize that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. What I had done in my Father's name was sufficient to prove my claim, but they did not believe because they were not my sheep. This is how the Father who had sent me had given his own personal testimony to me. I had not come of my own accord; I was sent by one who is true, and they did not know him! I do know him, because I come from him and he sent me here.

They thought they knew me and where I come from. They did not know me or my Father. If they had known me, they would know my Father also. They were from below; I am from above. They were of this world; I am not of this world. I told them that they would die in their sins. As expected, they quoted this proverb to me: "Cure yourself, doctor! Let us see you do in your own country all that we have heard that you did in Capernaum!" I assured them that no prophet goes unhonored except in their native town, or with their own relations, or in their own home! Yes, I do come from the Father and I came into the world.

If anyone wants to do God's will, they will know my teaching from God they were hearing from me then is not really my saying, but the very words I said come from the Father who sent me. All that I said I spoke only in accordance with what the Father tells me. I did not speak on my own authority: The Father who sent me commands me what to say and what to speak, and I know that what he commands means eternal life.

Everyone who believes in me is believing in the one who sent me, and everyone who sees me is seeing the one who sent me. The one who has seen me has seen the Father. Not that anyone has ever seen the Father, except the one who comes from God - he has seen the Father. Through me you know him and see him. I and the Father are One. Do you believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? It is the Father who lives in me who carries out his work through me.

What the Son does is always modeled on what the Father does, for the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he does himself. Yes, and he will show him even greater things than these to fill you with wonder. I had done one thing and they were all amazed at it. Why were some of them trying to kill me? By myself I can do nothing. I assure you that the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.

I assure you that the one who believes in me will do the same things that I have done, yes, and he will do even greater things than these, for the Father has given you someone else to stand by you, to be with you always. I mean the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, for it can neither see nor recognize that Spirit. You recognize him if he is with you now and in your hearts.

Everything is possible to the one who believes. Have faith in God. Believe me, if you have faith as big as a grain of mustard seed, and have no doubts in your heart, you could say to a fig or mulberry tree, "Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea," and it would do what you said! You will not only do this to a tree, but I assure you that you can say to this hill, "Up you get and move over there!" and it will move - you will find nothing is impossible. Everything you ask for in prayer, if you have faith and believe that you have received it, you will receive and it will be yours.

If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge them, for I did not come to judge the world but to save it. There was no need for them to think I came to accuse them before the Father. They already had an accuser - Moses, in whom they put all their confidence! If they really believed Moses, they would be bound to believe me, for it was about me that he wrote. They pore over the scriptures, for they imagine they will find eternal life in them. All the time they gave their testimony to me!

They were not willing to come to me to have real life! Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death. Did not Moses give them the Law? Yet not a single one of them obeyed the Law. If a person does not believe what he wrote, how can they believe what I say?

Everyone who rejects me and will not accept my sayings has a judge: At the last day, the very words that I have spoken will be their judge. If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels around him. He will repay everyone for what each has done. The one who publicly disowns me will find themself disowned before my Father in heaven and the angels of God! I tell you that everyone who publicly acknowledges me, I, the Son of Man, will acknowledge in the presence of my Father in heaven and the angels of God.

Yes, and people will come from the east and the west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, and from the north and the south, and take their seats in the kingdom of God. At that time there will be tears and bitter regret - to see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets inside the kingdom of God, and they themselves, those who should have belonged to the kingdom, excluded, banished to the darkness outside! The sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. There are some at the back now who will be in front later, and there are some in front now who will then be far behind.

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and lead a life of daily luxury. There was a poor man called Lazarus who was put down at his gate. He was covered with sores. He used to long to be fed with the scraps from the rich man's table. Yes, and the dogs used to come and lick his sores.

Well, it happened that the poor man died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. From among the dead he looked up and saw Abraham a long way away, and Lazarus in his arms. "Father Abraham!" he cried out, "Please pity me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames."

Abraham replied, "Remember, my son, that you used to have the good things in your lifetime, while Lazarus suffered the bad. Now he is being comforted here, while you are in agony. Besides this, a great chasm has been set between you and us, so that those who want to go to you from this side cannot do so, and people cannot come to us from your side."

At this he said, "Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, as I have five brothers. He could warn them about all this and prevent their coming to this place of torture."

Abraham said, "They have Moses and the Prophets: They can listen to them."

