"A cry was heard in Ramah! Weeping and great lamenting! Rachel weeping for her children, And inconsolable because they were gone."

But the sight of the crowds of people filled him with pity for them, because they were bewildered and dejected, like sheep that have no shepherd.

Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have the same reward as a prophet, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he is upright will have the same reward as an upright man.

And no one who will give the humblest of my disciples even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, I tell you, can ever fail of his reward."

Then he began to reproach the towns in which his numerous wonders had been done, because they did not repent.

and some fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil and it sprang up at once, because the soil was not deep,

but when the sun came up it was scorched and withered up, because it had no root.

This is why I speak to them in figures, because though they look they do not see, and though they listen they do not hear or understand.

but it takes no real root in him, and lasts only a little while, and when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, he gives it up at once.

And he did not do many wonders there, because of their want of faith.

And the king was sorry, but because he had sworn to do it, and because of the guests who were present, he ordered it to be given to her.

He said to them, "Because you have so little faith. For I tell you, if you have faith the size of a grain of mustard, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here over to there!' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

They said to him, 'Because nobody has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go to my vineyard, too.'

Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God.

Then they will hand you over to persecution and they will put you to death, and you will be hated by all the heathen because you bear my name.

and because of the increase of wickedness, most men's love will grow cold.

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.

This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

Some of it fell on rocky ground, and where there was not much soil, and it sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,

but when the sun came up, it was scorched, and withered up, because it had no root.

but it takes no real root in them and they last only a little while; then when trouble or persecution comes because of the message they give it up at once.

For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her.

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.

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.

You will be hated by everyone, because you bear my name. But he who holds out to the end will be saved.

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.

For that reason, Theophilus, and because I have investigated it all carefully from the beginning, I have determined to write a connected account of it for Your Excellency,

Now you will keep silent and be unable to speak until the day when this happens, because you have not believed what I have said, for it will all be fulfilled in due time."

"Blessings on the Lord, the God of Israel, Because he has turned his attention to his people, and brought about their deliverance,

"Because the heart of our God is merciful, And so the day will dawn upon us from on high,

And Joseph went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and family of David,

but Herod the governor, whom he condemned because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the wicked things Herod had done,

And demons came out of many people, crying out, "You are the Son of God!" But he reproved them and forbade them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

And all the people tried to touch him, because power went forth from him and cured them all.

He is like a man who was building a house, who dug deep and laid his foundation upon the rock, and when there was a flood the torrent burst upon that house and could not shake it, because it was well built.

And some of it fell upon the rock, and when it sprang up it withered, because it had no moisture.

because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. As he was going, the crowds of people almost crushed him.

Herod the governor heard of all that was happening, and he was perplexed because some people said that John had risen from the dead,

And the people there would not receive him, because he was going to Jerusalem.

I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him some because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rouse himself and give him all he needs.

And if Satan is disunited, how can his kingdom last? Because you say that I drive out demons with Beelzebub's aid.

And he answered, "Do you think, because this happened to them, that these Galileans were worse sinners than any other Galileans?

But the leader of the synagogue, in his vexation because Jesus had cured her on the Sabbath, spoke out and said to the crowd, "There are six days on which it is right to work. Come on them and be cured, but not on the Sabbath day."

Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the upright."

He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf he has been fattening, because he has gotten him back alive and well.'

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because your brother was dead, and has come to life, and was lost and is found!' "

Then the manager said to himself, 'What am I going to do, because my master is going to take my position away from me? I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.

And his master praised the dishonest manager, because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are shrewder in their relation to their own age than the sons of the light.

yet because this widow bothers me, I will protect her, so that she may not finally wear me out with her coming.' "

who wanted to see who Jesus was, and he could not because of the crowd, for he was a small man.

As they were listening to this, Jesus went on to give them an illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was immediately going to appear.

and they will throw you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not know when God visited you!"

and you will be hated by everyone because you bear my name.

