A disciple is doing well if he can be [as good] as his teacher, and the slave [as good] as his master. If they have called the master of the house [i.e., Jesus] Beelzebub [i.e., the chief of evil spirits. See Mark 3:22], how much more [likely] will they call members of his household [i.e., the disciples] the same thing!

“So do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed [at the judgment], or kept secret that will not be made known [at the judgment].

What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, and what ye hear in the ear preach upon the houses.

And do not be afraid of those who can kill your body but not your soul. Instead, fear Him [i.e., God] who is able to destroy both your soul and body in hell. [See note on 5:29].

Are not two little sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

So stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows."

But if anyone says before men that he has no knowledge of me, I will say that I have no knowledge of him before my Father in heaven.

Do not think that I came to bring [only] peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace [only] but [also] a sword [of division. See Luke 12:51].

And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

and he that does not take his cross, and so follow after me, is unworthy of me.

The person who finds [everything to satisfy him in] this life [here on earth] will lose [never ending life]. But the person who [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] this life [here on earth] for my sake [i.e., in loyal service to me] will find it [i.e., never ending life]. [See Mark 10:29-30]

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

And so it happened, when Jesus had finished instructing His twelve apostles, He left there [and went] to teach and preach in the [other] Israelite towns. [See 10:23]

Now John had heard in prison about the Christ's doings, and he sent some of his disciples to inquire:

To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

Blind men see and lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear; and dead are raised, and poor have glad tidings preached to them:

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

This is he of whom it is written, "'See I am sending My messenger before Thy face, and he will make Thy road ready before Thee.'

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Immerser the kingdom of heaven is experiencing turmoil, for violent men are [trying to] take control of it [by bringing it into existence] forcibly [i.e., before its appointed time. See Acts 1:6-7].

And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.

“To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other:

and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.

But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose].

Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

About that time Jesus was walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry so began picking off some heads of grain to eat [the kernels]. [Note: It was an accepted practice for people in that day to be permitted to do this as they walked along paths bordering a grainfield].

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

So he said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those with him,

Or, have you not read in the law of Moses that the priests in the Temple defiled the Sabbath day [i.e., by doing the 'work' of offering sacrifices] and were not held guilty [of wrongdoing]? [See Num. 28:9-10]

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

As he passed along he went into their synagogue, and there he saw a man with a withered hand.

There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

How much better then is a man than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do well on the sabbath.

Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored, as good as the other.

So the Pharisees withdrew and plotted against him, to destroy him;

So when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from that place, and numbers of people followed him.

and warned them not to say anything about him

so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.

He will not [even] break a wilted stalk or put out a smoldering [lamp] wick until He exercises judgment [upon mankind through the Gospel] in order to bring about victory [i.e., in people's lives].

So, in His name the [unconverted] Gentiles will have hope."

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

And all the multitudes were astonished, and continued to say, Is not this the son of David?

So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand?

And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges.

But, if, in God's Spirit, I, am casting out the demons, then doubtless hath come upon you unawares, the kingdom of God!

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

"And if any man say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in that which is to come.

Either say that the tree is good, and its fruit good; or say that the tree is bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers!

Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things [when you] are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!

The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, because she came from so far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!"

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

While Jesus was still speaking to the large crowds, His mother and [half-] brothers were standing outside [of the large house. See 13:1] wanting to speak to Him.

So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."

And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.

For whosoever doth my father's will which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and my mother."

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:

And other seed fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil and immediately it sprouted up because the soil was so shallow.

so that as the sun arose it was scorched, and for want of root, withered away.

And the disciples came and said to him, Why do you say things to them in the form of stories?

For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

"So listen to the parable of the sower:

but it takes no real root in him, and he lasts only a little while, and just as soon as suffering and persecution come for the truth's sake, he at once yields and falls.

As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.

And in men's sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away.

So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Another simile he set before them, saying: 'The reign of the heavens is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did sow in his field,

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds with parables. He did not say anything to them without using a parable.

so that that should be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the world's foundation.

So he answered [and] said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

"The kingdom of heaven is similar to a person finding a treasure hidden in a field. After finding it, he was so happy he hid it [again], then went out and sold everything he owned so he could buy that field.

and having found one pearl of great price, having gone away he sold all things, so many as he had, and bought it.