14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch ¹  heard reports about Jesus, 14:2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, ²  and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 14:4 because John had repeatedly told ³  him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁴  14:5 Although ⁵  Herod ⁶  wanted to kill John, ⁷  he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. 14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 14:7 so much that he promised with an oath ⁸  to give her whatever she asked. 14:8 Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 14:9 Although it grieved the king, ⁹  because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 14:10 So ¹⁰  he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 14:11 His ¹¹  head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 14:12 Then John’s ¹²  disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.

14:13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, ¹³  they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴  14:14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 14:15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place ¹⁵  and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 14:16 But he ¹⁶  replied, “They don’t need to go. You ¹⁷  give them something to eat.” 14:17 They ¹⁸  said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 14:18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 14:19 Then ¹⁹  he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, ²⁰  who in turn gave them to the crowds. ²¹  14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full. 14:21 Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.

14:22 Immediately Jesus ²²  made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. 14:23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 14:24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, ²³  was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. 14:25 As the night was ending, ²⁴  Jesus came to them walking on the sea. ²⁵  14:26 When ²⁶  the disciples saw him walking on the water ²⁷  they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear. 14:27 But immediately Jesus ²⁸  spoke to them: ²⁹  “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 14:28 Peter ³⁰  said to him, ³¹  “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” 14:29 So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 14:30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, ³²  “Lord, save me!” 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 14:32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

14:34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. ³³  14:35 When the people ³⁴  there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. 14:36 They begged him if ³⁵  they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

15:1 Then Pharisees ³⁶  and experts in the law ³⁷  came from Jerusalem ³⁸  to Jesus and said, ³⁹  15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their ⁴⁰  hands when they eat.” ⁴¹  15:3 He answered them, ⁴²  “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15:4 For God said, ⁴³  ‘Honor your father and mother’ ⁴⁴  and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ ⁴⁵  15:5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” ⁴⁶  15:6 he does not need to honor his father.’ ⁴⁷  You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,

15:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart ⁴⁸  is far from me,

15:9 and they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” ⁴⁹ 

15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, ⁵⁰  “Listen and understand. 15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what ⁵¹  comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees ⁵²  heard this saying they were offended?” 15:13 And he replied, ⁵³  “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. ⁵⁴  If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, ⁵⁵  both will fall into a pit.” 15:15 But Peter ⁵⁶  said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 15:16 Jesus ⁵⁷  said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 15:17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? ⁵⁸  15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 15:19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” ⁵⁹ 

15:21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre ⁶⁰  and Sidon. ⁶¹  15:22 A ⁶²  Canaanite woman from that area came ⁶³  and cried out, ⁶⁴  “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then ⁶⁵  his disciples came and begged him, ⁶⁶  “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So ⁶⁷  he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 15:25 But she came and bowed down ⁶⁸  before him and said, ⁶⁹  “Lord, help me!” 15:26 “It is not right ⁷⁰  to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” ⁷¹  he said. ⁷²  15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, ⁷³  “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 15:28 Then ⁷⁴  Jesus answered her, “Woman, ⁷⁵  your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

15:29 When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. 15:30 Then ⁷⁶  large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They ⁷⁷  laid them at his feet, and he healed them. 15:31 As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.

15:32 Then Jesus called the ⁷⁸  disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.” 15:33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?” 15:34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven – and a few small fish.” 15:35 After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 15:36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds. ⁷⁹  15:37 They ⁸⁰  all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 15:38 Not counting children and women, ⁸¹  there were four thousand men who ate. ⁸²  15:39 After sending away the crowd, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. ⁸³ 

16:1 Now when the Pharisees ⁸⁴  and Sadducees ⁸⁵  came to test Jesus, ⁸⁶  they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ⁸⁷  16:2 He ⁸⁸  said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ 16:3 and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’ ⁸⁹  You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, ⁹⁰  but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then ⁹¹  he left them and went away.

16:5 When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread. 16:6 “Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees ⁹²  and Sadducees.” ⁹³  16:7 So ⁹⁴  they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” 16:8 When Jesus learned of this, ⁹⁵  he said, “You who have such little faith! ⁹⁶  Why are you arguing ⁹⁷  among yourselves about having no bread? 16:9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 16:10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? 16:11 How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 16:12 Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

16:13 When ⁹⁸  Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, ⁹⁹  he asked his disciples, ¹⁰⁰  “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, ¹⁰¹  and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16:16 Simon Peter answered, ¹⁰²  “You are the Christ, ¹⁰³  the Son of the living God.” 16:17 And Jesus answered him, ¹⁰⁴  “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood ¹⁰⁵  did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades ¹⁰⁶  will not overpower it. 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” 16:20 Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. ¹⁰⁷ 

