"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.'

But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!

So every good tree produces goodly fruit: but an unsound tree produces diseased fruit.

A good tree can not produce diseased fruit; nor can an unsound tree produce goodly fruit.

Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree unsound, and its fruit unsound. For by the fruit the tree is known.

But He answered them, {[{[These words are omitted in most ancient manuscripts: "When the sky is reddish in the evening, you predict fair weather [for the next day].

Make sure you do not look down on any one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of Christ]. For I tell you, their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. {[{[Some ancient manuscripts include verse

Then were gathered together the chief priests, and scribes, and the more ancient of the people, into the court-yard of the chief priest, called Caliaphas,

And he yet speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great crowd, with swords, and sticks, from the chief priests, and the more ancient of the people.

Then Judas, he delivering him up, having seen that he was condemned, having felt regret, returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests, and the more ancient,

And in the accusing him by the chief priests and the more ancient, he answered nothing.

So, when Pilate saw that he was not convincing anyone, but that a riot was brewing instead, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd saying, "I am not responsible for this man's blood. [Note: Some ancient manuscripts say "righteous man's blood"]. You tend to the matter."

is absent from most ancient manuscripts}}.

is absent from many ancient manuscripts}}.

And quickly, he yet speaking, Judas approaches, being one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and sticks from the chief priests and scribes and the more ancient.

And quickly the chief priests having made counsel with the more ancient and scribes and the whole council, having bound Jesus, led away, and delivered to Pilate.

And they also crucified two thieves with Him, one at His right side and one at His left. {{Some ancient manuscripts add verse

And they fled out of the tomb, for they were all trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing about it to anyone, for they were afraid to do so. AN ANCIENT APPENDIX But they reported briefly to Peter and his companions all they had been told. And afterward Jesus himself sent out by them from the east to the west the sacred and incorruptible message of eternal salvation. \b ANOTHER ANCIENT APPENDIX

Just as He promised by the mouth of His holy prophets from the most ancient times—

who was the son of Amminadab {{Some ancient manuscripts insert "who was the son of Admim"}}, who was the son of Arni, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Perez, who was the son of Judah,

"There is no good tree that yields unsound fruit, nor again any unsound tree that yields good fruit.

and by some that Elijah had appeared, and others that some prophet of ancient times had risen.

They answered, “John the Baptist, and some say, Elijah; but others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back to life.”

Saying, That the Son of man must suffer many things, and be disapproved of by the more ancient and the chief priests and the scribes, and be slain, and be raised up the third day.

Now after these things [happened] the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples [Note: Some ancient manuscripts say "seventy." This group would have been in addition to the twelve. See Luke 9:1], and sent them two by two on ahead of Him into every town and locality that He planned to visit.

And what father among you, whose son asks [him] {{Some ancient manuscripts add for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone [instead]? Or, [if he asks]}} for a fish, will give him a snake [instead]?

For just like Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh [Note: Nineveh was the capital of ancient Assyria], so the Son of man will also be [a sign] to this generation of people.

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is sound, your whole body is light, but when it is unsound, your body is dark.

There will be two women grinding grain together [Note: This was done with a hand-operated millstone where two persons sat across from each other and rotated a circular stone over kernels of grain]; one will be taken while the other one will be left. {{Some ancient manuscripts include verse

And it was in one of those days, he teaching the people in the temple, and announcing good news, there came forth the chief priests, and the scribes, and the more ancient,

Therefore, I will have him punished and [then] release him." {{Some ancient manuscripts include verse

But these words seemed as nonsense to the apostles, and they refused to believe the women. {{Some ancient authorities do not include verse

Look at my hands and my feet and realize that it is I, myself. Feel me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have." {{Some ancient authorities omit verse

Under these porticos a large number of sick, blind, crippled and deformed people were placed {{A few ancient authorities add "to wait for the water [of the pool] to become choppy.

