Jesus then called His twelve apostles [see next verse] to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal all kinds of diseases and illnesses.

Philip, Bartholomew [i.e., the same as Nathaniel. See John 1:45], Thomas [i.e., the same as Didymus. See John 11:16], Matthew, the tax collector [i.e., the same as Levi. See Mark 2:14], James, the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus [i.e., the same as Judas, son of James. See Luke 6:16],

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.

When you enter a [particular] house, greet the people warmly [Note: The usual Jewish greeting was to say "Peace to you," See Luke 10:4].

And if the people seem trustworthy, express your wish for blessings to rest upon them. But if they prove to be untrustworthy, may those blessings remain on you [instead].

See, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Be then as wise as snakes, and as gentle as doves.

A disciple is doing well if he can be [as good] as his teacher, and the slave [as good] as his master. If they have called the master of the house [i.e., Jesus] Beelzebub [i.e., the chief of evil spirits. See Mark 3:22], how much more [likely] will they call members of his household [i.e., the disciples] the same thing!

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].

But whoever disowns me in front of people [i.e., denies that I am the Christ, or that he is a disciple. See John 18:15-17, 25-27], I will disown him in front of my Father in heaven.

Do not think that I came to bring [only] peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace [only] but [also] a sword [of division. See Luke 12:51].

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]

And so it happened, when Jesus had finished instructing His twelve apostles, He left there [and went] to teach and preach in the [other] Israelite towns. [See 10:23]

And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Go [and] tell John what you hear and see:

Blind men see and lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear; and dead are raised, and poor have glad tidings preached to them:

Now [as] these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings.

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.

And from the days of John the Immerser the kingdom of heaven is experiencing turmoil, for violent men are [trying to] take control of it [by bringing it into existence] forcibly [i.e., before its appointed time. See Acts 1:6-7].

And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.

The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

and the Pharisees having seen, said to him, 'Lo, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on a sabbath.'

Or, have you not read in the law of Moses that the priests in the Temple defiled the Sabbath day [i.e., by doing the 'work' of offering sacrifices] and were not held guilty [of wrongdoing]? [See Num. 28:9-10]

See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.

Then a demon-possessed man [who was] blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the [man who was] mute could speak and see.

For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!"

And he answering said to them, 'A generation, evil and adulterous, doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;

The people of Nineveh will stand up on the judgment day along with the people of this generation and will condemn them because they repented [i.e., changed their hearts and lives] when hearing the preaching of Jonah [See Jonah 3:5-10], and [now] Someone greater than Jonah is here [i.e., Jesus].

The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, I Kings 10:1, which was probably in Arabia] will stand up on the judgment day along with the people of this generation and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon's wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].

Then he says, I will go back into my house from which I came out; and when he comes, he sees that there is no one in it, but that it has been made fair and clean.

While Jesus was still speaking to the large crowds, His mother and [half-] brothers were standing outside [of the large house. See 13:1] wanting to speak to Him.

And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.

and holding out his hand towards his disciples, see there, said he, my mother, and my brothers.

And he gave them teaching in the form of a story, saying, A man went out to put seed in the earth;

and while he was sowing, {some seed} fell on the side of the path, and the birds came [and] devoured it.

And other [seed] fell on the rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up at once because it did not have [any] depth of soil.

And other [seed] fell among the thorn plants, and the thorn plants came up and choked it.

But other [seed] fell on the good soil and produced grain, this one a hundred [times as much] and this one sixty and this one thirty.

For this [reason] I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand,

and in them is filled up the prophecy of Esaias, which says, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and beholding ye shall behold and not see;

For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."

But your eyes [are] blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.

For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous [people] longed to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it]!

Give ear, then, to the story of the man who put the seed in the earth.

When anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and carries off the seed that was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and immediately with joy receiveth it;

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.

He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

But while the world was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild wheat seed in the midst of the good seed, and went away.

But when the green stem came up and gave fruit, the evil plants were seen at the same time.

So the slaves of the master of the house came [and] said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have darnel?'

He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took [and] sowed in his field.

This seed is indeed [one of] the smallest of all seeds, but when it is [fully] grown, it is larger than [other] plants, and [even] becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and roost on its branches."

So he answered [and] said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

and the field is the world. And the good seed--these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one.