“Ah no, father Abraham," he said, "if only someone were to go to them from the dead, they would change completely."

Abraham told him, "If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets, then they would not be convinced even if somebody were to rise from the dead.”

Jesus is the True Bread from Heaven

In the prophets it is written, "They will all be taught by God," and this means that everybody who has heard the Father's voice and learned from him will come to me. Nobody comes to me unless they are drawn to me by the Father who sent me. Everything that my Father gives me will come to me and I will never refuse anyone who comes to me.

If anyone is thirsty, they can come to me and drink! The one who believes in me, as the scripture says, will have rivers of living water flowing from their inmost heart. Everyone who drinks the world’s water will be thirsty again. Whoever drinks the water I will give them will never be thirsty again. My gift will become a spring in the person, welling up into eternal life. The one who comes to me will never be hungry and the person who believes in me will never again be thirsty.

I wasn't talking about bread at all. It is the Spirit which gives life. The flesh will not help you. You should not work for the food which does not last but for the food which lasts into eternal life. Scripture says, “Humanity will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” This is the food the Son of Man gives you, and he is the one who bears the stamp of God the Father. The bread which I gave is my body, and I gave it for the life of the world. The things which I have told you are spiritual and are life, but some will not believe me. They are like the people who "having eyes, do not see, and having ears, do not hear." Everyone who has ears should use them!

I solemnly assure you that the one who hears what I have to say and believes in the one who has sent me has eternal life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die, and anyone who is alive and believes in me will never die at all. I assure you that the one who trusts in the Son has eternal life already. Just as the Father raises the dead and makes them live, so does the Son give life to anyone he chooses. Just as the Father has life in himself, so by the Father's gift, the Son also has life in himself. I tell you the simple truth: There were people alive then who did not taste death, knew nothing of death, until they had seen the kingdom of God coming in its power, and the Son of Man coming as king!

Yes, I assured them that a time was coming, in fact had already come, when the dead and buried would hear the voice of the Son of God, and when they had heard it, they would live! They do not have to face judgment; they have already passed from death into life. They will never die and no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can tear anything out of the Father's hand. I told some that they had seen me and do not believe. I told them to beware of the yeast of the legalists.

Yes, but what matters is not that Moses gave bread from heaven, but that my Father gave the true bread from heaven. The bread of God which comes down from heaven gives life to the world. I Am the living bread of life which came down from heaven, and if anyone eats this bread they will live forever. The one who eats my body and drinks my blood shares my life and I share theirs. Just as the living Father sent me and I am alive because of the Father, so the one who lives on me will live because of me.

This bread is not like the manna which your forefathers used to eat in the desert, and died. This bread came down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die. My body is real food and my blood is real drink. Unless you do eat the body of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you are not really living at all. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life and I will raise them up when the last day comes. I Am the resurrection and the life. This is why I said, "No one can come to me unless my Father puts it into their heart to come." Are you, too, wanting to go away?

My body was broken for you. My blood was poured out for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. As often as you break bread, and as often as you drink, do this in remembrance of me.

The Desire for Signs, the Sign of Jonah

What made that generation want a sign? How long…? It is written, “You will not put the Lord your God to the test.” You who crave for a sign really are an unbelieving, faithless, evil, wicked, and difficult people. Have you forgotten when I broke five loaves for five thousand people, and how many baskets full of pieces were picked up; or the seven loaves and the four thousand, and how many baskets then? Do not grumble among yourselves.

The food I have to eat that you knew nothing about is doing the will of him who sent me, and finishing the work he had given me. The will of him who sent me is that everyone who sees the Son and trusts in him and follows me will have eternal life I give them, and that I will not lose anything of what he has given me. The work of God for all is to believe in the one whom he has sent.

I can tell you this: All were certainly not given a sign except the sign of the prophet Jonah! Just as Jonah was in the belly of that great sea monster for three days and nights, so was the Son of Man in the heart of the earth for three days and nights. Just as Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh, so was the Son of Man a sign to that generation.

The people of Nineveh will stand up with that generation in the judgment, and will condemn it. They did repent when Jonah preached to them, and that generation had more than Jonah's preaching with them! When the judgment comes, the Queen of the South will rise up with the people of that generation, and she will condemn them. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and there was more than the wisdom of Solomon with that generation! I suppose they would never believe unless they saw signs and wonders!

