“The Law and the [writings of the] Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God has been and continues to be preached, and everyone tries forcefully to go into it.

Yet it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a letter of the Law to fail and become void.

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things [all the comforts and delights], and Lazarus likewise bad things [all the discomforts and distresses]; but now he is comforted here [in paradise], while you are in severe agony.

And besides all this, between us and you [people] a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to come over from here to you will not be able, and none may cross over from there to us.’

Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him [that is, give up resentment and consider the offense recalled and annulled].”

He does not thank the servant just because he did what he was ordered to do, does he?

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

As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance;

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

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were [miraculously] healed and made clean.

nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence].”

Then He said to the disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

They will say to you, ‘Look [the Messiah is] there!’ or ‘Look [He is] here!’ Do not go away [to see Him], and do not run after them.

And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the time of [the second coming of] the Son of Man:

It was the same as it was in the days of Lot. People were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building [carrying on business as usual, without regard for their sins];

It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

On that day, whoever is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, must not come down [and go inside] to take them out; and likewise whoever is in the field must not turn back.

And they asked Him, “Where, Lord?” He answered, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will be gathered.”

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.

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

For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth or status] to enter the kingdom of God.”

But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

And He said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

As He was approaching Jericho [on His way to Jerusalem], it happened that a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

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

When the people saw it, they all began muttering [in discontent], “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a [notorious] sinner.”

Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “See, Lord, I am [now] giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will give back four times as much.”

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

While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they assumed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately [as soon as He reached the city].

But his citizens [the residents of his new kingdom] hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be a king over us.’

Then another came and said, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief [for safekeeping].

[The king ended by saying,] ‘But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them, bring them here and kill them in my presence.’”

saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a [donkey’s] colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.

So those who were sent left and found the colt just as He had told them.

As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

As He rode along, people were spreading their coats on the road [as an act of homage before a king].

As soon as He was approaching [Jerusalem], near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the entire multitude of the disciples [all those who were or claimed to be His followers] began praising God [adoring Him enthusiastically and] joyfully with loud voices for all the miracles and works of power that they had seen,

shouting,

“Blessed (celebrated, praised) is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory (majesty, splendor) in the highest [heaven]!”

As He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it [and the spiritual ignorance of its people],

saying, “If [only] you had known on this day [of salvation], even you, the things which make for peace [and on which peace depends]! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

For a time [of siege] is coming when your enemies will put up a barricade [with pointed stakes] against you, and surround you [with armies] and hem you in on every side,

and they will level you to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you. They will not leave in you one stone on another, all because you did not [come progressively to] recognize [from observation and personal experience] the time of your visitation [when God was gracious toward you and offered you salvation].”

saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a robbers’ den.”

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,

and said to Him, “Tell us by what kind of authority You are doing these things? Or who is the one who gave You this authority?”

But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are firmly convinced that John was a prophet.”

Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will have respect for him.’

But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves, saying, ‘This [man] is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’

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’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken and shattered in pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”

So they watched [for a chance to trap] Him. They sent spies who pretended to be upright and sincere, in order that they might catch Him in some statement [that they could distort and use against Him], so that they could turn Him over to the control and authority of [Pilate] the governor.

They asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and that You show no partiality to anyone, but teach the way of God truthfully.

Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] for us to pay taxes (tribute money) to Caesar or not?”

“Show Me a [Roman] denarius. Whose image and inscription does the coin have?” They answered, “[the Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.”

Now some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him

and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law that] if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, his brother should marry the wife and raise children for his brother.

So in the [life after] resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had married her.”

Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living [so these forefathers will be among the resurrected]; for all live [in a definite relationship] to Him.”

Some of the scribes replied, “Teacher, you have spoken well [so that there is no room for blame].”

Then He said to them, “How is it that people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is David’s son?

So David calls Him (the Son) ‘Lord,’ and how then is He David’s son?”

As some were talking about the temple, that it was decorated with beautiful stones and consecrated offerings [of magnificent gifts of gold which were displayed on the walls and hung in the porticoes], He said,

“As for all these things which you see, the time will come when there will not be one stone left on another that will not be torn down.”

They asked Him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to happen?”

He said, “Be careful and see to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name [appropriating for themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me alone], saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not follow them.

And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (completed).

Now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near.”

as soon as they put out leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is near.

So you too, when you see these things happening, know [without any doubt] that the kingdom of God is near.

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.

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

They asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?”

And say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’

They left and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

for I say to you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant [ratified] in My blood.

But listen, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table.

For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe (judgment is coming) to that man by whom He is betrayed and handed over!”

Now a dispute also arose among them as to which of them was regarded to be the greatest.

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.’

But it is not to be this way with you; on the contrary, the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest [and least privileged], and the [one who is the] leader, like the servant.

For who is the greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you [the privilege]

For I tell you that this [Scripture] which is written must be completed and fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted with the criminals’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment [and is settled].”

They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him.

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?

Day after day when I was with you in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power and authority of darkness are yours.”

And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”

After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, “This man was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.”

And he went out and wept bitterly [deeply grieved and distressed].

They blindfolded Him and asked, “Prophesy, who is it that struck You?”

When day came, the Council of the elders of the people (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) assembled, both chief priests and scribes; and they led Jesus away to the council chamber, saying,

“If You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe [what I say],

And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” He replied, “It is just as you say.”

They began to accuse Jesus, asserting, “We found this Man misleading and perverting our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming that He Himself is Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), a King.”