It happened one Sabbath, when He went for a meal at the house of one of the ruling Pharisees, that they were watching Him closely and carefully [hoping to entrap Him].

And Jesus asked the lawyers and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”

Jesus also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.

But Jesus said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many guests;

Now large crowds were going along with Jesus; and He turned and said to them,

Now all the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.

Now Jesus was also saying to the disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager [of his estate], and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that this man was squandering his [master’s] possessions.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Stumbling blocks [temptations and traps set to lure one to sin] are sure to come, but woe (judgment is coming) to him through whom they come!

While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee.

and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten [of you] cleansed? Where are the [other] nine?

Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart,

But Jesus called them to Himself, saying [to the apostles], “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially and morally] good except God alone.

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing; sell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”

Jesus looked at him and said, “How difficult it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!

They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

So he shouted out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!”

Then Jesus stopped and ordered that the blind man be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.”

Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus, glorifying and praising and honoring God. And all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, but he could not see because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

When Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he, too, is a [spiritual] son of Abraham;

[Jesus explained,] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has [because he valued his gifts from God and has used them wisely], more will be given; but from the one who does not have [because he disregarded his gifts from God], even what he has will be taken away.’

After saying these things, Jesus went on ahead [of them], going up to Jerusalem.

They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their robes over the colt and put Jesus on it.

Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples [for shouting these Messianic praises].”

On one of the days, as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [area] and preaching the good news (gospel), the chief priests and the scribes along with the elders confronted Him,

Then Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”

But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is [the meaning of] this that is written:

‘The [very] Stone which the builders rejected,
this became the chief Cornerstone’?

Jesus said to them, “The sons of this [world and present] age marry and [the women] are given in marriage;

Looking up, He saw the rich people putting their gifts into the treasury.

Now in the daytime Jesus was teaching in [the porches and courts of] the temple, but at night He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet.

The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people [who listened devotedly to His teaching, and who respected His spiritual wisdom].

So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so that we may eat it.”

When the hour [for the meal] had come, Jesus reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.

Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’

Jesus said, “I say to you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will [utterly] deny three times that you know Me.”

While He was still speaking, a crowd came, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve [disciples], was leading the way for them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

And Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

But Jesus replied, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched the ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders [of the Sanhedrin] who had come out against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber?

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking and ridiculing Him [and treating Him with contempt] and beating Him.

Then the whole assembly got up and brought Him before Pilate.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time because of what he had heard about Him, and was hoping to see some [miraculous] sign [even something spectacular] done by Him.

Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus,

And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he handed over Jesus to their will.

When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in [to the city] from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

Following Him was a large crowd of the people, including women who were mourning and wailing for Him.

But Jesus, turning toward them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing His clothes among themselves.

And he was saying, “Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last.

And all His acquaintances and the women who had accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, watching these things.

this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Now the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed [closely], and saw the tomb and how His body was laid.

but when they went inside, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were talking and discussing it, Jesus Himself came up and began walking with them.

He asked, “What things?” And they replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,

Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to trust and believe in everything that the prophets have spoken!

While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself [suddenly] stood among them and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

and he looked at Jesus as He walked along, and said, “Look! The Lamb of God!”

And Jesus turned and saw them following Him, and asked them, “What do you want?” They answered Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

One of the two who heard what John said and [as a result] followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter).”

The next day Jesus decided to go into Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher, and walking the same path of life that I walk].”

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote about—Jesus from Nazareth, the son of Joseph [according to public record].”

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Here is an Israelite indeed [a true descendant of Jacob], in whom there is no guile nor deceit nor duplicity!”

Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do You know [these things about] me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were still under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Jesus replied, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe [in Me]? You will see greater things than this.”

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no more wine.”

Jesus said to her, “[Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? My time [to act and to be revealed] has not yet come.”

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

This, the first of His signs (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].

Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

So when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. And they believed and trusted in and relied on the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

But Jesus, for His part, did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people [and understood the superficiality and fickleness of human nature],

who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.

Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]?

After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptized.

So when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had been told that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired as He was from His journey, sat down by the well. It was then about the sixth hour (noon).

Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”—

Jesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).”

Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

At this, Jesus said, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

The woman answered, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I do not have a husband’;

Jesus replied, “Woman, believe Me, a time is coming [when God’s kingdom comes] when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).”