John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Simon and his companions searched for Him;

they found Him, and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

He *said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.”

and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

And they *came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men.

And it *happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.

how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?”

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him;

for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him.

When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

A crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.”

For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.

For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;

For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,

For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”

Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.

and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belt—

Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.”

And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her.

For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.

A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;

and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.”

And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.

for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders;

And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’;

you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

“I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.

About four thousand were there; and He sent them away.

Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.”

“When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.”

And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”

But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Peter *said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.

It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.”

But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.

For he who is not against us is for us.

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,

[where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]

If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell,

[where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]

If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“For everyone will be salted with fire.

Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother,

But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”

And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

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

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”

And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”

Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”

The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother.

In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”