After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him,

And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the Synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!

Look at the wild birds--they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them! And are not you more precious than they?

Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in yours?

For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their Teachers of the Law.

And, as soon as the demon had been driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were astonished at this, and exclaimed: "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

But, when he saw the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and harassed, 'like sheep without a shepherd';

Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.

It is enough for a scholar to be treated like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, how much more the members of his household!

And asked--" Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for someone else?"

"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!

But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--

At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!

But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said: "Look! your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!"

Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.

Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

Jesus, however, turning to Peter, said: "Out of my way, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you look at things, not as God does, but as man does."

There his appearance was transformed before their eyes; his face shown like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

"I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.

Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards.

The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'

and like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth.

It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!'

Then the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!'

And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!'

Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand."

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary had gone to look at the grave,

And, in their terror of him, the men on guard trembled violently and became like dead men.