The Unrepenting

Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen the demonstrations of God's power which you had seen, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Yet I tell you this, that it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. As for you, Capernaum, were you on your way up to heaven? I tell you, you will go hurtling down among the dead!

If Sodom had seen the miracles that you had seen, Sodom would be standing today. Yet I tell you now that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. I assure you that it will be better for Sodom in "that day" than for that town.

Parable of the Watchful Servants in Readiness

It is as if someone who is traveling abroad had left their house and handed it over to be managed by their servants. They have given each one their work to do and have ordered the doorkeeper to be on the lookout for their return. Just so must you keep a lookout, for you do not know when the master of the house will come. It might be late evening, or midnight, or as the rooster crows in the early morning, otherwise they might come unexpectedly and find you sound asleep. You must be on the alert then, for you do not know when your master is coming.

Be certain of this, that if the master of the house had known the time when the burglar would come, he would have been ready for him and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. So you must always be on the alert, for the Son of Man is coming at a time when you may not expect him. What I am saying to you I am saying to all: Keep on the alert!

Parable of the Talents

A man of good family went abroad to accept a kingdom and then return. He summoned ten of his household servants together before he went and handed his property to them to manage. He gave one five thousand dollars, another two thousand, and another one thousand - according to their respective abilities, with the words, "Use this money to trade with until I come back." Then he went away.

The man who had received five thousand dollars went out at once and by doing business with this sum he made another five thousand. Similarly the man with two thousand dollars made another two thousand. The man who had received one thousand dollars went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

The citizens detested the man of good family and sent a delegation after him to say, "We will not have this man to be our king." Then some years later, when he had received his kingdom, the master of these servants returned and gave orders for the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, so that he could find out what profit they had made.

The one who had the five thousand dollars came into his presence and brought him an additional five thousand with the words, "You gave me five thousand dollars, sire. Look, I've increased it by another five thousand." "Well done!" said his master, "You're a sound, reliable servant. Since you've proved trustworthy over a few things, now I'm going to put you in charge of ten towns. Come in and share your master's rejoicing.”

Then the servant who had received two thousand dollars came in and said, "Sire, you gave me two thousand dollars. Look, here's two thousand more that I've managed to make by it." "Good!" said his master, "You're a sound, reliable servant. You've been trustworthy over a few things, now I'm going to appoint you governor of five towns. Come in and share your master's pleasure.”

Then the last man came in and said, "Sire, here are your one thousand dollars, which I have been keeping wrapped up in a handkerchief. I have been scared. I always knew you're a hard man, collecting something where you laid out nothing and reaping where you never sowed, so I went off and hid your thousand dollars in the ground. Here is your money, intact.”

To which he replied, "You're a wicked, lazy servant! You scoundrel, your own words condemn you! You knew perfectly well, did you, that I am a hard man who collects something where he laid out nothing and reaps where he never sowed? Then why didn't you put my money into the bank, and then when I returned I could have at least had it back with interest?"

Then he said to those who were standing by, "Take away his thousand dollars and give it to the fellow who now has ten thousand." "Sire, he has ten thousand dollars already," they said to him.

“Yes," he replied, "and I tell you that the one who has something will get more given to them and will have plenty. As for the one who has nothing, even their ‘nothing’ will be taken away. Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where he can weep and wail over his stupidity. As for these enemies of mine who objected to my being their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”

Well, who will be the faithful, sensible steward whom their master will put in charge of his household to give them their food and supplies at the proper time? Happy and fortunate is the servant if their master finds them so doing when he returns. I tell you he will promote them to look after all his property.

Suppose they are a bad servant who says to themself, "My master takes his time about returning," and then begins to beat the men and women servants and to eat and drink and get drunk. That servant's lord and master will return suddenly and unexpectedly, and he will punish them severely and send them to share the penalty of the disloyal - to their bitter sorrow and regret! The servant who knows their master's plan but does not get ready or act upon it will be severely punished, but the servant who did not know the plan, though they have done wrong, will be let off lightly. Much will be expected from the one who has been given much, and the more a person is trusted, the more people will expect of them.

Parable of the Sower and the Soils

Now listen to the parable of the sower. There was a man who went out to sow his seed, and while he was sowing, some of the seed fell by the roadside and was trodden down and birds swooped down and gobbled it up. Some fell among the stony patches where there was very little soil, and when it sprouted very quickly in the shallow soil, it withered for lack of moisture, because there was no depth of earth.

