So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

“Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”

And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command His angels concerning You’;and‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!”

He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”

And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?

But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”

the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!

And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?

Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”

But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”

But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.

And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also?

These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt.

and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”

And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,

But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.”

And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?

They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.