16:21 From that time on ¹⁰⁸  Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem ¹⁰⁹  and suffer ¹¹⁰  many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, ¹¹¹  and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 16:22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: ¹¹²  “God forbid, ¹¹³  Lord! This must not happen to you!” 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” ¹¹⁴  16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, ¹¹⁵  he must deny ¹¹⁶  himself, take up his cross, ¹¹⁷  and follow me. 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life ¹¹⁸  will lose it, ¹¹⁹  but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 16:26 For what does it benefit a person ¹²⁰  if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. ¹²¹  16:28 I tell you the truth, ¹²²  there are some standing here who will not ¹²³  experience ¹²⁴  death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” ¹²⁵ 

17:1 Six days later ¹²⁶  Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, ¹²⁷  and led them privately up a high mountain. 17:2 And he was transfigured before them. ¹²⁸  His ¹²⁹  face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 17:3 Then Moses ¹³⁰  and Elijah ¹³¹  also appeared before them, talking with him. 17:4 So ¹³²  Peter said ¹³³  to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make ¹³⁴  three shelters ¹³⁵  – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 17:5 While he was still speaking, a ¹³⁶  bright cloud ¹³⁷  overshadowed ¹³⁸  them, and a voice from the cloud said, ¹³⁹  “This is my one dear Son, ¹⁴⁰  in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!” ¹⁴¹  17:6 When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. ¹⁴²  17:7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Do not be afraid.” 17:8 When ¹⁴³  they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.

17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, ¹⁴⁴  “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 17:10 The disciples asked him, ¹⁴⁵  “Why then do the experts in the law ¹⁴⁶  say that Elijah must come first?” 17:11 He ¹⁴⁷  answered, “Elijah does indeed come first and will restore all things. 17:12 And I tell you that Elijah has already come. Yet they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In ¹⁴⁸  the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

17:14 When ¹⁴⁹  they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 17:15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures ¹⁵⁰  and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. 17:16 I brought him to your disciples, but ¹⁵¹  they were not able to heal him.” 17:17 Jesus answered, ¹⁵²  “You ¹⁵³  unbelieving ¹⁵⁴  and perverse generation! How much longer ¹⁵⁵  must I be with you? How much longer must I endure ¹⁵⁶  you? ¹⁵⁷  Bring him here to me.” 17:18 Then ¹⁵⁸  Jesus rebuked ¹⁵⁹  the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. 17:19 Then the disciples came ¹⁶⁰  to Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 17:20 He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, ¹⁶¹  if you have faith the size of ¹⁶²  a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing ¹⁶³  will be impossible for you.”

17:21 [[EMPTY]] ¹⁶⁴ 

17:22 When ¹⁶⁵  they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. ¹⁶⁶  17:23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they became greatly distressed.

17:24 After ¹⁶⁷  they arrived in Capernaum, ¹⁶⁸  the collectors of the temple tax ¹⁶⁹  came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 17:25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, ¹⁷⁰  “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes – from their sons ¹⁷¹  or from foreigners?” 17:26 After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons ¹⁷²  are free. 17:27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. ¹⁷³  Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:2 He called a child, had him stand among them, 18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁷⁴  unless you turn around and become like little children, ¹⁷⁵  you will never ¹⁷⁶  enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 18:5 And whoever welcomes ¹⁷⁷  a child like this in my name welcomes me.

18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, ¹⁷⁸  it would be better for him to have a huge millstone ¹⁷⁹  hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. ¹⁸⁰  18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It ¹⁸¹  is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come. 18:8 If ¹⁸²  your hand or your foot causes you to sin, ¹⁸³  cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have ¹⁸⁴  two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have ¹⁸⁵  two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell. ¹⁸⁶ 

18:10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 18:11 [[EMPTY]] ¹⁸⁷  18:12 What do you think? If someone ¹⁸⁸  owns a hundred ¹⁸⁹  sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? ¹⁹⁰  18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, ¹⁹¹  he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 18:14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.

18:15 “If ¹⁹²  your brother ¹⁹³  sins, ¹⁹⁴  go and show him his fault ¹⁹⁵  when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. ¹⁹⁶  18:17 If ¹⁹⁷  he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If ¹⁹⁸  he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like ¹⁹⁹  a Gentile ²⁰⁰  or a tax collector. ²⁰¹ 

18:18 “I tell you the truth, ²⁰²  whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 18:19 Again, I tell you the truth, ²⁰³  if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰⁴  18:20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”

18:21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother ²⁰⁵  who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! ²⁰⁶ 

18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁰⁷  18:24 As ²⁰⁸  he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents ²⁰⁹  was brought to him. 18:25 Because ²¹⁰  he was not able to repay it, ²¹¹  the lord ordered him to be sold, along with ²¹²  his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground ²¹³  before him, saying, ²¹⁴  ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 18:27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 After ²¹⁵  he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. ²¹⁶  So ²¹⁷  he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, ²¹⁸  saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ ²¹⁹  18:29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, ²²⁰  ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 18:31 When ²²¹  his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. 18:32 Then his lord called the first slave ²²²  and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 18:33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ 18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him ²²³  until he repaid all he owed. 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your ²²⁴  brother ²²⁵  from your heart.”

