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Chapter 1
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The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it had written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Look, I commissioned my messenger before your face who shall prepare your way,
a voice of one imploring in the wilderness, ‘Make ready ye the way of the Lord, make his ways straight.’”
John became the one who baptizes in the wilderness, preaching baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sin.
Everybody from the country of Judea and from Jerusalem came to him to be baptized in the river Jordan, publicly confessing their sins.
John wore clothes made of camel hair with a leather belt around. He ate locusts and honey.
This was his message: “After me will come someone more important than me, one whose sandals I am not fit to undo.
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
10
Straight away as he came up from the water he saw the heavens split apart and the Spirit as a dove that came down on him.
11
A voice came from the heaven, “You are my beloved son. I am so pleased with you.”
12
Immediately the Spirit sent him away into the desert
13
where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He lived there with the wild beasts, with angels taking care of him.
14
After John was jailed, Jesus went to Galilee, telling of God’s good news.
15
“The time prophesied has come,” he said. “God’s kingdom is near. Repent and trust in the good news.”
16
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen, and were busy in the sea casting a net.
17
“Come, follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fishers of people.”
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Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
19
Further on Jesus saw James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat getting their nets ready.
20
He called them right away. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired hands, and followed Jesus.
21
They went to Capernaum, and on Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught there.
22
The people were astonished at what he taught them, because he spoke with authority, unlike the religious teachers.
23
There in the synagogue was a man with an evil spirit.
24
“Jesus of Nazareth, what have we got to do with you?” he called out. “Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God.”
25
Jesus interrupted, commanding him, “Keep quiet, and come out of him.”
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The evil spirit, came out of him screaming, forcing the man into convulsions.
27
Everybody was amazed. They discussed among themselves, “Who is this, and what kind of authoritative teaching has he that when he orders evil spirits, they obey him?”
28
Immediately word about him spread all through Galilee.
29
They went out of the synagogue to the home of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John.
30
Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, so quickly they told Jesus about her.
31
He went to her and helped her up with his hand. Immediately the fever left her, and she made them a meal.
32
After sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and possessed of demons.
33
All the townspeople gathered outside the door.
34
He healed many people who had various diseases, and drove out many demons. He would not permit the demons to speak, for they knew who he was.
35
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went by himself to a desert place to pray.
36
Simon and the other disciples followed him,
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and once they found him, they said to him, “Everybody is looking for you.”
38
“We need to go to the surrounding towns so that I can tell them too, because that is why I came,” he said to them.
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So he went around the synagogues throughout Galilee, speaking and casting out demons.
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A leper approached him, asking for help, and kneeling down before him. “If you wished, you could heal me.”
41
With sympathy Jesus reached out to touch the man, and said, “I do wish it; be healed.”
42
Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was healed.
43
Jesus gave him clear orders and sent him away.
44
“Do not tell anyone about this. Just go to the priest and show yourself to him. Take the offering which Moses required for cleansing
, so that people will be convinced,” Jesus said to him.
45
But the leper who had been healed went away and told many people, spreading the news around. So Jesus could not travel openly around the cities, but had to stay out in the country where people came to him from all around.
Chapter 2
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Some days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word spread that he was there.
So many people crowded inside the house that there was no room, even outside the door, as Jesus preached the word to them.
Four men brought in a man who was paralyzed,
but they could not get close to Jesus because of the crowd. So they took the roof apart and lowered down the mat with the paralyzed man lying on it.
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Some of the religious teachers sitting there were thinking to themselves,
“What is he speaking like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?”
Jesus immediately knew what they were thinking, and asked them, “Why are thinking like this?
What’s easier to do—say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?
10
But so you may be convinced that the Son of man has the right to forgive sins,
11
I tell you" (the paralyzed man), "‘Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.’”
12
He got up, immediately picked up his mat, and walked out before everyone there. They were all astonished, and praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
13
Jesus returned to the sea shore, and was teaching the whole crowd that came to him.
14
As he walked by, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth.
“Follow me,” Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed Jesus.
15
That evening Jesus ate dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and ‘outcasts’ joined Jesus and disciples for the meal. (There were many of these ‘sinners’ that followed Jesus).
16
When the religious leaders of the Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with such people, they asked Jesus’ disciples, “How come he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
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When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Well people don’t need a doctor, but people who are sick do. I haven’t come to call those who are already good, but sinners.”
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John’s disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a religious fast. They came to Jesus, and asked him, “Why is it that the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t?”
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“How can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus asked them, “While the bridegroom’s with them, they can’t fast.
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But the day is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they’ll fast.
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Who puts a new patch on old clothes? Otherwise the new piece will shrink away from the old, and make a worse tear.
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No one puts new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise the wine bursts the skins, and both the wine and skins would be wasted. No, you put new wine in new wineskins.”
23
One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through the cornfields, his disciples started picking corn as they walked along.
24
The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Look, why are they doing things that are not allowed on the Sabbath?”
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“Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?” Jesus asked them,
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“How, as you read in the passage about Abiathar the high priest, he went into God’s house, and ate the consecrated bread which no one except the priests are allowed to eat, and gave it to his men to eat as well?”
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“The Sabbath is for the benefit of people, not the other way around,” he told them,
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“For this reason the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Chapter 3
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Jesus went back to the synagogue. A man was there with a crippled hand.
Some of those there watched Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they wanted to accuse him of breaking the law.
Jesus told the man with the crippled hand, “Come here, and stand in front of everyone.”
“Is it permitted to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? Should you save life, or kill?” he asked them. But they didn’t reply.
After looking around at them, angry and upset by their hard hearts, he said to the man, “Reach out your hand.” The man reached out his hand, and it was healed.
The Pharisees left and immediately began to plot with the Herodians as to how they might kill Jesus.
Jesus returned to the sea [of Galilee], and a large crowd followed him. They were from Galilee, and from Judaea,
Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon. This large crowd came to him because they had heard of the incredible things he’d done.
Jesus told his disciples to have a small boat ready in case the crowd crushed him,
10
because he had healed so many people that all the sick were pressing towards him so they could touch him.
11
Whenever the evil spirits saw him they would fall down in front of him and call out, “You are the Son of God!”
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But he warned them not to reveal who he was.
13
Jesus went up a mountain, and called those he wanted to be with him, and they came to him.
14
He chose twelve to be with him, and called them apostles. He sent them out to announce the good news,
15
giving them the authority to cast out demons. These are the twelve he named:
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Simon (whom he called Peter),
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James the son of Zebedee and his brother James, (whom he called Boanerges, meaning “sons of thunder”),
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Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,
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and Judas Iscariot (the one who betrayed him).
