and then will I make this declaration to them: I never knew you: depart from me ye that have practised iniquity.

Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.

And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.

When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,

And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one [about this]; but go, show yourself to the priest [for inspection] and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony (evidence) to them [of your healing].”

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following Him, “I tell you truthfully, I have not found such great faith [as this] with anyone in Israel.

After this Jesus went to the house of Peter, whose mother-in-law he found ill in bed with fever.

in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, "He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases."

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

So, the evil spirits [in one of the men. See Mark 5:1ff] begged Jesus, saying, "If you are going to drive us out [of this man], send us away into that herd of [wild] hogs."

[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.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

But [when] the crowds saw [this], they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do.

But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

As he spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler coming in did homage to him, saying, My daughter has by this died; but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live.

what she said to herself was this, "If I can only touch his robe, I will recover."

and the fame of this went forth to all the land.

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that no one knows this!”

And when the demon was driven out [by Jesus], the mute man spoke; and the crowds wondered in amazement, saying, “Never before has anything like this [miracle] been seen in Israel.”

As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

or a traveling bag [for personal belongings], or a change of jackets or shoes, or [even] a walking stick [Note: By comparing this and the restriction in Matt. 10:10 with the permission given in Mark 6:8, the harmony seems to be "if you do not already have a walking stick, do not get one"]. For the worker deserves having his food provided.

And when you go in, say, May peace be on this house.

And whoever does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, shake the dust off of your shoes as you leave that house or town. [Note: This was a Jewish custom showing disdain and intended to suggest unworthiness]

Yes, you will [even] be brought in front of governors and kings for being loyal to me. [This will give you an opportunity] for witnessing to them [as well] as to the [unconverted] Gentiles.

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

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

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]

When Jesus had closed this charge to His disciples, He left there to teach and preach in their towns.

Now when John in prison heard of the doings of the Christ, he sent this message by his disciples:

For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it.

For all of the prophets and the law of Moses prophesied [of this kingdom] up until the time of John.

And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

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

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, 'See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

I tell you this, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

At that time Jesus spoke and said, "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding all this from the wise and learned and revealing it to the simpleminded;

Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

About that time Jesus was walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry so began picking off some heads of grain to eat [the kernels]. [Note: It was an accepted practice for people in that day to be permitted to do this as they walked along paths bordering a grainfield].

When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

And behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths? This so that they might accuse Him.

And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.

Upon this the Pharisees went out of the synagogue, and form'd a conspiracy against his life.

Being aware of this, Jesus left there. Many followed Him, and He healed all of them [who were sick],

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

"This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.

And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

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

For this reason I say unto you, Every sin and injurious speaking shall be forgiven to men, but speaking injuriously of the Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.

but he answered them, this wicked degenerate race demand a miracle; but no other miracle shall they have, except that of the prophet Jonas.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Someone told him this, and Jesus replied:

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

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.

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

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

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, Ye shall hear by the hearing of the ear, and not understand; and in seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is grown stupid,

For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

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

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway 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.

And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?'

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:

“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things [unknown and unattainable] that have been hidden [from mankind] since the foundation of the world.”

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

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.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field: a man finds this treasure and buries it again, then goes in great joy, sells all that he hath, and purchases that field.

It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous

"Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

And he said to them, For this reason every scribe discipled to the kingdom of the heavens is like a man that is a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.

Jesus concluded this series of parables and then departed.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

This kept them from believing in him. Wherefore Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own family."

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

And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

Her mother persuaded her to say, "Give me the head of John, the Immerser, here on this [large] platter."

The king was distressed at this; yet, on account of his oath and of the guests at his table, he ordered it to be given her.