And if your eye makes you fall, tear it out. You might better get into the Kingdom of God with only one eye than be thrown with both your eyes into the pit,

where the worm that feeds upon them never dies and the fire is never put out.

But Jesus said to them, "It was on account of your perversity that he laid down that law for you.

and so they are no longer two but one.

You know the commandments??Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'

But the disciples were amazed at what he said. And Jesus said to them again, "My children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

They were perfectly astounded and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Jesus said, "I tell you, there is no one who has given up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news,

But many who are first now will be last then, and the last will be first."

As they went on their way up to Jerusalem, Jesus walked ahead of them, and they were in dismay, and those who still followed were afraid. And he took the Twelve aside again and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

"See!" he said, "we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the heathen

They said to him, "Let us sit one at your right hand and one at your left, in your triumph."

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink what I am drinking, or undergo the baptism that I am undergoing?"

but as for sitting at my right or at my left, that is not mine to give, but belongs to those for whom it is destined."

When the other ten heard of this they were at first very indignant at James and John.

And Jesus called them to him, and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule the heathen lord it over them, and their great men tyrannize over them;

but it is not to be so among you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has cured you." And he immediately regained his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

When they were getting near Jerusalem, and had come to Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead,

And if anybody says to you, 'Why are you doing that?' say, 'The Master needs it, and will send it back here directly.' "

Some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"

Blessed be the reign of our father David which is coming! God bless him from on high!"

When they reached Jerusalem, he went into the Temple, and began to drive out of it those who were buying or selling things in it, and he upset the money-changers' tables and the pigeon-dealers' seats,

The high priests and the scribes heard of this, and they cast about for a way of destroying him, for they were afraid of him, for all the people were amazed at what he taught.

In the morning as they were passing along, they saw that the fig tree was withered, to its very roots.

Therefore I tell you, whenever you pray or ask for anything, have faith that it has been granted you, and you shall have it.

And whenever you stand up to pray, if you have a grievance against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven too may forgive you your offenses."

and said to him, "What authority have you for doing as you do? And who gave you a right to do as you are doing?"

Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me."

Yet can we say, 'It was from men'?" For they were afraid of the people, because all the people thought John was really a prophet.

And they tried to have him arrested, but they were afraid of the people, for they knew that the illustration was aimed at them. And they left him and went away.

And they came up and said to him, "Master, we know that you tell the truth regardless of the consequences, for you are not guided by personal considerations, but teach the way of God with sincerity. Is it right to pay the poll tax to the emperor or not?

Should we pay it, or refuse to pay it?" But he saw through their pretense, and said to them, "Why do you put me to such a test? Bring me a denarius to look at."

And Jesus said, "Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!" And they were astonished at him.

There were once seven brothers. And the eldest married a wife and died, leaving no child.

Jesus said to them, "Does not this show that you are wrong, and do not understand either the Scriptures or the power of God?

For when people rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, but they live as angels do in heaven.

He is not God of dead men but of living! You are entirely wrong."

Jesus answered, "The first one is, 'Hear, Israel! The Lord our God is one lord,

and you must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole mind, and your whole strength.'

And this is the second: 'You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.' No other command is greater than these."

And Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully, and he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God!" And no one ventured to ask him any more questions.

David himself, under the influence of the holy Spirit, said, " 'The Lord has said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand Until I put your enemies under your feet." '

And he sat down facing the treasury and watched the people dropping money into it; and many rich people were putting in large sums.

But when you hear of wars and rumors of war, you must not be alarmed. They have to come, but it is not yet the end.

But you must be on your guard; they will hand you over to courts and you will be taken into synagogues and beaten, and you will be brought before governors and kings on my account, to testify to them.

When they are taking you off to trial do not worry beforehand about what you ought to say, but say whatever is given you when the time comes, for it is not you that will speak, but the holy Spirit.

But as soon as you see the dreadful desecration standing where he has no right to stand" (the reader must take note of this), "then those who are in Judea must fly to the hills;

a man on the roof of his house must not go down or go into the house to get anything out of it,

Alas for women who are with child at that time, or who have babies!

If anyone says to you at that time, 'Look! Here is the Christ!' or 'Look! There he is!' do not believe it.

But you must be on your guard; I have told you all about it beforehand.

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son; only the Father.

So you must be on the watch, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming??n the evening or at midnight or toward daybreak or early in the morning??36 for fear he should come unexpectedly and find you asleep.

It was now two days before the festival of the Passover and of Unleavened Bread. And the high priests and scribes were casting about for a way to arrest him by stealth and put him to death,

for they said, "It must not be during the festival, or there may be a riot."

But there were some who said indignantly to themselves, "What was the use of wasting the perfume like that?

They were delighted to hear it and promised to pay him for it. So he was watching for an opportunity to betray him to them.

On the first day of the festival of Unleavened Bread, on which it was customary to kill the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you wish us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover supper?"

and whatever house he goes into, say to the man of the house, 'The Master says, "Where is my room where I can eat the Passover supper with my disciples?" '

And he will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make your preparations for us there."

And when they were at the table eating, Jesus said, "I tell you, one of you is going to betray me??ne who is eating with me."

And they were hurt, and said to him one after another, "Can it be I?"

As they were eating, he took a loaf and blessed it, and he broke it in pieces and gave it to them saying, "Take this. It is my body."

And he went on a little way and threw himself on the ground and prayed that if it were possible he might be spared the hour of trial,

When he went back he found them asleep and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Were you not able to watch for one hour?

When he came back for the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough of this! The time has come. See! the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of wicked men.

But one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck at the high priest's slave and cut his ear off.

And Jesus spoke and said to them, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber?

But Jesus was silent and made no answer. The high priest again questioned him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?"

Did you hear his blasphemy? What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving to be put to death.

And some started to spit at him and to blindfold him and strike him, and say to him, "Now show that you are a prophet!" And the attendants slapped him as they took charge of him.

and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were with this Jesus of Nazareth too!"

But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or understand what you mean." He went out into the gateway.

But he denied it again. And again a little while after, the bystanders said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them, for you are a Galilean!"

But he began to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know this man that you are talking about!"

Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "Yes."

But Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See what charges they are making against you."

Let this Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see it and believe!" And the men who were crucified with him abused him.

There were some women also watching from a distance, among them Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome,

And Mary of Magdala and Mary, Joses' mother, were looking on and saw where he was put.

And when they went into the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe sitting at the right, and they were utterly amazed.

But he said to them, "You must not be amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here. See! This is where they laid him.

And they fled out of the tomb, for they were all trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing about it to anyone, for they were afraid to do so. AN ANCIENT APPENDIX But they reported briefly to Peter and his companions all they had been told. And afterward Jesus himself sent out by them from the east to the west the sacred and incorruptible message of eternal salvation. \b ANOTHER ANCIENT APPENDIX

She went and told it to his old companions, while they were mourning and weeping.

Afterward he showed himself in a different form to two of them as they were walking along, on their way into the country.

Still later he appeared to the Eleven themselves when they were at table, and reproached them for their obstinacy and want of faith, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.