And when Jesus was baptized, he went right up out of the water, and the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove and light upon him,

"When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they like to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the squares, to let people see them. I tell you, that is the only reward they will get!

You must not be like them. For God, who is your Father, knows what you need before you ask him.

"When you fast, do not put on a gloomy look, like the hypocrites, for they neglect their personal appearance to let people see that they are fasting. I tell you, that is all the reward they will get.

and yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was never dressed like one of them.

Therefore, you must always treat other people as you would like to have them treat you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

"Everyone, therefore, who listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it, will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.

And anyone who listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

for he taught them like one who had authority and not like their scribes.

and as soon as the demon was driven out, the dumb man was able to speak. And the crowds were amazed, and said, "Nothing like this was ever seen in Israel!"

But the sight of the crowds of people filled him with pity for them, because they were bewildered and dejected, like sheep that have no shepherd.

"Here I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So you must be wise like serpents, and guileless like doves.

A pupil should be satisfied to come to be like his teacher, or a slave, to come to be like his master. If men have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they give to the members of his household!

But to what can I compare this present age? It is like children sitting about in the bazaars and calling out to their playmates,

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees addressed him, saying, "Master, we would like to have you show us some sign."

Another figure which he used in speaking to them was this: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

Another figure which he used in speaking to them was this: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field.

Another figure which he used with them was this: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and buried in a bushel of flour until it had all risen."

Then the upright will shine out like the sun, in their Father's kingdom. Let him who has ears listen!

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a hoard of money, buried in a field, which a man found, and buried again. And he was overjoyed, and went and sold everything he had and bought the field.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dealer in search of fine pearls.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net that was let down into the sea, and inclosed fish of all kinds.

He said to them, "Then remember that every scribe who has become a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven must be like a householder who can supply from his storeroom new things as well as old."

And his appearance underwent a change in their presence and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

and he said, "I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven at all.

and anyone who welcomes one child like this on my account welcomes me.

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

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king, who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

There is a second like it: 'You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.'

and they like the best places at dinners and the front seats in the synagogues,

Alas for you, you hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, for you are like white-washed tombs! They look well on the outside, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead, and all that is unclean.

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

"For it is just like a man who was going on a journey, and called in his slaves, and put his property in their hands.

When his disciples saw it, they said indignantly, "What was the use of wasting it like that?

His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow.

The men on guard trembled with fear of him, and became like dead men.

And just as he was coming up out of the water he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit coming down like a dove to enter into him,

And they were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

And he got up, and immediately picked up his mat and went out before them all, so that they were all astonished and acknowledged the power of God, saying, "We never saw anything like this before."

"The reign of God," he said, "is like a man scattering seed on the ground,

It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown in the ground, though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the world,

for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing that he was an upright and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him talk he was very much disturbed, and yet he liked to hear him.

"Ask me for anything you like and I will give it to you." And he made oath to her, "I will give you whatever you ask me for, up to half my kingdom."

The king was exceedingly sorry, but on account of his oath and his guests he did not like to break his word to her,

So when he got out of the boat, he found a great crowd gathered, and his heart was touched at the sight of them, because they were like sheep that have no shepherd; and he proceeded to teach them a great deal.

He looked up and said, "I can see people, for they look to me like trees, only they are moving about."

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

And it gave a cry and convulsed him terribly, and went out of him. And the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

"Whoever welcomes one child like this on my account is welcoming me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but him who has sent me."

I tell you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all."

David himself calls him lord, and how can he be his son?" The mass of the people liked to hear him.

And in the course of his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes and to be saluted with respect in public places,

But there were some who said indignantly to themselves, "What was the use of wasting the perfume like that?

And signs like these will attend those who believe: with my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign tongues;

When his parents saw him they were amazed, and his mother said to him. "My child, why did you treat us like this? Here your father and I have been looking for you, and have been very anxious."

A pupil is not better than his teacher, but every pupil when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

If anyone comes to me and listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it, I will show you whom he is like.

He is like a man who was building a house, who dug deep and laid his foundation upon the rock, and when there was a flood the torrent burst upon that house and could not shake it, because it was well built.

But the man who listens to it, and does not act upon it, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The torrent burst upon it, and it collapsed at once, and the wreck of that house was complete."

So what is there to which I can compare the men of this age? What are they like?

They are like children sitting about in the bazaar and calling out to one another, " 'We have played the flute for you, and you would not dance! We have wailed and you would not weep!'

Now go. Here I send you out like lambs among wolves.

He said to them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning!

Alas for you! For you are like unmarked graves which men tread upon without knowing it."

See how the lilies grow. They do not toil or spin, but, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was never dressed like one of them.

like men waiting for their master to come home from a wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.

He said, therefore, "What is the Kingdom of God like, and to what can I compare it?

It is like a mustard seed that a man took and dropped in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the wild birds roosted on its branches."

It is like yeast that a woman took and hid in a bushel of flour, till it all rose."

I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired men!" '

His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your eyes; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired men!'

It will be like that on the day when the Son of Man appears.

The Pharisee stood up and uttered this prayer to himself: 'O God, I thank you that I am not like other men, greedy, dishonest, or adulterous, like that tax-collector.

But the tax-collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven, but struck his breast, and said, 'O God, have mercy on a sinner like me!'

I tell you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

For they cannot die again; they are like the angels, and through sharing in the resurrection, they are sons of God.

"Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes, and love to be saluted with respect in public places, and to have the front seats in the synagogues and the best places at banquets??47 men who eat up widows' houses and to cover it up make long prayers! They will get all the heavier sentence!"

But take care that your hearts are not loaded down with self-indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares, and that day takes you by surprise, like a trap.

But you are not to do so, but whoever is greatest among you must be like the youngest, and the leader like a servant.

For which is greater, the man at the table, or the servant who waits on him? Is not the man at the table? Yet I am like a servant among you.

O Simon, Simon! Satan has obtained permission to sift all of you like wheat,

So the Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that a Jew like you asks a Samaritan woman like me for a drink?" For Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.

This was why the Jews used to persecute Jesus, because he did things like this on the Sabbath.

This is the bread that has come down out of heaven??ot like that which your forefathers ate and yet died. Whoever lives on this bread will live forever."

yet you have never come to know him. But I know him. If I say I do not know him, I will be a liar like yourselves. No! I do know him, and I am faithful to his message.

Some said, "Yes! It is he!" Others said, "No! but he looks like him." He himself said, "I am the man."

Anyone who does not remain united to me is thrown away like a branch and withers up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire and burn them.

when suddenly there came from the sky a sound like a violent blast of wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

And they saw tongues like flames separating and settling one on the head of each of them,

They had the apostles brought before them and demanded of them, "By what power or authority have men like you done this?"

Everyone who sat in the council fixed his eyes on him, and they saw that his face was like that of an angel.

In the desert our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony built like the model Moses had seen, just as he who spoke to him told him to make it.

This was the passage of Scripture that he was reading: "Like a sheep he was led away to be slaughtered, And just as a lamb is dumb before its shearer, He does not open his mouth.

Something like scales immediately dropped from his eyes, and his sight was restored, and he got up and was baptized,

and saw the sky opened and a thing like a great sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by the four corners,

"I was praying in the town of Joppa, and while in a trance I had a vision. Something like a great sheet came down out of the sky, lowered by its four corners. It came right down to me,

and shouting, "Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human beings like you, and we bring you the good news that you should turn from these follies to a living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that they contain.

So if we are God's children we ought not to imagine that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, wrought by human art and thought.

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We should like to hear you again on this subject."

I showed you in every way that by hard work like that we must help those who are weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, for he said, 'It makes one happier to give than to be given to.' "