But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them [Note: Jesus here refers to Himself]. Then they will fast at that time."

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who touched him and what kind of a woman she was --- a sinner."

And it happened while Jesus was praying off by Himself that His disciples joined Him. He asked them, saying, "Who are the crowds saying that I am?"

For what is a person benefited if he gains the whole world [i.e., of material things] and [yet] loses [his spiritual life] or gives himself up [to spiritual ruin]?

But, wanting to justify himself, the teacher of the law of Moses asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

And if Satan also is divided against himself, how [then] can his kingdom stand? I tell you this because you are saying that I drove out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub.

And when the Pharisee observed this, he was surprised that Jesus had not first washed himself ceremonially before the meal.

so he thought to himself, 'What should I do, because I do not have any [more] room to store my crops?'

Then he said [to himself], 'This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger [ones]; then I will store all my grain and [other] goods there [i.e., farm supplies].

This is [the way it will be with] the person who stores up treasures for himself, and [yet] is not rich toward God [i.e., does place enough importance on spiritual things]."

But if that slave should think to himself, 'My master will not be back soon,' and then becomes physically abusive to his men and women servants, and eats and drinks and gets drunk,

For every person who exalts himself [as important] will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted [as important]."

Then the property manager said to himself, What am I going to do since my master is taking away my job? I am not strong enough to dig [i.e., as a farm laborer], and I am too ashamed to beg.

And for some time the judge refused to do it. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I do not revere God or respect man,

The Pharisee stood up [conspicuously] and prayed about himself this way [i.e., bragging to God about how good he was], 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, sexually unfaithful to their mates, or even like that tax collector [over there].

I tell you, this man went back home right with God instead of the other man. For every person who exalts himself [as important] will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted [as important]."

For David himself said in the book of Psalms [Psa. 110:1], 'The Lord [i.e., God] said to my [i.e., David's] Lord [i.e., Jesus], sit at my right side

They began bringing accusations against Him, saying, "We discovered this man misleading the people of our nation and telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he himself was the Messiah, a king!"

People stood [around] watching [all this], while the leaders even sneered at Him, saying, "He saved other people; [now] let him save himself [i.e., from dying] if he [really] is the Christ, God's specially chosen one."

Then, beginning from [the writings of] Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained to the two men about the things referring to Himself [contained] in all these Scripture passages.

And as the apostles were talking about these things, Jesus Himself [reappeared], standing among them, and said to them, "May there be peace in your lives."