Jesus went into a house,
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and a crowd gathered again. There was not even time for a meal.
21
When his family heard about it, they went to rescue Jesus, saying, “He’s losing his mind!”
22
But the religious leaders who’d come from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub. By the power of the prince of demons, he’s expelling demons!”
23
But Jesus called them over to him, and using parables asked them, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
24
A kingdom divided against itself can’t stand.
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An internally-divided household can’t stand.
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If Satan attacks and divides himself, he won’t last long—he cannot stand.
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But if someone tries to break into the house of a strong man and take his things, he won’t get far in his theft unless he first ties up the strong man.”
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“I tell you the truth—sins and blasphemies can be forgiven,
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but if someone blasphemes the Holy Spirit they can never be forgiven, for they are guilty of an eternal sin.
30
(Jesus said this because they were accusing him of having an evil spirit).
31
Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived and waited outside. They sent a message to him, asking him to come out.
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The crowd of people sitting around him told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for you.”
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“Who is my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
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Looking round at everybody sitting there, he said, “These are my mother, and my brothers.
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Whoever does God’s will is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Chapter 4
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Once again Jesus began teaching by the sea shore. So many people came to hear him that he got into a boat and sat there offshore while the crowd listened from land.
He explained his teachings using many parables.
“Listen,” he said. “A sower went out to sow.
As he was sowing, some seeds fell on the path. The wild birds came and ate them.
Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much soil. They started growing quickly, but because the soil wasn’t deep
when the sun came up they dried out because they didn’t have roots, and they withered.
Other seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew up fast and choked out the sprouting seeds so that they produced nothing.
Other seeds fell on good ground where they sprouted and grew, producing a harvest of thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was planted.
Whoever has ears, listen to what I’m saying.
10
When he was alone, his twelve disciples and the others with him asked him about the parables.
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“The special insights of God’s kingdom are given to you to understand,” he told them. “All those on the outside only have are parables
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so that even though they see, they don’t really perceive, and even though they hear, they don’t understand, otherwise they would turn and be forgiven.”
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“Don’t you understand this parable?” Jesus asked them. “If you don’t, how are you going to understand all the other parables?”
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“The sower sows the word.
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Those on the path where the word is sown hear it, but then Satan comes right away and takes the word that has been sown in them.
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In the same way those on the rocky ground hear the word, and right away they happily accept it.
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But because they have no roots, they survive for a while until trouble or persecution comes, and then they quickly fall away.
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Others sown among the thorns hear the word,
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but the concerns of life, the temptation of money, and other distractions choke the growth of the word, and it becomes unproductive.
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But those sown on good soil hear the word, accept it, and are productive— producing thirty, sixty, and hundred times what was first sown.
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“No one puts a lamp under a bucket or beneath a bed, do they? No, they put a lamp up on a lampstand.
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All that is hidden will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made public.
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Whoever has ears, then let them hear!
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Pay attention to what you’re hearing,” he said to them, “because what you use to measure will be used to measure to you, and more.
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To whoever already has, more will be given, but whoever doesn’t have will have what little they have taken away from them.
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“God’s kingdom is like a man who sows seed on the earth,” Jesus explained.
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“He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, but he doesn’t know how seeds sprout and grow.
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The earth by itself produces the harvest. First there’s a shoot, then the ear, and then the ears of grain ripen.
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Once the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle, because the harvest is ready.
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“What shall we compare God’s kingdom to? What parable shall we use?” he asked.
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“It is like a mustard seed, the tiniest seed on earth.
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But when planted it grows, larger than other plants. It has big branches that birds can use to perch on in the shade.
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Jesus used many parables like this when he spoke, as much as they could understand.
34
He always used parables when he spoke publicly, but in private he explained everything to his disciples.
35
That day in the evening, he told his disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side [of the lake].”
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Leaving the crowds behind, the disciples went with Jesus and got into a boat. Other boats went with them too.
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A big storm began to blow, and the waves crashed over the boat, filling it with water.
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Jesus was asleep in the stern, his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up, and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
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Jesus, woke up and told the wind to be calm, and told the sea, “Be peaceful and still.” The wind stopped, and the water became calm.
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“Why are you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” he asked them.
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They were terrified. “So who is this that even the wind and the sea do what he says?” they asked each other.
Chapter 5
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They went over to the other side of the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
When Jesus got out of the boat immediately a man with an evil spirit came from the graveyard towards him.
This man lived in the tombs, and nobody had been able to tie him up, even with a chain.
He had often been chained with manacles and fetters, but he just tore the chains apart, and broke the manacles into pieces. Nobody was strong enough to control him.
He used to scream, all day and all night, among the tombs and in the hills, cutting himself with sharp stones.
When he saw Jesus at a distance he ran over and kneeled before him.
In a loud voice he cried out, “What do you want with me, Jesus, son of Almighty God? Swear by God that you’re not going to torture me!”
(He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to leave the man).
“What is your name?” Jesus asked him
10
“My name is Legion, because there are many of us,” he replied. He also pleaded Jesus not to send them a long way away.
11
Nearby a large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside.
12
The evil spirits pleaded with him, “Send us to the pigs so we can enter them.”
13
Jesus allowed them to do this, and the evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. The herd of two thousand rushed down the steep cliff into the sea and drowned.
14
The ones looking after the pigs ran away, and told what had happened in the city and the surrounding countryside. So people came to see for themselves.
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They went to Jesus and they saw the demon-possessed man sitting quietly with his clothes on, in his right mind, and they were afraid.
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Those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs told the people.
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They began pleading with Jesus to leave their region.
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As Jesus got into the boat, the man who’d had the demons was begging to go with him.
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But Jesus refused, and told him, “Go home to your own people, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how he showed you mercy.”
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So the man went off and told the people of Decapolis everything Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.
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Jesus returned again by boat to the other side of the lake. A large crowd gathered around him by the shore.
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A synagogue leader called Jairus came to him. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet
23
and pleaded with him.
“My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and touch her so she may be healed and live.”
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Jesus went with him, and the whole crowd followed, pushing up against him.
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A woman was there who had been ill through bleeding for twelve years.
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She had suffered terribly at the hands of many doctors, and had spent all she had, but she hadn’t been helped at all—in fact she’d become worse.
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She had heard what Jesus was doing, so she came from behind to Jesus, through the crowd, and touched his clothes.
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She’d said to herself, “If I can just touch him, even his clothes, I’ll be healed.”
