The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath

61 Now it came about that on the Sabbath he was going through the fields of grain, and his disciples took the heads of the grain for food, crushing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, Why do you do what it is not right to do on the Sabbath? 3 And Jesus said, Have you not seen in the Writings what David did when he was in need of food, he, and those who were with him; 4 How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread, which only the priests may take, and gave it to those who were with him? 5 And he said, The Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.

The Man with a Withered Hand

6 And it came about, on another Sabbath, that he went into the Synagogue and was teaching there. And a man was there whose right hand was dead. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees were watching him to see if he would make him well on the Sabbath, so that they might be able to say something against him. 8 But he had knowledge of their thoughts; and he said to the man whose hand was dead, Get up and come into the middle. And he got up and came forward. 9 And Jesus said, I put the question to you, Is it right to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil? to give life or to take it away? 10 And looking round on all of them, he said to him, Put out your hand. And he did so: and his hand was made well. 11 But they were full of wrath, and were talking together about what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve

12 And it came about in those days that he went out to the mountain for prayer; and he was all night in prayer to God. 13 And the day came and, turning to his disciples, he made a selection from among them of twelve, to whom he gave the name of Apostles; 14 Simon, to whom he gave the name of Peter, and Andrew, his brother, and James and John and Philip and Bartholomew 15 And Matthew and Thomas and James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was named the Zealot, 16 And Judas, the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, he who was false to him.

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude

17 And he came down with them to a level place, and a great band of his disciples, and a very great number of people from all Judaea and Jerusalem and from the parts of Tyre and Sidon by the sea, came to give hearing to him, and to be made well from their diseases; 18 And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were made well. 19 And all the people were desiring to be touched by him, for power came from him and made them all well.

Blessings and Woes

20 And turning his eyes to his disciples he said, Happy are you who are poor: for the kingdom of God is yours. 21 Happy are you who are in need of food now: for you will be made full. Happy are you who are weeping now; for you will be glad. 22 Happy are you, when men have hate for you, and put you away from among them and say angry words to you, turning away in disgust at your name, because of the Son of man. 23 Be glad in that day, and be lifted up for joy, for your reward in heaven will be great: for their fathers did these same things to the prophets. 24 But unhappy are you who have wealth: for you have been comforted now. 25 Unhappy are you who are full of food now: for you will be in need. Unhappy are you who are laughing now: for you will be crying in sorrow. 26 Unhappy are you when all men give you their approval: for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27 But I say to you who give ear to me, Have love for those who are against you, do good to those who have hate for you, 28 Give blessing to those who give you curses, say prayers for those who are cruel to you. 29 If a man gives you a blow on one side of your face, then let the other side be turned to him; from him who takes away your coat, do not keep back your robe. 30 Give to everyone who comes with a request, and if a man takes away your property, make no attempt to get it back again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 If you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? for even sinners have love for those who have love for them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is it to you? for even sinners do the same. 34 And if you let those have the use of your money, from whom you are hoping to get it back, what credit is it to you? even sinners do so to sinners, hoping to get back as much as they gave. 35 But be loving to those who are against you and do them good, and give them your money, not giving up hope, and your reward will be great and you will be the sons of the Most High: for he is kind to evil men, and to those who have hard hearts. 36 Be full of pity, even as your Father is full of pity.

Judging Others

37 Be not judges of others, and you will not be judged: do not give punishment to others, and you will not get punishment yourselves: make others free, and you will be made free: 38 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, crushed down, full and running over, they will give to you. For in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again. 39 And he gave them teaching in the form of a story, saying, Is it possible for one blind man to be guide to another? will they not go falling together into a hole? 40 The disciple is not greater than his master, but everyone whose learning is complete will be like his master. 41 And why do you take note of the grain of dust in your brother's eye, but take no note of the bit of wood which is in your eye? 42 How will you say to your brother, Brother, let me take the grain of dust out of your eye, when you yourself do not see the bit of wood in your eye? O false one! first take the wood out of your eye and then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your brother's eye.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

43 For no good tree gives bad fruit, and no bad tree gives good fruit. 44 For every tree is judged by its fruit. Men do not get figs from thorns, or grapes from blackberry plants. 45 The good man, out of the good store of his heart, gives good things; and the evil man, out of his evil store, gives evil: for out of the full store of the heart come the words of the mouth.

The House Built on a Rock

46 Why do you say to me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me and gives ear to my words and does them, I will make clear to you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who went deep and put the base of it on a rock; and when the water came up and the river was driving against that house, it was not moved, because the building was good. 49 But he who gives hearing, without doing, is like a man building a house on the earth without a base for it; and when the force of the river came against it, straight away it came down; and the destruction of that house was great.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 Now in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, his brother Philip king of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias king of Abilene, 2 When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land. 3 And he came into all the country round about Jordan, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed. 4 As it says in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight. 5 Every valley will be lifted up, and all the mountains and hills made low, and the twisted will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; 6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God. 7 So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come? 8 Make clear by your acts that your hearts have been changed; and do not say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children of Abraham. 9 And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; and every tree which does not have good fruit will be cut down and put into the fire. 10 And the people put questions to him, saying, What have we to do? 11 And he made answer and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has not even one; and he who has food, let him do the same. 12 Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do? 13 And he said to them, Do not make an attempt to get more money than the right amount. 14 And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.

15 And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not, 16 John made answer, saying to them all, Truly, I give you baptism with water, but one is coming who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: 17 In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned in the fire which will never be put out. 18 And so comforting them with these and other words, he gave the good news to the people; 19 But Herod the king, because John had made a protest on account of Herodias, his brother's wife, and other evil things which Herod had done, 20 Did this most evil thing of all, and had John shut up in prison.

The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now it came about that when all the people had been given baptism, Jesus, having had baptism with them, was in prayer, when, the heaven being open, 22 The Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

The Genealogy of Jesus

23 And Jesus at this time was about thirty years old, being the son (as it seemed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 The son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 The son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 The son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 The son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 The son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 The son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 The son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 The son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 The son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 The son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 The son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 The son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.