Jesus Begins His Ministry
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Ministry | Parables | Miracles
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The Resurrection
Jesus Baptized
Jordon River
c. AD 26
Mt 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do
you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he consented. And when
Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the
heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased."
+ + +
Mk 1:9-11
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John
in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the
heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice
came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."
+ + +
Lk 3:21-22
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized
and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon
him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my
beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."
+ + +
Jn 1:29-39
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of
God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After
me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not
know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be
revealed to Israel." And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a
dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he
who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit
descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I
have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
The next day
again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as
he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him
say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and
said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means
Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They
came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it
was about the tenth hour.
Jesus Tempted by Satan
Desert
c. AD 26
Mt 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the
devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was
hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is
written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set
him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of
God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge
of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your
foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall
not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high
mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of
them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down
and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then
the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
+ + +
Mk 1:12-13
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the
wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts;
and the angels ministered to him.
+ + +
Lk 4:1-13
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by
the Spirit for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he
ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry. The
devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become
bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread
alone.'" And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the
world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this
authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to
whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours." And
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.'" And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on
the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here; for it is written, 'He will give his angels
charge of you, to guard you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered him, "It is
said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" And when the devil had ended
every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Jesus' First Miracle
Cana
c. AD 26
Jn 2:1-11
On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of
Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples.
When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has
not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of
purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them,
"Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to
them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they
took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and
did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water
knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then
the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first
of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and
his disciples believed in him.
Jesus' Cleansing of the Temple
Jerusalem
AD 27
Jn 2:14-22
In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons,
and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he
drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured
out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told
those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my
Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was
written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me." The Jews then said to him,
"What sign have you to show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them,
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then
said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise
it up in three days?" But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore
he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this;
and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Jesus and Nicodemus
Jerusalem
AD 27
Jn 3:1-21
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode'mus, a ruler of the Jews.
This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you
are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do,
unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicode'mus said
to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to
you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born
anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you
do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who
is born of the Spirit." Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?" Jesus
answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand
this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness
to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told
you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you
heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from
heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in
him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him. He who believes in him is not condemned;
he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light
has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does
not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does
what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds
have been wrought in God.
Jesus Talks to the Samaritan Woman
Samaria
AD 27
Jn 4:5-42
So he came to a city of Samar'ia, called Sy'char, near the field that Jacob
gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he
was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
There came a woman of Samar'ia to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a
drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The
Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me,
a woman of Samar'ia?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus
answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to
you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given
you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw
with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you
greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it
himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Every one who
drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that
I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will
become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said
to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to
draw."
Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman
answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in
saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you
now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him,
"Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this
mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You
worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from
the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship
him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and
truth." The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is
called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to
her, "I who speak to you am he."
Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a
woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with
her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said
to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be
the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him.
Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to
them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said
to one another, "Has any one brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food
is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not
say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift
up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who
reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and
reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and
another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others
have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's
testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to
him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And
many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no
longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for
ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
Jesus Heals an Official's Son
Cana
AD 27
Jn 4:46-54
So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And
at Caper'na-um there was an official whose son was ill. When he heard that
Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down
and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to
him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word
that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was
living. So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him,
"Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son
will live"; and he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea
to Galilee.
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
Nazareth
AD 27
Lk 4:16-30
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the
synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read;
and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the
book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord."
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the
attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on
him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing." And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious
words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's
son?" And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb,
'Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Caper'na-um, do
here also in your own country.'" And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no
prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there
were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli'jah, when the heaven was shut
up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the
land; and Eli'jah was sent to none of them but only to Zar'ephath, in the
land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in
Israel in the time of the prophet Eli'sha; and none of them was cleansed,
but only Na'aman the Syrian." When they heard this, all in the synagogue
were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and
led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they
might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went
away.
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The Ministry of Jesus Christ
Top | Childhood | Early Ministry
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Ministry | Parables | Miracles
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Opposition | Holy Week |
The Resurrection
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
AD 27
Mt
4:18-22
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called
Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from
there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his
brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he
called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed
him.
+ + +
Mk 1:16-20
And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother
of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said
to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." And
immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little
farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in
their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them; and they left
their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.
+ + +
Lk 5:1-11
While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing
by the lake of Gennes'aret. And he saw two boats by the lake; but the
fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one
of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the
land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had
ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your
nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took
nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done
this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,
they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And
they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when
Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me,
for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all that were
with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James
and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to
Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when
they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Jesus Heals Many at Simon's (Peter) House
Capernaum
AD 27
Mt 8:14-17
And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick
with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and
served him. That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with
demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were
sick. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our
infirmities and bore our diseases."
+ + +
Mk 1:29-34
And immediately he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and
Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a
fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the
hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed
with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. And he
healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons;
and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
+ + +
Lk
4:38-41
And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's
mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her. And
he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately
she rose and served them.
Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with
various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of
them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the
Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because
they knew that he was the Christ.
Jesus Begins His First Preaching Trip Through Galilee
Galilee
AD 27
Mt
4:23-25
And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity
among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought
him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains,
demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds
followed him from Galilee and the Decap'olis and Jerusalem and Judea and
from beyond the Jordan.
+ + +
Mk 1:35-39
And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a
lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him
pursued him, and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for
you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may
preach there also; for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all
Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
+ + +
Lk 4:42-44
And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people
sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them; but
he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the
other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." And he was preaching in
the synagogues of Judea.
The Call of Matthew (Levi)
Capernaum
AD 27
Mt 9:9-13
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the
tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners
came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw
this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well
have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this
means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners."
+ + +
Mk 2:13-17
He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and
he taught them. And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting
at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed
him.
And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were
sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.
And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with
sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax
collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those
who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners."
+ + +
Lk
5:27-32
After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the
tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he left everything, and
rose and followed him.
And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company
of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. And the Pharisees
and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat
and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered them, "Those
who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not
come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
Capernaum
AD 28
Mk 3:13-19
And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and
they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent
out to preach and have authority to cast out demons: Simon whom he surnamed
Peter; James the son of Zeb'edee and John the brother of James, whom he
surnamed Bo-aner'ges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, and Philip, and
Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and
Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
+ + +
Lk 6:12-16
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he
continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples,
and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named
Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and
Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and
Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas
Iscariot, who became a traitor.
The Sermon on the Mount
Capernaum
AD 28
Mt 5:1-7:29
The Beatitudes
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his
disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall
be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds
of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your
reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
Salt and Light
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall
its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be
thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do
men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives
light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
The Law and the Prophets
"Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come
not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven
and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until
all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these
commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of
heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Concerning Anger
"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and
whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one
who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults
his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!'
shall be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the
altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift. Make friends quickly with your
accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you
over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison;
truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last
penny.
Concerning Adultery
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say
to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed
adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck
it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members
than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes
you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of
your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Concerning Divorce
"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that every one who divorces his
wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and
whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Concerning Oaths
"Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not
swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say
to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make
one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything
more than this comes from evil.
Concerning Retaliation
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one
would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if
any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who
begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for
he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have
you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your
brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do
the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.
Concerning Almsgiving
"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for
then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when
you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say
to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be
in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Prayer
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be
seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when
you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is
in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they
think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for
your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will
forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
Concerning Fasting
"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they
disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to
you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head
and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your
Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Treasures
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves
do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also.
The Sound Eye
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body
will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be
full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the
darkness!
Serving Two Masters
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and mammon.
Do Not Worry
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat
or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not
life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of
the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which
of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are
you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the
field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he
not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be
anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What
shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly
Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious
for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Judging Others
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you
will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do
you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log
that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take
the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You
hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Profaning the Holy
"Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.
Ask, Search, Knock
"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will
be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks
him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give
him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good
things to those who ask him! So whatever you wish that men would do to you,
do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
The Narrow Gate
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is
narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are
few.
A Tree and Its Fruit
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly
are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered
from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit,
but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor
can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Concerning Self-Deception
"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day
many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast
out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then
will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'
Hearers and Doers
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a
wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not
fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these
words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his
house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of
it."
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his
teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their
scribes.
+ + +
Lk
6:20-49
Blessing and Woes
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
"Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.
"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile
you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice
in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven;
for so their fathers did to the prophets.
"But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation.
"Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger.
"Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
"Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the
false prophets.
Love for Enemies
"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who
strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away
your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who begs from
you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you
wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you
lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 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 is kind to the
ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Judging Others
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be
condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to
you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put
into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they
not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one
when he is fully taught will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck
that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own
eye? 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 and Its Fruit
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good
fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered
from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man out of
the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his
evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaks.
The Two Foundations
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Every one who
comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is
like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the
foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that
house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But he who
hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground
without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it
fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
Capernaum
AD 28
Lk 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the
Pharisee's house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the
city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the
Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing
behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears,
and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed
them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he
said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and
what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And
Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he
answered, "What is it, Teacher?" "A certain creditor had two debtors; one
owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he
forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered,
"The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have
judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see
this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she
has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no
kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You
did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved
much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her,
"Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say
among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the
woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Jesus Travels Again Through Galilee
Galilee
AD 28
Lk 8:1-3
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and
bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,
and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities:
Mary, called Mag'dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joan'na,
the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who
provided for them out of their means.
Parables
Top | Childhood | Early Ministry
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Ministry | Parables | Miracles
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Opposition | Holy Week |
The Resurrection
The Use of Parables
All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to
them without a parable. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:
"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since
the foundation of the world."
Parables from the Gospel According to Matthew
The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great
crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the
whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables,
saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the
path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky
ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since
they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and
since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and
the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and
brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has
ears, let him hear."
The Parable of the Sower Explained
"Hear then the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the
kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away
what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. As for what
was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately
receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a
while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word,
immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who
hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke
the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this
is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and
yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
The Parable of Weeds Among the Wheat
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be
compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were
sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So
when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And
the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow
good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy
has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and
gather them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the
wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at
harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them
in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to
him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He
answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the
world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the
sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest
is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are
gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The
Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all
causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Then the righteous will shine
like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a
grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the
smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs
and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its
branches."
The Parable of the Yeast
He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a
woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."
Three Parables
"The kingdom of heaven is
like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in
his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
"Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one
pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
"Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of
every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the
good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the
age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and
throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their
teeth.
Treasures New and Old
"Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." And he said to
them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven
is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is
old."
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that
in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone
astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search
of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he
rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So
it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little
ones should perish.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to
settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was
brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay,
his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he
had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring
him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out
of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the
debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow
servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he
said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him,
'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him
in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had
taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to
their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to
him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought
me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy
on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should
pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if
you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
The Laborers in the Vineyard
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers
for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about
the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them
he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give
you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour,
he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others
standing; and he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They
said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into
the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to
his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the
last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came,
each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they
would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on
receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, 'These last
worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the
burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them,
'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to
you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you
begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last."
The Parable of the Two Sons
"What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said,
'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not'; but
afterward he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same;
and he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go.
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
"Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and
set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and
let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of
fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and
the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned
another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the
same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect
my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is
the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him
and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the owner
of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him,
"He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard
to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone
which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the
Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I tell you, the
kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing
the fruits of it."
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived
that he was speaking about them. But when they tried to arrest him, they
feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast
for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the
marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants,
saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my
oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the
marriage feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm,
another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them
shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and
destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his
servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go
therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as
you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all
whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with
guests.
"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had
no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here
without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the
attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are
chosen."
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender
and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you
see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I
say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take
place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their
lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five
were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with
them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom
was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said
to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But
the wise replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go
rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy,
the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the
marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came
also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly, I say to
you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor
the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
"For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and
entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two,
to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who
had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made
five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents
more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and
hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants
came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five
talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you
delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His
master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been
faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your
master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master,
you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His
master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been
faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your
master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying,
'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and
gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your
talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered
him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not
sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested
my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was
my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who
has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he
will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be
taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there
men will weep and gnash their teeth.'
The Judgment of the Nations
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then
he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the
nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but
the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand,
'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was
thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was
naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and
you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see
thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we
see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did
we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer
them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my
brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand,
'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil
and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and
you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and
you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then
they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then
he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the
least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Parables from the Gospel According to Mark
The Parable of the Sower
Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered
about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the
whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he taught them many things
in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out
to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came
and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much
soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; and when
the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away.
Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it
yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth
grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a
hundredfold." And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
A Lamp Under a Bushel Basket
And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or
under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hid, except to be made
manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. If any man has
ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear;
the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be
given you. For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not,
even what he has will be taken away."
The parable of the Growing Seed
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the
ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout
and grow, he knows not how. The earth produces of itself, first the blade,
then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at
once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable
shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown
upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is
sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth
large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and
set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower,
and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the time
came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit
of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him, and sent him away
empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in
the head, and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they
killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. He had
still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They
will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the
heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' And they
took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What will the
owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the
vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture: 'The very stone which
the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's
doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" And they tried to arrest him, but
feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable
against them; so they left him and went away.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender
and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you
see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these
things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away.
Parables from the Gospel According to Luke
Cloth and Wineskins
He told them a parable also: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and
puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece
from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old
wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be
spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into
fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he
says, 'The old is good.'"
The Two Foundations
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Every one who
comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is
like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the
foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that
house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But he who
hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground
without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it
fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
The Two Debtors
"A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the
other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of
them will love him more?"
The Parable of the Sower
And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to
him, he said in a parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he
sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds
of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it
withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and
the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and
grew, and yielded a hundredfold." As he said this, he called out, "He who
has ears to hear, let him hear."
A Lamp Under the Jar
"No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a
bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. For
nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that
shall not be known and come to light. Take heed then how you hear; for to
him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he
thinks that he has will be taken away."
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the
law? How do you read?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and
with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You
have answered right; do this, and you will live."
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed,
leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and
when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when
he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he
had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and
wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took
care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the
innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will
repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved
neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who
showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
The Importunity Friend
And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at
midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine
has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will
answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children
are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? I tell you,
though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend,
yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
The Parable of the Rich Fool
One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the
inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or
divider over you?" And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all
covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man
brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for
I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull
down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain
and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up
for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him,
'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have
prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself,
and is not rich toward God."
Watchful Slaves
"Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be like men who are
waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they
may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird
himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. If he
comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are
those servants! But know this, that if the householder had known at what
hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken
into. You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected
hour."
The Faithful and Unfaithful Slave
Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" And the
Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will
set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper
time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so
doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if
that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins
to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get
drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect
him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with
the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not
make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But
he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light
beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and
of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and
he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser,
'Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I
find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?' And he answered
him, 'Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on
manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can
cut it down.'"
The Parable of the Yeast
And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like
leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was
all leavened."
The Parable of the Great Dinner
When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him,
"Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" But he said to
him, "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time for
the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come;
for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first
said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray
you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen,
and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I
have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and
reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his
servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in
the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what
you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said
to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to
come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who
were invited shall taste my banquet.'"
The Tower
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and
count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has
laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock
him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.'
The King Marching into Battle
Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down
first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who
comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a
great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. So therefore,
whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
"Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be
restored? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it
away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And
the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners
and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having
a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine
in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when
he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to
them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so,
I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not
light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And
when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying,
'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.' Just so, I
tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who
repents."
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said
to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And
he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son
gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he
squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a
great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went
and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into
his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the
swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he
said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to
spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and
I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I
am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired
servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a
distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him
and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the
father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on
him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted
calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead,
and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make
merry.
"Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and
asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your
father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and
sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and
entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have
served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid,
that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came,
who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted
calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is
mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your
brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and
charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he
called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the
account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' And the
steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the
stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to
beg. I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their
houses when I am put out of the stewardship.' So, summoning his master's
debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill,
and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, 'And how
much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him,
'Take your bill, and write eighty.' The master commended the dishonest
steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in
dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
The Rich man and Lazarus
"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who
feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus,
full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's
table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and
was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was
buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw
Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father
Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger
in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham
said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things,
and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and
you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm
has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not
be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you,
father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that
he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But
Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he
said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they
will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
Attitude of a Slave
"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him
when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down at table'?
Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and
serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'? Does
he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when
you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we
have only done what was our duty.'"
The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge
And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and
not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither
feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept
coming to him and saying, 'Vindicate me against my adversary.' For a while
he refused; but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor
regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she
will wear me out by her continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what
the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to
him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will
vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he
find faith on earth?"
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were
righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one
a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I
give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off,
would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,
'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his
house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will
be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
The Parable of the Ten Pounds
As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was
near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to
appear immediately. He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country
to receive a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave
them ten pounds, and said to them, 'Trade with these till I come.' But his
citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, 'We do not want
this man to reign over us.' When he returned, having received the kingdom,
he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to
him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. The first came
before him, saying, 'Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' And he said
to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very
little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' And the second came,
saying, 'Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' And he said to him, 'And
you are to be over five cities.' Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is
your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; for I was afraid of you,
because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and
reap what you did not sow.' He said to him, 'I will condemn you out of your
own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up
what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not
put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with
interest?' And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the pound from him, and
give it to him who has the ten pounds.' (And they said to him, 'Lord, he has
ten pounds!') 'I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but
from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these
enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and
slay them before me.'"
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and
let it out to tenants, and went into another country for a long while. When
the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him
some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him
away empty-handed. And he sent another servant; him also they beat and
treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third;
this one they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said,
'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect
him.' But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 'This is the
heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' And they cast him
out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard
do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to
others." When they heard this, they said, "God forbid!" But he looked at
them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The very stone which the
builders rejected has become the head of the corner'? Every one who falls on
that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will
crush him."
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as
soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the
summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you
know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation
will not pass away till all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away.
The Purpose of Parables
Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in
parables?" And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the
secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to
him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who
has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in
parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor
do they understand. With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah
which says: 'You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall
indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and
their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they
should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.' But blessed are your eyes,
for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly, I say to you, many
prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
+ + +
Miracles
Top | Childhood | Early Ministry
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Ministry | Parables | Miracles
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Opposition | Holy Week |
The Resurrection
Miracles from the Gospel According to Matthew
Power Over Disease and Demons
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and behold,
a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you
can make me clean." And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying,
"I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said
to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the
priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."
Jesus Heals a Centurian's Servant
As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him
and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible
distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion
answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but
only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under
authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and
to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does
it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him,
"Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell
you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be
thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."
And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have
believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.
Jesus Heals Many at Peter's House
And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick
with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and
served him. That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with
demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were
sick. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our
infirmities and bore our diseases."
Jesus Heals the Gadarene Demoniacs
And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two
demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass
that way. And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of
God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many
swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, "If
you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." And he said to them,
"Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd
rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The
herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had
happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus;
and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
Jesus Heals a paralytic
And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when
Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your
sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves,
"This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do
you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are
forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of
man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic
-- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home.
A Girl restored to Life and a Woman Healed
And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came
up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said to
herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." Jesus turned,
and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you
well." And instantly the woman was made well.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud,
"Have mercy on us, Son of David." When he entered the house, the blind men
came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do
this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying,
"According to your faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. And
Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." But they went away
and spread his fame through all that district.
Jesus Heals One Who Was Mute
As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. And
when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds
marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."
The Man with the Withered Hand
And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it
lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him. He said to
them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the
sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is
a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath." Then he said
to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it
was restored, whole like the other.
The Blind and Dumb Demoniac
Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so
that the dumb man spoke and saw.
A Canaanite Woman's Demonic Daughter
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and
Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried,
"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed
by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and
begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He
answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But
she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It
is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She
said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their
masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be
it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
Jesus Cures a Boy with a Demon
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before
him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers
terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I
brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus
answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with
you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus
rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, two
blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing
by, cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd rebuked them,
telling them to be silent; but they cried out the more, "Lord, have mercy on
us, Son of David!" And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do you
want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened."
And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they received their
sight and followed him.
Power Over Nature
Jesus Stills the Storm
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there
arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the
waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save, Lord;
we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O men of little
faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a
great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that
even winds and sea obey him?"
Feeding the Five Thousand
When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely
place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages
and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give
them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and
two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds
to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he
looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the
disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and
were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces
left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and
children.
Walking on Water
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
Feeding the Four Thousand
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the
crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and h |
