“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].

For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life?

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye?

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

And Jesus replied to them, “Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

All the people wondered in amazement, and said, “Could this be the Son of David (the Messiah)?”

Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy [every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things] will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit will not be forgiven.

You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

He answered, “Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and [if it is God’s will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given.

When the disciples heard this, they were completely astonished and bewildered, saying, “Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?”

You serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?

Being deeply grieved and extremely distressed, each one of them began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”

Pilate said to them, “You have a guard [of soldiers]; go [with them], make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

“Why does this man talk that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins [remove guilt, nullify sin’s penalty, and assign righteousness] except God alone?”

Jesus answered, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast while the bridegroom is [still] with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

So He called them to Himself and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan?

But no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house.

but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His power [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]”—

And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it?

there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart of] a man are what defile and dishonor him.

His disciples replied to Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this isolated place to feed these people?”

For what will a man give in exchange for his soul and eternal life [in God’s kingdom]?

The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!”

They were completely and utterly astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?”

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

Jesus began to say, as He taught in [a portico or court of] the temple, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

David himself calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord’; so how can it be that He is David’s Son?” The large crowd enjoyed hearing Jesus and listened to Him with delight.

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me.

Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?”

The scribes and the Pharisees began to consider and question [the implications of what He had said], saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]? Who can forgive sins [that is, remove guilt, nullify sin’s penalty, and assign righteousness] except God alone?”

Jesus said to them, “Can you make the wedding guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?

He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? Will they not both fall into a hole in the ground?

How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite (play actor, pretender), first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.

And which of you by worrying can add one hour to his life’s span?

and if it bears fruit after this, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management [of my affairs], for you can no longer be [my] manager.’

And those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

Then He said to them, “How is it that people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is David’s son?

No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].

I did not recognize Him [as the Messiah]; but I came baptizing in water so that He would be [publicly] revealed to Israel.”

Nathanael answered him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

This, the first of His signs (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].

Then the Jews retorted, “What sign (attesting miracle) can You show us as [proof of] your authority for doing these things?”

who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?”

If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things?

John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God].

She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with [no bucket and rope] and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?

“Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done! Can this be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)?”

So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son was sick in Capernaum.

How can you believe [in Me], when you [seek and] receive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek the glory and approval which comes from the one and only God?

So they said to Him, “What sign (attesting miracle) will You do that we may see it and believe You? What [supernatural] work will You do [as proof]?

They kept saying, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now [have the arrogance to] say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”

When many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?”

And He was saying, “This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.”

So the Jews kept looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?”

If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is of God or whether I speak on My own accord and by My own authority.

Look, He is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to Him! Is it possible that the rulers really know that this is the Christ?

But many from the crowd believed in Him. And they kept saying, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs and exhibit more proofs than this Man?”

We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.

Then some of the Pharisees said, “This Man [Jesus] is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner (a non-observant Jew) do such signs and miracles?” So there was a difference of opinion among them.

but as to how he now sees, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him [and stop asking us]; he is of age, he will speak for himself and give his own account of it.”

He answered, “I already told you and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again and again? Do you want to become His disciples, too?”

Others were saying, “These are not the words and thoughts of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

At this the crowd answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’

Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.

I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

So for now you are in grief; but I will see you again, and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away from you your [great] joy.

Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus (the twin), and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, as well as [John and James] the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What could this mean?”

‘Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool for My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My rest?

“In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him].
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”

“Can anyone refuse water for these people to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

For we are running the risk of being accused of rioting in regard to today’s events, and since there is no reason for it, we will be unable to give an account and justify this disorderly gathering.”

Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” And the man replied, “Do you know Greek?

as the high priest and all the Council of the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) can testify; because from them I received letters to the brothers, and I was on my way to Damascus in order to bring those [believers] who were there to Jerusalem in chains to be punished.

As you can easily verify, it has been no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

Nor can they present evidence to you to prove what they now bring against me.

Therefore, if I am guilty and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not try to escape death; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero).”

Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer?

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.

For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees?

What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?

and though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad, so that God’s purpose [His choice, His election] would stand, not because of works [done by either child], but because of [the plan of] Him who calls them,

You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?”

For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it.

And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.