And as soon as Jesus was baptized, He at once went up out of the water, and look! the heavens opened, and John saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon Him,

"Also, whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners, to attract the attention of people. I solemnly say to you, they already have their reward.

So then you must not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

"Also whenever you fast, you must not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they put on a gloomy countenance, to let people see them fasting. I solemnly say to you, they already have their reward.

but I tell you, not even Solomon, in all his gorgeous splendor, was ever dressed up like a single one of these.

Then you must practice dealing with others as you would like for them to deal with you, for this is the summing up of the law and the prophets.

"So everyone who listens to my words and practices their teaching, will be like a prudent man who built his house on a rocky foundation.

And anyone who listens to my words and does not practice their teaching, will be like an imprudent man who built his house on sand.

and after the demon had been driven out, the dumb man could talk. So the crowds were dumbfounded, saying, "Never before among the Jews was anything like this?

When He saw the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were tired and scattered like sheep without a shepherd.

"Listen! I am sending you out as sheep surrounded by wolves. So you must be sensible like serpents and guileless like doves.

The pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and the slave should be satisfied to become like his master. If men have called the Head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they heap upon the members of His family!

"But to what can I compare the leaders of this age? They are like little children sitting in the market places and calling to their fellows in the game,

Then He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." And he held it out, and it was cured so that it became like the other.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him as follows: "Teacher, we would like to see a spectacular sign given by you."

He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field.

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

"The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a gem-dealer who was looking for beautiful pearls.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was let down into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind,

He said to them, "Every scribe who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who can bring out of his storeroom new furnishings as well as old."

And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.

And in their presence His appearance was changed and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes turned as white as light.

He answered them, "Because you have so little faith! For I solemnly say to you, if you have the faith that is living like a grain of mustard, you can say to this mountain, 'Move over from here to yonder,' and it will move over, and nothing will be impossible for you to do."

and said: "I solemnly say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you can never get into the kingdom of heaven at all.

and whoever welcomes one little child like this for my sake welcomes me.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like an owner of an estate 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 reception for his son.

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

and they like the places of honor at feasts and the front seats in synagogues,

"A curse on you, you hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, for you are like white-washed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead people's bones and everything 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 long journey from his homeland, who called to him his slaves and turned his property over to them.

The men on guard trembled in awe of him, and became like dead men.

And just as soon as He started to come up out of the water, He saw the heavens split open and the Spirit coming down like a dove to enter Him.

And they were dumbfounded at His teaching, for He was teaching them like one who had authority to teach, and not like the scribes.

Then he got up and at once picked up his pallet, and went out before them all. The result was that they were all dumbfounded and began to praise God and say, "We have never seen anything like this before."

In like manner these are the ones sown on rocky ground; as soon as they hear the truth, they accept it with ecstasy,

He also was saying: "The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground,

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

With many stories like these He kept on telling them the message, as far as they could understand it.

But others were saying that He was Elijah, and still others that He was a prophet like the prophets of old.

for Herod stood in awe of John, because he knew that he was an upright and holy man, and so he protected him. When he heard him speak, he was very much disturbed, and yet he liked to hear him.

The king, although exceedingly sorry, yet on account of his oath and his guests, did not like to refuse her,

So when He got out of the boat, He saw a great crowd waiting, and His heart was moved with pity at the sight of them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and so He proceeded to teach them a number of things.

and so you set aside what God has said by what you have handed down. You have many other practices like these."

He looked up and answered, "I see the people, but they look to me like trees moving around."

Then He asked his father, "How long has he been like this?" He answered, "From his childhood;

Then it gave a shriek and violently convulsed the boy, and got out of him. And the boy looked like a corpse, so much so that the people said that he was dead.

"Whoever, as a disciple of mine, welcomes one little child like this, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not merely me but Him who sent me."

David himself called him Lord, so how can He be his son?" Most of the people liked to hear Him.

