Indeed, it's easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God."

Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God

who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come."

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road begging.

As Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it,

But all the people who saw this began to complain: "Jesus is going to be the guest of a notorious sinner!"

Later, Zacchaeus stood up and announced to the Lord, "Look! I'm giving half of my possessions to the destitute, and if I have accused anyone falsely, I'm repaying four times as much as I owe."

Then Jesus told him, "Today salvation has come to this home, because this man is also a descendant of Abraham,

As they were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and because the people thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately.

But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, "We don't want this man to rule over us!'

But as for these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!'"

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead.

"Go into the village ahead of you," he said. "As you enter, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it along.

So those who were sent went off and found it as Jesus had told them.

As he was riding along, people kept spreading their coats on the road.

They said, "How blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"

"If you had only known today what could have brought you peace! But now it is hidden from your sight,

He told them, "It is written, "My house is to be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a hideout for bandits!"

and asked him, "Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

But if we say, "From humans,' all the people will stone us to death, because they are convinced that John was a prophet."

But when the farmers saw him, they talked it over among themselves and said, "This is the heir. Let's kill him so that the inheritance will be ours!'

Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

"Show me a denarius. Whose face and name does it have?" "Caesar's," they replied.

Now some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus

and asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, the man should marry the widow and have children for his brother.

Now in the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be, since the seven had married her?"

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, because he considers all people to be alive to him."

Then he asked them, "How can people say that the Messiah is David's son?

"As for these things that you see, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another that won't be knocked down."

"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then understand that its devastation is approaching.

because these are the days of vengeance when all that is written will be fulfilled.

They will fall by the edge of the sword and be carried off as captives among all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the unbelievers until the times of the unbelievers are fulfilled."

"Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is approaching."

As soon as they produce leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.

In the same way, when you see these things taking place, you will know that the kingdom of God is near.

Now during the day Jesus would teach in the Temple, but when evening came he would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives.

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

So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover meal."

They asked him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?"

and say to the owner of the house, "The Teacher asks you, "Where is the room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?"'

Then he will show you a large upstairs room that is furnished. Get things ready for us there."

So they went and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

Then he took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it in pieces, and handed it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Keep on doing this in memory of me."

He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood, which is being poured out for you.

Yet look! The hand of the man who is betraying me is with me on the table!

The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been determined, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom he is betrayed!"

Now an argument sprang up among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn't it? But I'm among you as one who serves.

And I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred a kingdom on me,

Because I tell you, what has been written about me must be fulfilled: "He was counted among the criminals.' Indeed, what is written about me must be fulfilled."

Then he left and went to the Mount of Olives, as usual. The disciples went with him.

Then Jesus told the high priests, the Temple police, and the elders, who had come for him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit?

While I was with you day after day in the Temple, you didn't lay a hand on me. But this is your hour, when darkness reigns!"

About an hour later, another man emphatically asserted, "This man was certainly with him, because he is a Galilean!"

They blindfolded him and asked him over and over again, "Prophesy! Who is the one who hit you?"

As soon as day came, the elders of the people, the high priests, and the scribes assembled and brought him before their Council.

They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us."

They began to accuse him, "We found this man corrupting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he is the Messiah, a king."

But they kept insisting, "He is stirring up the people with what he teaches all over Judea, from where he started in Galilee to this place."

and told them, "You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him "Not Guilty' of the charges you make against him.

Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this man has done nothing to deserve death.

But they all shouted out together, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas for us!"

So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder the man whose release they continued to demand but he let them have their way with Jesus.

As they led Jesus away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

because the time is surely coming when people will say, "How blessed are the women who couldn't bear children and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'

Then people will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!', and to the hills, "Cover us up!'

And if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Meanwhile, the people stood looking on. The leaders were mocking him by saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is the Messiah of God, the chosen one!"

There was also an inscription over him written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "This is the King of the Jews."

Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insulting him, "You are the Messiah, aren't you? Save yourself"and us!"

While the women remained terrified, bowing their faces to the ground, the men asked them, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is living?

He is not here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee:

He asked them, "What are you discussing with each other as you're walking along?" They stood still and looked gloomy.

The one whose name was Cleopas answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know what happened there in the past few days?"

But we kept hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel. What is more, this is now the third day since these things occurred.

Even some of our women have startled us by what they told us. They were at the tomb early this morning

and didn't find his body there, so they came back and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who were saying that he was alive.

Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. However, they didn't see him."

As they came near the village where the two men were headed, Jesus acted as though he were going farther.

But they strongly urged him, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the daylight is nearly gone." So he went in to stay with them.

Then they asked each other, "Our hearts kept burning within us as he was talking to us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us, didn't they?"

Look at my hands and my feet, because it's really me. Touch me and look at me, because a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

He told them, "This is how it is written: the Messiah was to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

and then repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Later, he led them out as far as Bethany, lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe because of him.

The Word became flesh and lived among us. We gazed on his glory, the kind of glory that belongs to the Father's unique Son, who is full of grace and truth.

John told the truth about him when he cried out, "This is the person about whom I said, "The one who comes after me ranks higher than me, because he existed before me.'"

No one has ever seen God. The unique God, who is close to the Father's side, has revealed him.

"Who are you?" they asked him. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

He replied, "I am ""a voice crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the Lord's highway,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."

the one who is coming after me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to untie."

This is the one about whom I said, "After me comes a man who ranks above me, because he existed before me.'

I didn't recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, "The person on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

I have seen this and have testified that this is the Son of God."

As he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

But when Jesus turned around and saw them following, he asked them, "What are you looking for?" They asked him, "Rabbi," (which is translated "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and say to him, "We have found the Anointed One!" (which is translated "Messiah").

He led Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him intently and said, "You are Simon, John's son. You will be called Cephas!" (which is translated "Peter").