because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

A crowd was sitting around Him and told Him, “Look, Your mother, Your brothers, and Your sisters are outside asking for You.”

He replied to them, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!

Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil.

When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.

These are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.

But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble.

Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,

But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”

He also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?

And He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it?

He would speak the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand.

So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him.

A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”

And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

“What is your name?” He asked him.

“My name is Legion,” he answered Him, “because we are many.”

They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed by the legion, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.”

So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.

and kept begging Him, “My little daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live.”

“Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be free from your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?”

He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.”

They started laughing at Him, but He put them all outside. He took the child’s father, mother, and those who were with Him, and entered the place where the child was.

Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was 12 years old.) At this they were utterly astounded.

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom given to Him, and how are these miracles performed by His hands?

Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t His sisters here with us?” So they were offended by Him.

They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt.

If any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with olive oil, and healing them.

King Herod heard of this, because Jesus’ name had become well known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.”

John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.

Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,

because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Wherever He would go, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch just the tassel of His robe. And everyone who touched it was made well.

They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands.

When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.)

Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean hands?”

He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain your tradition!

For Moses said:

Honor your father and your mother; and
Whoever speaks evil of father or mother
must be put to death.

But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is Corban’” (that is, a gift committed to the temple),

“you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.

You revoke God’s word by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.”

Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.

And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him?

Then He told her, “Because of this reply, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

Immediately his ears were opened, his speech difficulty was removed, and he began to speak clearly.

They were extremely astonished and said, “He has done everything well! He even makes deaf people hear, and people unable to speak, talk!”

His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fill these people?”

They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well.

They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces.

About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them

They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread.

Aware of this, He said to them, “Why are you discussing that you do not have any bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Is your heart hardened?

“But you,” He asked them again, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered Him, “You are the Messiah!”

Then He said to them, “I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”

Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

because he did not know what he should say, since they were terrified.

As they were coming down from the mountain, He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

All of a sudden, when the whole crowd saw Him, they were amazed and ran to greet Him.

Then He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”

Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

“And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

Then they came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”

But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.

John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

“But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell—the unquenchable fire,

[where

Their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.]

And if your foot causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire,

where

Their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.]

And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

where

Their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.

But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.

and the two will become one flesh.

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Some people were bringing little children to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked them.

You know the commandments:

Do not murder;
do not commit adultery;
do not steal;
do not bear false witness;
do not defraud;
honor your father and mother.”

But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”

Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

“I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel,

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.

“Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles,

They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.”

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We are able,” they told Him.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.

But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.”

Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them.

But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

“Go your way,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.” Immediately he could see and began to follow Him on the road.

If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”