[This is] a record of the family background of Jesus Christ, the descendant of David, who was the descendant of Abraham. [Note: The following is an incomplete lineage through Jesus' step-father Joseph].

and Jesse had a son named David [who became] king [of Israel].David had a son named Solomon [whose mother was Bathsheba, the wife] of Uriah;

Jacob had a son named Joseph, who was the husband of Mary. Mary [alone] was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Christ.

Now Joseph, her husband [to be], being a man who did what was right, and not wanting to make a public spectacle out of her, decided to break off their engagement privately.

She is going to have a son and you should name Him Jesus, for He is the One who will save His people from their sins."

[But] he did not have sexual relations with her until [after] she had a son, whom he named Jesus.

"Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews? For we saw a star [signifying his birth while we were still] in the east, and have come here to worship him."

And you, Bethlehem in the country of Judah, are not among the least [towns in furnishing] rulers for Judah, for you will produce a leader who will become shepherd of my [i.e., God's] people Israel.'"

[Jer. 31:15], "A voice was heard in [the town of] Ramah [Note: This was a village near Jerusalem, where Rachel was buried], with crying and deep mourning. It was Rachel crying for her children [Note: Initially this was a reference to the Israelites who were taken to Babylonian captivity. See Jer. 29-31]. She refused to be comforted because they were dead."

"Get up, take the young child and His mother, and go [back] to the country of Israel, for those who had tried to take the young child's life are [now] dead."

For this is the man who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, who said, [Isa. 40:3], "[It is] the voice of a man who speaks out in the desert, [urging people to] make the road for the Lord ready [for Him to travel]; to make a straight pathway for Him [to walk on]."

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be immersed, John said to them, "You children of snakes, who warned you to run away from the coming wrath [of God]?

"I certainly am immersing you in water following [your] repentance, but the One who follows my [ministry], whose sandals I do not deserve to remove [as His slave], will immerse you people with the Holy Spirit and with fire [i.e., the punishment in hell. See verses

the people who lived [there] in [spiritual] darkness saw a great light. Light shone upon these people, who lived in an area that was under the shadow of death."

The news [of what Jesus was doing] spread all over [the country of] Syria and they brought to Him all those who were sick, stricken with various diseases and pains, dominated by evil spirits, and afflicted with seizures and paralysis, and He healed them [all].

"Those persons who feel a deep sense of their personal need are blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

"Those persons who feel grief [over their sins] are blessed because they will receive comfort [from God when they repent].

"Those persons who have a humble attitude [toward themselves] are blessed because they will inherit [the best of] the earth.

"Those persons who have an appetite for whatever is right will be blessed because they will be satisfied.

"Those persons who show mercy [toward others] will be blessed because they will be shown mercy [themselves].

"Those persons who attempt to make peace [between people] will be blessed because they will be called God's children.

"Those persons who have suffered for trying to do what is right will be blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

Be happy and very glad, for your reward in heaven will be great. For they persecuted the prophets [who lived] before you in the same way.

But I say to you that every person who is angry toward his brother will be subject to judgment; and whoever calls his brother 'stupid idiot' is subject to [being sentenced by] the [Jewish] Council, and whoever says, 'go to hell' is subject to going to the fire of hell [himself].

But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with an improper sexual desire for her [body], has already been sexually unfaithful to his mate in his heart.

But I say to you, every person who divorces his wife makes her become sexually unfaithful to him [i.e., since she will probably marry someone else], unless the reason for the divorce is that she had [already] become sexually unfaithful to him. And whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

Give to the person who asks you [for something], and do not refuse to lend to the person who wants to borrow something from you.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

in order to be [true] children of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on evil [as well] as on good people. He [also] sends rain on those who live right [as well] as on those who do not live right.

For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward will you get for that? Do not even the publicans [Note: These were people with a bad reputation for their dishonest tax collecting activities] do that much?

so that your giving to poor people may be done secretly. Then your Father, who sees what is done secretly, will pay you back.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners [i.e., in prominent view of everyone] in order to be seen [and praised] by people.

