to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

son of Matthat, son of Levi,
son of Melchi, son of Jannai,
son of Joseph,

son of Joshua,
son of Eliezer, son of Jorim,
son of Matthat, son of Levi,

But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!”

Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do what is good or to do what is evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

You who are now hungry are blessed,
because you will be filled.
You who now weep are blessed,
because you will laugh.

“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave.

What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft robes? Look, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces.

Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.

Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

He answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

“You’ve answered correctly,” He told him. “Do this and you will live.”

“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

“Woe to you Pharisees! You love the front seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

Then He said to His disciples: “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.

For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.

Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

No household slave can be the slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t be slaves to both God and money.”

“‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

Whoever tries to make his life secure will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

A ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

who will not receive many times more at this time, and eternal life in the age to come.”

“Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the front seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

“Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly

like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth.