Luke 2 — GNB — Biblija.net

⁶ and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. ⁷ She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, ¹⁰ but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ This very day in David's town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!” ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child.

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. ¹⁹ Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them.

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” ²⁴ They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord. ²⁵ At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him ²⁶ and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah.

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

²⁷ Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
²⁹ “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
³⁰ With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,

A Man with an Evil Spirit

³¹ which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
³² A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”

The Question about Fasting

³³ The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. ³⁴ Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against ³⁵ and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ -37 There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying.

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

Jesus Preaches in the Synagogues

⁴² When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; ⁴⁴ they thought that he was with the group, so they traveled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

The Two House Builders

(Matthew 7.24-27)

⁴⁶ On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. ⁴⁷ All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. ⁴⁸ His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.” ⁴⁹ He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand his answer. ⁵¹ So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.

The Birth of Jesus

The Preaching of John the Baptist

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

The Question about the Sabbath

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

¹ It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias was ruler of Abilene, ² and Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. ³ So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching, “Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.” ⁴ As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:
“Someone is shouting in the desert:
‘Get the road ready for the Lord;
make a straight path for him to travel!
⁵ Every valley must be filled up,
every hill and mountain leveled off.
The winding roads must be made straight,
and the rough paths made smooth.

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

⁶ The whole human race will see God's salvation!’” ⁷ Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. “You snakes!” he said to them. “Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don't start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham! ⁹ The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.” ¹⁰ The people asked him, “What are we to do, then?”

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it.” ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” ¹³ “Don't collect more than is legal,” he told them.

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us? What are we to do?” He said to them, “Don't take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay.” ¹⁵ People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ So John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways. ¹⁹ But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother's wife, and had done many other evil things.

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.” ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was 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,

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

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,

A Man with an Evil Spirit

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,

The Question about Fasting

³³ the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, 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,

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

Judging Others

³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan,

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

The Birth of Jesus

The Preaching of John the Baptist

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

The Question about the Sabbath

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

¹ Jesus returned from the Jordan full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the desert, ² where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. In all that time he ate nothing, so that he was hungry when it was over. ³ The Devil said to him, “If you are God's Son, order this stone to turn into bread.” ⁴ But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone.’” ⁵ Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world.

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

⁶ “I will give you all this power and all this wealth,” the Devil told him. “It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose. ⁷ All this will be yours, then, if you worship me.”

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!’” ⁹ Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For the scripture says, ‘God will order his angels to take good care of you.’

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ It also says, ‘They will hold you up with their hands so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’” ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ¹³ When the Devil finished tempting Jesus in every way, he left him for a while.

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him. The news about him spread throughout all that territory. ¹⁵ He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed
¹⁹ and announce that the time has come
when the Lord will save his people.”

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him,

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² They were all well impressed with him and marveled at the eloquent words that he spoke. They said, “Isn't he the son of Joseph?” ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ He said to them, “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my hometown the same things you heard were done in Capernaum. ²⁴ I tell you this,” Jesus added, “prophets are never welcomed in their hometown. ²⁵ Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

²⁷ And there were many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” ²⁸ When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger. ²⁹ They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff, ³⁰ but he walked through the middle of the crowd and went his way.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

³¹ Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where he taught the people on the Sabbath. ³² They were all amazed at the way he taught, because he spoke with authority.

The Question about Fasting

³³ In the synagogue was a man who had the spirit of an evil demon in him; he screamed out in a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ah! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are: you are God's holy messenger!” ³⁵ Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet and come out of the man!” The demon threw the man down in front of them and went out of him without doing him any harm.

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ The people were all amazed and said to one another, “What kind of words are these? With authority and power this man gives orders to the evil spirits, and they come out!”

Judging Others

³⁷ And the report about Jesus spread everywhere in that region.

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon's home. Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, and they spoke to Jesus about her.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ He went and stood at her bedside and ordered the fever to leave her. The fever left her, and she got up at once and began to wait on them. ⁴⁰ After sunset all who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; he placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Demons also went out from many people, screaming, “You are the Son of God!” Jesus gave the demons an order and would not let them speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Jesus Preaches in the Synagogues

⁴² At daybreak Jesus left the town and went off to a lonely place. The people started looking for him, and when they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ But he said to them, “I must preach the Good News about the Kingdom of God in other towns also, because that is what God sent me to do.” ⁴⁴ So he preached in the synagogues throughout the country.

The Birth of Jesus

The Preaching of John the Baptist

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

The Question about the Sabbath

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

¹ One day Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God. ² He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets. ³ Jesus got into one of the boats—it belonged to Simon—and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd. ⁴ When he finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

⁶ They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break. ⁷ So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!” ⁹ He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught. ¹⁰ The same was true of Simon's partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus. ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² Once Jesus was in a town where there was a man who was suffering from a dreaded skin disease. When he saw Jesus, he threw himself down and begged him, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean!” ¹³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” At once the disease left the man.

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ Jesus ordered him, “Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice as Moses ordered.” ¹⁵ But the news about Jesus spread all the more widely, and crowds of people came to hear him and be healed from their diseases.

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ But he would go away to lonely places, where he prayed.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the Law were sitting there who had come from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick.

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a bed, and they tried to carry him into the house and put him in front of Jesus. ¹⁹ Because of the crowd, however, they could find no way to take him in. So they carried him up on the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let him down on his bed into the middle of the group in front of Jesus.

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “Your sins are forgiven, my friend.”

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks such blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!”

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why do you think such things? ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, pick up your bed, and go home!” ²⁵ At once the man got up in front of them all, took the bed he had been lying on, and went home, praising God. ²⁶ They were all completely amazed! Full of fear, they praised God, saying, “What marvelous things we have seen today!”

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

²⁷ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸ Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. ²⁹ Then Levi had a big feast in his house for Jesus, and among the guests was a large number of tax collectors and other people. ³⁰ Some Pharisees and some teachers of the Law who belonged to their group complained to Jesus' disciples. “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other outcasts?” they asked.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

³¹ Jesus answered them, “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call respectable people to repent, but outcasts.”

The Question about Fasting

³³ Some people said to Jesus, “The disciples of John fast frequently and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but your disciples eat and drink.” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you think you can make the guests at a wedding party go without food as long as the bridegroom is with them? Of course not! ³⁵ But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ Jesus also told them this parable: “You don't tear a piece off a new coat to patch up an old coat. If you do, you will have torn the new coat, and the piece of new cloth will not match the old.

Judging Others

³⁷ Nor do you pour new wine into used wineskins, because the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined.

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ Instead, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins!

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And you don't want new wine after drinking old wine. ‘The old is better,’ you say.”

The Birth of Jesus

The Preaching of John the Baptist

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

The Question about the Sabbath

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

¹ Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples began to pick the heads of wheat, rub them in their hands, and eat the grain. ² Some Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what our Law says you cannot do on the Sabbath?” ³ Jesus answered them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? ⁴ He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread.” ⁵ And Jesus concluded, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

⁶ On another Sabbath Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was paralyzed. ⁷ Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, “Stand up and come here to the front.” The man got up and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or destroy it?” ¹⁰ He looked around at them all; then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand became well again.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ They were filled with rage and began to discuss among themselves what they could do to Jesus. ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. ¹³ When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles:

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ Simon (whom he named Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (who was called the Patriot),

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ When Jesus had come down from the hill with the apostles, he stood on a level place with a large number of his disciples. A large crowd of people was there from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from the coast cities of Tyre and Sidon;

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ they had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits also came and were healed. ¹⁹ All the people tried to touch him, for power was going out from him and healing them all.

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ Jesus looked at his disciples and said,
“Happy are you poor;
the Kingdom of God is yours!

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ “Happy are you who are hungry now;
you will be filled!
“Happy are you who weep now;
you will laugh!

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² “Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man! ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ Be glad when that happens and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in heaven. For their ancestors did the very same things to the prophets.
²⁴ “But how terrible for you who are rich now;
you have had your easy life!
²⁵ “How terrible for you who are full now;
you will go hungry!
“How terrible for you who laugh now;
you will mourn and weep! ²⁶ “How terrible when all people speak well of you; their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets.

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

²⁷ “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

³¹ Do for others just what you want them to do for you. ³² “If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them!

The Question about Fasting

³³ And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! ³⁴ And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! ³⁵ No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you.

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And Jesus told them this parable: “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch. ⁴⁰ No pupils are greater than their teacher; but all pupils, when they have completed their training, will be like their teacher.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the log in your own eye?

Jesus Preaches in the Synagogues

⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Please, brother, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ yet cannot even see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Every tree is known by the fruit it bears; you do not pick figs from thorn bushes or gather grapes from bramble bushes. ⁴⁵ A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The Two House Builders

(Matthew 7.24-27)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet don't do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them—I will show you what he is like. ⁴⁸ He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once—and what a terrible crash that was!”

The Birth of Jesus

The Preaching of John the Baptist

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

The Question about the Sabbath

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

¹ When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. ² A Roman officer there had a servant who was very dear to him; the man was sick and about to die. ³ When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his servant. ⁴ They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, “This man really deserves your help. ⁵ He loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us.”

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

⁶ So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell him, “Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, ⁷ neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get well.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ⁹ Jesus was surprised when he heard this; he turned around and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel!” ¹⁰ The messengers went back to the officer's house and found his servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ Soon afterward Jesus went to a town named Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. ^*

Jesus Heals a Man

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, “Don't cry.”

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

¹⁴ Then he walked over and touched the coffin, and the men carrying it stopped. Jesus said, “Young man! Get up, I tell you!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ They all were filled with fear and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said; “God has come to save his people!”

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Jesus Teaches and Heals

¹⁷ This news about Jesus went out through all the country and the surrounding territory.

The Messengers from John the Baptist

¹⁸ When John's disciples told him about all these things, he called two of them ¹⁹ and sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Happiness and Sorrow

²⁰ When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus Is Named

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ At that very time Jesus healed many people from their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many blind people.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² He answered John's messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. ^*

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ How happy are those who have no doubts about me!” ²⁴ After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds: “When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind? ²⁵ What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that and live in luxury are found in palaces! ²⁶ Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.

Jesus Calls Levi

Love for Enemies

²⁷ For John is the one of whom the scripture says: ‘God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’ ²⁸ I tell you,” Jesus added, “John is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John.” ²⁹ All the people heard him; they and especially the tax collectors were the ones who had obeyed God's righteous demands and had been baptized by John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law rejected God's purpose for themselves and refused to be baptized by John.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

³¹ Jesus continued, “Now to what can I compare the people of this day? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group shouts to the other, ‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!’

The Question about Fasting

³³ John the Baptist came, and he fasted and drank no wine, and you said, ‘He has a demon in him!’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came, and he ate and drank, and you said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!’ ³⁵ God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by all who accept it.”

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him, and Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat.

Judging Others

³⁷ In that town was a woman who lived a sinful life. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house, so she brought an alabaster jar full of perfume

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ and stood behind Jesus, by his feet, crying and wetting his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured the perfume on them.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!” ⁴⁰ Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Yes, Teacher,” he said, “tell me.”

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ “There were two men who owed money to a moneylender,” Jesus began. “One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty.

Jesus Preaches in the Synagogues

⁴² Neither of them could pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Which one, then, will love him more?”

A Tree and Its Fruit