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The bleeding stopped immediately, and she knew from how she felt that she had been healed from her suffering.
30
Jesus realized straight away that healing power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31
“Look at the crowd jostling you. Why are you asking, ‘who touched me?’” the disciples replied.
32
But Jesus carried on looking to see who had touched him.
33
Knowing what had happened to her, the woman came and fell down before him, and told him the whole story.
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“My daughter, your trust in me has healed you. Go in peace, completely cured from the disease that made you suffer,” Jesus told her.
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While he was still speaking people came from the synagogue leader’s home.
“Your daughter has died already,” they said. “You don’t need to bother the Teacher any longer.”
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But Jesus didn’t listen to what they said, and told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”
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He didn’t let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and James’ brother John.
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When they got to the synagogue leader’s house, Jesus saw all the uproar, with people crying and wailing loudly.
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He went in and asked them, “Why are you crying and making such a din? The little girl isn’t dead—she’s sleeping.”
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But they just laughed at him.
Jesus made everybody leave. Then he went into the room where the little girl was, taking along the child’s father and mother, and those with him.
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He took the little girl by the hand and said, “Talitha koum,”
meaning, “Little girl, wake up!”
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The little girl got up right away, and began walking around. She was twelve years old. They were absolutely amazed.
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Jesus gave them strict instructions not to let anyone know what had happened, and that they should give her something to eat.
Chapter 6
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Jesus left and returned to Nazareth with his disciples.
On the Sabbath he started teaching in the synagogue, and many who were listening were surprised.
“Where did he get these ideas from?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom he’s been given? And where does he get the power from to do miracles?
Isn’t he the carpenter, Mary’s son, the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters living here with us?” They took offence at him.
“A prophet is treated with honour, but not in his home town, among his own relatives, and within his own family,” Jesus said to them.
Consequently Jesus could not do any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people.
He was surprised by their lack of faith.
Jesus traveled around the small towns, teaching as he went.
He called together the twelve disciples, and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over evil spirits and
ordered them, “Don’t take anything except a walking staff—no bread, no bag, no money bag.
Wear sandals, but don’t take extra clothes.
10
“When you’re invited into a home, stay there until you leave.
11
Any place you’re not welcomed and not listened to, shake the dust off your feet as you leave as a sign of disapproval to them.
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So they traveled around telling people to repent.
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They drove out many demons, and healed many of the sick by anointing them with oil.
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King Herod learnt about Jesus because he had become well-known. Some were saying, “This is John the Baptist risen from the dead, and that’s why he has such miraculous powers.”
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Other said,” It’s Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the old prophets.”
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But Herod said, “It’s John, the one I beheaded, returned from the dead!”
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For Herod himself had arrested and imprisoned John because of Herodias. (She was his brother Philip’s wife, whom Herod had married).
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John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful to marry your brother’s wife.”
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Consequently Herodias resented John and wanted to have him killed. However she could not arrange it
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because Herod respected John as a holy man who did what was right. Herod protected John, and though he was very confused at what John told him, he still liked to listen to him.
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Her opportunity came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a banquet for the nobles, military officers, and important leaders of Galilee.
22
Herodias’ daughter came in and danced, pleasing Herod and those eating with him. He told the young girl,
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“You can ask me for whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you!” He promised with an oath, “I’ll give you up to half of my kingdom.”
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So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” her mother told her.
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The girl rushed back in and told the king, “I want you to give me right away the head of John the Baptist on a plate.”
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The king was terribly upset, but because of the oaths he’d made in front of his guests, he didn’t want to refuse her.
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So straight away the king sent one of his bodyguards to bring John’s head. After beheading him in the prison,
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the bodyguard brought John’s head on a plate and gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
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When John’s disciples heard what had happened they came and took his body, and placed it in a tomb.
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The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all they had done and what they had taught.
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“Come with me to a quiet place, and rest for a while,” Jesus told them, because there was so much coming and going that they didn’t even have the time to eat.
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So they went away by boat to a quiet place to be by themselves.
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But many saw them leave, and recognized them. So people from all the surrounding towns ran ahead and got there before them.
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Jesus landed and saw a huge crowd. He felt sorry for them since they were like sheep without a shepherd, so he began to teach them about many things.
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As the day was nearly over, Jesus’ disciples came to him. “This place is far from anywhere,” they told him, “and it’s already late.
36
You had better tell the people to leave and buy themselves something to eat in the villages and countryside nearby.”
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But Jesus responded, “You give them something to eat.”
“We’d need over six month’s pay to go and purchase enough bread to feed them,” said the disciples.
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“So how much bread do you have?” Jesus asked. “Go and see.”
They went and looked, and told him, “Five loaves, and a couple of fish.”
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Jesus directed that everyone should sit down on the green grass in groups.
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They sat down in groups of hundreds, and fifties.
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Then he took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and blessed the food and broke the bread. Then he gave the bread to the disciples to distribute to the people, and he divided the fish up between them all.
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Everyone ate until they were satisfied.
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Then they collected up what was left of the bread and fish and filled twelve basketfuls.
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Some of five thousand men were fed.
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Then Jesus immediately told his disciples to get back into the boat and to go on ahead to Bethsaida on the other side of the lake while he sent the crowd away.
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Once he’d done so he went up a mountain to pray.
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Later on that evening, the boat was out in the middle of the lake while Jesus was alone on land.
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He could see them being tossed about as they rowed because the wind was against them.
About 3a.m. Jesus came towards them, walking on the sea. He would have passed them by,
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but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought he was a ghost, and shouted out
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because they all saw him and were scared stiff.
But Jesus spoke to them right away. “All is well, it is I. Don’t be afraid!” he told them.
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He went over to them and got into the boat, and the wind died down. They were totally astounded—
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because they hadn’t understood the meaning of the feeding miracle because of the hardness of their hearts.
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Having crossed the lake they arrived at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
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As they got out, the people immediately recognized Jesus
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and they ran throughout the whole area to carry all the sick on their mats to where they’d learned Jesus was.
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Wherever Jesus went, in the villages, in the towns, or in the countryside, they put the sick in the marketplaces and pleaded with him that they might touch just the edge of his clothes. Everyone who touched him was healed.
Chapter 7
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Some Pharisees and religious leaders had arrived from Jerusalem to meet Jesus.
They saw that some of his disciples ate without washing their hands.
(The Pharisees and all Jews don’t eat until they have ceremonially washed their hands, following the tradition of the elders. Also when they return from the market they don’t eat until they have had a ceremonial bath. They have many other rituals they observe, like the washing of cups, pots, and pans).
