And Jesus said to His disciples, "Suppose one of you who has a friend would go to him at midnight and say to him, ' [Please] lend me three loaves of bread,

for a friend of mine has come to [visit] me while on a trip and I do not have anything to feed him?'

I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him something because he is a friend, yet because of his friend's persistence, he will [eventually] get up and give him whatever he needs.

And what father among you, whose son asks [him] {{Some ancient manuscripts add for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone [instead]? Or, [if he asks]}} for a fish, will give him a snake [instead]?

Or, if he asks [him] for an egg, will give him a scorpion [instead]? [Note: While at rest a scorpion rolls up in a ball that resembles an egg].

If then you know how to give good gifts to your children, even though you are sinful [human beings], how much more [likely] is it that your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

[Once] Jesus was driving out an evil spirit from a [man who was] mute. And it happened when the evil spirit left [him] that the [former] mute began to speak. And the crowds were amazed.

Then others, trying to test Him, asked Him to perform a [supernatural] sign from heaven.

But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away all the armament the strong man relied on, and [then] divides up his storehouse of possessions. [Note: The word here translated "possessions" may be translated "arms" so the meaning could be "divides up his armament"].

And it happened as He said these things that a certain woman called out to Him from the crowd, saying, "The woman who gave you birth and nursed you is [certainly] blessed."

Now while Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion] invited Him to have a meal with him. So, Jesus went in [to his house] and reclined [at the dinner table]. [Note: See Matt. 23:6].

And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees [meticulously] clean the outside of the cup and the dish [i.e., this was an allusion to their lives], but you are filled with greed for wealth and [other] evils on the inside.

And when Jesus left there [i.e., probably the Pharisee's house. See verse 37], the experts in the law of Moses and the Pharisees began opposing Him with hostility and bombarding Him with many questions,

[and] plotting to trap Him by something He might say.

But I am warning you about whom you should fear. Fear the One [i.e., God] who, after He has killed [i.e., the body], has power to throw [you] into hell [See note on Matt. 5:29]. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.

"And I tell you, every person who acknowledges me in front of people [i.e., to be his Lord and Christ], the Son of man will also acknowledge him in front of God's angels.

But He said to him, "Man, who appointed me to judge or [decide on how] to divide [the property] between you two?"

But God said to him, 'You fool! Tonight your life will be taken away from you. And [then] who will get the things you have stored up [for yourself]?'

" [And], do not be afraid, little flock [Note: Jesus refers to His small band of disciples as sheep following Him as their Shepherd], for your Father was pleased to give you the kingdom.

and be like men expecting their master to return from the wedding reception, so that when he does come and knock [at the groom's house, See note on Matt. 25:1-12], they will immediately open [the door] to him.

So, you also should be ready, for the Son of man will return at a time when you least expect Him."

That servant will be happy when his master returns to find him doing [his job] well.

that slave's master will return on a day that he least expects, and at an hour unknown [to him]. And [that master] will whip him to shreds and will turn him over to suffer the same fate as unfaithful servants receive.

But the one who did not know [i.e., what his master wanted], yet did things deserving of punishment, will be whipped with few lashes. And to the person who has been given much [responsibility], there will be much required [of him]. And to whom people entrust much [responsibility], they will ask [much] more from him.

And while you are on your way to court with your opponent, make every effort to be reconciled [to him] so that he does not drag you in front of the judge, and then the judge turns you over to the officer, and the officer throws you into prison.

And the orchard worker answered him, "Leave it alone for [just] this year, sir, until I cultivate it and fertilize it.

[Along the way] someone asked Him, "Lord, will [only] a few people be saved?" And He answered them,

And it happened on a Sabbath day, when Jesus went to the house of one of the leading Pharisees for a meal, that they [i.e., probably other Pharisees who were also guests] were watching Him closely.

But they did not say anything. So, Jesus took hold of the [sick] man, and [after] healing him, sent him away.

Then He said to them, "Which one of you, who has a son or an ox that falls into a well, would not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?"

