No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth.

"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel, "and the one who is guilty of violence," says the Lord who rules over all. "Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful."

You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" Because you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord's opinion, and he delights in them," or "Where is the God of justice?"

"I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming," says the Lord who rules over all.

Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like a launderer's soap.

"I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me," says the Lord who rules over all.

From the days of your ancestors you have ignored my commandments and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord who rules over all. "But you say, 'How should we return?'

"Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter," says the Lord who rules over all, "to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.

Then I will stop the plague from ruining your crops, and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest," says the Lord who rules over all.

"All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in a delightful land," says the Lord who rules over all.

You have said, 'It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all?

So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!'"

Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.

"They will belong to me," says the Lord who rules over all, "in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.

"For indeed the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up," says the Lord who rules over all. "It will not leave even a root or branch.

But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall.

You will trample on the wicked, for they will be like ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the Lord who rules over all.

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, to whom at Horeb I gave rules and regulations for all Israel to obey.

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.

saying, "Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned."

So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says 'Fool' will be sent to fiery hell.

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they?

so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

"Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven -- only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

When Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel!

When it was evening, many demon-possessed people were brought to him. He drove out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.

When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.

When Jesus heard this he said, "Those who are healthy don't need a physician, but those who are sick do.

But a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.

As they were going away, a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him.

After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!"

Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and stay with them until you leave.

And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

"Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings!

This is the one about whom it is written: 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

"I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.

And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come.

The one who has ears had better listen!

"To what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another,

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him.

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see.

And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?"

The one who has ears had better listen!"

The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.

But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown."

He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.

He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.

and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

Then he said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old."

Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.

Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.

Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit."

he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds.

Not counting children and women, there were four thousand men who ate.

When Jesus learned of this, he said, "You who have such little faith! Why are you arguing among yourselves about having no bread?

When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

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

I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!"

He said, "Yes." When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes -- from their sons or from foreigners?"

At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"