The Pharisees and religious leaders asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples follow the tradition of the elders? They dare to eat their bread even with unclean hands.”
Jesus replied, “Isaiah was right when he spoke about you hypocrites, ‘These people honor me in what they say, but their hearts are a long way from me.
Their worship of me is in vain—for they are teaching human thoughts as doctrines.’
You have given up God’s laws, and instead observe human rules.
“How well you set aside God’s clear command so you can support your traditions!
10
Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother. Anyone who curses their father or mother should die.’
11
But you say, ‘If someone tells their father or mother, “Anything you might have had from me is now ‘Corban,’”’ (that means a gift dedicated to God),
12
then they are not permitted to do anything more for their mother or father.'
13
By this tradition of yours that you pass down, you negate God’s word—and you do many things like this.”
14
He called the crowd to him again, and told them, “Everyone listen to me, and understand this—
15
it’s not what’s on the outside and goes in to anyone that makes them unclean. It’s what comes out that makes them unclean.”
17
Jesus then went into a house, leaving the crowd. His disciples asked him about the parable.
18
“Don’t you understand either?” he asked them. “Can’t you see that whatever goes into a man doesn’t make him unclean?
19
It doesn’t go into his mind, but into his stomach, and is then excreted. Consequently all foods are ceremonially “clean.”
20
“It’s what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.
21
From inside, from men’s minds, come evil thoughts: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
22
greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, foolishness—
23
all these evils come from inside and defile people.”
24
Then Jesus departed and went to the region of Tyre. He went into a house and didn’t want anyone to know but he couldn’t avoid being noticed.
25
Immediately a woman, whose young daughter was possessed by an evil spirit, heard about him and came and fell at his feet.
26
The woman was Greek-speaking, from Syrophoenicia, and she begged Jesus to cast out the demon from her daughter.
27
“First let the children eat until they’re full,” Jesus replied. “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
28
“Yes, sir,” she said, “but even the little dogs under the table eat the crumbs from the children.”
29
“Because of such a reply you may go on your way—the demon has left your daughter,” Jesus told her.
30
She went home and found the child resting on the bed, with the demon gone.
31
Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the sea of Galilee, into the territory of Decapolis.
32
There they brought him a deaf man who also was mute. They asked Jesus to touch and heal him by placing his hands on him.
33
Jesus took him aside from the crowd, and then the deaf man put his fingers in his ears and, after spitting out, touched his tongue,
34
and looked up to heaven and sighed. Seeing this, Jesus said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up!”
35
The man’s ears were opened, his speech returned, and he began talking clearly.
36
Jesus gave instructions not to tell anyone, but the more he said so, the more they spread the news.
37
They were absolutely astonished, saying, “Everything he does is incredible. He even makes the deaf hear, and the mute speak.”
Chapter 8
edit
Around that time there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples together and told them,
“My heart goes out to the crowd because they have already stayed with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.
If I send them home without food, they’ll faint on the way—some have come from far away.”
“Where could anybody find enough bread to feed them here in this isolated place?” answered his disciples.
“How many loaves have you got?” he asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then taking the seven loaves of bread, and giving thanks, he broke apart the bread and gave the pieces to his disciples to give to the crowd.
They had a few fish as well—so having blessed them, he said, “Take these and share them too.”
They ate until they were full, and then collected up seven baskets of left-overs.
There were four thousand people there.
10
After saying goodbye he got into a boat with his disciples right away and went to Dalmanutha district.
11
The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, wanting him to give them a miraculous sign from heaven, trying to get him to prove himself.
12
Jesus sighed deeply, and asked, “Why do you people want a sign? I’m telling you, you’ll get no sign.”
13
So he left them behind, got into the boat, and went back across the lake.
14
But the disciples had forgotten to bring bread with them—all they had in the boat was just one loaf.
15
“Watch out,” he warned them, “be careful of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
16
“It’s because we don’t have any bread,” they concluded.
17
Jesus realized what they were thinking, and said, “Why did you conclude that it’s because you don’t have any bread? Haven’t you thought about it, and understood? Have you got closed minds?
18
You’ve got eyes to see, haven’t you? And ears to hear?
19
Don’t you remember when I shared five loaves among five thousand? How many basketfuls of left-overs did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they said.
20
“And the seven loaves divided among four thousand—how many basketfuls of left-overs did you pick up?”
“Seven,” they said.
21
“So don’t you get it yet?” he asked them.
22
They came to Bethsaida where some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and begged Jesus to touch and heal him.
23
Jesus took the blind man by the hand and took him outside the village. Jesus spat on the man’s eyes and placed his hands on him.
The Jesus asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24
The man looked up. “I see people, but they look like trees walking around,” he said.
25
So Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes again. The man looked carefully around—he was cured and he could see clearly.
26
Jesus sent the man home, and told him, “Don’t go into the village.”
27
Jesus and his disciples left to go to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, and on the way he was asking his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
28
“Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, others one of the prophets,” they replied.
29
“But what about you? Who do you say I am?” he asked them.
“You are the Messiah!” Peter answered.
30
Jesus warned them not to talk about him to anyone.
31
Then Jesus started to teach them that the Son of man would have to suffer a great deal and would be rejected by the national leaders, chief priests, and religious teachers—and be killed, and three days later would rise again.
32
Jesus told them this very clearly.
But Peter took him aside and started to reprimand him for saying this.
33
Jesus turned around and looking at his disciples, told Peter off.
“Go away from me, Satan,” he said. “You’re not thinking from God’s perspective, but from a human one.”
34
Jesus called over the crowd, and his disciples, and told them, “If anyone wants to follow me, they have to give up on themselves, and pick up the cross. Then they can follow me.
35
Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life because of me and the good news will save it.
36
What use is it for anybody to get everything in the whole world, and lose his life?
37
What would anybody give in exchange for life?
38
Whoever won’t stand up for me and what I say among this unfaithful and sinful people, the Son of man won’t stand up for when he comes with his Father’s greatness with the holy angels.
Chapter 9
edit
“I promise you,” Jesus told them, “that there are some standing here that won’t die before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”
Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and they went up a high mountain by themselves. His appearance totally changed—
his clothes shone brilliantly, brighter white than anyone on earth could make them.
Then Elijah and Moses appeared before them too, talking with Jesus.
Peter spoke up and said, “Rabbi, it’s great for us to be here! Let’s make a three shelters—one each for you, Moses, and Elijah.”
(He really didn’t know what he was saying because they were so scared!)