Then Jesus also said to the Pharisee who had invited Him [to dinner], "When you prepare a breakfast or a supper, do not invite your friends, or brothers, or relatives or rich neighbors [only], for maybe they will invite you back, and [then] you will be repaid [for your kindness].

And when one of the people who were reclining at the [supper] table with Jesus heard this, he said to Him, "The person who will eat bread in the [coming] kingdom of God is [certainly] blessed."

But Jesus replied to him, "A certain man prepared a lavish supper and invited many [guests].

For if he does not, maybe after he has laid the foundation and [then] is not able to complete [the tower], everyone who sees it will ridicule him,

Or what king, planning to engage another king in war, will not first sit down and evaluate whether he will be able, with ten thousand [soldiers], to defeat someone who attacks him with twenty thousand [soldiers]?

Now the tax collectors and worldly people were all gathering around Jesus to listen to Him.

So, he went to work for one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed his hogs.

Now he wanted to fill his stomach with the [carob] pods the hogs were eating, but no one gave him any [or perhaps, anything else].

I will get up and go to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against [the God of] heaven and against you.

So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still some distance [from the house], his father saw him and felt deep pity [for him], so ran and embraced him and kissed him [enthusiastically].

Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against [the God of] heaven and against you. I do not deserve to be called your son.'

But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

So, he called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.

And the servant said to him, 'Your brother has come [home] and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he welcomed him back safe [from harm].'

But the older son got angry and refused to go into [the house]. So, his father came out and pleaded with him [i.e., to come in and join the celebration].

But when this son of yours came [home], after having squandered all you gave him on prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'

So, he called his property manager in and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in a [full] report of [all] your financial transactions, for you are not working for me anymore.'

And he replied, 'Eight hundred gallons of [olive] oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your contract and quickly sit down and write in four hundred [gallons].'

Then he said to another [customer], 'And how much do you owe [him]?' And he answered, 'One thousand bushels of wheat.' The property manager said to him, 'Take your contract and write eight hundred [bushels].'

And in the unseen place of departed spirits the rich man, who was being tormented, looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus close beside him.

But Abraham said [to him], 'Son, remember how you enjoyed good things when you were alive [on earth] and how Lazarus had to put up with bad things? But now here [i.e., in the unseen place of departed spirits] he is being comforted and you are in agony.

It would be good [i.e., better] for him to have had a huge millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the ocean [Note: This "millstone" was a huge, circular stone rolled over grain to crush it and was moved by an animal walking in a circle], rather than having him cause one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of the Lord] to be led astray [from God].

Pay attention to yourselves! "If your brother sins, rebuke him [i.e., show him where he is wrong in hope of effecting a change]; and if he repents [i.e., changes his heart and life], forgive him.

And if he sins against you seven times a day and [then] comes to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you should forgive him."

"But which of you, whose slave is plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the field, 'Come and sit right down to eat'?

Would you not say to him instead, 'Prepare the food for my meal [first] and get ready to serve me until I have had enough to eat and drink and [then] afterward you can eat and drink [yourself]'?

And he fell on his face at Jesus' feet and thanked Him. And he was a Samaritan. [Note: Samaritans were despised by the Jews and regarded as a 'half-breeds'].

Whatever person tries to gain [everything to satisfy him in] life [here on earth] will lose it [i.e., never ending life]. But whatever person [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] his life [here on earth] will preserve it [for eternity].

So, will God not grant justice to His elect [i.e., His people] who call out to Him [i.e., in prayer] day and night? Will He be slow in helping them?

But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "Allow these little children to come to me and stop trying to prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these [i.e., humble ones. See Matt. 19:14].

Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me 'good'? No one is good except God only.

When Jesus heard this He said to him, " [There is] one thing you still lack. Sell all your possessions and distribute [the money] to poor people; become my follower, [then] you will have treasure in heaven."

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

Then Jesus took the twelve apostles with Him, saying to them, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem and [while there] everything written in [the writings of] the prophets will be fulfilled concerning the Son of man.

[The Romans] will flog Him and kill Him, but on the third day He will rise again [from the dead]."

But those walking in front [of Jesus] spoke harshly to the blind beggar, telling him to be quiet. But he continued shouting all the more, "You son of David, take pity on me."

So, Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar to be brought to Him. And when he came near, Jesus asked him,

And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight, your faith has made you well."

And when Jesus came to the tree, He said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down [from that tree], for I need to stay at your house today."

Then Jesus said to him, "Salvation has come to this house today, since he too [i.e., Zacchaeus] is a descendant of Abraham.

But the citizens [of his newly acquired kingdom] hated him and sent a delegation after him [i.e., to the person who appointed the gentleman king over them], saying, 'We do not want this man to rule over us.'

And it happened when the gentleman returned, having received his appointment as king, that he ordered the slaves to whom he had given the [sums of] money, to report to him. He wanted to find out how much [money] they had made on their investments.

So, the first one appeared in front of him, and said, 'Master, your sum of money has earned ten times more.'

And the gentleman said to him also, 'You [will] have charge over five towns.'

The gentleman replied to him, 'I will judge you [based] on what you [yourself] have [just] said, you evil slave. [Since] you knew that I am a hard man to deal with, picking up [and keeping] something I had not laid down, and harvesting a crop I had not planted,

Then he said to those who were standing around, 'Take the sum of money away from him and give it to the one who made ten times as much [with the original sum].'

But the people said to him, 'Master, he [already] has ten times as much money [as you gave him].'

[So the gentleman concluded], 'I tell you, to every person who [already] has something, [more] will be given, but from that person who has [almost] nothing, even [the little] he has will be taken away from him.

Then, as He descended the Mount of Olives and got close to the city [i.e., Jerusalem], the entire crowd of disciples began joyfully praising God in loud voices because of all the powerful miracles they had seen [Him perform].

And Jesus was teaching in the Temple every day. But the leading priests and the experts in the law of Moses and the leading men of the people were looking [for a way] to kill Him,

but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were listening to Him attentively.

And it happened on one of the days that Jesus was teaching people in the Temple and preaching the good news, that the leading priests and the experts in the law of Moses, [along] with the [Jewish] elders, came to Him.

They said to Him, "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things [i.e., miracles and teaching]? Or, who is the one who gave you this authority?"

And they discussed this among themselves, saying, "If we say 'from heaven,' He will say 'Why [then] did you not believe him [i.e., believe his message]?'

And when the [grape harvest] season came, the owner of the farm sent a slave to the tenant farmers, asking them for the grape harvest [to be delivered to him]. But the tenant farmers beat the slave and sent him away empty handed.

Then he sent out another slave [i.e., to arrange for receiving the crop], but the tenant farmers beat him also, shamefully abused him and sent him away empty handed [as well].

So, he sent a third [slave] and they wounded him also and threw him out [of the vineyard].

Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do [about this]? I will send my dearly loved son. Hopefully, they will treat him with respect.'

But when the tenant farmers saw him, they began reasoning with one another, saying, 'This is the heir [to the vineyard]; let us kill him so the inheritance will be ours.'

So, they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? [Jesus asked].

He will come and kill those tenant farmers and will give the vineyard to other people." And when the people heard [Him say] this, they said, "May that never happen."

And they kept watching Him, [even] sending informants who pretended to be good [men], in order to get hold of something He said so they could turn Him over to the ruling authority of the governor.

And they asked Him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly and that you do not show partiality to anyone, but [rather] teach the truth about God's way.

"Show me the coin [used for paying the taxes]. [Note: This coin was equivalent to one day of a farm laborer's pay, or about $60-$84 in 1994]. Whose image and inscription are on this coin?" And they answered Him, "Caesar's."

They said to Him, "Teacher, Moses wrote to us [Deut 25:5] that if a man's brother dies, leaving his widow [behind] without having had any children, his brother should marry his widow and father children [by her]. These children would then be considered his [dead] brother's.

For they did not dare ask Him any more questions.

Since David called Him [i.e., Jesus] Lord, how could He be his son?"

So, they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, when will these things [you just spoke of] happen? And what will be the sign [that indicates] when these things are about to be fulfilled?"

And all the people came to hear Him early [each] morning.

And they were very pleased, so agreed to give him money.