After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him,

And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the Synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!

Look at the wild birds--they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them! And are not you more precious than they?

Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in yours?

For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their Teachers of the Law.

And, as soon as the demon had been driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were astonished at this, and exclaimed: "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

But, when he saw the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and harassed, 'like sheep without a shepherd';

Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.

It is enough for a scholar to be treated like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, how much more the members of his household!

And asked--" Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for someone else?"

"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!

But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--

At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!

But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said: "Look! your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!"

Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.

Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

Jesus, however, turning to Peter, said: "Out of my way, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you look at things, not as God does, but as man does."

There his appearance was transformed before their eyes; his face shown like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

"I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.

Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards.

The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'

and like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth.

It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!'

Then the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!'

And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!'

Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand."

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary had gone to look at the grave,

And, in their terror of him, the men on guard trembled violently and became like dead men.

And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent apart, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him,

The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the Teachers of the Law.

"Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?"

The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: "We have never seen anything like this!"

"Look!" the Pharisees said to him, "why are they doing what is not allowed on the Sabbath?"

There was a crowd sitting round Jesus, and some of them said to him: "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."

Jesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,

Others again said--"He is Elijah," and others--"He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets."

And when his daughter--that is, the daughter of Herodias--came in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were dining with him. 'Ask me for whatever you like,' the King said to the girl, 'and I will give it to you';

The King was much distressed; yet, on account of his oath and of the guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her.

On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were 'like sheep without a shepherd'; and he began to teach them many things.

The man looked up, and said: "I see the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees."

Jesus, however, turning round and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter. "Out of my sight, Satan!" he exclaimed. "For you look at things, not as God does, but as man does."

"How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father.

With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

"Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and any one who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his Messenger."

I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."

Now the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.

Then Peter recollected what had occurred. "Look, Rabbi," he exclaimed, "the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!"

Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at."

As Jesus was walking out of the Temple Courts, one of his disciples said to him: "Teacher, look what fine stones and buildings these are!"

For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again.

And at that time if any one should say to you 'Look, here is the Christ!' 'Look, there he is!', do not believe it;

It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge--each having his special duty--and orders the porter to watch.

Some of those who were present said to one another indignantly: "Why has the perfume been wasted like this?

Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand."

"Do not be dismayed; you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified; he has risen, he is not here! Look! Here is the place where they laid him.

His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

And the Holy Spirit descended, in a visible form, like a dove, upon him, and from the heavens came a voice--"Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight."

At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.

Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.

A scholar is not above his teacher; yet every finished scholar shall be like his teacher.

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in your own?

So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask--"Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for some one else?"

When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'"

"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces.

"To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like?

They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!'

One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake."

So they put off. While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A squall swept down upon the lake, and their boat was filling and they were in danger.

They came out from the man and took possession of the pigs; and the drove rushed down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned.

And just then a man in the crowd shouted out: "Teacher, I entreat you to look at my son, for he is my only child;

Now, go. Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like lambs among wolves.

And Jesus replied: "I have had visions of Satan, fallen, like lightning from the heavens.

Alas for you! You are like unsuspected graves, over which men walk unawares."

Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.

And Jesus told them this parable-- "A man, who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, came to look for fruit on it, but could not find any.

So he said to his gardener 'Three years now I have come to look for fruit on this fig tree, without finding any! Cut it down. Why should it rob the soil?'

So Jesus said: "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what can I liken it?

It is like a mustard-seed which a man took and put in his garden. The seed grew and became a tree, and 'the wild birds roosted in its branches.'"

It is like some yeast which a woman took and covered in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

But Jesus answered: "Go and say to that fox 'Look you, I am driving out demons and shall be completing cures to-day and to- morrow, and on the third day I shall have done.'

They all with one accord began to ask to be excused. The first man said to the servant 'I have bought a field and am obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to consider me excused.'

'No,' he said to his father, 'look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a kid, so that I might have a merry-making with my friends.

But the Master said: "If your faith were only like a mustard- seed, you could say to this mulberry tree 'Be up-rooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Nor will people say 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!'; for the Kingdom of God is within you!

The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way--'O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-- thieves, rogues, adulterers--or even like this tax-gatherer.