Now the people were filled with expectation, and all of them were wondering if John was perhaps the Messiah.

and the Holy Spirit descended on him, appearing in the form of a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you!"

the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

where he was being tempted by the Devil for 40 days. During that time he ate nothing at all, and when they were over he became hungry.

The Devil told him, "Since you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

But Jesus answered him, "It is written, "You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

The Devil also took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the Temple. He told Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,

With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'"

Jesus answered him, "It has been said, "You must not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been raised. As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. When he stood up to read,

the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

and to announce the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. While the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him,

So he told them, "You will probably quote this proverb to me, "Doctor, heal yourself! Do everything here in your hometown that we hear you did in Capernaum.'"

I'm telling you the truth there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when it didn't rain for three years and six months and there was a severe famine everywhere in the land.

There were also many lepers in Israel in the prophet Elisha's time, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."

They were utterly amazed at what he taught, because his message was spoken with authority.

"Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!"

Even demons came out of many people, screaming, "You are the Son of God!" But Jesus rebuked them and ordered them not to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

He saw two boats lying on the shore, but the fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets.

When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch."

because Simon and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught,

and so were James and John, Zebedee's sons and Simon's partners.

Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as proof to the authorities."

Some men were bringing a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to take him into the house and place him in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Mister, your sins are forgiven."

Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?

Which is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'?

But so you'll know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"." he told the paralyzed man, "I say to you: Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!"

Amazement seized all the people, and they began to praise God. They were filled with fear and declared, "We have seen wonderful things today!"

Later, Levi gave a large banquet at his home for Jesus. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

Then they told him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do those of the Pharisees. But your disciples keep right on eating and drinking."

One time Jesus was walking through some grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what isn't lawful on Sabbath days?"

The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, in order to find a way of accusing him of doing something wrong.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there.

Then Jesus asked them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?"

He looked around at all of them and then told the man, "Hold out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored to health.

The others were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.

They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were being tormented by unclean spirits were being healed.

Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "How blessed are you who are destitute, because the kingdom of God is yours!

How blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be satisfied! How blessed are you who are crying now, because you will laugh!

"How blessed are you whenever people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because of the Son of Man!

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because your reward in heaven is great! That's the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

"But how terrible it will be for you who are rich, because you have had your comfort!

How terrible it will be for you who are full now, because you will be hungry! How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now, because you will mourn and cry!

"But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.

If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one as well, and if someone takes your coat, don't keep back your shirt, either.

Rather, love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind even to ungrateful and evil people.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap, because you'll be evaluated by the same standard with which you evaluate others."

"Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother, "Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you don't see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you'll see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

because every tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thorny plants or pick grapes from a thorn bush.

They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn't shake it, because it had been founded on the rock.

After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum.

because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us."

Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were going along with him.

Then he went up and touched the bier, and the men who were carrying it stopped. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"

and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?"

When the men had come to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'"

At that time Jesus had healed many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind.

So he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have observed and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear again, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news.

Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look! Those who wear fine clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces.

This is the man about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

Now the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and told himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who is touching him and what kind of woman she is. She's a sinner!"

"Two men were in debt to a moneylender. One owed him 500 denarii, and the other 50.

Then, turning to the woman, he told Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You didn't give me any water for my feet, but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

So I'm telling you that her sins, as many as they are, have been forgiven, and that's why she has shown such great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little."

Then Jesus told her, "Your sins are forgiven!"

Those who were at the table with them began to say among themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"

But Jesus told the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

After this, Jesus traveled from one city and village to another, preaching and spreading the good news about God's kingdom. The Twelve were with him,

Now while a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from every city, he said in a parable:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, were trampled on, and birds from the sky ate them up.

So he said, "You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they are given in parables, so that "they might look but not see, and they might listen but not understand.'"

The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

The ones on the stony ground are the people who joyfully welcome the word when they hear it. But since they don't have any roots, they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away.

The ones that fell among the thorn bushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature.

But the ones on the good soil are the people who hear the word but also hold on to it with good and honest hearts, producing a crop through endurance."

"No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see the light.

Jesus was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and want to see you."

But he answered those people, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear a message from God and heed it."

Now as they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A violent storm swept over the lake, and they were taking on water and were in great danger.

Then he asked the disciples, "Where's your faith?" Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, "Who is this man? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

Jesus asked the man, "What's your name?"

So the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened.

Then all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back.

Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" While everyone was denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you."

Then he told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader's home and told him, "Your daughter is dead. Stop bothering the teacher anymore."

Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

He told them, "Don't take anything along on your trip no walking stick, traveling bag, bread, money, or even an extra shirt.

if people don't welcome you, when you leave that city, shake its dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away to the neighboring villages and farms so they can rest and get some food, because we are here in a deserted place."

Now there were about 5,000 men. So he told his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about 50."

All of them ate and were filled. When they collected the leftover pieces, there were twelve baskets.

One day, while Jesus was praying privately and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"

What profit will a person have if he gains the whole world, but destroys himself or is lost?

I tell you with certainty, some people who are standing here won't experience death until they see the kingdom of God."