Then a cloud spread over them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying “This is my son, the one I love, listen to him.”
All of a sudden as they were watching there was nobody there with them except Jesus.
As they came down the mountain Jesus told them firmly that they shouldn’t tell anyone what they’d seen until after the Son of man had risen from the dead.
10
They kept this to themselves, but they did argue with each other over what it meant to rise from the dead.
11
“Why do the religious teachers say that Elijah has to come first?” they asked him.
12
“It’s true that Elijah comes first and sets everything right,” he explained. “So then why does it say in Scripture that the Son of man has to suffer greatly and be humiliated?
13
But I’m telling you that Elijah has already come and people treated him however they felt like, just as Scripture said they would.”
14
When they got back to the other disciples, they saw the religious teachers arguing with them, surrounded by a huge crowd.
15
As soon as the crowd saw Jesus they were totally amazed, and ran to greet him.
16
“What are you arguing about?” Jesus asked them.
17
One of the people in the crowd said, “Rabbi, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit that makes him mute.
18
Whenever he has a seizure it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples to expel it, but why couldn’t do it.”
19
“You people who refuse to trust,” Jesus responded. “How long will I be with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring him here to me!”
20
So they brought him to Jesus. When the boy saw him, the evil spirit immediately sent the boy into convulsions and threw him on the ground, rolling around and foaming at the mouth.
21
“How long has he been like this?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
“Since he was a little child,” the father replied.
22
“Frequently it’s thrown him into the fire, or tried to drown him in water—but if you can do anything to help, please have take pity on us.”
23
“If you can…” replied Jesus. “Whoever trusts has every power!”
24
“I do trust,” the man shouted out at once. “Help me not to distrust.”
25
Jesus, seeing that the crowd was getting bigger, commanded the evil spirit, “Spirit of deaf and mute, I order you to leave him and never return.”
26
Screaming and with many convulsions, the spirit came out of the boy and left him looking dead—so much so that many of the people said that he was dead.
27
But Jesus took the boy by the hand and helped him up, and he got up.
28
Later, when Jesus was indoors, his disciples asked him in private, “Why couldn’t we throw the evil spirit out?”
29
“This kind cannot be thrown out except by prayer,” Jesus told them.
30
They left and went through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know where he was
31
because he was teaching his disciples.
“The Son of man will be handed over to human authorities,” he told them. “They will kill him, but three days after his death he will rise again.”
32
They didn’t understand what he was saying and they were afraid to ask him about it.
33
They arrived at Capernaum, and once they were indoors, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”
34
But they kept quiet because they had been arguing who was the most important.
35
Jesus sat down and called the twelve disciples together.
“If anyone wants to be first, he has to be the very last, everybody’s servant,” he told them.
36
He took a small child and made the child stand right in the middle of them. Then he picked up and hugged the child, and told them,
37
“Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name, welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me doesn’t welcome me but the one who sent me.”
38
John told Jesus, “Rabbi, we saw someone throwing out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t one of us.”
39
“Don’t stop him,” Jesus replied. “No-one who does miracles in my name can quickly change and curse me.
40
Whoever is not against us is for us.
41
Whoever gives a cup of water to someone in my name, because you are Christ’s, won’t lose their reward, believe me.
42
But if anyone leads into sin one of these little ones who trust in me, it would be better for them if they had a large millstone tied around their neck and were thrown into the sea.
43
If your hand leads you to sin, cut it off! It’s better to enter eternal life as a cripple than to go into Gehenna, into the ever-burning fire, still having both hands.
44
45
If your foot leads you to sin, cut it off! It’s better to enter eternal life lame than to be thrown into hell, still having two feet.
46
47
If your eye leads you to sin, gouge it out! It’s better to enter the kingdom of God with just one eye than to be thrown into hell still having both eyes.
48
Hell is where the worm doesn’t die and the fire is not put out.
49
Everybody will be ‘salted’ by fire.
51
Salt’s good, but if salt isn’t salty any more, what would you use it for? Be ‘salty,’ and live in peace with one another.”
Chapter 10
edit
Jesus departed and went to the regions of Judea and beyond-Jordan. Again crowds flocked to him, and he taught them as he always did.
Pharisees came to see him, and asked him, “Is divorce legal?” They were trying to test him.
“What did Moses tell you to do?” he asked in return.
“Moses permitted a certificate of divorce to be written and the woman dismissed,” they replied.
Then Jesus told them, “It was because of your hard-hearted attitude that he wrote down this rule for you.
But in the beginning, at creation, God made male and female.
That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined in marriage to his wife
and the two become one body
—no longer two but one.
No-one should separate what God has joined together.”
10
When they were indoors, the disciples asked him about this again.
11
“Whoever dismisses his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her,” he told them.
12
“Or if the wife dismisses her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery.”
13
People were bringing little children to Jesus so that he could bless them, and the disciples told them off.
14
But when Jesus saw what they were doing, he was very upset and told them, “Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them—because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these children.
15
I’m telling you, whoever doesn’t welcome the kingdom of God like a small child won’t enter it.”
16
He hugged the children, and then blessed them as he placed his hands on them.
17
As Jesus was walking along, someone came running up and knelt before Jesus.
“Good teacher,” he said, “what should I do to make sure I have eternal life?”
18
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No-one’s good except God.
19
You know the commandments—don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony, don’t defraud, honor your father and mother…”
20
“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve carefully kept all these since I was little.”
21
Jesus looked at him and lovingly said, “You’re just missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give it to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
22
At this, the man’s face fell, and he left very sad, because he was very weathy.
23
Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God!”
24
The disciples were shocked to hear this. But Jesus continued, “My friends, it’s hard to enter God’s kingdom.
25
It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.”
26
The disciples were completely confused. “So who on earth can be saved?” they asked him.
27
Looking straight at them, Jesus replied, “It’s impossible from a human point of view, but not from God’s—everything’s possible with God.”
28
“Look, we’ve left everything to follow you…” Peter started saying.
29
“I promise you,” Jesus responded, “that anyone who has left behind their home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or their lands, because of me and for the sake of the gospel—
30
they will receive in return in due course a hundred times as many homes and brothers, and sisters, and children, and lands—with persecution. In the world to come they’ll receive eternal life.
31
But many of the first will be last, and the last will be first.”
32
As they went on their way to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading them, the disciples were apprehensive and those following were afraid. So Jesus took the disciples aside and began to explain to them what was about to happen to him.
33
“Look, we’re going to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and religious teachers, and they will condemn him to death. They in turn will hand him over to the foreigners,
34
and they will mock him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But three days later he will rise again.”
