Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was grazing.

And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]!”

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign (attesting miracle) from You [proving that You are what You claim to be].”

That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee].

and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it.

Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.

And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.”

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’

He went out about the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), and did the same thing.

Take what belongs to you and go, but I choose to give to this last man [hired] the same as I give to you.

Seeing a lone fig tree at the roadside, He went to it and found nothing but leaves on it; and He said to it, “Never again will fruit come from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

Then the man came to the second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.

Again he sent other servants, more than the first time; and they treated them the same way.

On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question,

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place.

But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

For this perfume might have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Jesus answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the bowl with Me [as a pretense of friendship] will betray Me.

Peter said to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words once more.

Then they spat in His face and struck Him with their fists; and some slapped Him,

Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet were fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel;

At the same time two robbers were crucified with Jesus, one on the right and one on the left.

In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying,

The robbers who had been crucified with Him also began to insult Him in the same way.

When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

While they were on their way, some of the [Roman] guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

And when the chief priests had gathered with the elders and had consulted together [to develop a plan of deception], they gave a sufficient sum of money [as a bribe] to the soldiers,

And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He].