19:1 Now when ²²⁶  Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. ²²⁷  19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

19:3 Then some Pharisees ²²⁸  came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful ²²⁹  to divorce a wife for any cause?” ²³⁰  19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, ²³¹  19:5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ²³²  19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 19:7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” ²³³  19:8 Jesus ²³⁴  said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, ²³⁵  but from the beginning it was not this way. 19:9 Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 19:10 The ²³⁶  disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” 19:11 He ²³⁷  said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. 19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, ²³⁸  and some who were made eunuchs ²³⁹  by others, ²⁴⁰  and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”

19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. ²⁴¹  But the disciples scolded those who brought them. ²⁴²  19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ²⁴³  19:15 And he placed his hands on them and went on his way. ²⁴⁴ 

19:16 Now ²⁴⁵  someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?” 19:17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 19:18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19:19 honor your father and mother, ²⁴⁶  and love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁴⁷  19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed ²⁴⁸  all these laws. ²⁴⁹  What do I still lack?” 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money ²⁵⁰  to the poor, and you will have treasure ²⁵¹  in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 19:22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. ²⁵² 

19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, ²⁵³  it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 19:24 Again I say, ²⁵⁴  it is easier for a camel ²⁵⁵  to go through the eye of a needle ²⁵⁶  than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 19:25 The ²⁵⁷  disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁵⁸  19:26 Jesus ²⁵⁹  looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, ²⁶⁰  but for God all things are possible.” 19:27 Then Peter said ²⁶¹  to him, “Look, ²⁶²  we have left everything to follow you! ²⁶³  What then will there be for us?” 19:28 Jesus ²⁶⁴  said to them, “I tell you the truth: ²⁶⁵  In the age when all things are renewed, ²⁶⁶  when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging ²⁶⁷  the twelve tribes of Israel. 19:29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much ²⁶⁸  and will inherit eternal life. 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner ²⁶⁹  who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 20:2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, ²⁷⁰  he sent them into his vineyard. 20:3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, ²⁷¹  he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. 20:4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 20:5 So they went. When ²⁷²  he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, ²⁷³  he did the same thing. 20:6 And about five o’clock that afternoon ²⁷⁴  he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 20:7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 20:8 When ²⁷⁵  it was evening ²⁷⁶  the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give the pay ²⁷⁷  starting with the last hired until the first.’ 20:9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. ²⁷⁸  20:10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 20:11 When ²⁷⁹  they received it, they began to complain ²⁸⁰  against the landowner, 20:12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 20:13 And the landowner ²⁸¹  replied to one of them, ²⁸²  ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? ²⁸³  20:14 Take what is yours and go. I ²⁸⁴  want to give to this last man ²⁸⁵  the same as I gave to you. 20:15 Am I not ²⁸⁶  permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ ²⁸⁷  20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

20:17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, ²⁸⁸  he took the twelve ²⁸⁹  aside privately and said to them on the way, 20:18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. ²⁹⁰  They will condemn him to death, 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely ²⁹¹  and crucified. ²⁹²  Yet ²⁹³  on the third day, he will be raised.”

20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. ²⁹⁴  20:21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, ²⁹⁵  “Permit ²⁹⁶  these two sons of mine to sit, one at your ²⁹⁷  right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 20:22 Jesus ²⁹⁸  answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! ²⁹⁹  Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” ³⁰⁰  They said to him, “We are able.” ³⁰¹  20:23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, ³⁰²  but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

20:24 Now ³⁰³  when the other ten ³⁰⁴  heard this, ³⁰⁵  they were angry with the two brothers. 20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave ³⁰⁶  – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ³⁰⁷  for many.”

20:29 As they were leaving Jericho, ³⁰⁸  a large crowd followed them. 20:30 Two ³⁰⁹  blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ³¹⁰  “Have mercy ³¹¹  on us, Lord, Son of David!” ³¹²  20:31 The ³¹³  crowd scolded ³¹⁴  them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, ³¹⁵  Son of David!” 20:32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 20:33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

21:1 Now ³¹⁶  when they approached Jerusalem ³¹⁷  and came to Bethphage, ³¹⁸  at the Mount of Olives, ³¹⁹  Jesus sent two disciples, 21:2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. ³²⁰  Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 21:3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ ³²¹  and he will send them at once.” 21:4 This ³²²  took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: ³²³ 

21:5 “Tell the people of Zion, ³²⁴ 

‘Look, your king is coming to you,

unassuming and seated on a donkey,

and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” ³²⁵ 

21:6 So ³²⁶  the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 21:7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks ³²⁷  on them, and he sat on them. 21:8 A ³²⁸  very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, ³²⁹  “Hosanna ³³⁰  to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! ³³¹  Hosanna in the highest!” 21:10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, ³³²  saying, “Who is this?” 21:11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth ³³³  in Galilee.”