When the sun rose it was scorched by the heat, and because it had no roots, it withered away.

Some seed fell among thorn bushes which grew up with the seeds and choked the life out of them, and it bore no crop.

Some seed fell on good soil and grew and produced a crop which yielded thirty or sixty or even a hundred times what had been sown. The one who has ears should use them!

You have been given the chance to understand the secrets of the kingdom of God, of heaven, but the others who do not know the secret are given parables so that they may go through life with their eyes open and "seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they turn, and their sins be forgiven them, for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they understand with their heart and turn, so that I heal them."

They are the living fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. So take care how you listen. More will be given to the one who has something already until they have plenty, but if they have nothing, even the nothing they think they have will be taken away from them. Whatever measure you use will be used towards you, and even more than that. How fortunate you are to have eyes that see and ears that hear!

Do you not understand this parable? Then how are you going to understand all the other parables? This is what the parable means. Listen! The one who sows, sows the message. The seed is the message of God. The seed sown by the roadside represents those who hear the message, and then the devil comes and takes it away from their hearts and minds so that they cannot believe it and be saved.

When someone hears the message of the kingdom and does not grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.

That sown on the stony patches represents those who accept the message eagerly with joyful delight when they hear it, but have no real root and do not last. They believe for a little while, but the moment temptation comes and trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they give up their faith at once.

The seed sown among the thorn bushes represents the people who hear the message and go on their way, and the worries of this world and the illusory glamor of wealth and all sorts of other ambitions and pleasures of living creep in and choke the life out of them, and in the end they produce no crop in this life.

The seed sown on good soil means those who hear the message and accept it with a good and honest heart. They go on steadily producing a good crop - thirty, sixty, even a hundred times as much as they received.

The Happy Results

Oh Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I thank you for hiding these things from the clever and the intelligent, and for showing them to mere children! Yes, I thank you, Father, that this was your will. Everything has been put in my hands by my Father, and nobody knows who the Son really is except the Father. Nobody knows who the Father really is except the Son - and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him! How fortunate you are to see what you are seeing! Believe me, I tell you that a great many prophets, kings, and good people have longed to see what you are seeing, and they never saw it. Yes, and they longed to hear what you are hearing, and they never heard it.

There is nothing hidden which is not meant to be made perfectly plain one day, and there are no secrets which are not meant one day to be common knowledge, clear as daylight. There is nothing covered up which is not going to be exposed, nor anything private which is not going to be made public. The things I tell you in the dark you must say in the daylight. Whatever you may say in the dark will be heard in daylight, and whatever you whisper within four walls, and the things you hear in your private ear, you must proclaim and shout from the housetops. I had always spoken quite openly to the world. I had always taught in the synagogue or in the temple where all the Jews meet together, and I had said nothing in secret.

If a person has ears they should use them!

Parable of the Mustard Seed

What can we say the kingdom of God is like? How will we put it in a parable? What illustration can I use to make it plain to you? It is like a tiny grain of mustard seed which a man took and dropped or sowed in his own garden or field. As a seed it is the smallest of them all, but after it is sown in the earth, it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It shoots out great branches so that it becomes a tree big enough for birds to come and nest in the shelter of its branches.

Parable of the Yeast

What can I say the kingdom of God is like? It is like the yeast which a woman took and covered up in three measures of flour until the whole lot had risen.

Parable of Growing Seed

The kingdom of God is like someone scattering seed on the ground and then going to bed each night and getting up every morning, while the seed sprouts and grows up, though they have no idea how it happens. The earth produces a crop without any help from anyone: first a blade, then the ear of corn, then the full-grown grain in the ear. As soon as the crop is ready, they send their reapers in without delay, for the harvest time has come.

Parable of the Tares Among the Wheat

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. While his men were asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the crop came up and ripened, the weeds appeared as well. Then the owner's servants came up to him and said, "Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did all these weeds come from?”

“Some blackguard has done this to spite me," he replied. "Do you want us then to go out and pull them all up?" said the servants. “'No," he returned, "if you pull up the weeds now, you would pull up the wheat with them. Let them both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Collect all the weeds first and tie them up in bundles ready to burn, but collect the wheat and store it in my barn.'”

