Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,

And he sent them to Bethlehem [and] said, "Go, inquire carefully concerning the child, and when you have found [him], report to me so that I also may come [and] worship him."

And he was there until the death of Herod, in order that what was said by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Then Herod, [when he] saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, became very angry, and he sent [soldiers] [and] executed all the children in Bethlehem and in all the region [around] it from [the age of] two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined precisely from the wise men.

But [when he] heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream, he took refuge in the regions of Galilee.

And he came [and] lived in a town called Nazareth, in order that what was said by the prophets would be fulfilled: "He will be called a Nazarene."

And do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham [as] father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

And the tempter approached [and] said to him, "If you are the Son of God, order that these stones become bread."

But he answered [and] said, "It is written, 'Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God."

Now [when he] heard that John {had been arrested}, he withdrew into Galilee.

in order that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

From that time [on], Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near."

In the [same] way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy [them] but to fulfill [them].

For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses [that] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to the {people of old}, 'Do not commit murder,' and 'whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.'

But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Stupid fool!' will be subject to the council, and whoever says, 'Obstinate fool!' will be subject to fiery hell.

Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw [it] from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw [it] from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to the {people of old}, 'Do not swear falsely, but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.'

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor' and 'Hate your enemy.'

in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust.

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same?

Therefore whenever you practice charitable giving, do not sound a trumpet in front of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order that they may be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full!

in order that your charitable giving may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to stand [and] pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full!

"But [when you] pray, do not babble repetitiously like the pagans, for they think that because of their many words they will be heard.

"Whenever you fast, do not be sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unrecognizable in order that they may be seen fasting by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full!

so that you will not be seen by people as fasting, but to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Consider the birds of the sky, that they do not sow or reap or gather [produce] into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they [are]?

but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these.

for the pagans seek after all these [things]. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these [things].

"Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.

And why do you see the speck [that is] in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood in your [own] eye?

Therefore [in] all [things], whatever you want that people should do to you, thus also you do to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

"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!

Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?'

And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock.

And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great."

And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

And the centurion answered [and] said, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof. But only say the word and my slave will be healed.

But I say to you that many will come from east and west and {be seated at the banquet} with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!"

And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go, as you have believed it will be done for you." And the slave was healed at that hour.

in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said, "He himself took away our sicknesses, and carried away our diseases."

And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being inundated by the waves, but he himself was asleep.

And the men were astonished, saying, "What sort of [man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

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 behold, the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and [when they] saw him, they implored [him] that he would depart from their region.

But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home."

But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, "Have courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that hour.

And this report went out into that whole region.

And [when he] came into the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."

And their eyes were opened, and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See [that] no one finds out."

But they went out [and] spread the report about him in that whole region.

And [when he] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd.

Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest."

And summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel [them] and could heal every disease and every sickness.

And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet [as you] are going out of that house or [that] town.

Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how [to speak] or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour.

[It is] enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?

"Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

And it happened that when Jesus had finished giving orders to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and to preach in their towns.

Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!"

At that time Jesus answered [and] said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these [things] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to young children.

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck off heads of grain and eat [them].

Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and are guiltless?

But I tell you that [something] greater than the temple is here!

And behold, [there was] a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" in order that they could accuse him.

But the Pharisees went out {and plotted} against him in order that they could destroy him.

And he warned them that they should not {reveal his identity},

in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

Then a demon-possessed man [who was] blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the [man who was] mute could speak and see.

But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment!

Then it goes and brings along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and [they] go in [and] live there. And the last [state] of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be for this evil generation also!"

On that day Jesus went out of the house [and] was sitting by the sea.

And large crowds gathered close around him, so that he got into a boat to sit down, and all the crowd was standing on the shore.

and with reference to them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, "{You will listen carefully} and will never understand, and {you will look closely} and will never perceive.

For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."

For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous [people] longed to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it]!

He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took [and] sowed in his field.

{It} is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it is grown it is larger than the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches."

He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took [and] put into three measures of wheat flour until the whole [batch] was leavened."

in order that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, who said, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden since the creation."

and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, that a man found [and] concealed, and in his joy he goes and sells everything that he has and buys that field.

And [when he] found one very valuable pearl, he went [and] sold everything that he possessed and purchased it.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was thrown into the sea and gathered [fish] of every kind,

and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

And it happened that when Jesus had finished these parables he went away from there.

And he came to his hometown [and] began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed and said, "From where did this man [get] this wisdom and these miracles?