The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath

61 Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath ; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain , rubbing them in their hands , and eating the grain. 2 But some of the Pharisees said , "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath ?" 3 And Jesus answering them said , "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry , he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered the house of God , and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone , and gave it to his companions e ?" 5 And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ."

The Man with a Withered Hand

6 On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching ; and there was a man there whose e right hand was withered . 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath , so that they might find reason to accuse Him. 8 But He knew what they were thinking , and He said to the man with the withered hand , "Get up and come forward e !" And he got up and came forward. 9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath , to save a life or to destroy it?" 10 After looking around at them all , He said to him, "Stretch out your hand !" And he did so; and his hand was restored . 11 But they themselves were filled with rage , and discussed together e what e they might do to Jesus .

Jesus Chooses the Twelve

12 It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray , and He spent the whole night in prayer to God . 13 And when day came , He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles : 14 Simon , whom He also named Peter , and Andrew his brother ; and James and John ; and Philip and Bartholomew ; 15 and Matthew and Thomas ; James the son of Alphaeus , and Simon who was called the Zealot ; 16 Judas the son of James , and Judas Iscariot , who became a traitor .

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude

17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place ; and there was a large crowd of His disciples , and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon , 18 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases ; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured . 19 And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all .

Blessings and Woes

20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples , He began to say , " Blessed are you who are poor , for yours is the kingdom of God . 21 "Blessed are you who hunger now , for you shall be satisfied . Blessed are you who weep now , for you shall laugh . 22 " Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil , for the sake of the Son of Man . 23 "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold , your reward is great in heaven . For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets . 24 "But woe to you who are rich , for you are receiving your comfort in full . 25 "Woe to you who are well-fed now , for you shall be hungry . Woe to you who laugh now , for you shall mourn and weep . 26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way .

Love for Enemies

27 "But I say to you who hear , love your enemies , do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 " Whoever hits you on the cheek , offer him the other also ; and whoever takes away your coat , do not withhold your shirt from him either . 30 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours , do not demand it back . 31 " Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 " If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same . 34 " If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive , what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 "But love your enemies , and do good , and lend , expecting nothing in return ; and your reward will be great , and you will be sons of the Most High ; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 "Be merciful , just as your Father is merciful .

Judging Others

37 " Do not judge , and you will not be judged ; and do not condemn , and you will not be condemned ; pardon , and you will be pardoned . 38 "Give , and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down , shaken together , and running over . For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return ." 39 And He also spoke a parable to them: " A blind man cannot e guide a blind man , can he? Will they not both fall into a pit ? 40 " A pupil is not above his teacher ; but everyone , after he has been fully trained , will be like his teacher . 41 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye , but do not notice the log that is in your own eye ? 42 "Or how can you say to your brother , 'Brother , let me take out the speck that is in your eye ,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye ? You hypocrite , first take the log out of your own eye , and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye .

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

43 " For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit , nor , on the other hand , a bad tree which produces good fruit . 44 " For each tree is known by its own fruit . For men do not gather figs from thorns , nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush . 45 " The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good ; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil ; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart .

The House Built on a Rock

46 " Why do you call Me, 'Lord , Lord ,' and do not do what I say ? 47 " Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like : 48 he is like a man building a house , who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock ; and when a flood occurred , the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built . 49 "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation ; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed , and the ruin of that house was great ."

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar , when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea , and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee , and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis , and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene , 2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John , the son of Zacharias , in the wilderness . 3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan , preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins ; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , " THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS , 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE Lord , MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT . 5 ' EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED , AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW ; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME e STRAIGHT , AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH ; 6 AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD .' " 7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, " You brood of vipers , who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? 8 "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance , and do not begin to say to yourselves , ' We have Abraham for our father ,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham . 9 "Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees ; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire ." 10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying , " Then what shall we do ?" 11 And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none ; and he who has food is to do likewise ." 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized , and they said to him, "Teacher , what shall we do ?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying , "And what about us, what shall we do ?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force , or accuse anyone falsely , and be content with your wages ."

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John , as to whether he was the Christ , 16 John answered and said to them all , "As for me, I baptize you with water ; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals ; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire . 17 "His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor , and to gather the wheat into His barn ; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ." 18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people . 19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias , his brother's wife , and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done , 20 Herod also added this to them all : he locked John up in prison .

The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now when all the people were baptized , Jesus was also baptized , and while He was praying , heaven was opened , 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove , and a voice came out of heaven , " You are My beloved Son , in You I am well-pleased ."

The Genealogy of Jesus

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age , being , as was supposed , the son of Joseph , the son of Eli , 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 Hesli , 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 Joshua , the son of Eliezer , the son of Jorim , the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , 30 the son of Simeon , the son of Judah , 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 Admin , the son of Ram , 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 Heber , 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 Enosh , the son of Seth , the son of Adam , the son of God .