They answered him, "Are you from Galilee, too? Search [the Scriptures], and you will see that no prophet will come from Galilee." [Note: They were probably referring to "the prophet" predicted to come by Moses. Deut. 18:15]. {{Most ancient manuscripts do not contain the section from 7:53 through 8:11, or else place it elsewhere in the book.

{Joh 7:538:12: This passage is omitted as ungenuine by Tischendorf and most critical editors of the Greek Testament. It is found in some manuscripts, but not in the most ancient. It is, however, very generally regarded as a genuine relic of the teaching of Christ, though not forming a part of the fourth Gospel. I give it in the text of Tregelles, omitting the words which he incloses in brackets. Tregelles, however, does not suppose it to be genuine.} [And they went each to his house;

whom heaven must keep until the time for the [complete] restoration of all things about which God promised through the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

And after much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days God chose among us that through my mouth the nations should hear the Word of the gospel, and believe.

For from ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

and there went also with us some disciples from Caesarea, bringing one Mnason a Cyprian, an ancient disciple, at whose house we were to lodge.

We arrested him, for he attempted to desecrate [even] the Temple {{Some ancient manuscripts add verse

Then let it be known to you that salvation from God is [now] being announced to the Gentiles. They will listen [to it]." {{Some ancient manuscripts insert verse

To them belongs recognition as God's sons, and they have His glorious Presence and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Temple service, and the ancient Promises.

And to him that is able to confirm you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery not revealed in ancient times,

Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day during the reading of the book of the ancient Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because it is only in Christ that it is to be abolished.

according to the ancient purpose, which He executed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Watch out for the "dogs!" [Note: "Dogs" were viewed with disgust by the ancient Jews (Deut. 23:18; II Kings 8:13; Rev. 22:15), so the term is used here derogatorily for Jewish Christians who were trying to impose on the church the requirements of the law of Moses]. Watch out for the evil workers! Watch out for those who mutilate the body meaninglessly! [Note: Paul here alludes, in a derogatory wordplay, to the Jewish practice of circumcision].

and wranglings of men of unsound judgments and destitute of the truth, supposing that piety is gain.

in hope of everlasting life, which God, who cannot lie, promised from the most ancient times,

God, who in ancient days spoke to our forefathers in many distinct messages and by various methods through the Prophets,

You made him a little bit lower than the angels [i.e., a little less exalted]. [Note: Although these Psalms passages referred to mankind, they are here applied to Jesus. See verse 9]. You crowned him with splendor and honor {{some ancient manuscripts add "and placed him as ruler over what you made"}}.

By saying new, he made the first old; but that which is ancient and weak is about to perish.

For in ancient times also this was the way the holy women who set their hopes upon God used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their husbands.

who in ancient times had been disobedient, while God's longsuffering was patiently waiting in the days of Noah during the building of the Ark, in which a few persons--eight in number--were brought safely through the water.

In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed.

and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief [i.e., unexpectedly]. At that time the heavens will pass away with a loud noise and the elements [Note: This refers either to the heavenly bodies or to the material components of the universe], will be dissolved with intense heat. And the earth and its works [i.e., its activities] will be burned up. [Note: Some translations render this phrase as it is in some ancient manuscripts, "will be disclosed," or "will be laid bare"].

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed--men spoken of in ancient writings as pre-destined to this condemnation--ungodly men, who pervert the grace of our God into an excuse for immorality, and disown Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign and Lord.

And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent, he who is called Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole habitable world, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And he called out with a loud voice, saying, "Fallen! The great Babylon has fallen, and has become a place where demons live, and a haunt for every evil spirit and every filthy and obnoxious bird {{Some ancient manuscripts add "and every filthy and obnoxious animal"}}.

And he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look, the Tabernacle of God [i.e., God's presence] is with people and He will live with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be among them {{Some ancient manuscripts add "and will be their God"}}.

May the unearned favor of the Lord Jesus be with all of you. [Note: Some ancient manuscripts say "with God's holy people"]. May it be so.