The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the whole world. The good seed? That is the children of the kingdom, while the weeds are the children of the evil one. The blackguard who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of this world. The reapers are angels.

Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind

Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. Let them alone. They are blind guides. Can one blind person lead another blind person? Surely they will both end up in the ditch together! A disciple is not above their teacher, but when they are fully trained they will be like their teacher. The one who has ears should use them.

Just as weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so will it happen at the end of this world. The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will uproot from the kingdom everything that is spoiling it, and all those who live in defiance of its laws, and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be tears and bitter regret.

Allegory of Daylight

We must carry on the work of him who sent me while the daylight lasts. If someone walks in the daytime, they do not stumble, for they have the daylight to see by. Oh, my children, I was with you such a short time! You had the light with you only a little while. For the rest, I told them I was going away, and they would look for me, and would die in their sin. If you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sin. I told them “Where I go, you cannot come.” I Am the light of the world as long as I am in it. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Night is coming when no one can work. There are twelve hours of daylight every day, are there not? You must believe in the light while you have the light, that you may become the sons and daughters of light. The one who walks in the dark at night has no idea where they are going. They stumble because they cannot see where they are going. Go on while the light is good, before the darkness comes down upon you.

There was once a man blind from birth. Some disciples asked their teacher, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said their teacher, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” After saying this, their teacher spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

The lamp of your body is your eye. When your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light. If your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in shadow, it will all be radiant. It will be like having a bright lamp to give you light. When your eye is evil, your whole body is full of darkness. If all the light you have is darkness, it is dark indeed! So be very careful that your light never becomes darkness. What could someone offer to buy back their soul once they have lost it?

Parable of Salt

Salt is a very good thing. You are the earth's salt. If the salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? If salt loses its flavor, what can you use to restore it? It is no good for the ground and no good as fertilizer. It is completely useless and can only be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot. People just throw it away. You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with each other. So be careful how you live. Everyone will be salted by fire. Everyone who has ears should use them!

Do you suppose that the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered that fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise die. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who lived in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but those who do not repent will all likewise die.

Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. He said to the vineyard-keeper, “Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?” He answered and said to him, “Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer. If it bears fruit next year, fine; if not, cut it down.”

Allegory of the Vine and Branches

I Am the true vine, you are the branches, and my Father is the vinedresser. It is the one who shares my life and whose life I share who proves fruitful. The plain fact is that apart from me you can do nothing at all. Just as the branch cannot bear any fruit unless it shares the life of the vine, so you can produce nothing unless you go on growing in me. The one who does not share my life is like a branch that is broken off and withers away. They become just like the dry sticks that people pick up and use for firewood. If you live your life in me, and my words live in your hearts, you can ask for whatever you like and it will come true for you. He removes any of my branches which are not bearing fruit and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit to increase its yield. Now, you have already been pruned back by my words. You must go on growing in me and I will grow in you.

Parable of Casting a Dragnet into the Sea

The kingdom of heaven is like a big net thrown into the sea collecting all kinds of fish. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore and sit down and pick out the good ones for the barrels, but they throw away the bad. That is how it will be at the end of this world. The angels will go out and pick out the wicked from among the good and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be tears and bitter regret. Then the good will shine out like the sun in their Father's kingdom.

Keep on the alert, for you do not know when the time will be. Be on your guard - See to it that your minds are never clouded by dissipation or drunkenness or the worries of this life, or else that day may catch you like the springing of a trap, for it will come upon every inhabitant of the whole earth. No one knows the day or the hour of this happening, not even the angels in heaven, no, not even the Son - only the Father. Just as life went on in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, people were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, and knew nothing about the flood right up until the very day that Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

It will be just the same as it was in the days of Lot. People ate and drank, bought and sold, planted and built, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. That is how it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Parable of the Budding Fig Tree

Again, let the fig tree illustrate this for you, or indeed any tree: When it begins to burst its buds, when its branches grow tender, full of sap, and produce leaves, you realize without anybody telling you that summer is nearly here, at your very doors! So, when you see these things happening, you can be equally sure that the kingdom of God has nearly come, he is near, at your very door!

Parable of the Big Wedding Feast Guests

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those many guests who had been invited to the banquet to tell them, “Come, for everything is now ready,” but they refused to come.

