Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead.

Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.

Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"

because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.'

I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man's sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.

But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man's armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.

For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before God's angels.

But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God's angels.

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

But Jesus said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?"

He then told them a parable: "The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop,

You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

But if that slave should say to himself, 'My master is delayed in returning,' and he begins to beat the other slaves, both men and women, and to eat, drink, and get drunk,

Then Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the wild birds nested in its branches."

There right in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy.

But they remained silent. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away.

So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your place.' Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place.

He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you host a dinner or a banquet, don't invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid.

But Jesus said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests.

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

They will say, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish!'

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons.

because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again -- he was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.

Jesus also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets.

The man replied, 'A hundred measures of olive oil.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.'

Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' The second man replied, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'

No servant 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 money."

The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him.

But Jesus said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in men's eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God's sight.

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,

who longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.

"Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.

So the rich man said, 'Then I beg you, father -- send Lazarus to my father's house

Then the rich man said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

As he was entering a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance,

Then he said to the man, "Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well."

Then he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.

It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The man replied, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth."

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.

Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.

So Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him,

Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.

He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd.

And when the people saw it, they all complained, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to be king over us!'

When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading.

So the first one came before him and said, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.'

Then the second one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.'

Then another slave came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth.

For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.'

The king said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn't deposit and reaping what I didn't sow?

Why then didn't you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?'

And he said to his attendants, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.'

But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!'"

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

They asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.

"And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.

Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory.

But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man."

They were delighted and arranged to give him money.

He said to them, "Listen, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters,

For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"

Then Jesus said to them, "When I sent you out with no money bag, or traveler's bag, or sandals, you didn't lack anything, did you?" They replied, "Nothing."

He said to them, "But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler's bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up to Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"

But Jesus said, "Enough of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.

Then a slave girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, "This man was with him too!"

Then a little later someone else saw him and said, "You are one of them too." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"

And after about an hour still another insisted, "Certainly this man was with him, because he too is a Galilean."

But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" At that moment, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

Now the men who were holding Jesus under guard began to mock him and beat him.

But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."

They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king."

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man."

Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.

and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. When I examined him before you, I did not find this man guilty of anything you accused him of doing.

But they all shouted out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas for us!"

(This was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder.)

He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong."

Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!"

Now there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man.

While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire.