Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible







Some Pharisees came to him and tried to trap him. Does our Law allow a man to divorce his wife? They asked.


They plotted against him and tried to catch him in something he might say.

They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor.




The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk. They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men. Tell us what you think? Is it lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, or not?

Teacher, Moses said if a man dies having no children, his brother should marry his wife, and bring up seed for his brother. There were seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no children, left his wife to his brother. The same happened to the second, right on through the seventh. read more.
After that the woman died. In the resurrection, with which of the seven will she be married? All seven had her.

While they sat and ate Jesus said: Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, even he that eats with me. They were sorrowful and said to him one by one: Is it I? He said to them: It is one of the twelve, he that dips with me in the dish. read more.
The Son of man goes even as it is written of him. Woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better if he had not been born. While they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it, he gave the broken bread to them, and said: Take it, this means (represents) my body. He took a cup, and when he had given praise, he gave it to them and they all had a drink from it.

The scribes and the chief priests attempted to capture him in that very hour. They feared the people. They perceived that he spoke this illustration against them. They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor. Teacher, they said, we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully. read more.
Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? He perceived their craftiness, and replied: Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have? They said, Caesar's. He said to them: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They were not able to apprehend him in front of the people. They were amazed by his answer and kept quiet.



They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men.





The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk. They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men. Tell us what you think? Is it lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, or not? read more.
Jesus perceived their wickedness. He said: Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. They brought a penny (denarius) to him. He asked: Whose image and superscription is on this coin? Caesar's, they said. Then he said: Pay Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Pay God the things that are God's. When they heard it, they were amazed and left him.

Pharisees and Herodians went to him that they might catch him in talk. Teacher, they said, we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius. read more.
And they brought it. He said to them: Whose is this image and superscription? They said: Caesar's. Jesus said: Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They greatly marveled at him.

They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor. Teacher, they said, we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? read more.
He perceived their craftiness, and replied: Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have? They said, Caesar's. He said to them: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They were not able to apprehend him in front of the people. They were amazed by his answer and kept quiet.


The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, he said. Obey everything they teach you, but do not follow their example. They say one thing and do something else. They chain heavy burdens on your shoulders. Yet they are unwilling to lift even a finger to carry these same burdens. read more.
They do everything to be seen by men. For example: they enlarge their scripture cases for their foreheads and lengthen the tassels on their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the prominent seats in the synagogues. They require recognition in public places and insist on being called Rabbi by men. Do not be called Rabbi (master) (teacher) (leader), for only one is your teacher. You are all brothers. Call no man your father on the earth, for only one is your Father in heaven. Do not be called master (teacher) (leader), for only one is your master, and he is Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. He who exalts himself will be humbled. He who humbles himself will be exalted. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You close the kingdom of heaven to people. You do not invite others to enter nor do you enter. [Verse not found in oldest manuscripts.] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel on both sea and land to make one convert. When this happens, you make him twice as deserving of destruction in the trash fires of the valley of Hinnom (Greek: Gehenna). Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, 'When you swear by the temple, it is nothing.' Then you say, 'When you swear by the gold of the temple, you are obligated.' You fools! You blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? When you swear by an altar, you owe nothing. When you swear by the gift left on the altar, you are obligated. You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? He who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him that dwells within it. Thus, he who swears by heaven also swears by the throne of God and him who sits on it. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith. You should do both and leave nothing undone. You blind guides! You strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, yet the inside is full of extortion and excess. You are blind. Clean the inside of the cup and platter first. Then clean the outside. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that appear beautiful on the outside. They are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness on the inside. You appear righteous to men. However, inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous. You claim that you would not have been involved with your fathers when they spilled the blood of the prophets. You witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up the (guilt) measure of your fathers. You serpents! You offspring of vipers! How will you escape from being destroyed in the ever-burning fires of the Valley of Hinnom? (Greek: Gehenna, the trash fires in the valley just outside of Jerusalem)

Pharisees and Herodians went to him that they might catch him in talk. Teacher, they said, we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius. read more.
And they brought it. He said to them: Whose is this image and superscription? They said: Caesar's. Jesus said: Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They greatly marveled at him. Sadducees say that there is no resurrection. They came to him to ask a question: Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed for his brother. There were seven brothers the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. The second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him. The third also died without leaving a seed. The seven left no seed. The woman also died. In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? For each of the seven had her as wife. Jesus replied: Is it not for this cause that you err? You do not know the scriptures or the power of God. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels in heaven. It is a fact that the dead will be raised again. Have you not read the account of the burning bush in the book of Moses? Did you notice how God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly mistaken. One of the other scribes came to him with a question: What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered: The first is, Hear, O Israel; Jehovah our God is one God (Jehovah). You should love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your being (with every breath you take) (your life), with your entire mind and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4) The second is you should love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these. (Leviticus 19:18) The scribe said to him: It is true teacher you've said it well that he is one and there is no one else besides him. To love him with all the heart, and with all understanding, and with total strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently he said to him: You are not far from the kingdom of God. No man dared ask any questions after that. Still teaching in the temple Jesus said: Do the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? Inspired by Holy Spirit David said: 'Jehovah said to my Lord sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' (Psalm 110:1) David called him Lord. How is it that he is his son? The people were pleased with what he said. He said: Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and to have greetings in the marketplaces. They demand the front seats in the synagogues and prominent places at feasts. They devour widows' houses and for pretence make long prayers. These shall receive greater condemnation.

The Lord said: You Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter. Yet your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. You foolish ones. Did he that made the outside also make the inside? Give that which is within as charity. Then all things are clean for you. read more.
Woe to you Pharisees! You tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God. You should have done these but you leave them undone. Woe to you Pharisees! You love the prominent seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! You are as the tombs that do not appear and men walk over them and do not know it. One of the lawyers said to him: Teacher, you also insult us by saying this. Jesus said: Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to bear. And you will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Therefore you are witnesses and consent to the works of your fathers. They killed them and you build their tombs. It is for this reason the wisdom of God said, 'I send to them prophets and apostles and they will persecute and kill some of them.' The blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation. This includes the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. I tell you it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers, for you took away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves and you hindered those entering. When he left there the scribes and the Pharisees became hostile with him. They tried to quarrel with him about many things. They plotted against him and tried to catch him in something he might say.




They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men.






Some Pharisees came to him and tried to trap him. Does our Law allow a man to divorce his wife? They asked.


They plotted against him and tried to catch him in something he might say.

They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor.



The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk. They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men. Tell us what you think? Is it lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, or not? read more.
Jesus perceived their wickedness. He said: Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. They brought a penny (denarius) to him. He asked: Whose image and superscription is on this coin? Caesar's, they said. Then he said: Pay Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Pay God the things that are God's. When they heard it, they were amazed and left him.

Pharisees and Herodians went to him that they might catch him in talk. Teacher, they said, we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius. read more.
And they brought it. He said to them: Whose is this image and superscription? They said: Caesar's. Jesus said: Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They greatly marveled at him.