Then he sent some more servants and said, “Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”

They all alike began to make excuses. The first said, “I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.”

Another said, “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.”

Still another said, “I just got married, so I can’t come.”

They paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The servant came back and reported this to his master. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go out quickly to the street corners and alleys of the town and invite to the banquet anyone you find: the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good.

“Sir,” the servant said, “what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.”

Then the master told his servant, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were initially invited will get a taste of my banquet,” and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, “How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?” The man was speechless.

Then the king told the attendants, “Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Many are invited, but few are chosen.

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

In those days the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were sensible and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The sensible ones brought their lamps and oil in their flasks as well.

Then, as the bridegroom was a very long time, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. In the middle of the night there came a shout, "Wake up, here comes the bridegroom! Out you go to meet him!" Then up got the bridesmaids and attended to their lamps.

The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, "Please give us some of your oil - our lamps are going out!" "Oh no," returned the sensible ones, "there might not be enough for all of us. Better go to the oil shop and buy some for yourselves." While they had gone off to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived, and those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him for the festivities and the door was shut behind them.

Later on, the rest of the bridesmaids came and said, "Oh, please, sir, open the door for us!" He replied, "I tell you I don't know you!" So be on the alert, for you do not know the day or the time.

You must be ready dressed and have your lamps alight, like those who wait to welcome their lord and master on his return from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks at the door, they may open it for him at once.

Parable of the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats

When the Son of Man comes in his splendor with all his angels with him, then he will take his seat on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people from each other like a shepherd separating sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right "Come, you who have won my Father's blessing! Take your inheritance - the kingdom reserved for you since the foundation of the world! I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was lonely and you made me welcome. I was naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you came and looked after me. I was in prison and you came to see me there."

Then the authentic people will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you lonely and make you welcome, or see you naked and clothe you, or see you ill or in prison and go to see you?"

The king will reply, "I assure you that whatever you did for the humblest of my brothers and sisters you did for me."

Many will find themselves standing outside and knocking at the door crying, "Lord, please open the door for us." It is not everyone who keeps saying to me "Lord, Lord" who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who actually does my heavenly Father's will. He will reply to them, "I tell you, I don't know who you are or where you come from. Be off, you scoundrels!"

They will protest, "We have had meals with you, and you taught in our streets!" In "that day" many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we preach in your name, didn't we cast out devils in your name, and do many great things in your name?" Then the king will tell them plainly, "I have never known you. Go away from me, you have worked on the side of evil! What is the point of calling me ‘Lord, Lord', without doing what I tell you to do?”

Then the king will say to those on his left, "Out of my presence, cursed as you are, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was lonely and you never made me welcome. When I was naked you did nothing to clothe me. When I was sick and in prison you never cared about me."

Then they too will answer him, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry, or thirsty, or lonely, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and fail to look after you?"

Then the king will answer them with these words, "I assure you that whatever you failed to do to the humblest of my brothers and sisters you failed to do to me." These will go off to eternal punishment, but the authentic people to eternal life.

A Perilously Hard Road Ahead, Signposts of Christ’s Return

You must keep your eyes open! Yes, and many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many people. Many are going to come in my name and say, "I am he," and "The time is very near now," and will lead many astray. If anyone tells you at that time, "Look, here is Christ," or "Look, there he is," don't believe it! So that if people say to you, "There he is, in the desert!" you are not to go out there. If they say, "Here he is, in this inner room!" don't believe it. Stay where you are and don't go off looking for him! False christs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders to deceive, if it be possible, even the elect. The time will come when you will long to see again a single day of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. The day of the Son of Man will be like lightning flashing from one end of the sky to the other. The kingdom of God never comes by watching for it. People cannot say, "Look, here it is,” or "there it is,” for the kingdom of God is inside you. "Wherever there is a dead body, there the vultures will flock." I am giving you this warning before it happens. Never follow people like that.

When you hear about wars, rumors of wars, and disturbances, don't be alarmed. These things must indeed happen first, but the end will not come immediately. Nation will take up arms against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in different places and terrible famines and plagues in this place or that. This is only the beginnings of "the birth pangs."

When these things begin to happen, look up, hold your heads high, for you will soon be free. Believe me, I tell you that the generation that sees these things will not disappear until all these things have taken place. Be very careful that no one deceives you.