35
James and John, Zebedee’s sons, approached him.
“Teacher,” they said, “We want you to do whatever you ask you.”
36
“So what do you want me to do for you?” Jesus replied.
37
“Agree that each of us can sit beside you, one on the right, the other on the left, when you’re victorious,” they told him.
38
“You have no idea what you’re asking,” replied Jesus. “Can you drink the cup I drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I experience?”
39
“We can do it,” they assured him.
“You’ll drink the cup I drink, and the you’ll be baptized in the same baptism as me—
40
but I can’t say who should sit on my right or on my left. Such places are reserved for those for whom they are prepared.”
41
When the other ten disciples heard what was going on, they started to get mad with James and John.
42
Jesus called them together and told them,
“You know that those who wish to rule nations oppress them, and the rulers act like tyrants.
43
But it’s not like this for you. Whoever among you wants to be a ruler will be your servant,
44
and whoever wants to be first among you will be everyone’s slave.
45
Even the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
46
Then they arrived at Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the town, together with a big crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.
47
When he heard Jesus of Nazareth was there, be started shouting out, “Jesus, son of David, be merciful to me.”
48
Many told him to be quiet, but that only made him shout even more, “Jesus, son of David, be merciful to me.”
49
Jesus stopped, and said, “Call him over.” So they called him over, telling him, “Be happy—get up, because he’s calling for you.”
50
Bartimaeus jumped up, threw off his coat, and hurried to Jesus.
51
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
“Teacher,” he said to Jesus, “if only I could see again!”
52
“You can go—your trust in me has saved you.” At once Bartimaeus could see again and he followed Jesus along the road.
Chapter 11
edit
When they were near to Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, beside the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples
with these instructions:
“Go into the village opposite, and as soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tied up that no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you what you are doing, tell them, “The Lord needs it and will send it back soon.”
So they went off, and found a colt tied to a door, out on the street, and they untied it.
Some of the people standing around asked them what they were doing, untying the colt.
The disciples replied just as Jesus told them to, and the people let them go.
They brought the colt to Jesus, and put their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it.
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread leafy branches that they’d cut from the fields.
Those leading out in front, and those that followed, were shouting, “Hosanna, bless the one coming in the name of the Lord.
10
Bless the coming kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest.”
11
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went in to the temple. After looking around at everything, and since it was evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
12
The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13
From far away he’d seen a fig tree with leaves, so he went to it to see if it had any fruit. But when he came to it, he found only leaves, because it was not the time for figs.
14
“No-one will ever eat your fruit again,” he said. His disciples heard what he said.
15
They arrived in Jerusalem, and he went into the temple, and started throwing out the people buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the dove-sellers’ chairs.
16
He would not let anyone carry business stuff through the temple.
17
And he was teaching them, “Don’t the Scriptures say ‘my house will be called a house of prayer for all people’? But you have turned it into a robbers’ lair!”
18
The chief priests and religious teachers heard what he said, and tried to find a way to kill him because they were afraid of him—for everyone was really impressed by his teaching.
19
When evening came Jesus and his disciples left the city.
20
The following morning as they walked along, they saw the fig tree, withered from the roots up.
21
Peter remembered what had happened, and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree that you cursed has all withered.”
22
“Trust in God,” Jesus replied.
23
“Believe me when I tell you that if someone should say to this mountain, ‘Get out of here and be thrown into the sea,’ it will happen—if they don’t doubt in their heart, but trust in what they say.
24
I’m telling you that whatever you’re praying for, whatever you’re asking, trust that you’ve received it, and it’s yours.
25
And whenever you’re praying, if you have something against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
27
They arrived back in Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, religious teachers, and the leaders came to him.
28
“By what authority are you doing all this?” they asked him. “Who gave you the right?”
29
Jesus said to them, “I’ll ask you just one question. You answer me, and I’ll tell you by whose authority I do what I do.
30
John’s baptism—was that from heaven, or from people?”
31
They discussed it among themselves. “If we say it’s from heaven, he’ll reply, ‘So why didn’t you believe me?’
32
But if we say, is from people…” (They were afraid of the crowd, because they were all very sure that John was a prophet).
33
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
“Then I’m not telling you by whose authority I act,” replied Jesus.
Chapter 12
edit
Then he began to speak to them using parables.
“A man planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a pit for a winepress, and built a tower. Then he leased it to some farmers, and left the country.
“At the time of the harvest he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to pick up the grapes from the vineyard.
But they grabbed him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.
So the man sent another servant. They hit him on the head and abused him.
He sent another, and this one they killed. He sent many others—some they beat up, some they killed.
He still had his son whom he loved, and in the end he sent him, thinking ‘they will respect my son.’
But the farmers said to themselves, ‘Here’s the heir—if we kill him, we’ll gain the inheritance!’
So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He’ll go and kill the farmers, and give the vineyard to others.
10
“Haven’t you read this Scripture: ‘The stone rejected by the builders has become the main cornerstone.
11
This came from the Lord, and it’s wonderful to see’?”
10
12
The Jewish leaders realized that the parable was directed at them, and so tried to find a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left him alone and went away.
13
Then they sent some Pharisees and Herodians to him, to try and catch him out in conversation.
14
They arrived, and said, “Teacher, we know you are a truthful person and you don’t worry what people think of you, because you don’t look up to anybody. Rather you teach God’s way as it truly is. So: is it right to pay tribute to Caesar or not?
15
Should we give, or refuse?”
Jesus, realizing their hypocrisy, asked them, “Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a coin, so I look at it.”
16
They gave him a coin. “Whose is this image and inscription?” Jesus asked them.
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17
“Then give Caesar what belongs to him, and give God what belongs to him,” Jesus told them. They were astonished by what he said.
18
Then the Sadducees came, who deny the resurrection. They posed a question:
19
“Teacher, Moses instructed us that if a man dies, leaving a childless widow, then his brother should marry his wife, and have children by her on the dead man’s behalf.
20
Once there were seven brothers. The first married, and then died without having children.
21
The second married her, and then died, childless. The third did the same.
22
In fact all seven died childless. In the end the woman died too.
23
In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, because she was the wife of all seven brothers?”
24
“Doesn’t this prove you’re mistaken, and do not know the Scriptures, not God’s power?” Jesus told them.
25
“For when the dead rise, they don’t marry, or are given in marriage—they’re like angels in heaven.
26
But about the dead rising—haven’t you read in Moses’ writings, where God spoke to him at the bush and told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27
He’s not the God of the dead, but of the living.’ You are really mistaken!”