But when you pray, go to a private place and after closing the door, pray to your Father who is in a secret place, and [since] He sees in secret places, He will reward you.

so that people will not see that you are fasting, but [only] your Father who is in secret [will know about it]. For, [since] He sees [what is done] in secret, He will repay you.

"Do not offer sacred things to dogs, and do not throw your pearls in front of [wild] pigs [i.e., to those who will not appreciate them], because they will probably trample on them with their feet and then turn around and attack you.

For every person who asks will [certainly] receive; and the one who looks will [certainly] find; and to the person who knocks, the door will [certainly] be opened.

Or who would give him a snake if he asked you for a fish?

If then you know how to give good gifts to your children, even though you are sinful [human beings], how much more [likely] is it that your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him?

"Look out for deceiving prophets, who approach you wearing sheep's clothing, but who are [actually] starving wolves in their hearts.

"Not every person who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but [only] that person who does what my Father in heaven requires.

And then I will declare to them, 'I never acknowledged you [as my people]; go away from me, you people who have done sinful things.'

"Every person therefore, who hears these words of mine and obeys them will be like the sensible person who built his house on a [foundation of] rock.

And every person who hears these words of mine but does not obey them will be like the foolish person who built his house on [a foundation of] sand.

for he taught like a person who had authority, instead of like their experts in the law of Moses.

For I also am a man [who serves] under the authority [of others], and I have soldiers [who serve] under me. I can say to this one 'Go,' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' and he does it."

And when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following [along], "It is true when I tell to you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites.

But the children who [are supposed to] belong to the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness where there will be crying and excruciating pain."

When evening came they brought many persons who were dominated by evil spirits to Jesus and He drove out the spirits with [just] a word and healed all those who were sick.

[Upon seeing this happen] the men who were tending the herd ran away and went into the town [i.e., of Gadara, one of ten towns making up the province of Decapolis], and told the people everything, [including] what had happened to the men dominated by evil spirits.

When Jesus heard this, He said, "People who are healthy do not need a doctor; but [only] sick people do.

But just then a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the edge of His robe.

Simon, the Cananean [i.e., the same as the Zealot. See Luke 6:15], and Judas Iscariot, who also [besides being an apostle] was His betrayer.

For it will not be you who speaks, but [rather] the Holy Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.

And you will be hated by everyone for being loyal to me. But the person who endures [this persecution by remaining faithful] to the end [of his life] is the one who will be saved [i.e., from spiritual and physical destruction].

And do not be afraid of those who can kill your body but not your soul. Instead, fear Him [i.e., God] who is able to destroy both your soul and body in hell. [See note on 5:29].

Therefore, every person who acknowledges me in front of people [i.e., to be their Lord and Christ], I will acknowledge him [i.e., to be my disciple] in front of my Father in heaven.

The person who loves his father and mother more than me does not deserve me [i.e., to be my disciple]. And the person who loves his son or daughter more than me does not deserve me [i.e., to be my disciple].

And the person who does not accept his cross [i.e., his responsibilities with all their difficulties] and become my follower does not deserve me.

The person who finds [everything to satisfy him in] this life [here on earth] will lose [never ending life]. But the person who [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] this life [here on earth] for my sake [i.e., in loyal service to me] will find it [i.e., never ending life]. [See Mark 10:29-30]

The person who welcomes you [into his home] welcomes me. And the person who welcomes me [into his life] welcomes God, who sent me.

The person who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive the [same] reward the prophet gets. And the person who welcomes a good man because he is good will receive the [same] reward the good man gets.

and said to Jesus, "Are you the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?"

The person who does not find an occasion for having doubts about my identity is fortunate indeed."

What did you expect to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, people who wear fancy clothes live in kings' palaces.

