"You people are [like] salt on the earth. But if salt loses its flavoring ability, how will it ever get it back again? From then on it would be good for nothing except to be thrown out onto the roadway and walked on by people. [Note: This was mined salt which, when losing its "saltiness" due to exposure to the sun or rain, was simply disposed of by being dumped onto the roadway where people walked].

And why are you worrying about clothing? Consider how [wild] lilies grow in a field; they do not work or weave,

Or, how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that speck of sawdust out of your eye,' while there is a board in your own eye?

If then you know how to give good gifts to your children, even though you are sinful [human beings], how much more [likely] is it that your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him?

Here is how it will be: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore you should be as crafty [Note: The Greek word here is "sensible"] as snakes, yet as harmless [Note: The Greek word is "sincere"] as doves.

But when they turn you over [to them], do not worry about how to speak or what you should say. For you will be told [i.e., by God] what to say at the right time.

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!

[how] blind people are receiving back their sight, and crippled people are walking [again], and people with infectious skin diseases are being healed, and deaf-mutes are hearing [and speaking (?) again], and people are being raised [from the dead], and poor people are having the good news preached to them.

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is permissible by the law of Moses to do what is good on a Sabbath day."

But the Pharisees left and began discussing together how they could arrange to kill Him.

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself, [so] how then can his kingdom stand?

Or, how can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man? Only then will he be able to steal [his belongings] from his house.

You children of snakes! Since you are evil, how do you expect to speak good things? For the mouth speaks what the heart is filled with.

He told his servants, "This must be John, the Immerser; he has risen from the dead and [that explains how] these powers can work through him [i.e., Jesus]."

Then Jesus answered her, "O, woman, how great your faith is. May what you want be done for you." And her daughter was healed that very moment.

Jesus replied, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They said, "[We have] seven [loaves] and a few small fish."

And when the sky is reddish and overcast in the morning, you predict [that it will be] bad weather that day. You know how to interpret [weather] conditions from the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times [i.e., what will happen in the spiritual realm]"]}]}.

Do you not understand yet or remember that five thousand people [were fed] with five loaves of bread and how many baskets [of pieces] were picked up [afterward]?

Or that four thousand people [were fed] with seven loaves of bread and how many baskets [of pieces] were picked up [afterward]?

How is it that you do not understand that I was not speaking to you about [physical] bread? But [rather I meant] watch out for the yeast [i.e., the influence] of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Jesus replied [to the crowd], "You perverse generation of faithless people! How long must I be with you [i.e., before you understand]? How long do I have to be patient with you? Bring the sick boy to me."

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? As many as seven times?"

Jesus said to them, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives [only] because of the rebellious spirits you [Jews] had. But this was not how it was [intended to be] from the beginning [i.e., when God created one woman for one man].

When His disciples saw this, they marvelled, saying, "How could the fig tree wither up so suddenly?"

He said to the man, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wearing the proper wedding outfit?' And he could not say a word.

Then the Pharisees conspired as to how they could trap Jesus by what He said.

But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken [in your reasoning], not knowing [what] the Scriptures [teach] or [how much] power God has.

He said to them, "How is it [then] that David, by [inspiration of] the Holy Spirit, calls Him Lord, saying,

If David then could call Him [i.e., Jesus] Lord, how could He be his son?"

You snakes! You children of snakes! How do you expect to escape being judged [and condemned] in hell?

"O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [you people] who murdered the prophets and stoned those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather you people together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

They were taking counsel together as to how they might take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

How [else] then should the Scriptures be fulfilled that this must happen [than what is taking place]?"

But Peter followed Him from a distance [as they were going] to the courtyard of the head priest. He went inside [i.e., eventually. See John 18:15-16] and sat down with the [Jewish] officers to see how things would turn out [i.e., with Jesus' trial].

Now when morning came, all the leading priests and the elders of the [Jewish] people conferred together against Jesus as to how they might put Him to death.

Pilate then said to Him, "Do you not hear how many charges the witnesses are bringing against you?"