"You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn't give him a snake, would he?

It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they do the same to those of his household!"

"Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren't they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's permission.

"Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none.

Some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"

Then Jesus told his disciples, "I tell all of you with certainty, it will be hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom from heaven.

Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God."

"But he told one of them, "Friend, I'm not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn't you?

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor.

because just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Surely this perfume could've been sold for a high price and the money given to the destitute."

and from then on he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Peter, however, followed him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard. He went inside and sat down with the servants to see how this would end.

He told them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest for a while," because so many people were coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat.

Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

It's easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God."

When the high priests and elders heard this, they began to look for a way to kill him, because they were afraid of him, since the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

Now it was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus secretly and to have him put to death,

After they had listened to him, they were delighted and promised to give him money. So he began to look for a good opportunity to betray him.

Peter followed Jesus at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard. He was sitting with the servants and warming himself at the fire.

Later on, Mary set out for a Judean city in the hill country.

He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And everyone was amazed.

They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch."

The ones on the stony ground are the people who joyfully welcome the word when they hear it. But since they don't have any roots, they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away.

When Jesus stepped out on the shore, a man from the city met him. This man was controlled by demons and had not worn clothes for a long time. He did not live in a house but in the tombs.

What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish?

Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion?

Others, wanting to test Jesus, kept asking him for a sign from heaven.

"Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest but doesn't find any. So it says, "I will go back to my home that I left.'

But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it's not possible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.'

But he answered his father, "Listen! All these years I've worked like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat for a festival so I could celebrate with my friends.

For a while the judge refused. But later, he told himself, "I don't fear God or respect people,

Indeed, it's easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God."

Then he began teaching in the Temple every day. The high priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him,

Then he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went abroad for a long time.

So the high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the crowd.

Judas accepted their offer and began to look for a good opportunity to betray Jesus to them when no crowd was present.

Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, because he had been wanting to see him for a long time on account of what he had heard about him. He was also hoping to see some sign done by him.

So he continued to question him for a long time, but Jesus gave him no answer at all.

(This man had been put in prison for murder and for a revolt that had taken place in the city.)

Later, he led them out as far as Bethany, lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum he, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples and they remained there for a few days.

The Samaritan woman asked him, "How can you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" Because Jews do not have anything to do with Samaritans.

That man John was a lamp that burns and brightly shines, and for a while you were willing to rejoice in his light.

The Jewish leaders answered him, "We are not going to stone you for a good action, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, are making yourself God!"

Jesus replied to the crowd, "The light is among you only for a short time. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The person who walks in the darkness is in the darkness and does not know where he is going.

Pilate asked him, "What is "truth'?" and then he went out to the Jewish leaders again and told them, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

Pilate went outside again and told the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him."

When the high priests and the officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate told them, "You take him and crucify him. I find no basis for a charge against him."

If we are being questioned today for a good deed done for someone who was sick or to learn how this man was healed,

But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.

You even took along the tent of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, and the images you made in order to worship them. So I will take you into exile as far as Babylon.'

They paid careful attention to him because he had thrilled them for a long time with his occult performances.

The Lord told him, "Get up, go to the street called Straight, and in the home of Judas look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. At this very moment he's praying.

He told them, "You understand how wrong it is for a Jew to associate or visit with unbelievers. But God has shown me that I should stop calling anyone common or unclean,

Now the people who were scattered by the persecution that started because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

When he found him, he brought him to Antioch, and for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

Herod searched for him but didn't find him, so he questioned the guards and ordered them to be executed. Then he left Judea, went down to Caesarea, and stayed there for a while.

Now Herod had been in a violent quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him as a group. After they had won over Blastus, who oversaw security for the king's sleeping quarters, they asked for a peace agreement because their country depended on the king's country for food.

They went through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish occult practitioner and false prophet named Bar-jesus.

The Lord is against you now, and you'll be blind and unable to see the sun for a while!" At that moment a dark mist came over him, and he went around looking for someone to lead him by the hand.

They went as far as Mysia and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them,

As soon as he had seen the vision, we immediately looked for a way to go to Macedonia, because we were convinced that God had called us to tell the people there the good news.

For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: "To an unknown god.' So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship.

So Paul lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.

Then he went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. He talked with them for a long time, until dawn, and then left.

After we had been there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea.

They have known for a long time, if they would but testify to it, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the standards of our strictest religious party.

We sailed slowly for a number of days and with difficulty arrived off Cnidus. Then, because the wind was against us, we sailed on the sheltered side of Crete off Cape Salome.

For a number of days neither the sun nor the stars were to be seen, and the storm continued to rage until at last all hope of our being saved vanished.

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul's hand.

The brothers there heard about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt encouraged.

They exchanged God's truth for a lie and worshipped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical.

For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, the Messiah died for the ungodly.

For it is rare for anyone to die for a righteous person, though somebody might be brave enough to die for a good person.

Of course not! How can we who died as far as sin is concerned go on living in it?

For when he died, he died once and for all as far as sin is concerned. But now that he is alive, he lives for God.

In the same way, you too must continuously consider yourselves dead as far as sin is concerned, but living for God through the Messiah Jesus.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were "free" as far as righteousness was concerned.

For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband.

In the same way, my brothers, through the Messiah's body you also died as far as the Law is concerned, so that you may belong to another person, the one who was raised from the dead, and may bear fruit for God.

A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn't he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay.

For the Messiah is the culmination of the Law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes.

As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake, but as far as election is concerned, they are loved for the sake of their ancestors.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people.

by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God's Spirit, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of the Messiah from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum.

Now that I am on my way to Spain, I hope to see you when I come your way and, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, to be sent on by you.

because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.

Now about what you asked: "Is it advisable for a man not to marry?"

Do not withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so just for a set time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should come together again so that Satan does not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people.

In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is.

I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living?

So if a woman does not cover her head, she should cut off her hair. If it is a disgrace for a woman to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her own head.

For as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But everything comes from God.

Decide for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?