"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter lamentation: It was Rachel bewailing her children, and she refused to be comforted because there were no more."

“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

For it is true when I say, not one little letter or even a portion of a letter will be removed from the law of Moses until everything is accomplished [that is required by them]. [When that happens, then] heaven and earth will pass away [i.e., be destroyed. See II Peter 3:12].

If your right eye makes you stumble and leads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

If your right hand makes you stumble and leads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Are ye not much better than they? And which of you by taking thought can add to his age the smallest measure?

Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better you who have little faith?

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Truly I say to you, It will be better for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of God's judging than for that town.

Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their Synagogues;

Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment;

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.

A pupil is not better than his teacher, nor a slave better than his master.

Have no fear of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. You had better be afraid of one who can destroy both soul and body in the pit.

Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows.

The one who has ears had better listen!

But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.

But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.

How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

The one who has ears had better listen!"

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

And they were bitter against him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is nowhere without honour but in his country and among his family.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

And Peter went down from the ship and walked upon the waters to go to Jesus: but seeing the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink cried out, Lord, save me.

And when they [i.e., both Jesus and Peter] got up into the boat, the wind [immediately] stopped.

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

He answered, "Yes." When Peter went home, Jesus spoke to him first and asked him, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects, or from foreigners?"

Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

The disciples said to him, "If this is the case of a man with his wife, it would be better not to marry!"

But Jesus looked at them, and said: "With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible." Then Peter turned and said to Jesus:

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

But the wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves.

and said, "What are you willing to give me if I betray him to you?" So they weighed out to him thirty shekels,

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

When the evening was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they ate he said, Verily I say to you, One of you will betray me.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of Man is to go [to the cross], just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe (judgment is coming) to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”

Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, "Rabbi, I'm not the one, am I?" Jesus told him, "You have said so."

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

now he that was to betray him, gave them this signal, the person I shall kiss, is the very man, be sure to secure him.

Just then, one of those who were with Jesus [i.e., Peter. See John 18:10], reached out with his sword and struck the head priest's servant [with it], shearing off his ear.

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But Peter denied it before them all. "I do not know what you mean," he replied.

and he denied a second time, and that with an oath, saying, I know not the man. And a little after, they that stood by came to Peter and said,

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Then he began to curse [that is, to invoke God’s judgment on himself] and swear [an oath], “I do not know the man!” And at that moment a rooster crowed.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

They gave him wine mixed with bitter drink: and after tasting it, he took no more.

And those who went by said bitter words to him, shaking their heads and saying,

And straight away one of them went quickly, and took a sponge, and made it full of bitter wine, and put it on a rod and gave him drink.

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins [that is, requiring a change of one’s old way of thinking, turning away from sin and seeking God and His righteousness].

and saying, “The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].”

As Jesus was walking by the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon [Peter] and Simon’s brother, Andrew, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

And immediately they left the synagogue and went into the house of Simon [Peter] and Andrew, accompanied by James and John.

Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him,

Jesus returned to Capernaum, and a few days later the news went out that He was at home.

And Simon he surnamed Peter;

Then He came to a house [in Capernaum], and a crowd formed again, so [many people] that Jesus and His disciples could not even eat a meal [together].

And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!"

If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!"

And there was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years ??26 she had suffered a great deal under a number of doctors and had spent all her means but was none the better; in fact she was rather worse.

and had endured much [suffering] at the hands of many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse.

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

They laughed at Him scornfully. But after having all the people wait outside He took the child's father and mother, along with those who came with Him [i.e., Peter, James and John] and went in to where the [dead] child lay.

Is not this the woodworker, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were bitter against him.

So they went out and preached that men should repent [that is, think differently, recognize sin, turn away from it, and live changed lives].

And Herodias was bitter against him, desiring to put him to death; but she was not able;

And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah!" Jesus sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.