Now Joseph, her husband [to be], being a man who did what was right, and not wanting to make a public spectacle out of her, decided to break off their engagement privately.

They said, "At Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they left for their own country by a different road.

This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the road for the Lord,
Make His highways straight (level, direct)!’”

Do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our forefather,' for I tell you God can produce descendants for Abraham right out of these stones!

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

But Jesus replied to him, “Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him.

And when Jesus was baptized, he went right up out of the water, and the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove and light upon him,

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
along the sea road, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles!

And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples].

“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

“Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

"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].

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

[stop right there]; leave your gift at the Altar and [immediately] go to that brother and settle the matter first, before returning to offer your gift.

Come to an agreement with your opponent at law quickly, while you are on the road with him, lest your opponent at law deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Do not pray by idle rote like pagans, for they suppose they will be heard the more they say;

But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

thou hypocrite, first get rid of the beam in your own eye; and then see how to remove the mote out of thy brother's eye.

"Enter through the narrow gate, because broad [is] the gate and spacious [is] the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it,

because narrow [is] the gate and constricted [is] the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it!

So by their fruits at any rate, you will easily recognize them.

Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Suddenly so great a storm came on upon the Sea, that the waves broke right over the boat. But Jesus was asleep;

And [when] he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from among the tombs met him, very violent, so that no one was able to pass by along that road.

and lo! they cried aloud, saying, What have we in common with thee, O Son of God? Hast thou come hither, before the right time, to torment us?

Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”

Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them saying, "Do not go on the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of the Samaritans,

Do not [take] a traveler's bag for the road, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker [is] deserving of his provisions.

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.

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?

"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!

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.'

The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath.

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread which it was not right for him or for those who were with him to take, but only for the priests?

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.

Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

So, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled by them, which says, [Isa. 6:9f] 'You will hear all right, but you will not understand [what you hear]. You will see all right but you will not perceive [what you see].

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Then the righteous [those who seek the will of God] will shine forth [radiating the new life] like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.

So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

for John had said to him, “It is not lawful (morally right) for you to have her [living with you as your wife].”

She, being coached by her mother [Herodias], said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

And He replied, “It is not good (appropriate, fair) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the pet dogs.”

But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with me and they have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should faint on the road."

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

And in answer he said, Elijah truly has to come and put all things right:

After they had reached Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple-rate came up to Peter, and said: "Does not your Master pay the Temple-rate?"

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

For wherever two or three have met as my disciples, I am right there with them."

Was it not right for you to have mercy on the other servant, even as I had mercy on you?

And Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

why then, said they, did Moses permit to give a writ of divorce to repudiate the wife?

And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’

Now as Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem he took the twelve aside by themselves and said to them as they were on the road,

And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

And behold, [there were] two blind men sitting beside the road. [When they] heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, saying, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

saying to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie [them] [and] bring [them] to me.

Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road [as before a king], while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Jesus told them, "Yes! Haven't you ever read, "From the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have created praise'?" Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

And seeing a single fig tree by the road, he went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And he said to it, "May there be no more fruit from you {forever}, and the fig tree withered at once.

For John came to you [walking] in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even change your mind afterward and believe him [accepting what he proclaimed to you].

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Give us, then, your opinion of this: Is it right to give tax to Caesar, or not?

saying, Master, Moses said, "If a man die having no children, his brother in right of affinity shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother."

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Therefore, observe and practice everything they urge upon you, but do not follow their example [of living] because they say [the right things] but do not do them.

They love to recline at the head place at dinner tables [Note: This referred to the practice of lying down on their left side on a couch next to the dinner table, and leaning on their left elbow, while eating with their right hand], and to occupy the principal seats in the synagogues.

“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

Even so, you also appear on the outside to be doing right in front of people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin.

so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

As Jesus left the Temple, His disciples approached Him as He was walking along the road and pointed out the Temple buildings.

And numbers of people will be turned from the right way, and will give one another up and have hate for one another.

In the same way, when you see all these things, you'll know that the Son of Man is near, right at the door.

In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage right up to the day when Noah went into the ark.

"Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household slaves to give them their food at the right time?

The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.