Now when they had gone an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a [supernatural] dream, saying, "Get up and take the young child and His mother and hurry to Egypt. Stay there for as long as I tell you to, for Herod will be looking for the young child in order to kill Him."

For this is the man who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, who said, [Isa. 40:3], "[It is] the voice of a man who speaks out in the desert, [urging people to] make the road for the Lord ready [for Him to travel]; to make a straight pathway for Him [to walk on]."

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be immersed, John said to them, "You children of snakes, who warned you to run away from the coming wrath [of God]?

The tempter [i.e., the devil] came and said to Him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread."

and said to Him, "If you are the Son of God jump off, for it is written [Psalm 91:11-12]: 'He will put His angels in charge of you' and 'They will lift you up with their hands so you do not trip over a stone.'"

Jesus said to him, "It is also written [Deut. 6:16], 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

and said to Him, "I will give you all these things if you fall to the ground and worship me."

And He said to them, "Come with me, and I will make you fishermen for people."

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond [i.e., the east side of] the Jordan River.

Seeing the large crowds, Jesus went up in a mountain [i.e., probably a hill near Capernaum] and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

"You have heard what was said to the people in time's past [Exodus 20:13], 'You must not murder,' and whoever does will be subject to judgment.

"You have heard what was said [Exodus 20:14], 'You must not be sexually unfaithful to your mate.'

It was also said [Deut. 24:1-3], 'Whoever divorces his wife, let it be done with a [legally binding] divorce decree, which he must give her.'

"Again, you have heard what was said to people in time's past [Lev. 19:12], 'You must not go back on your oaths, but [rather] fulfill the oaths you take to the Lord.'

"You have heard what was said [Exodus 21:24], 'Take an eye [from someone] if he takes yours, and take a tooth [from someone] if he takes yours.'

But I tell you, do not offer resistance to an evil person, but whoever hits you on the right side of the face, allow him [to hit you] on the other side also.

"You have heard what was said [Lev. 19:18], 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

Jesus said to him, "Be sure you do not tell anyone [about your healing yet]; but [first] go and show yourself to the priest and then offer the [sacrificial] gift required by the law of Moses [See Lev. 13:49; 14:2ff], as evidence to them [that you have been healed]."

Jesus said, "I will go and heal him."

And when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following [along], "It is true when I tell to you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites.

And I [also] say to you, that many people will come from the east and the west and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

And Jesus said to the military officer, "Go on your way; since you have believed [in my power to heal], what you desired will be done for you." And the slave-boy was healed that [very] hour.

Now when Jesus saw large crowds around Him, He gave orders [i.e., to His followers] to leave for the other side [i.e., to go from the west to the east side of Lake Galilee].

[While there] an expert in the law of Moses said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

Then another one of His disciples said to Him, "Allow me to go and bury my father first."

And when He got to the other side [i.e., the east side of the lake], He was in the district of the Gadarenes. There He was met by two men dominated by evil spirits. They came from the graveyard [where they lived] and were so fierce that no one could [safely] travel that road.

[Upon His arrival] they brought to Him a man afflicted with a paralytic disease, [being carried on his cot. See Mark 2:3]. When Jesus saw [the evidence of] their faith [i.e., the man's four friends breaking open the roof and lowering him through it. See Mark 2:4-5], He said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up, your sins are forgiven."

Seeing this, certain experts in the law of Moses said to themselves, "This man is speaking against God."

Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus said, "Why are you having such evil thoughts in your minds?

But in order that you may know that the Son of man has authority to forgive people's sins on earth, (then He said to the man afflicted with paralysis), 'Get up, pick up your cot and go home.'"

As Jesus moved on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth [i.e., collecting taxes]. He said to him, "Become my follower." And he got up and followed Him.

And so it happened, as Jesus was having a meal at Matthew's house, a number of [other] tax collectors and worldly people came to sit down with Him and His disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw this they said to His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and worldly people?"

When Jesus heard this, He said, "People who are healthy do not need a doctor; but [only] sick people do.

Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen act sadly while the groom is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

For she had said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed."

When Jesus turned and saw her, He said, "Take courage, daughter, your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed that [very] moment.

He said, "Stand back, for the young lady is not [permanently] dead, but [rather] is sleeping." And the people laughed at Him scornfully.

And when He had entered the house [i.e., probably a friend's house there in Capernaum. See 8:20], the blind men came in [after Him]. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do what you are asking?" They replied, "Yes, Lord."

Then He touched their eyes and said, "Let what you expect be done for you."

But the Pharisees said, "He is driving out evil spirits by [the power of] the chief of evil spirits."

Then He said to His disciples, "Certainly there is plenty to harvest but there are [too] few people to do the work."

Then inquire around for a trustworthy family in every town or village you enter, and stay there [with them] until it is time to move on.

For I came to set a person at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

and said to Jesus, "Are you the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?"

[how] blind people are receiving back their sight, and crippled people are walking [again], and people with infectious skin diseases are being healed, and deaf-mutes are hearing [and speaking (?) again], and people are being raised [from the dead], and poor people are having the good news preached to them.

As the messengers [sent by John. See Luke 7:27] went on their way, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. [He said], "What did you expect to see when you went out into the desert? A tall stem swaying in the wind?

For when John came, he did not eat or drink [on festive occasions] and people said, 'He is dominated by an evil spirit.'

