Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’”

And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples].

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan.

So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person [who insults you or violates your rights]; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also [simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that?

But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

“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].

“Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly].

For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.

“So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to cast off for the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

When He arrived at the other side in the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs met Him. They were so extremely fierce and violent that no one could pass by that way.

And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed over the Sea of Galilee and came to [Capernaum] His own city.

For John came neither eating nor drinking [with others], and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, ‘Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!’ Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me].”

Then He said to the man, “Reach out your hand!” The man reached out and it was restored, as normal and healthy as the other.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and make their home there. And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. So will it also be with this wicked generation.”

Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.

Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.

Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend [those things by which people are led into sin], and all who practice evil [leading others into sin],

Immediately He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], while He sent the crowds away.

When they had crossed over [the sea], they went ashore at Gennesaret.

And great crowds came to Him, bringing with them the lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they put them down at His feet; and He healed them.

When the disciples reached the other side of the sea, they realized that they had forgotten to bring bread.

And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.”

Peter answered, “Yes.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”

When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt [from taxation].

But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

And he went out about the third hour (9:00 a.m.) and saw others standing idle in the market place;

And about the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

And when the [other] ten heard this, they were resentful and angry with the two brothers.

Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road [as before a king], while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

Again he sent other servants, more than the first time; and they treated them the same way.

They said to Him, “He will put those despicable men to a miserable end, and rent out the vineyard to other tenants [of good character] who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’

The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them.

“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time?

Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’

“He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him and acknowledge Him.

But the rest said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].”

And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Now after the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Other seed fell on rocks where there was not much soil; and immediately a plant sprang up because the soil had no depth.

Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.

And other seed fell into good soil, and as the plants grew and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times [as much as had been sown].”

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,

but the worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

On that [same] day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee].”

So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat. And other boats were with Him.

They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.

And he began begging Him repeatedly not to send them out of the region.

When Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side [of the sea], a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore.

But others were saying, “He is Elijah!” And others were saying, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old].”

Jesus immediately insisted that His disciples get into the boat and go ahead [of Him] to the other side to Bethsaida, while He was dismissing the crowd.

and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves [completely according to ritual]; and there are many other things [oral, man-made laws and traditions handed down to them] which they follow diligently, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper utensils.)

Leaving them, He again boarded the boat and left for the other side.

They answered Him, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.”

Hearing this, the [other] ten became indignant with James and John.

And many [of the people] spread their coats on the road [as an act of tribute and homage before a new king], and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields [honoring Him as Messiah].

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.

And he sent another, and that one they killed; then many others—some they beat and some they killed.

What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.

This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The scribe said to Him, “Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him;

In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were ridiculing and mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself!

When Jesus was in Galilee, they used to accompany him and minister to Him; and there were also many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

They returned [to Jerusalem] and told the others, but they did not believe them either.

And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

So with many other appeals and various admonitions John preached the good news (gospel) to the people.

But He said, “I must preach [the good news of] the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this purpose.”

so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats [with fish], so that they began to sink.

Levi (Matthew) gave a great banquet for Him at his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining at the table with them.

After looking around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did, and his hand was [fully] restored.

Whoever strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity]. Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”

For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater [in privilege] than he.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means [as was the custom for a rabbi’s disciples].

Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

And He said, “To you [who have been chosen] it has been granted to know and recognize the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that though seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee).” So they set out.

and by others that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the [other] prophets of old had been resurrected.

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

An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest [surpassing the others in esteem and authority].

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.

Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road].

Others, trying to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in [the person] and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.”

“But woe (judgment is coming) to you Pharisees, because you [self-righteously] tithe mint and rue and every [little] garden herb [tending to all the minutiae], and yet disregard and neglect justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done, without neglecting the others.

Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they have suffered in this way?

Or do you assume that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed were worse sinners than all the others who live in Jerusalem?

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled [before others], and he who habitually humbles himself (keeps a realistic self-view) will be exalted.”

Or else [if he feels he is not powerful enough], while the other [king] is still a far distance away, he sends an envoy and asks for terms of peace.