And in His teaching He continued to say: "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes, to be saluted with honor in public places,

It will be like a man who leaves his home and goes on a journey, after he has given orders to his slaves, to each his particular task, and has given orders to the watchman to keep watch.

Yes, you must practice dealing with others as you would like them to deal with you.

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

Everyone who comes to me and continues to listen to my words and practices their teachings, I will show you whom he is like.

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

But the man who merely hears them and does not practice them is like a man who built a house upon the ground without a foundation. The torrent burst upon it, and at once it collapsed, and the wreck of that house was complete."

So to what can I compare the men of this age, and what are they like?

They are like little children sitting in the market-place and calling to their fellows in the game: "'We played the wedding march for you, but you did not dance. We sang the funeral dirge, but you did not mourn.'

He said to them, "I was looking at Satan failing like a flash of lightning from heaven.

A curse on you Pharisees, because you like to have the front seats in synagogues, and to be greeted with honor in public places!

A curse on you, because you are like unmarked graves which men walk over without knowing it!"

Just think of how the lilies grow. They do not toil nor spin. But, I tell you, not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was ever dressed like one of them.

and be like men waiting for their master when he comes home from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks, they at once may open the door for him.

Then He answered them, "Do you think, because these Galileans suffered like this, that they were worse sinners than all the rest of the Galileans?

So He went on to say, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what may I compare it?

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

It is like yeast which a woman took and hid in a bushel of flour until it all had risen."

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

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

Then the Lord said to them, "If you had faith that grows like a mustard seed, you might have been saying to this mulberry tree, 'Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea,' and it would have obeyed you!

The Pharisee stood and said this self-centered prayer, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector.

For they cannot die again. They are like the angels, and since they are reborn in the resurrection, are children of God.

"Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes and love to be saluted with honor in public places, to be seated in the front seats in the synagogues, and to occupy the places of honor at banquets --

But ever be on your guard, so that your hearts may not be loaded down with self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries, and that day, like a trap, catch you unawares.

In like manner after supper He took a cup of wine, and said, "This cup of wine is the new covenant to be ratified by my blood, which is to be poured out for you.

But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you must be like the youngest and the leader as the servant.

"Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has asked permission to sift all of you like wheat,

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him.

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.

And yet you have not learned to know Him; but I know Him, and if I say I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you. On the other hand, I do know Him and I do follow His teaching.

Some said, "Yes, it is he." Others said, "No, but it surely does look like him." He himself said, "I am the man."

If this man had not come from God, He could not have done anything like this."

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

And they saw tongues like flames of fire separating and resting on their heads, one to each of them,

Then all who were seated in the council fixed their eyes upon him and saw that his face was like that of an angel.

"In the desert our forefathers had the tent of the testimony, like the model Moses had seen, as God who spoke to him ordered him to make it.

Now 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, so He does not open His mouth.

And all at once something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, got up and was baptized,

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

"I was praying in the town of Joppa, and while I was praying I fell in a trance and had a vision. I saw something like a great sheet coming down out of the sky, lowered by the four comers; and it came right down to me.

and shouted, "Men, why are you doing this? We are merely men with natures like your own, who are telling you the good news, so that you may turn from these foolish things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that they contain.

Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to suppose that His nature is like gold or silver or stone or anything carved by man's art and thought.

In everything I showed you that by working hard like this we must help those who are weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It makes one happier to give than to get.'"

He came to see us and took Paul's belt and with it bound his own hands and feet, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'The Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt like this, and then will turn him over to the heathen.'"

"I should like to hear the man myself," said Agrippa to Festus. "Tomorrow you shall hear him," said Festus.

Their throats are just like open graves, with their tongues they have spoken treachery; the poison of asps is under their lips.

For if we have grown into fellowship with Him by sharing a death like His, surely we shall share a resurrection life like His,

For those on whom He set His heart beforehand He marked off as His own to be made like His Son, that He might be the eldest of many brothers;