[Then] the Son of man came eating and drinking [at festive occasions] and they said, 'Look, He is a glutton and a drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and worldly people.' It proves that [God's] wise counsel is right by the way things turn out."

[He said] "It will be too bad for you, Chorazin! It will be too bad for you, Bethsaida! For if the powerful miracles had been performed in [the cities of] Tyre and Sidon which were performed in your presence, they would have repented long ago, [demonstrating it] by wearing sackcloth [i.e., a coarse cloth made of goat hair] and throwing ashes [into the air].

About that time Jesus said [in prayer], "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things [i.e., the significance of Jesus' words and works] from those who [thought they] were wise and intelligent and have [instead] revealed them to people who are child-like.

But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law of Moses to do on a Sabbath day."

Then Jesus said to the man "Reach out your hand." And when he stretched it out, it became normal, just like the other one.

so what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled when he said,

All the crowds of people were amazed and said, "Can this [Jesus] be the son of David?"

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man does not drive out evil spirits except by [the power of] Beelzebub, the chief of evil spirits."

Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom [plagued] with internal division will end in ruin. And every city or household divided from within will not survive.

The person who is not on my side is [actually] against me. And the person who does not gather [people to me] is [actually] driving them away [from me].

But He said to them, "It is [only] an evil and unfaithful [i.e., to God] generation of people that looks for a [supernatural] sign. And there will not be any sign given to it except the [supernatural] sign [demonstrated in the life] of Jonah, the prophet.

Someone [from the crowd] said to Him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

Then He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Look, [here is] my mother and my brothers!"

On that [same] day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down on the shore of the lake [i.e., Lake Galilee].

Great crowds gathered around Him so that He went and sat down in a boat [just off shore], while the crowd stood on the beach.

And some of the seed he sowed [i.e., scattering it by hand] landed along the side of the road and birds came and ate it.

And other seed fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil and immediately it sprouted up because the soil was so shallow.

And other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and [eventually] choked out the tender sprouts.

And [still] other seed fell onto fertile soil, where some of it produced a crop of one hundred, some sixty and some thirty times [as much as was planted].

Jesus' disciples came and said to Him, "Why are you speaking to them [i.e., the large crowds] by using parables?"

"Listen then to this parable of the farmer [who sowed seed].

When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one [i.e., the devil] comes to him and grabs away what had been sown in his heart. This is the person who was scattered to the side of the road.

[Then] Jesus told them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is similar to a person who sowed seed in his field,

The farmer's hired hands came and asked him, 'Did you not plant [only] good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from [then]?'

And he said to them, 'An enemy [of mine] has done this [to me].' The hired hands replied, 'Do you want us then to go and gather up the weeds?'

But the farmer said, 'No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you might root up [some of] the wheat with them.

Jesus told them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is similar to a seed from the mustard tree which a man took and planted in his field.

This seed is indeed [one of] the smallest of all seeds, but when it is [fully] grown, it is larger than [other] plants, and [even] becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and roost on its branches."

[This was] so that what was spoken by the prophet would be fulfilled, when he said [Psa. 78:2], "I will open my mouth [to speak] with parables. I will say things that have been hidden from the beginning of time."

He then left the crowds and went into the house. [While there] His disciples came to Him, and said, "Explain to us [the meaning of] the parable of the weeds in the field."

And He answered them, "The person who planted the good seed is the Son of man,

and the field [represents] the world. The good seed [represents] the children who belong to the kingdom, and the weeds [represent] the children who belong to the evil one [i.e., the devil].

When it became full, the fishermen dragged it up onto the shore. Then they sat down and, [sorting their catch], placed the good [i.e., edible fish] into containers, but threw out the bad [i.e., inedible ones].

"Have you understood all these things?" [Jesus asked]. "Yes," they said to Him.

Then He said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law of Moses who has been made a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is similar to a [wealthy] homeowner who brought [both] new and old things out of his supply of goods."

And when He came to His home town [i.e., Nazareth], Jesus taught people in their synagogues to their amazement. They said, "Where did this man get [such] wisdom and [the ability to perform] these supernatural deeds?

And they were led to doubt His true identity. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet does not go without being honored, except in His own home town and among His own family members."

For John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to be married to her."

Now when Jesus heard about it He left there in a boat and went [across to the east side of the lake] to a deserted place. When the crowds found out [He was leaving] they followed Him [i.e., by traveling around] on the shore from the [surrounding] towns.

When it became evening, the disciples came to Him and said, "This place is deserted and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the towns and buy food [for their supper]."

But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you men give them [something] to eat."

And He said, "Bring the bread and fish here to me."

Then immediately Jesus ordered the disciples to enter the boat and row on ahead of Him to the other side [i.e., to the west side of Lake Galilee] until He could send the crowds away.

And Jesus replied, "Come [ahead]." So, Peter climbed over the side of the boat and went to Jesus, walking on the water.

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him and said, "You have such little faith; why did you doubt?"

And when they had [finally] crossed over [i.e., to the west side of the lake], they landed at the region of Gennesaret.

Then some Pharisees and experts in the law of Moses came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

For God said, [Ex. 20:12], 'Give honor to your father and mother.' and [Ex. 21:17], 'Whoever says bad things about his father or mother should surely be put to death.'

Then Jesus called the crowds to come to Him, and He said to them, "Listen and understand.

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were upset [with you] when they heard [you say] that?"

But He answered and said, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.

And Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."