A Question about the Sabbath
(Matthew 12.1-8Mark 2.23-28)1 One Sabbath when Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields, the disciples picked some wheat. They rubbed the husks off with their hands and started eating the grain.
2 Some Pharisees said, “Why are you picking grain on the Sabbath? You're not supposed to do that!”
3 Jesus answered, “You surely have read what David did when he and his followers were hungry. 4 He went into the house of God and took the sacred loaves of bread that only priests were supposed to eat. He not only ate some himself, but even gave some to his followers.”
5 Jesus finished by saying, “The Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.”
A Man with a Paralyzed Hand
(Matthew 12.9-14Mark 3.1-6)6 On another Sabbath Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, and a man with a paralyzed right hand was there. 7 Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses kept watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man. They did this because they wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong.
8 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he told the man to stand up where everyone could see him. And the man stood up. 9 Then Jesus asked, “On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone's life or destroy it?”
10 After he had looked around at everyone, he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his bad hand became completely well.
11 The teachers and the Pharisees were furious and started saying to one another, “What can we do about Jesus?”
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles
(Matthew 10.1-4Mark 3.13-19)12 About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. 13 The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. 14 One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter's brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, 16 Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.
Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals
(Matthew 4.23-25)17 Jesus and his apostles went down from the mountain and came to some flat, level ground. Many other disciples were there to meet him. Large crowds of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal towns of Tyre and Sidon were there too. 18 These people had come to listen to Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. All who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed. 19 Everyone was trying to touch Jesus, because power was going out from him and healing them all.
Blessings and Troubles
(Matthew 5.1-12)20 Jesus looked at his disciples and said:
God will bless you people
who are poor.
His kingdom belongs to you!
21 God will bless
you hungry people.
You will have plenty
to eat!
God will bless you people
who are now crying.
You will laugh!
22 God will bless you when others hate you and won't have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. 23 Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.
24 But you rich people
are in for trouble.
You have already had
an easy life!
25 You well-fed people
are in for trouble.
You will go hungry!
You people
who are laughing now
are in for trouble.
You are going to cry
and weep!
26 You are in for trouble when everyone says good things about you. That is what your own people said about those prophets who told lies.
Love for Enemies
(Matthew 5.38-48Matthew 7.12a)27 This is what I say to all who will listen to me:
Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. 28 Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you. 31 Treat others just as you want to be treated.
32 If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. 33 If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. 34 If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.
35 But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. 36 Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you.
Judging Others
(Matthew 7.1-5)
37 Jesus said:
Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. 38 If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.
39 Jesus also used some sayings as he spoke to the people. He said:
Can one blind person lead another blind person? Won't they both fall into a ditch? 40 Are students better than their teacher? But when they are fully trained, they will be like their teacher.
41 You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. 42 How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you don't see the log in your own eye? You show-offs! First, get the log out of your own eye; then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.
A Tree and Its Fruit
(Matthew 7.17-20Matthew 12.34bMatthew 35)43 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. 44 You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. You cannot pick figs or grapes from thornbushes. 45 Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.
Two Builders
(Matthew 7.24-27)46 Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? 47 Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me 48 is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When a flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn't even shake. 49 But anyone who hears what I say and doesn't obey me is like someone whose house wasn't built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces!
