It was in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

And they were all so amazed that they discussed it with one another, and said, "What does this mean? It is a new teaching! He gives orders with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!"

And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and he would not let the demons speak, because they knew that he was Christ.

He said to them, "Let us go somewhere else, to the neighboring country towns, so that I may preach in them, too, for that is why I came out here."

saying to him, "See that you say nothing about this to anybody, but begone! show yourself to the priest, and in proof of your cure make the offerings for your purification which Moses prescribed."

But he went off and began to talk so much about it, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in unfrequented places, and people came to him from every direction.

Some days later he came back to Capernaum, and people heard that he was at home,

and such a crowd gathered that after a while there was no room even around the door, and he was telling them his message.

Jesus, at once perceiving by his spirit that they were pondering over this, said to them, "Why do you ponder over this in your minds?

But to let you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth," turning to the paralytic he said,

And he got up, and immediately picked up his mat and went out before them all, so that they were all astonished and acknowledged the power of God, saying, "We never saw anything like this before."

And when the scribes who were of the Pharisees' party saw that he was eating with irreligious people and tax-collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax-collectors and irreligious people?"

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast. And people came and asked him, "Why is it that when John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are keeping the fast, yours are not keeping it?"

But a time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and when that day comes, they will fast.

How is it that he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the Presentation Loaves, which it is against the law for anyone but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions too?"

For he cured so many people that all who had any ailments pressed up to him to touch him.

James the son of Zebedee, and John, James's brother (he named them Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder),

And again the crowd gathered in such numbers that there was no chance for them even to have their meals.

His relatives heard of it and came over to stop him, for they said that he was out of his mind.

And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said that he was possessed by Beelzebub and drove out demons by the help of the prince of demons.

If a kingdom is disunited, that kingdom cannot last.

And if a household is disunited, that household cannot last.

But no one can go into a strong man's house and carry off his property unless he first binds the strong man; after that he can plunder his house.

Then he began again to teach by the seashore. And a crowd gathered around him so great that he got into a boat and sat in it, a little way from the shore, while all the people were on the land close to the water.

so that " 'They may look and look and yet not see, And listen and listen and yet not understand, Lest possibly they should turn and be forgiven.' ",

The ones by the path are those into whose hearts the message falls, and as soon as they hear it Satan comes and carries off the message that has been sown in their hearts.

yet once sown, comes up and grows to be the largest of all the plants, and produces branches so large that the wild birds can roost under the shelter of it."

That same day when it was evening he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."

And a heavy squall of wind came on and the waves dashed into the boat, so that it was beginning to fill.

He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him up and said to him, "Master, does it make no difference to you that we are sinking?"

And they begged him earnestly not to send them out of that country.

and appealed to him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come, lay your hands on her, so that she may get well and live!"

and had had a great deal of treatment from various doctors and had spent all that she had and had not been benefited at all but had actually grown worse,

The hemorrhage stopped at once, and she felt in her body that she was cured.

Jesus instantly perceived that healing power had passed from him, and he turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"

And he said to her, "My daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace and be free from your disease."

He could not do any wonder there, except that he put his hands on a few sick people and cured them.

And he said to them, "Whenever you go to stay at a house, remain in it till you leave that place.

So they went out and preached that men should repent,

King Herod heard of him, for his name was now well known, and people were saying that John the baptizer had risen from the dead, and that that was why he was endowed with these extraordinary powers.

But others said he was Elijah, and still others that he was a prophet of the old prophetic kind.

for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing that he was an upright and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him talk he was very much disturbed, and yet he liked to hear him.

So when he got out of the boat, he found a great crowd gathered, and his heart was touched at the sight of them, because they were like sheep that have no shepherd; and he proceeded to teach them a great deal.

And he saw that they were straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, and toward morning he went out to them, walking on the sea, and was going to join them.

They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food without first giving their hands a ceremonial washing to purify them.

But he said to them, "It was about you hypocrites that Isaiah prophesied so finely, in the words, " 'This people honor me with their lips, Yet their hearts are far away from me.

But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Anything of mine that might have been of use to you is Korban," ' that is, consecrated to God,

Nothing that goes into a man from outside can pollute him. It is what comes out of a man that pollutes him."

And he said to them, "Have not even you any understanding then? Do you not see that nothing that goes into a man from outside can pollute him,

He went on to say, "It is what comes out of a man that pollutes him.

For it is from inside, from men's hearts, that designs of evil come; immorality, stealing, murder, adultery,

He left that place and went to the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a certain house, and wanted no one to know of it. And he could not keep it secret,

He said to her, "If you can say that, go home; the demon has left your daughter."

And they ate and satisfied their hunger. And the pieces that they left, that were picked up, filled seven baskets.

Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questioned his disciples and said to them, "Who do people say that I am?"

They said to him, "John the Baptist; others say Elijah, and others that you are one of the prophets."

And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to him, "You are the Christ."

Then he explained to them for the first time that the Son of Man must go through much suffering, and be refused by the elders and the high priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise again three days after.

Then Peter spoke, and said to Jesus, "Master, how good it is that we are here! Let us put up three huts, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."

And suddenly, on looking around, they saw that there was now no one with them but Jesus alone.

And they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?"

He said to them, "Elijah does come first, and reforms everything, and does not the Scripture say of the Son of Man that he will suffer much and be refused?

Then Jesus, seeing that a crowd was rapidly gathering, reproved the foul spirit and said to it, "You deaf and dumb spirit, get out of him, I charge you, and never enter him again!"

And it gave a cry and convulsed him terribly, and went out of him. And the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

And they left that place and made their way through Galilee, and he did not wish anyone to know it;

And they reached Capernaum. When he reached home, he asked them, "What was it that you were discussing on the way?"

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, on the ground that you belong to Christ, I tell you, will certainly not fail to be repaid.

If your hand makes you fall, cut it off. You might better enter upon life maimed, than go with both your hands to the pit, into the fire that cannot be put out.

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

And he left that place and went into the district of Judea and crossed the Jordan, and crowds of people again gathered about him, and again he taught them as he was accustomed to do.

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

And Jesus looked at him and loved him, and he said to him, "There is one thing that you lack. Go, sell all you have, and give the money to the poor, and then you will have riches in heaven; and come back and be a follower of mine."

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?"

They said to him, "Yes, we can." Jesus said to them, "Then you shall drink what I am drinking, and you shall 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."

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;

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out, "Jesus, you son of David, take pity on me!"

and said to them, "Go to the village that lies in front of you, and as soon as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

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

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

And Peter remembered about it and said to him, "Look, Master! The fig tree that you cursed is withered up!"

I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea!' and has no doubt in his mind, but has faith that what he says will happen, shall have it.

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."

Did you never read this passage of Scripture: " 'That stone which the builders rejected Has become the cornerstone;

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?

"Master," they said, "Moses made us a law that if a man's brother died, leaving a wife but no child, the man should marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

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

One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing. He saw that Jesus had answered them well, and he asked him, "Which is the first of all the commands?"

The scribe said to him, "Really, Master, you have finely said that he stands alone, and there is none but he,

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.

As Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he answered them and said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is a son of David?

and to have the front seats in the synagogues and the best places at dinners??40 men that eat up widows' houses and to cover it up make long prayers! They will get a far heavier sentence!"

And he called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all these others who have been putting money into the treasury.

Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be torn down."

And Jesus said to them, "Take care that no one misleads you about this.

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.

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

Pray that it may not be winter when it comes,