which means, "God with us." When Joseph got up from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary as his wife.

He did not have marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.

"Get up," he said. "Take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."

John had clothing made of camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of grasshoppers and wild honey.

Give us today our daily bread,

Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better you who have little faith?

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.

But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Suddenly, they screamed, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?"

Go and learn what this means: "I want mercy and not sacrifice,' because I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners."

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You have received without payment, so give without payment.

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword!

the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news.

As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fancy clothes live in kings' houses.

Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

"To what can I compare the people living today? They're like little children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to each other,

"A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.'

But he told them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But 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!"

Other seeds fell on stony ground, where they did not have a lot of soil. They sprouted at once because the soil wasn't deep.

But when the sun came up, they were scorched. Since they did not have any roots, they dried up.

I tell all of you with certainty, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them."

"The owner's servants came and asked him, "Master, you sowed good seed in your field, didn't you? Then where did these weeds come from?'

"He told them, "An enemy did this!' "The servants asked him, "Do you want us to go and pull them out?'

Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.

He went to his hometown and began teaching the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were amazed and asked, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles?

And his sisters are all with us, aren't they? So where did this man get all these things?"

But Jesus told them, "A prophet is without honor only in his hometown and in his own home." He did not perform many miracles there because of their unbelief.

told his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are being done by him."

At once Jesus reached out his hand, caught him, and asked him, "You who have so little faith, why did you doubt?"

You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,

He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots.

Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the yeast used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Don't tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

But I tell you that Elijah has already come, yet people did not recognize him and treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."

They asked him, "Why, then, did Moses order us "to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her'?"

Just then a man came up to Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what good deed should I do to have eternal life?"

So off they went. He went out again about noon and about three o'clock and did the same thing.

"But he told one of them, "Friend, I'm not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn't you?

That's the way it is with the Son of Man. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?" they asked.

Where did John's authority to baptize come from? From heaven or from humans?"

"But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'

Which of the two did the father's will?" They answered, "The first one."

Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, tax collectors and prostitutes will get into God's kingdom ahead of you! John came to you living a righteous life, and you didn't believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. But even when you saw that, you didn't change your minds at last and believe him."

He asked him, "Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But the man was speechless.

As for the resurrection from the dead, haven't you read what was spoken to you by God when he said,

"I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity.

I tell all of you with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today."

"Then the righteous will say to him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'

The king will answer them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.'

"Then they will reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn't help you?'

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

But Jesus did not reply at all, so that the governor was very surprised.

He did this because he knew that they had handed him over out of jealousy.

While he was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him a message that said, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, because today I have suffered terribly due to a dream I had about him."

Therefore, order the tomb to be secured until the third day, or his disciples may go and steal him and then tell the people, "He has been raised from the dead.' Then the last deception would be worse than the first one."

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee, and you will see him there. Remember, I have told you!"

So the soldiers took the money, did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.