1 And it came to passe on a second solemne Sabbath, that hee went through the corne fieldes, and his disciples plucked the eares of corne, and did eate, and rub them in their hands. 2 And certaine of the Pharises sayde vnto them, Why doe ye that which is not lawfull to doe on the Sabbath dayes? 3 Then Iesus answered them, and said, Haue ye not read this, that Dauid did when he himselfe was an hungred, and they which were with him, 4 Howe he went into the house of God, and tooke, and ate the shewbread, and gaue also to them which were with him, which was not lawful to eate, but for the Priests onely? 5 And he sayd vnto them, The Sonne of man is Lord also of the Sabbath day. 6 It came to passe also on another Sabbath, that hee entred into the Synagogue, and taught, and there was a man, whose right hand was dryed vp. 7 And the Scribes and Pharises watched him, whether he would heale on the Sabbath day, that they might finde an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and sayd to the man which had the withered hand, Arise, and stand vp in the middes. And hee arose, and stoode vp. 9 Then sayd Iesus vnto them, I will aske you a question, Whether is it lawfull on the Sabbath dayes to doe good, or to doe euill? to saue life, or to destroy? 10 And he behelde them all in compasse, and sayd vnto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he did so, and his hand was restored againe, as whole as the other. 11 Then they were filled full of madnes, and communed one with another, what they might doe to Iesus. 12 And it came to passe in those dayes, that he went into a mountaine to praye, and spent the night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called his disciples, and of them he chose twelue which also he called Apostles. 14 (Simon whome he named also Peter, and Andrew his brother, Iames and Iohn, Philippe and Bartlemewe: 15 Matthewe and Thomas: Iames the sonne of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelous, 16 Iudas Iames brother, and Iudas Iscariot, which also was the traitour.) 17 Then he came downe with them, and stood in a plaine place, with the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Iudea, and Hierusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyrus and Sidon, which came to heare him, and to be healed of their diseases: 18 And they that were vexed with foule spirits, and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went vertue out of him, and healed them all. 20 And hee lifted vp his eyes vpon his disciples, and sayd, Blessed be ye poore: for yours is the kingdome of God. 21 Blessed are ye that hunger nowe: for ye shalbe satisfied: blessed are ye that weepe now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye when men hate you, and when they separate you, and reuile you, and put out your name as euill, for the Sonne of mans sake. 23 Reioyce ye in that day, and be glad: for beholde, your reward is great in heauen: for after this maner their fathers did to the Prophets. 24 But wo be to you that are rich: for ye haue receiued your consolation. 25 Wo be to you that are full: for ye shall hunger. Wo be to you that now laugh: for ye shall wayle and weepe. 26 Wo be to you when all men speake well of you: for so did their fathers to the false prophets. 27 But I say vnto you which heare, Loue your enemies: doe well to them which hate you. 28 Blesse them that curse you, and pray for them which hurt you. 29 And vnto him that smiteth thee on ye one cheeke, offer also the other: and him that taketh away thy cloke, forbid not to take thy coate also. 30 Giue to euery man that asketh of thee: and of him that taketh away the things that be thine, aske them not againe. 31 And as ye would that men should doe to you, so doe ye to them likewise. 32 For if yee loue them which loue you, what thanke shall ye haue? for euen the sinners loue those that loue them. 33 And if ye do good for them which do good for you, what thanke shall ye haue? for euen the sinners doe the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue, what thanke shall yee haue? for euen the sinners lend to sinners, to receiue the like. 35 Wherefore loue ye your enemies, and doe good, and lend, looking for nothing againe, and your rewarde shalbe great, and ye shalbe the children of the most High: for he is kinde vnto the vnkinde, and to the euill. 36 Be ye therefore mercifull, as your Father also is mercifull. 37 Iudge not, and ye shall not be iudged: condemne not, and ye shall not bee condemned: forgiue, and ye shalbe forgiuen. 38 Giue, and it shalbe giuen vnto you: a good measure, pressed downe, shaken together and running ouer shall men giue into your bosome: for with what measure ye mete, with the same shall men mete to you againe. 39 And he spake a parable vnto them, Can the blinde leade the blinde? shall they not both fall into the ditche? 40 The disciple is not aboue his master: but whosoeuer will be a perfect disciple, shall bee as his master. 41 And why seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye, and considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye? 42 Either howe canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou seest not the beame that is in thine owne eye? Hypocrite, cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first, and then shalt thou see, perfectly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye. 43 For it is not a good tree that bringeth foorth euill fruite: neither an euill tree, that bringeth foorth good fruite. 44 For euery tree is knowen by his owne fruite: for neither of thornes gather men figges, nor of bushes gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good, and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth euill: for of the aboundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 46 But why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I speake? 47 Whosoeuer commeth to mee, and heareth my wordes, and doeth the same, I will shewe you to whome he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deepe, and layde the fundation on a rocke: and when the waters arose, the flood beat vpon that house, and coulde not shake it: for it was grounded vpon a rocke. 49 But hee that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that built an house vpon the earth without foundation, against which the flood did beate, and it fell by and by: and the fall of that house was great.