About that time Herod the tetrarch [Note: This man was the son of Herod the Great (See 2:

[Herod was so pleased with her performance that] he promised, with an oath, to give her whatever she asked for [i.e., with limitations. See Mark 6:23].

And they replied, "But we have here [only] five loaves of [barley] bread [See John 6:9] and two [probably smoked] fish."

and the disciples having seen him walking upon the sea, were troubled saying -- 'It is an apparition,' and from the fear they cried out;

Then the disciples came and said to him, Did you see that the Pharisees were troubled when these words came to their ears?

Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth goes on into the stomach, and is sent out as waste?

insomuch that the people wondered, to see the dumb speak, the maimed whole; and the halt to go, the blind to see. And they glorified the God of Israel.

And in the morning, The weather will be bad today, for the sky is red and angry. You are able to see the face of heaven, but not the signs of the times.

'A generation evil and adulterous doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;' and having left them he went away.

And Jesus said to them, See and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Do you still not see, or keep in mind the five cakes of bread of the five thousand, and the number of baskets you took up?

How is it that you do not see that I was not talking to you about bread, but about keeping away from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

[And] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven [i.e., for opening up the way into it]. And whatever [truth] you [and the other apostles. See 18:18] require [people to believe and practice] here on earth will have already been required of them [by God] in heaven. And whatever [truth] you do not require [of people] on earth, will not be required [by God] in heaven."

Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

And, behold, Moses and Elias were seen to them, conversing with him.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, "See that ye tell the vision to no man, till the son of man be risen again from death."

"Lord, take pity on my son, for he has violent seizures and suffers intense pain. He often falls into a fire or into water. [Note: This man was also dominated by an evil spirit. See verse 18].

And he said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here [to] there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

He saith - Yea. And, coming into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, How, to thee, doth it seem, Simon? The kings of the earth, of whom receive they dues or tax? from their sons, or from the aliens?

But, so that we may not be a cause of trouble to them, go to the sea, and let down a hook, and take the first fish which comes up; and in his mouth you will see a bit of money: take that, and give it to them for me and you.

"See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father [who is] in heaven.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?

But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.

And he said in answer, Have you not seen in the Writings, that he who made them at the first made them male and female, and said,

But Jesus said, "Allow these little children to come to me and stop trying to prevent them. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such [humble ones] as these." [See 18:4].

Then a rich, young man [See verse 22] came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good deed should I do in order to have never ending life?"

Then Peter said to him, See, we have given up everything and have come after you; what then will we have?

But many will be last [i.e., in importance and blessings] who [seem to] be first, and those [who seem to be] first will [end up] being last."

So, when those hired about five o'clock in the afternoon came in, each one received the usual pay for one full day's work. [See note on verse 2].

See, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be given into the hands of the chief priests and scribes; and they will give orders for him to be put to death,

But Jesus replied to her, "You [really] do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] that I am about to drink?" They [i.e., James, John and their mother. See Mark 10:35ff] answered, "[Yes] we are able to."

But Jesus said to them, You see that the rulers of the Gentiles are lords over them, and their great ones have authority over them.

They told him, "Lord, we want to be able to see!"

Then Jesus' heart was moved with pity, and He touched their blinded eyes, and at once they could see again, and followed Him.

Saying to them, Go into the little town in front of you, and straight away you will see an ass with a cord round her neck, and a young one with her; let them loose and come with them to me.

Tell Daughter Zion,
“Look, your King is coming to you,
gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
even on a colt,
the foal of a beast of burden.”

and the chief priests and the scribes having seen the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David,' were much displeased;

Have you any idea what these are saying? And Jesus said to them, Yes: have you not seen in the Writings, From the lips of children and babies at the breast you have made your praise complete?

He then left them and went out of the city [of Jerusalem] to Bethany [Note: This was a small village near Bethphage] and stayed there [i.e., probably at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. See John 11:1].

and having seen a certain fig-tree on the way, he came to it, and found nothing in it except leaves only, and he saith to it, 'No more from thee may fruit be -- to the age;' and forthwith the fig-tree withered.

And the disciples having seen, did wonder, saying, 'How did the fig-tree forthwith wither?'

But what does it seem to you? A man had two children. And having come to the first, he said, Child, go work today in my vineyard.