After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him.

so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

"Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

"When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!"

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

"I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more will they defame the members of his household!

"To what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another,

He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.

He gave them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen."

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.

Then he said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old."

And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

and said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

"For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

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

The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

"Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean.

For just like the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

"For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.

All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me.

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him.

And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

The people there were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like the experts in the law.

And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

He also said, "The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground.

It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground --

So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

Others said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets from the past."

because Herod stood in awe of John and protected him, since he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, and yet he liked to listen to John.

As Jesus came ashore he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.

Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this."

Regaining his sight he said, "I see people, but they look like trees walking."

It shrieked, threw him into terrible convulsions, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He is dead!"

I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

In his teaching Jesus also said, "Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces,

It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.

Jesus said to them, "Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?

like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning.

When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight."

A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.

"Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice -- I will show you what he is like:

He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!"

"To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, 'We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.'

Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves.

So he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it!"

Consider how the flowers grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

be like people waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

Thus Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what should I compare it?

It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the wild birds nested in its branches."

It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen."

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers."'

but he answered his father, 'Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!

For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers -- or even like this tax collector.

I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

"Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

"But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.

Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.

"Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat,

And in his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.]

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?

But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them.

Look at my hands and my feet; it's me! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones like you see I have."

Then John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.

This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever."

The officers replied, "No one ever spoke like this man!"

Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.

Some people said, "This is the man!" while others said, "No, but he looks like him." The man himself kept insisting, "I am the one!"

So these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."

If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.

Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting.

And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them.

Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey him in everything he tells you.

All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.

This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.'