21:12 Then ³³⁴  Jesus entered the temple area ³³⁵  and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, ³³⁶  and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 21:13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ ³³⁷  but you are turning it into a den ³³⁸  of robbers!” ³³⁹ 

21:14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them. 21:15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law ³⁴⁰  saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, ³⁴¹  “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 21:16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” ³⁴²  21:17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

21:18 Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. 21:19 After noticing a fig tree ³⁴³  by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once. 21:20 When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21:21 Jesus ³⁴⁴  answered them, “I tell you the truth, ³⁴⁵  if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, ³⁴⁶  you will receive.”

21:23 Now after Jesus ³⁴⁷  entered the temple courts, ³⁴⁸  the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority ³⁴⁹  are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 21:24 Jesus ³⁵⁰  answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” ³⁵¹  They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 21:26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 21:27 So ³⁵²  they answered Jesus, ³⁵³  “We don’t know.” ³⁵⁴  Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you ³⁵⁵  by what authority ³⁵⁶  I am doing these things.

21:28 “What ³⁵⁷  do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 21:29 The boy answered, ³⁵⁸  ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart ³⁵⁹  and went. 21:30 The father ³⁶⁰  went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ³⁶¹  ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” ³⁶²  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, ³⁶³  tax collectors ³⁶⁴  and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although ³⁶⁵  you saw this, you did not later change your minds ³⁶⁶  and believe him.

21:33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner ³⁶⁷  who planted a vineyard. ³⁶⁸  He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then ³⁶⁹  he leased it to tenant farmers ³⁷⁰  and went on a journey. 21:34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves ³⁷¹  to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. ³⁷²  21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, ³⁷³  killed another, and stoned another. 21:36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 21:37 Finally he sent his son to them, ³⁷⁴  saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 21:38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 21:39 So ³⁷⁵  they seized him, ³⁷⁶  threw him out of the vineyard, ³⁷⁷  and killed him. 21:40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 21:41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”

21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ³⁷⁸ 

This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ³⁷⁹ 

21:43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people ³⁸⁰  who will produce its fruit. 21:44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” ³⁸¹  21:45 When ³⁸²  the chief priests and the Pharisees ³⁸³  heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds ³⁸⁴  regarded him as a prophet.

22:1 Jesus spoke ³⁸⁵  to them again in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves ³⁸⁶  to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. ³⁸⁷  My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 22:5 But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 22:6 The ³⁸⁸  rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 22:7 The ³⁸⁹  king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death ³⁹⁰  and set their city ³⁹¹  on fire. 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 22:9 So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 22:10 And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 22:11 But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 22:12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. ³⁹²  22:13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

22:15 Then the Pharisees ³⁹³  went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. ³⁹⁴  22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, ³⁹⁵  saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ³⁹⁶  You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. ³⁹⁷  22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right ³⁹⁸  to pay taxes ³⁹⁹  to Caesar ⁴⁰⁰  or not?”

22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So ⁴⁰¹  they brought him a denarius. ⁴⁰²  22:20 Jesus ⁴⁰³  said to them, “Whose image ⁴⁰⁴  is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied, ⁴⁰⁵  “Caesar’s.” He said to them, ⁴⁰⁶  “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ⁴⁰⁷  22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned, ⁴⁰⁸  and they left him and went away.

22:23 The same day Sadducees ⁴⁰⁹  (who say there is no resurrection) ⁴¹⁰  came to him and asked him, ⁴¹¹  22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children ⁴¹²  for his brother.’ ⁴¹³  22:25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 22:26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 22:27 Last ⁴¹⁴  of all, the woman died. 22:28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” ⁴¹⁵  22:29 Jesus ⁴¹⁶  answered them, “You are deceived, ⁴¹⁷  because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels ⁴¹⁸  in heaven. 22:31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, ⁴¹⁹  22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ⁴²⁰  He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” ⁴²¹  22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

22:34 Now when the Pharisees ⁴²²  heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, ⁴²³  they assembled together. ⁴²⁴  22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, ⁴²⁵  asked him a question to test ⁴²⁶  him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ⁴²⁷  22:37 Jesus ⁴²⁸  said to him, “‘Love ⁴²⁹  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ⁴³⁰  22:38 This is the first and greatest ⁴³¹  commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴³²  22:40 All the law and the prophets depend ⁴³³  on these two commandments.”

22:41 While ⁴³⁴  the Pharisees ⁴³⁵  were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: ⁴³⁶  22:42 “What do you think about the Christ? ⁴³⁷  Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.” ⁴³⁸  22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,

22:44 ‘The Lord said to my lord, ⁴³⁹ 

“Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies under your feet”’? ⁴⁴⁰ 

22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ⁴⁴¹  22:46 No one ⁴⁴²  was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.

23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 23:2 “The ⁴⁴³  experts in the law ⁴⁴⁴  and the Pharisees ⁴⁴⁵  sit on Moses’ seat. 23:3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. ⁴⁴⁶  23:4 They ⁴⁴⁷  tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 23:5 They ⁴⁴⁸  do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries ⁴⁴⁹  wide and their tassels ⁴⁵⁰  long. 23:6 They ⁴⁵¹  love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues ⁴⁵²  23:7 and elaborate greetings ⁴⁵³  in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 23:9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 23:10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. ⁴⁵⁴  23:11 The ⁴⁵⁵  greatest among you will be your servant. 23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

23:13 “But woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁵⁶  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! ⁴⁵⁷  You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! ⁴⁵⁸  For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.

23:14 [[EMPTY]] ⁴⁵⁹ 

23:15 “Woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁶⁰  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, ⁴⁶¹  and when you get one, ⁴⁶²  you make him twice as much a child of hell ⁴⁶³  as yourselves!

23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. ⁴⁶⁴  But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. ⁴⁶⁵  But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.

23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁶⁶  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth ⁴⁶⁷  of mint, dill, and cumin, ⁴⁶⁸  yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You ⁴⁶⁹  should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! ⁴⁷⁰ 

23:25 “Woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁷¹  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, ⁴⁷²  so that the outside may become clean too!

23:27 “Woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁷³  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. ⁴⁷⁴  23:28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

23:29 “Woe to you, experts in the law ⁴⁷⁵  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You ⁴⁷⁶  build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves ⁴⁷⁷  of the righteous. 23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, ⁴⁷⁸  we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? ⁴⁷⁹ 

23:34 “For this reason I ⁴⁸⁰  am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, ⁴⁸¹  some of whom you will kill and crucify, ⁴⁸²  and some you will flog ⁴⁸³  in your synagogues ⁴⁸⁴  and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, ⁴⁸⁵  whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 23:36 I tell you the truth, ⁴⁸⁶  this generation will be held responsible for all these things! ⁴⁸⁷ 

23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ⁴⁸⁸  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ⁴⁸⁹  How often I have longed ⁴⁹⁰  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ⁴⁹¹  you would have none of it! ⁴⁹²  23:38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” ⁴⁹³ 

24:1 Now ⁴⁹⁴  as Jesus was going out of the temple courts and walking away, his disciples came to show him the temple buildings. ⁴⁹⁵  24:2 And he said to them, ⁴⁹⁶  “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, ⁴⁹⁷  not one stone will be left on another. ⁴⁹⁸  All will be torn down!” ⁴⁹⁹ 

24:3 As ⁵⁰⁰  he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things ⁵⁰¹  happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 24:4 Jesus answered them, ⁵⁰²  “Watch out ⁵⁰³  that no one misleads you. 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ ⁵⁰⁴  and they will mislead many. 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁵⁰⁵  24:7 For nation will rise up in arms ⁵⁰⁶  against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines ⁵⁰⁷  and earthquakes ⁵⁰⁸  in various places. 24:8 All ⁵⁰⁹  these things are the beginning of birth pains.

24:9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations ⁵¹⁰  because of my name. ⁵¹¹  24:10 Then many will be led into sin, ⁵¹²  and they will betray one another and hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets will appear and deceive ⁵¹³  many, 24:12 and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold. 24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved. ⁵¹⁴  24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, ⁵¹⁵  and then the end will come.

24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation ⁵¹⁶  – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 24:16 then those in Judea must flee ⁵¹⁷  to the mountains. 24:17 The one on the roof ⁵¹⁸  must not come down ⁵¹⁹  to take anything out of his house, 24:18 and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 24:19 Woe ⁵²⁰  to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 24:20 Pray ⁵²¹  that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 24:21 For then there will be great suffering ⁵²²  unlike anything that has happened ⁵²³  from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. 24:22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ ⁵²⁴  or ‘There he is!’ do not believe him. 24:24 For false messiahs ⁵²⁵  and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 24:25 Remember, ⁵²⁶  I have told you ahead of time. 24:26 So then, if someone ⁵²⁷  says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ ⁵²⁸  do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him. 24:27 For just like the lightning ⁵²⁹  comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures ⁵³⁰  will gather. ⁵³¹ 

24:29 “Immediately ⁵³²  after the suffering ⁵³³  of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. ⁵³⁴  24:30 Then ⁵³⁵  the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, ⁵³⁶  and ⁵³⁷  all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They ⁵³⁸  will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven ⁵³⁹  with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven ⁵⁴⁰  to the other.

24:32 “Learn ⁵⁴¹  this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 24:33 So also you, when you see all these things, know ⁵⁴²  that he is near, right at the door. 24:34 I tell you the truth, ⁵⁴³  this generation ⁵⁴⁴  will not pass away until all these things take place. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ⁵⁴⁵ 

24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven ⁵⁴⁶  – except the Father alone. 24:37 For just like the days of Noah ⁵⁴⁷  were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:38 For in those days before the flood, people ⁵⁴⁸  were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 24:39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. ⁵⁴⁹  It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁵⁵⁰  24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁵⁵¹  24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; ⁵⁵²  one will be taken and one left.

24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day ⁵⁵³  your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief ⁵⁵⁴  was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ⁵⁵⁵ 

24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, ⁵⁵⁶  whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves ⁵⁵⁷  their food at the proper time? 24:46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work ⁵⁵⁸  when he comes. 24:47 I tell you the truth, ⁵⁵⁹  the master ⁵⁶⁰  will put him in charge of all his possessions. 24:48 But if ⁵⁶¹  that evil slave should say to himself, ⁵⁶²  ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 24:49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 24:50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 24:51 and will cut him in two, ⁵⁶³  and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 Five ⁵⁶⁴  of the virgins ⁵⁶⁵  were foolish, and five were wise. 25:3 When ⁵⁶⁶  the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra ⁵⁶⁷  olive oil ⁵⁶⁸  with them. 25:4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 25:5 When ⁵⁶⁹  the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 25:6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ ⁵⁷⁰  25:7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 25:8 The ⁵⁷¹  foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 25:9 ‘No,’ they replied. ⁵⁷²  ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 25:10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then ⁵⁷³  the door was shut. 25:11 Later, ⁵⁷⁴  the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ ⁵⁷⁵  25:12 But he replied, ⁵⁷⁶  ‘I tell you the truth, ⁵⁷⁷  I do not know you!’ 25:13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. ⁵⁷⁸ 

25:14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves ⁵⁷⁹  and entrusted his property to them. 25:15 To ⁵⁸⁰  one he gave five talents, ⁵⁸¹  to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 25:16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work ⁵⁸²  and gained five more. 25:17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 25:18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 25:19 After ⁵⁸³  a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 25:20 The ⁵⁸⁴  one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, ⁵⁸⁵  you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 25:21 His master answered, ⁵⁸⁶  ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:22 The ⁵⁸⁷  one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 25:23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25:25 so ⁵⁸⁸  I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 25:26 But his master answered, ⁵⁸⁹  ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 25:27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, ⁵⁹⁰  and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! ⁵⁹¹  25:28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. ⁵⁹²  25:29 For the one who has will be given more, ⁵⁹³  and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ⁵⁹⁴  25:30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

25:31 “When ⁵⁹⁵  the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 25:32 All ⁵⁹⁶  the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 25:33 He ⁵⁹⁷  will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 25:34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 25:36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, ⁵⁹⁸  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 25:38 When ⁵⁹⁹  did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 25:39 When ⁶⁰⁰  did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 25:40 And the king will answer them, ⁶⁰¹  ‘I tell you the truth, ⁶⁰²  just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters ⁶⁰³  of mine, you did it for me.’

25:41 “Then he will say ⁶⁰⁴  to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 25:44 Then they too will answer, ⁶⁰⁵  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 25:45 Then he will answer them, ⁶⁰⁶  ‘I tell you the truth, ⁶⁰⁷  just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 25:46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

26:1 When ⁶⁰⁸  Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 26:2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over ⁶⁰⁹  to be crucified.” ⁶¹⁰  26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They ⁶¹¹  planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 26:5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” ⁶¹² 

26:6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 26:7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar ⁶¹³  of expensive perfumed oil, ⁶¹⁴  and she poured it on his head as he was at the table. ⁶¹⁵  26:8 When ⁶¹⁶  the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 26:9 It ⁶¹⁷  could have been sold at a high price and the money ⁶¹⁸  given to the poor!” 26:10 When ⁶¹⁹  Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She ⁶²⁰  has done a good service for me. 26:11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me! ⁶²¹  26:12 When ⁶²²  she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 26:13 I tell you the truth, ⁶²³  wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 26:15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” ⁶²⁴  So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 26:16 From that time ⁶²⁵  on, Judas ⁶²⁶  began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

26:17 Now on the first day of the feast of ⁶²⁷  Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said, ⁶²⁸  “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ⁶²⁹  26:18 He ⁶³⁰  said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’” 26:19 So ⁶³¹  the disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover. 26:20 When ⁶³²  it was evening, he took his place at the table ⁶³³  with the twelve. ⁶³⁴  26:21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, ⁶³⁵  one of you will betray me.” ⁶³⁶  26:22 They ⁶³⁷  became greatly distressed ⁶³⁸  and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 26:23 He ⁶³⁹  answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me ⁶⁴⁰  will betray me. 26:24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 26:25 Then ⁶⁴¹  Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus ⁶⁴²  replied, “You have said it yourself.”

26:26 While ⁶⁴³  they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 26:27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 26:28 for this is my blood, the blood ⁶⁴⁴  of the covenant, ⁶⁴⁵  that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 26:29 I ⁶⁴⁶  tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit ⁶⁴⁷  of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 26:30 After ⁶⁴⁸  singing a hymn, ⁶⁴⁹  they went out to the Mount of Olives.

26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:

‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ⁶⁵⁰ 

26:32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 26:33 Peter ⁶⁵¹  said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 26:34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, ⁶⁵²  on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 26:35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.

26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 26:37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 26:39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, ⁶⁵³  “My Father, if possible, ⁶⁵⁴  let this cup ⁶⁵⁵  pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 26:40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He ⁶⁵⁶  said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 26:41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, ⁶⁵⁷  “My Father, if this cup ⁶⁵⁸  cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 26:43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. ⁶⁵⁹  26:44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 26:45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 26:46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer ⁶⁶⁰  is approaching!”

26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, ⁶⁶¹  one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 26:48 (Now the betrayer ⁶⁶²  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. ⁶⁶³  Arrest him!”) ⁶⁶⁴  26:49 Immediately ⁶⁶⁵  he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. ⁶⁶⁶  26:50 Jesus ⁶⁶⁷  said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold ⁶⁶⁸  of Jesus and arrested him. 26:51 But ⁶⁶⁹  one of those with Jesus grabbed ⁶⁷⁰  his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, ⁶⁷¹  cutting off his ear. 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! ⁶⁷²  For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions ⁶⁷³  of angels right now? 26:54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 26:55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? ⁶⁷⁴  Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet ⁶⁷⁵  you did not arrest me. 26:56 But this has happened so that ⁶⁷⁶  the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

26:57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house ⁶⁷⁷  the experts in the law ⁶⁷⁸  and the elders had gathered. 26:58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After ⁶⁷⁹  going in, he sat with the guards ⁶⁸⁰  to see the outcome. 26:59 The ⁶⁸¹  chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally ⁶⁸²  two came forward 26:61 and declared, “This man ⁶⁸³  said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 26:62 So ⁶⁸⁴  the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 26:63 But Jesus was silent. The ⁶⁸⁵  high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, ⁶⁸⁶  the Son of God.” 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand ⁶⁸⁷  of the Power ⁶⁸⁸  and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁸⁹  26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, ⁶⁹⁰  “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now ⁶⁹¹  you have heard the blasphemy! 26:66 What is your verdict?” ⁶⁹²  They ⁶⁹³  answered, “He is guilty and deserves ⁶⁹⁴  death.” 26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! ⁶⁹⁵  Who hit you?” ⁶⁹⁶ 

26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A ⁶⁹⁷  slave girl ⁶⁹⁸  came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 26:70 But he denied it in front of them all: ⁶⁹⁹  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 26:71 When ⁷⁰⁰  he went out to the gateway, another slave girl ⁷⁰¹  saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 26:72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 26:73 After ⁷⁰²  a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent ⁷⁰³  gives you away!” 26:74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. ⁷⁰⁴  26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. ⁷⁰⁵ 

27:1 When ⁷⁰⁶  it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 27:2 They ⁷⁰⁷  tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate ⁷⁰⁸  the governor. ⁷⁰⁹ 

27:3 Now when ⁷¹⁰  Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus ⁷¹¹  had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 27:4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 27:5 So ⁷¹²  Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 27:6 The ⁷¹³  chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 27:7 After ⁷¹⁴  consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners. 27:8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. 27:9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah ⁷¹⁵  the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, ⁷¹⁶  27:10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” ⁷¹⁷ 

27:11 Then ⁷¹⁸  Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, ⁷¹⁹  “Are you the king ⁷²⁰  of the Jews?” Jesus ⁷²¹  said, “You say so.” ⁷²²  27:12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond. 27:13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?” 27:14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.

27:15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, ⁷²³  whomever they wanted. 27:16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus ⁷²⁴  Barabbas. 27:17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus ⁷²⁵  Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” ⁷²⁶  27:18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.) ⁷²⁷  27:19 As ⁷²⁸  he was sitting on the judgment seat, ⁷²⁹  his wife sent a message ⁷³⁰  to him: ⁷³¹  “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; ⁷³²  I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream ⁷³³  about him today.” 27:20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 27:21 The ⁷³⁴  governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” ⁷³⁵  They all said, “Crucify him!” ⁷³⁶  27:23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