28
One of the religious teachers heard them arguing, and saw that Jesus had given a good answer. So he asked Jesus, “Which is the most important commandment?”
29
Jesus replied, “The first commandment is, ‘Pay attention, Israel, the Lord our God is one.
30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your spirit, all your mind, and all your strength.’
11
31
The second is ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.‘
12
There’s no more important commandment.”
32
“You are right, Teacher,” the man replied. “It’s true as you said that God is one, and there no other,
33
and we are to love him with all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves—that’s far more important than offerings and sacrifices.”
34
Jesus, seeing that he gave a thoughtful answer, said, “You’re not far from the kingdom of God.” After this no one was brave enough to continue the interrogation.
35
As Jesus continued teaching in the temple, he asked, “Why do the religious teachers say that Christ is the son of David?
36
David himself said, inspired by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand side, until I put your enemies under your feet.’
37
David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be David’s son?” The big crowd was happy to listen to what Jesus said.
38
“Watch out for the religious leaders,” Jesus taught them, “those who love to walk around in long robes, get attention in the marketplaces,
39
have seats of honor in the synagogues and the best places at banquets.
40
They are the ones who rob widow’s houses, covering up who they really are with long-winded prayers. They will receive heavy condemnation in the judgment.”
41
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury collection box, watching people tossing in coins. Many of the rich were throwing in plenty of coins.
42
Then a poor widow came and put in just two small coins, of little value.
43
He called over his disciples, and told them, “I guarantee that this poor widow put in much more than all the rest.
44
They all gave what they could spare from their riches, but she gave from what she couldn’t spare—she put in everything she needed to live on.
Chapter 13
edit
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these massive stones and magnificent buildings!”
“You see all these great buildings?” Jesus responded. “There won’t be a stone left on top of another—everything will be demolished.”
As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him quietly,
“Tell us when this will happen, and what the sign will be that all this will be fulfilled.”
Jesus began explaining to them, “Be careful that no-one deceives you.
Numerous people will come in my name saying “I am the Christ,” and they will mislead many.
Don’t be troubled when you hear wars occurring, and news about wars—these things will happen but that’s not the end.
Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, there’ll be earthquakes in various places, and famines—these are the start of the world’s labor pains.
“Be on your guard! They will hand you over to tribunals, you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will have to stand before governors and kings because of me and you will testify to them.
10
“The good news must first be broadcast to every nation.
11
When they come to arrest you, don’t worry what you should say. Just speak what you’re given to say at that time, because it’s not you speaking but the Holy Spirit.
12
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father will betray his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them condemned to death.
13
You will be hated by everyone because of me—but whoever continues strong until the end will be saved.
14
But when you see the “abomination of desolation”* standing where it should not (readers, understand!), then whoever is in Judea should run to the mountains.
15
Whoever is on the roof area—don’t go back inside the house to get anything.
16
Whoever is out in the fields—don’t go home to pack your clothes.
17
How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing at that time!
18
You should pray that it won’t happen during the winter.
19
For these will be days of trouble as never before—not since the beginning of God’s creation until now, or ever will be.
20
If God doesn’t cut short these days, humanity will not survive—but because of the sake of the chosen (the ones God chose), he has cut them short.
21
If anyone tells you then, “Look, here’s the Messiah,” or “there he is,” don’t believe it.
22
False Messiahs and false prophets will appear, and they will provide miraculous signs and wonderful demonstrations to deceive the chosen of God, if it were possible.
23
Stay alert—I’ve told you everything before it happens.”
24
At that time after the troubles, ‘the sun will grow dark, and the moon won’t shine, and
25
the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly powers will be shaken.’
26
Then everybody will see the Son of man arriving with power, surrounded by clouds and brilliant majesty.
27
He will send out the angels, and gather together all his chosen ones from every direction, from the most distant part of the earth to the furthest point of heaven.
28
Learn an parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes soft, and it sends out leaves, you know that summer is near.
29
In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that it’s near—just outside the doors.
30
I assure you, this people [or generation] won’t disappear until all this has happened.
31
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my teachings will not.
32
No-one knows about that day—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son—only the Father knows.
33
Keep watching, stay awake—because you don’t know the time when this will happen.
34
It’s like a man travelling abroad who left his house, and gave to each of his servants the authority to do what he told them. He told the doorkeeper to stay awake.
35
So stay awake, because you don’t know when the owner of the house is coming back—during the evening, in the middle of the night, at dawn, or in the morning.
36
You don’t want to be found fast asleep if he returns suddenly.
37
What I’m telling you, I’m telling everyone—stay awake!
Chapter 14
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It was two days before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the religious leaders were trying to find a crafty way to arrest Jesus and kill him.
“Let’s not do it during Passover,” they said to themselves, “so the people won’t riot.”
While Jesus was at Bethany, in Simon the leper’s house. While he was sitting eating, a woman came in with an alabaster jar of very expensive pure nard perfume. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over Jesus’ head.
Some there were annoyed and said, “What’s the point of wasting the perfume?
Couldn’t it have been sold for a lot of money that could have been given to the poor?” They really told her off.
“Leave her alone—why are you bothering her?” Jesus responded. “She’s done something good to me.
You’ll always have the poor with you, and you can help them when you want. But you won’t always have me.
She did what she could—she anointed my body in preparation for burial in anticipation.
Believe me when I tell you that wherever the good news is preached—anywhere in the world—what she did will be remembered.”
10
Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests to make arrangements to betray Jesus to them.
11
When they heard the plan, they were delighted, and promised to pay him. So Judas worked out the best time to betray Jesus.
12
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (when the Passover lamb was sacrificed), Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
13
He sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city and there you’ll meet a man carrying a water pot. Follow him,
14
and ask the owner of the house he enters, ‘Where can I and my disciples celebrate the Passover?’
15
He himself will show you a large upstairs room, all prepared, and you can get things ready for us there.”
16
They disciples went into the city, and founding things just as he’d told them. They prepared the Passover meal.
17
In the evening Jesus came with the twelve disciples.
18
While they were sitting eating, Jesus said, “Believe me when I say that one of you will betray me—one that’s eating with me now.”
19
They were devastated and each one asked, “It’s not me, is it?”
20
“It’s one of the twelve, one of you who’s sharing this food with me.
21
The Son of man will die, just as the Scriptures predicted he would. But shame on the man by whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he’d never been born.”
22
While they were eating, Jesus picked up some bread and blessed it, and gave it to them.
“Take it—this is my body,” he said.