If the world hates you, you know that it hated me first. You yourselves will be universally hated because of my name. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it, the world will hate you. Do you remember what I said to you, "The servant is not greater than their master”? If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you as well, but if they have followed my teaching, they will also follow yours.

They will arrest you, and persecute you, handing you over to their council or prison, or bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake. You will have to stand in front of rulers and kings for my sake to bear your witness to them, for before the end comes, the Gospel – this good news of the kingdom – must be proclaimed to people all over the world as a witness to all nations. When they are taking you off to trial, do not worry beforehand about what you are going to say - simply say the words you are given when the time comes. It is not really you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. So make up your minds not to think out your defense beforehand. I will give you such eloquence and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict it.

They will beat you and excommunicate you from their churches. Yes, the time is coming when someone who kills you will think they are thereby serving God! They will act like this and do all these things to you as my disciples because they have never had any true knowledge of the Father (the one who sent me) or of me, but I have told you all this so that when the time comes for it to happen, you may remember that I told you about it.

God Knows and Cares

Never let them frighten you. When they persecute you in one town, make your escape to the next. I tell you, as friends of mine, never be afraid of those who can kill the body, but afterwards cannot do anything more and are powerless to kill the soul! I will show you the only one you need to fear - the one who, after he has killed, has the power to throw you into Gehenna! Yes, I tell you, it is right to stand in awe of him. Far better to stand in awe of the one who has the power to destroy body and soul in the fires of Gehenna!

This will be your chance to witness for me. You yourselves must keep your wits about you. You must be vigilant at all times, praying that you may be strong enough to come safely through all that is going to happen, and stand in the presence of the Son of Man.

The time will come when many will lose their faith and betray and hate each other. You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings and kinsfolk and friends. There will be some of you who will be killed and you will be hated everywhere by the whole world for my name's sake, because you are known as my followers and you bear my name. From then on, there will be five people divided against each other in one house, three against two, and two against three. Siblings are going to betray each other to death, and parents their children. Children are going to betray their parents and have them executed. It is going to be father against son, and son against father, and mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law! A person's enemies will be those who live in their own house. Two people will be in the field; one is taken and one is left behind. Two people will be grinding at the hand mill; one is taken and one is left behind. I tell you, that night there will be two people in one bed, one will be taken and the other will be left.

Because of the spread of wickedness, the love of most people will grow cold. Yet, not a hair of your head will die. Hold on, and you will win your souls! The one who holds out and endures to the end will be saved, safe and sound.

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed forces, then you will know that the time of her devastation has arrived. When the time comes, then, that you see the "abomination of desolation" prophesied by Daniel "standing in the sacred place" where it ought not - the reader should note this - then is the time for those in Judea to escape to the hills. Those who are in the city itself must get out of it, and those who are already in the country must not try to get into the city. When that day comes, the one on the housetop, with their goods inside the house, must not waste time going down into the house to fetch anything out of it, and the one out in the fields must not turn back for anything, or to fetch their coat. Don’t be afraid. Don’t look back. Remember what happened to Lot's wife.

Women of Jerusalem, shed your tears for yourselves and for your children! The days are coming when people will say, "Lucky are the women who are childless - the bodies which have never borne, and the breasts which have never given nourishment." Alas for the women who are pregnant at that time, and alas for those who have tiny babies at their breasts! Pray God that you may not have to make your escape in the winter or on the Sabbath day, for then there will be great misery, such as has never happened from the beginning of the world until now, and will never happen again! Then people will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, “Cover us!” If this is what people do when the wood is green, what will they do when it is seasoned?

There will be bitter misery in the land and great anger against this people. They will die by the sword. They will be taken off as prisoners into all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by those who hate them, until the haters’ day is over. Indeed, if the Lord did not shorten those days, no human could survive. For the sake of the people whom he has chosen, he has shortened those days. These are the days of vengeance, when all that the scriptures have said will come true.

Christ Divides

No one has ever been up to heaven except the Son of Man who came down from heaven. The Son of Man was lifted above the heads of all people - as Moses lifted up that serpent in the desert - so that anyone who believes in him may have eternal life. I tell you truly that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain of wheat; but in dying, it brings a good harvest. I had to undergo a baptism, and how strained I was until it was over! It is fire that I came to bring upon the earth - it is now ablaze! Do you think I came to bring peace on the earth? Never think it. No, I tell you, not peace, but division! No, I have not come to bring peace but a sword! As for me, as I was lifted up from the earth, I draw all people to myself. When you lifted up the Son of Man, then you knew that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.

