and quit thinking to yourselves, we claim Abraham as our forefather, because I tell you, God is able to make Abraham's children out of these stones.

And He called to them, "Why are you [so] afraid? You have such little faith!" Then He stood up and sternly commanded the wind and the waves, and they became very calm.

These people [claim to] honor me with their lips [i.e., by what they say], but their heart is far from [honoring] me.

Therefore, give the order to secure the grave site until the third day, so his disciples will not steal his body and then tell the people 'He has risen from the dead.' This last deception would be worse than the first one [i.e., the claim that Jesus rose from the dead would be worse than the claim that he was the Messiah]."

He [immediately] awoke and spoke sternly to the wind and called out to the water, "Be peaceful and still." [Immediately] the wind stopped blowing and a great calm came over the water.

Demonstrate by your lives that you have [really] repented, and quit saying to yourselves, 'We claim Abraham as our forefather,' because I tell you, God is able to make Abraham's children out of these stones.

The disciples approached Jesus and woke Him, shouting, "Master, Master, we are sinking." And He woke up and spoke sternly to the wind and the raging water; [then] the storm [immediately] stopped and [everything] became calm.

And He said to them, "You are people who claim to be just in the eyes of [other] people, but God knows [what is in] your hearts. For that which is held up as most important among people [i.e., fame or fortune ?] is disgusting in the eyes of God.

Jesus said to them, "If you were [really] blind [i.e., unable to see spiritually], you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim, 'We can see [fine],' you remain guilty of sin."

Nicodemus, the man who first came to Jesus one night, also went with him [i.e., to claim Jesus' body]. He brought about a seventy-five pound mixture of myrrh and aloes [i.e., aromatic spices used for embalming].

Since no one can [really] say anything against these things, just calm down and do not do anything foolish.

But if you call yourselves "Jews," and [claim to] rely on the law of Moses, and brag about [belonging to] God;

You say that a person should not commit adultery [i.e., sexual unfaithfulness to their mate], [but] do you commit adultery? You [claim to] hate idols, [but] do you rob [their] temples? [Note: It is difficult to determine how the Jews were doing this. Perhaps they were guilty of the "spirit" of idolatry by devoting their efforts and affections to material things instead of to God].

And why should we not say, "Let us do what is wrong so something good will come from it," as some people slanderously claim that we are saying? These people deserve to be condemned.

For if I preached because [I personally decided] I wanted to, I could claim a reward. But if I did not preach from a personal decision to do so, then it would be because I was entrusted with the task [by God].

Then what is my reward? It is being able to preach the good news without receiving financial support [for it], so as not to claim my full rights in [the work of preaching] the good news.

Do not allow anyone, who delights in acting humble [i.e., living an ascetic life] and who worships angels, to rob you of your reward [in heaven]. [Note: This "angel worship" could mean holding angels in high regard because of their role as God's messengers, or the claim that God can be approached only through angelic intermediaries]. He places great importance on what he [claims to] see [i.e., visions], being inflated with pride by his fleshly mind for no [good] reason.

but with good deeds, which are [more] appropriate for women who claim to be godly.

These people claim to know God [as Savior], but they deny Him by their actions, so they are detestable and disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

[Unlike the Israelites at Mount Sinai] you [Christians] have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that burned with fire [See Ex. 19:12, 16-19; 20:18-21; Deut. 4:11]; to [a place of] darkness, gloom and wind;

But [the kind of adornment you should display is] that of the inner person, with its enduring qualities of a meek and calm spirit, which are extremely valuable in God's eyes.

If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.

If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter.

If we claim that we have not committed sins, we are [in effect] calling God a liar [i.e., because He says we have] and His word [i.e., the real truth about the matter] is not in our hearts.

Little children [i.e., dear ones], we should not [merely] claim to love [people], or [even just] talk about it, but [we should love] by what we do [for them] in a genuine way.

Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan [See 2:9]; they claim to be Jews, yet they are not, but are lying. Watch, I will make them come and bow down at your feet [in respect] and [they will] know that I have loved you.