When Herod saw Jesus he was delighted, for he had wanted for a long time to see him, because he had heard about him and he hoped to see some wonder done by him.

And the basis of the judgment is this, that the light has come into the world, and yet, because their actions were wicked, men have loved the darkness more than the light.

Many of the Samaritans in that town came to believe in him because of the testimony the woman gave when she said, "He has told me everything I ever did!"

And a great many more believed because of what he said,

and they said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your statement that we believe, for we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he is really the Savior of the world."

This was why the Jews used to persecute Jesus, because he did things like this on the Sabbath.

On account of this the Jews were all the more eager to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but actually called God his Father, thus putting himself on an equality with God.

and he has given him the authority to act as judge, because he is a son of man.

because they could see the signs he showed in what he did for the sick.

Jesus answered, "I tell you, it is not because of the signs you have seen that you have come in search of me, but because you ate that bread and had all you wanted of it.

Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who lives on me will live because of me.

After this Jesus went from place to place in Galilee, for he would not do so in Judea, because the Jews were making efforts to kill him.

I do know him, because I come from him, and he has sent me here."

Then they tried to arrest him, and yet no one laid hands on him, because he was not yet ready.

He meant by this the Spirit which those who believed in him were to receive??or the Spirit had not yet come, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

But even if I do judge, my decision is just, because I am not by myself, but the Father who sent me is with me.

He said these things in the treasury, as he was teaching in the Temple, and no one arrested him, because he was not yet ready.

I know that you are descended from Abraham, yet you want to kill me, because there is no room in your hearts for my teaching.

Why is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message.

But because I tell the truth you will not believe me.

So they asked the blind man again, "What have you to say about him, because he has made you able to see?" He said, "He is a prophet!"

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already made an agreement that if anyone acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, he should be excluded from the synagogues.

When he gets his own flock all out, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.

But they will never follow a stranger but will run away from him, because they do not know the voices of strangers."

This is why the Father loves me, because I am giving my life, but giving it to take it back again.

but you do not believe it because you do not belong to my sheep.

The Jews answered, "We are not stoning you for doing anything good, but for your impious talk, and because you, a mere man, make yourself out to be God."

If those to whom God's message was addressed were called gods??nd the Scripture cannot be set aside??36 do you mean to say to me whom the Father has consecrated and made his messenger to the world, 'You are blasphemous,' because I said, 'I am God's Son'?

but if he travels at night he will stumble because he has no light."

But he did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief and when he had charge of the purse he used to take what was put in it.

for because of him many of the Jews were leaving them and becoming believers in Jesus.

That was why the crowd went out to meet him, because they heard that he had showed that sign.

Isaiah said this because he saw his glory; it was of him that he spoke.

You must believe that I am in union with the Father and that the Father is in union with me, or else you must believe because of the things themselves.

I tell you, whoever believes in me will do such things as I do, and things greater yet, because I am going to the Father.

It is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot obtain that Spirit, because it does not see it or recognize it; you recognize it because it stays with you and is within you.

In a little while the world will not see me any more, but you will still see me, because I shall live on, and you will live on too.

You are pruned already because of the teaching that I have given you.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love what was its own. But it is because you do not belong to the world, but I have selected you from the world, that the world hates you.

But they will do all this to you on my account, because they do not understand him who sent me.

and you must bear testimony too, because you have been with me from the first.

They will do this because they do not know the Father or me.

But I have told you about these things in order that when the time comes for them to happen, you may remember that I told you of them. I did not tell you this at first because I was still staying with you.

but your minds are full of sorrow because I have told you this.

Then some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean when he tells us, 'In a little while you will not see me any longer, and a little while after, you will see me again,' and 'Because I am going away to the Father'?"

for the Father loves you himself because you love me and believe that I have come from the Father.

After this, Joseph, of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one, because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him remove Jesus' body, and Pilate gave him permission. So Joseph went and took the body down.