27:24 When ⁷³⁷  Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” ⁷³⁸  27:25 In ⁷³⁹  reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 27:26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, ⁷⁴⁰  he handed him over ⁷⁴¹  to be crucified. ⁷⁴²  27:27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence ⁷⁴³  and gathered the whole cohort ⁷⁴⁴  around him. 27:28 They ⁷⁴⁵  stripped him and put a scarlet robe ⁷⁴⁶  around him, 27:29 and after braiding ⁷⁴⁷  a crown of thorns, ⁷⁴⁸  they put it on his head. They ⁷⁴⁹  put a staff ⁷⁵⁰  in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: ⁷⁵¹  “Hail, king of the Jews!” ⁷⁵²  27:30 They ⁷⁵³  spat on him and took the staff ⁷⁵⁴  and struck him repeatedly ⁷⁵⁵  on the head. 27:31 When ⁷⁵⁶  they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then ⁷⁵⁷  they led him away to crucify him.

27:32 As ⁷⁵⁸  they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced ⁷⁵⁹  to carry his cross. ⁷⁶⁰  27:33 They ⁷⁶¹  came to a place called Golgotha ⁷⁶²  (which means “Place of the Skull”) ⁷⁶³  27:34 and offered Jesus ⁷⁶⁴  wine mixed with gall to drink. ⁷⁶⁵  But after tasting it, he would not drink it. 27:35 When ⁷⁶⁶  they had crucified ⁷⁶⁷  him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. ⁷⁶⁸  27:36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there. 27:37 Above ⁷⁶⁹  his head they put the charge against him, ⁷⁷⁰  which read: ⁷⁷¹  “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 27:38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 27:39 Those ⁷⁷²  who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! ⁷⁷³  If you are God’s Son, come down ⁷⁷⁴  from the cross!” 27:41 In ⁷⁷⁵  the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law ⁷⁷⁶  and elders ⁷⁷⁷  – were mocking him: ⁷⁷⁸  27:42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down ⁷⁷⁹  now from the cross, we will believe in him! 27:43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now ⁷⁸⁰  because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 27:44 The ⁷⁸¹  robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. ⁷⁸² 

27:45 Now from noon until three, ⁷⁸³  darkness came over all the land. ⁷⁸⁴  27:46 At ⁷⁸⁵  about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, ⁷⁸⁶  “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ⁷⁸⁷  27:47 When ⁷⁸⁸  some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 27:48 Immediately ⁷⁸⁹  one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, ⁷⁹⁰  put it on a stick, ⁷⁹¹  and gave it to him to drink. 27:49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.” ⁷⁹²  27:50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 27:51 Just then ⁷⁹³  the temple curtain ⁷⁹⁴  was torn in two, from top to bottom. The ⁷⁹⁵  earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 27:52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died ⁷⁹⁶  were raised. 27:53 (They ⁷⁹⁷  came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 27:54 Now when the centurion ⁷⁹⁸  and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” 27:55 Many ⁷⁹⁹  women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him support ⁸⁰⁰  were also there, watching from a distance. 27:56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

27:57 Now ⁸⁰¹  when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. ⁸⁰²  27:58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁸⁰³  Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 27:59 Joseph ⁸⁰⁴  took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁸⁰⁵  27:60 and placed it ⁸⁰⁶  in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. ⁸⁰⁷  Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance ⁸⁰⁸  of the tomb and went away. 27:61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)

27:62 The ⁸⁰⁹  next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees ⁸¹⁰  assembled before Pilate 27:63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 27:64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body ⁸¹¹  and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 27:65 Pilate said to them, “Take ⁸¹²  a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 27:66 So ⁸¹³  they went with the soldiers ⁸¹⁴  of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

28:1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 28:2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord ⁸¹⁵  descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 28:3 His ⁸¹⁶  appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 28:4 The ⁸¹⁷  guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 28:5 But the angel said ⁸¹⁸  to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know ⁸¹⁹  that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁸²⁰  28:6 He is not here, for he has been raised, ⁸²¹  just as he said. Come and see the place where he ⁸²²  was lying. 28:7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He ⁸²³  is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 28:8 So ⁸²⁴  they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 28:9 But ⁸²⁵  Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They ⁸²⁶  came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

28:11 While ⁸²⁷  they were going, some ⁸²⁸  of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 28:12 After ⁸²⁹  they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body ⁸³⁰  while we were asleep.’ 28:14 If ⁸³¹  this matter is heard before the governor, ⁸³²  we will satisfy him ⁸³³  and keep you out of trouble.” ⁸³⁴  28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day. ⁸³⁵ 

28:16 So ⁸³⁶  the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 28:17 When ⁸³⁷  they saw him, they worshiped him, ⁸³⁸  but some doubted. ⁸³⁹  28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, ⁸⁴⁰  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 28:19 Therefore go ⁸⁴¹  and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ⁸⁴²  28:20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, ⁸⁴³  I am with you ⁸⁴⁴  always, to the end of the age.” ⁸⁴⁵