It shrieked, threw him into terrible convulsions, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He is dead!"

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us."

For whoever is not against us is for us.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire.

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.

Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

Then Jesus left that place and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan River. Again crowds gathered to him, and again, as was his custom, he taught them.

Then some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, "You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

Jesus looked at them and replied, "This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God."

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much -- homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

They said to him, "Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory."

but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared."

Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them.

But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man and said to him, "Have courage! Get up! He is calling you."

Now as they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples

and said to them, "Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

They replied as Jesus had told them, and the bystanders let them go.

Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"

Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry.

Then he began to teach them and said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!"

In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and the inheritance will be ours!'

This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

When they came they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

So they brought one, and he said to them, "Whose image is this, and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's."

Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him,

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us: 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.'

In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her."

Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!"

Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

Jesus answered, "The most important is: 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

The second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

The expert in the law said to him, "That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.

And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, "How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David's son?

They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment."

Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!"

"Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that all these things are about to take place?"

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

"You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe him.

"Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.

So also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, right at the door.

"But as for that day or hour no one knows it -- neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son -- except the Father.

It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.

I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."

Now on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'

He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

So the disciples left, went into the city, and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born."

While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it. This is my body."

He said to them, "This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.

Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert."

Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!"

(Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.")

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?"

You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?" They all condemned him as deserving death.

When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them."

Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom.

So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor's residence) and called together the whole cohort.

They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which is translated, "Place of the Skull").

When some of the bystanders heard it they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah!"

Now when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath),

They had been asking each other, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?"

Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.

But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you."

The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.

Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning.

So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."

Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well."

"This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people."

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!"

"And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age -- although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!