The Glorious Return

Immediately after the misery of those days, there will be dreadful sights, and great signs from heaven in the sun, moon and stars. "The light of the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light; stars will be falling from the sky and the powers of heaven will rock on their foundations” and on the earth there will be dismay among the nations and bewilderment at the roar of the surging sea. People's courage will fail completely as they realize what is threatening the world, for the very powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will wring their hands as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky in great power, glory, and splendor!

Then will he send out his angels with a loud trumpet call to summon his chosen together from every quarter, from the four winds, from furthest earth to highest heaven, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Allegory of the Woman in Labor

When a woman gives birth to a child, she certainly knows pain when her time comes. Yet as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers her agony for joy that a human has been born into the world. Now you are going through pain, but I will see you again and your hearts will thrill with joy - the joy that no one can take away from you - and on that day you will not ask me any questions.

Concerning the Holy Spirit

When the helper I have spoken to you about stands by you, the Holy Spirit of truth whom the Father has sent in my name, and whom I sent to you from the Father, he guides you into everything that is true. He does not speak of his own accord but exactly as he hears, and he informs you about what is to come. He is your teacher and speaks plainly about me and brings to your minds all that I have said to you. He brings glory to me, for he draws on my truth and reveals it to you. Whatever the Father possesses is also mine. That is why I tell you that he draws on my truth and shows it to you. Those to whom he comes realize that I am in my Father, that you are in me, and I am in you. He convinces the world of the meaning of sin and of judgment, and reveals true goodness, for the spirit which rules this world has been judged. He exposes their sin because they do not believe in me. I told you this so that your faith in me may not be shaken.

The Great Commission: The Love Motivation

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Just as the Father sent me, so I am now sending you. You cannot know times and dates which have been fixed by the Father's sole authority, but you are given power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. You, then, are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you and, remember, I am with you always, to the completion of the age. Go, and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God. Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. Feed my sheep.

You must hold on to your faith in God and to your faith in me. I am coming again to welcome you into my own home, so that you may be where I am. There are many rooms in my Father's House. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? I had said all this while I was still with you. No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not share their master's confidence. No, I call you friends because I have told you everything that I have heard from the Father.

I leave peace behind with you. I give you my own peace and my gift is nothing like the peace of this world. In this world you will have trouble. Take heart! I have overcome the world. You must not let yourself be distressed and you must not be daunted. Yes, peace be with you!

The High Priestly Prayer

Father of goodness and truth, the world has not known you, but I have known you and these people now know that you have sent me. I have brought you honor upon earth, I have completed the task which you gave me to do. I have shown yourself to the people whom you gave me from the world. They were your people and you gave them to me, and they have accepted your word. Now they realize that all that you have given me comes from you, and that every message that you gave me I have given them. They have accepted it all and have come to know in their hearts that I did come from you. They are convinced that you sent me. I have made yourself known to them and I will continue to do so, that the love which you have had for me may be in their hearts - and that I may be there also. Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am; I want them to see that glory which you have made mine, for you loved me before the world began.

I am praying to you for them: I am not praying for the world but for the people whom you gave me, for they are yours - everything that is mine is yours and yours, mine - and they have done me honor.

I say these things in the world that these people may find my joy completed in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, for they are no more children of the world than I am. I am not praying that you will take them out of the world, but that you will keep them from the evil one. Make them holy by the truth, for your word is the truth.

I have sent them to the world just as you sent me to the world. Holy Father, keep the people you gave me by your power. As long as I was with them, I kept them by the power that you gave me. I guarded them, and not one of them was destroyed, except the son of destruction, that the scripture might come true. Now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. I have given them the honor that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one - I in them and you in me - that they may grow complete into one, so that the world may realize that you sent me and have loved them as you loved me. I consecrate myself for their sakes, that they may be made holy by the truth. I am not praying only for these people, but for all those who will believe in me through their message, that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, live in me and I live in you, I am asking that they may live in us, that the world may believe that you did send me.

This is eternal life - to know you, the only true God, and him whom you have sent - Jesus Christ. Yes, the Son of Man is sitting at the right hand of almighty God’s power and in the future coming on the clouds of heaven.