He is the one about whom it was written [Mal. 3:1], 'Look, I [will] send my messenger on ahead of you. He will prepare the pathway in front of you.'

The person who has ears to hear with ought to listen [to this] carefully.

But what should I compare the people of this generation with? They are like children sitting in the open shopping market, who call out to their playmates,

About that time Jesus said [in prayer], "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things [i.e., the significance of Jesus' words and works] from those who [thought they] were wise and intelligent and have [instead] revealed them to people who are child-like.

"All things have been entrusted to me by my Father and no one [truly] knows the Son except the Father. And neither does anyone [truly] know the Father except the Son and that person to whom the Son wants to reveal Him.

Come to me, all of you who are overworked and overburdened and I will give you rest [i.e., spiritual refreshment].

If you had [fully] understood what this means: 'I desire mercy and not [only] sacrifice,' you would not have condemned someone who was not guilty [of wrongdoing].

He answered them, "Which one of you who has [only] one sheep, and it fell in a ditch, would not reach down and lift it out [even] if it were on a Sabbath day?

[Isa. 13:1ff] "Look, see my [i.e., God's] servant whom I have chosen; my dear One [i.e., Jesus] with whom my soul is very pleased: I will put my Holy Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim judgment to the [unconverted] Gentiles.

Then a person dominated by an evil spirit, who was [also] blind and mute, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he was able [both] to speak and see [again].

And if I drive out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub, by whom do they [i.e., your people] drive them out? So, they become your judges.

The person who is not on my side is [actually] against me. And the person who does not gather [people to me] is [actually] driving them away [from me].

He answered the person who told Him, "[Just] who is my mother? And who are my brothers?"

The person who has ears to hear with ought to listen [to this] carefully."

For to the person who [already] has something, [more] will be given, so he will have a larger amount [i.e., of understanding], but from the person who has [almost] nothing, even [the little] he has will be taken away from him.

"Listen then to this parable of the farmer [who sowed seed].

When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one [i.e., the devil] comes to him and grabs away what had been sown in his heart. This is the person who was scattered to the side of the road.

And the person who was sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the message and immediately welcomes it joyfully,

And the person who was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the message, but the anxieties of the world [i.e., of life] and the deceptiveness of [material] riches choke the message and he becomes unproductive.

But the person who was sown on the fertile soil is the one who hears the message and understands it. Truly, he produces a crop that yields one hundred, sixty or thirty times [as much as was planted]."

[Then] Jesus told them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is similar to a person who sowed seed in his field,

And He answered them, "The person who planted the good seed is the Son of man,

and the field [represents] the world. The good seed [represents] the children who belong to the kingdom, and the weeds [represent] the children who belong to the evil one [i.e., the devil].

The enemy who scattered the weed seeds is the devil; the harvest time is the end of the world; and the harvesters are angels.

The Son of man will send out His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all those people who cause others to fall away [from God] and those who [continue to] sin.

Then the people who did what was right will shine out like the sun in their Father's kingdom. The person who has ears [to hear with] ought to listen [to this] carefully.

At the end of the world it will be that same way. The angels will come and divide the sinful people from the ones who did what was right,

Then He said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law of Moses who has been made a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is similar to a [wealthy] homeowner who brought [both] new and old things out of his supply of goods."

When the people there recognized Jesus, they sent to all the surrounding regions and had all who were sick brought to Him.

They begged Him that they might only touch the edge of His robe. And all those who got to touch it were made well.

and He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks to God for them. He divided the food and gave it to the disciples who, [in turn], distributed it to the crowds.

The number who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

Now when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who are people saying that the Son of man is?"

He [then] said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Jesus replied, "Simon, son of Jonah, you are fortunate [indeed], for this [truth] was not revealed to you by human beings but [rather] by my Father who is in heaven.

While he was still talking, suddenly a bright cloud engulfed them. Just then, a voice spoke out of the cloud, saying, "This is my dearly loved Son, who is very pleasing to me; listen to Him."