He proclaimed, "One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals.

As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

The people there were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like the experts in the law.

So he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

He told him, "See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."

So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them.

When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.

When Jesus heard this he said to them, "Those who are healthy don't need a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast.

He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry --

Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.

Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him.

But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat.

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand.

If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come.

Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.

When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered.

Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain.

so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven."

But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.

For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

And he said to them, "Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?"

He lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

Each night and every day among the tombs and in the mountains, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

Then he cried out with a loud voice, "Leave me alone, Jesus, Son of the Most High God! I implore you by God -- do not torment me!"

He begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of the region.

But Jesus did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, "Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you."

But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, "Do not be afraid; just believe."

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

When he entered he said to them, "Why are you distressed and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."

Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own house."

He was not able to do a miracle there, except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics.

If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

For John had repeatedly told Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not

Although it grieved the king deeply, he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests.

He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, he came to them walking on the sea, for he wanted to pass by them.

for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."

because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. They hold fast to many other traditions: the washing of cups, pots, kettles, and dining couches.)

The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?"

For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer." (This means all foods are clean.)

After Jesus left there, he went to the region of Tyre. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but he was not able to escape notice.

He said to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and to throw it to the dogs."

Jesus ordered them not to tell anything. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more.

When he learned of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened?

Then he said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Jesus sent him home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God's interests, but on man's."

And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)

As they were coming down from the mountain, he gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they were not able to do so."

They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know,

But they did not understand this statement and were afraid to ask him.

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us."

But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.

But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

Jesus looked at them and replied, "This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God."

who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much -- homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.

but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared."

But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

Then he began to teach them and said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!"

I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

They discussed with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

When they came they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!"

When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!"

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

"But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.

The one on the roof must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house.

The one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

Pray that it may not be in winter.

And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved. But because of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut them short.

Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe him.

"But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;

I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come.

Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return -- whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn --

For they said, "Not during the feast, so there won't be a riot among the people."

For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me!

They were distressed, and one by one said to him, "Surely not I?"