"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter lamentation: It was Rachel bewailing her children, and she refused to be comforted because there were no more."

Be joyful and triumphant, because your reward is great in the Heavens; for so were the Prophets before you persecuted.

"And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words.

because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.

And when He saw the crowds He was touched with pity for them, because they were distressed and were fainting on the ground like sheep which have no shepherd.

And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

Every one who receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward.

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."

and blessed is every one who does not stumble and fall because of my claims."

Then began He to upbraid the towns where most of His mighty works had been done--because they had not repented.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.

The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.

Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth;

"Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not.

It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their want of faith.

because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.

The king was deeply vexed, yet because of his repeated oath and of the guests at his table he ordered it to be given her,

But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us."

they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have not brought any bread."

Jesus perceived this and said, "Why are you reasoning among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you have no bread?

But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Adversary; you are a hindrance to me, because your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's."

"Because your faith is so small," He replied; "for I solemnly declare to you that if you have faith like a mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Remove from this place to that,' and it will remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

"Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!

At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:

"'Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "'You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.

Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

"At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

When the High Priests had gathered up the money they said, "It is illegal to put it into the Treasury, because it is the price of blood."

Then He cured numbers of people who were ill with various diseases, and He drove out many demons; not allowing the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

"Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns," He replied, "that I may proclaim my Message there also; because for that purpose I came from God."

Finding themselves unable, however, to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they untiled the roof just over His head, and after clearing an opening they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

So He gave directions to His disciples to keep a small boat in constant attendance on Him because of the throng--to prevent their crushing Him.

This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;

but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.

But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."

For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.

So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things.

because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and passes away ejected from him?" By these words Jesus pronounced all kinds of food clean.

and whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, I solemnly tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.

This the High Priests and Scribes heard, and they began to devise means to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because of the deep impression produced on all the people by His teaching.

You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.

And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,

Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,

So Joseph went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to David's town of Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim Good News to the poor; He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners of war and recovery of sight to the blind: to send away free those whom tyranny has crushed,

And they were greatly impressed by His teaching, because He spoke with the language of authority.

Demons also came out of many, loudly calling out, "You are the Son of God." But He rebuked them and forbad them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

But He said to them, "I have to tell the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because for this purpose I was sent."

But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling--bed and all--into the midst, in front of Jesus.

The whole crowd were eager to touch Him, because power went forth from him and cured every one.

Then fixing His eyes upon His disciples, Jesus said to them, "Blessed are you poor, because the Kingdom of God is yours.

"Blessed are you who hunger now, because your hunger shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who now weep aloud, because you shall laugh.

"But alas for you rich men, because you already have your consolation!

"Alas for you who now have plenty to eat, because you will be hungry! "Alas for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep aloud!

He is like a man building a house, who digs and goes deep, and lays the foundation on the rock; and when a flood comes, the torrent bursts upon that house, but is unable to shake it, because it is securely built.

And blessed is every one who does not stumble and fall because of my claims."

This is the reason why I tell you that her sins, her many sins, are forgiven--because she has loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

"What is your name?" Jesus asked him. "Legion," he replied--because a great number of demons had entered into him;

Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was going on; and he was bewildered because of its being said by some that John had come back to life,

Now when the day began to decline, the Twelve came to Him and said, "Send the people away, that they may go to the villages and farms round about and find lodging and a supply of food; because here we are in an uninhabited district."

"Rabbi," replied John, "we have seen a man making use of your name to expel demons; and we forbad him, because he does not come with us."

But the people there would not receive Him, because He was evidently going to Jerusalem.

"I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves because he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency he will rouse himself and give him as many as he requires.

And if Satan really has engaged in fierce conflict with himself, how shall his kingdom stand?--because you say that I expel demons by the power of Baal-zebul.

The Queen of the South will awake at the Judgement together with the men of the present generation, and will condemn them; because she came from the extremity of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; but mark! One greater than Solomon is here.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and mark! One greater than Jonah is here.

"Do you suppose," He asked in reply, "that those Galilaeans were worse sinners than the mass of the Galilaeans, because this happened to them?

And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan had bound for no less than eighteen years, was she not to be loosed from this chain because it is the Sabbath day?"

and you will be blessed, because they have no means of requiting you, but there will be requital for you at the Resurrection of the righteous."

"'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'

yet because she annoys me I will give her justice, to prevent her from constantly coming to pester me.'"

He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

As they were listening to His words, He went on to teach them by a parable, because He was near to Jerusalem and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

"'Well done, good servant,' he replied; 'because you have been faithful in a very small matter, be in authority over ten towns.'

For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.'

And they will dash thee to the ground and thy children within thee, and will not leave one stone upon another within thee; because thou hast not recognized the time of thy visitation."

You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name;

But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."

To Herod the sight of Jesus was a great gratification, for, for a long time, he had been wanting to see Him, because he had heard so much about Him. He hoped also to see some miracle performed by Him.

But they pressed Him to remain with them. "Because," said they, "it is getting towards evening, and the day is nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.

This is He about whom I said, 'After me is to come One who has been put before me, because He was before me.'

"Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig-tree,'" replied Jesus, "do you believe? You shall see greater things than that."

But for His part, Jesus did not trust Himself to them, because He knew them all,

He who trusts in Him does not come up for judgement. He who does not trust has already received sentence, because he has not his trust resting on the name of God's only Son.

And this is the test by which men are judged--the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than they loved the Light, because their deeds were wicked.

And John too was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there were many pools of water there; and people came and received baptism.

Of the Samaritan population of that town a good many believed in Him because of the woman's statement when she declared, "He has told me all that I have ever done."

Then a far larger number of people believed because of His own words,

and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe in Him simply because of your statements; for we have now heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."

and on this account the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because He did these things on the Sabbath.

On this account then the Jews were all the more eager to put Him to death--because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also spoke of God as being in a special sense His Father, thus putting Himself on a level with God.