23
Then he picked up the cup and blessed it, and gave it to them. Everyone took a drink from it.
24
“This is my blood,” he told them, “the pledge
13
that's being poured out for many people.
25
I promise you, I won’t drink of the fruit of the vine until the day I drink it fresh in God’s kingdom.”
26
They sang a psalm, and then left for the Mount of Olives.
27
“You will all abandon me,” Jesus told them. “As the Scriptures say, ‘I will attack the shepherd, and the sheep will be completely scattered.’
28
But once I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
29
“Even though everyone else abandons you, I won’t,” Peter replied.
30
“I guarantee that today—in fact, tonight—you will disown me three times before the rooster crows twice,” Jesus told him.
31
But Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” They all said the same thing.
32
They came to a place called Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33
He took with him Peter, James, and John, and started to become terribly disturbed and distressed.
34
“My anguish is so painful I feel like I am being crushed to death,” Jesus told them. “Please stay here—and stay awake.”
35
He went a little further forward before falling to the ground. He was praying that if it were possible he might be spared what was coming.
36
“Abba, Father, everything is possible for you, please take this cup of suffering from me, He said. “But I’ll do what you want, not what I want.”
37
Jesus returned to find them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” he asked Peter. “Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour?”
38
Stay awake, and pray that you won’t give in to temptation—for the spirit may be ready, but the body is weak.”
39
He left again, and prayed using the same words.
40
Then he returned once more, and found them asleep, because their eyes were very heavy. They didn’t know what to say to him.
41
The third time he returned, and told them, “Are you still asleep, still resting? Enough now, because the time has come. Look around you—the Son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42
Get up, and let’s go. See, my betrayer is approaching.”
43
Right away, while he was still speaking, Judas arrived—one of the twelve disciples—and with him was a crowd armed with swords and weapons, sent by the chief priests, religious leaders, and local officials.
44
Judas the betrayer had arranged a signal with them, “He’s the one that I kiss—grab him, and take him away under guard.
45
So Judas came straight away to Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, and kissed Jesus.
46
So they grabbed hold of him and arrested him.
47
But someone standing nearby pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.
48
“Have you come to arrest me as you would some violent criminal, with swords and weapons?” Jesus asked them.
49
“Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me then. But this is so the Scriptures may be fulfilled…”
50
Then all his disciples abandoned Jesus and ran away.
51
(One young man was following Jesus, wearing only a linen robe. They grabbed him, but he ran off naked, leaving the robe behind).
53
They took Jesus away to the high priest’s house, and all the chief priests, local officials, and religious teachers gathered there with him.
54
Peter followed at a distance, and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. He was sitting with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55
Inside the chief priests and all the governing council tried to find some evidence to put Jesus to death, but they didn’t,
56
because many were giving false testimony against him and the evidence didn’t agree.
57
Some got up to speak falsely against Jesus.
58
“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that human hands built, and in three days I will build another without hands.’”
59
But even so their evidence didn’t agree.
60
The high priest stood up in the council, and asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to say anything in reply to these charges made against you?”
61
But Jesus remained silent and gave no reply.
So the high priest asked again, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed Lord?”
62
“I am,” Jesus replied, “and you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty, coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63
The high priest tore his clothes
14
and asked, “Why do we need any more witnesses?
64
You heard the blasphemy—what does it look like to you?”
They all condemned him as guilty and sentenced him to death.
65
Some started to spit at him, and they blindfolded him, cuffed him around the head, and said, “Prophesy then, ‘Prophet’!” The guards beat him up.
66
Meanwhile Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the high priest’s servant girls came by,
67
and seeing Peter warming himself, looked straight at him.
“You’re with Jesus the Nazarene too!” she said.
68
But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re saying—I don’t understand it,” he replied. He left and went outside into the forecourt, and the rooster crowed.
69
The servant girl looked at him and repeated to those standing nearby, “He’s one of them!”
70
Again Peter denied it. A little later they said to Peter again, “You really are one of them—you’re a Galilean too!”
71
Peter started to curse and swear, “I don’t know him, this man you’re talking about.”
72
Immediately the second rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had told him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you’ll deny me three times.” When he realized what he’d done, he broke down and cried.
Chapter 15
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Early the next morning, the chief priest, local officials, and religious teachers—the whole council—met together. They bound up Jesus and sent him away to be handed over to Pilate.
“Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked him.
“It’s as you say,” Jesus replied.
The chief priests were accusing him of many things.
Pilate asked him again, “Aren’t you going to say anything? See how much they’re accusing you of.”
But Jesus didn’t speak any more, which surprised Pilate.
Because it was the Passover feast Pilate would release a prisoner to the people, whoever they asked him for.
A man called Barabbas was in prison who had committed murder during an uprising.
The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as he usually did.
“Do you want me to release the King of Jews to you?” he asked them,
10
for he realized that the chief priests had arrested Jesus because of jealousy.
11
But the chief priests incited the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.
12
“What do you want me to do with this man you call the King of the Jews?” he asked them.
13
“Kill him on a cross,” they shouted back.
14
“Why?” Pilate asked them. “What crime has he committed?”
“Kill him on a cross,” they shouted even louder.
15
Pilate, wishing to please the mob, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus to be put on a cross—after he had first whipped Jesus.
16
The soldiers took him away into the Praetorium courtyard, where they called together the whole battalion.
17
They put royal purple robes on him and made a crown of thorns that they crowned him with.
18
Then they mockingly bowed before him, saying, “We salute you, King of the Jews!”
19
They hit him around the head with a rod, spat at him, and knelt before him in ‘worship.’
20
Once they’d finished mocking him, they took off the purple robes, and dressed him in his own clothes. Then they took him to be killed on a cross.
21
They forced a passer-by, Simon of Cyrenea, who was coming in from the countryside, to carry his cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus).
22
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, meaning “the Place of the Skull.”
23
They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he didn’t take any. Then they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes, deciding who would have what by throwing dice.
25
It was about nine a.m. when they put him on the cross.
26
The charge against him was written down and placed above him: “The King of the Jews.”
27
They crucified two criminals with him—one on the left, one on the right.
29
People passing by ridiculed him, shaking their heads in contempt. “Ha! So you’re the one who’s going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days!
30
Save yourself—come down from the cross!”
31
In the same way the chief priests and the religious teachers mocked him. “He could save others, but he can’t save himself.
32
If you really are the Messiah, the King of Israel, then come down from the cross so we can see it and ‘believe’! Even those on the other crosses insulted him.
33
At noon darkness spread over the whole land until three p.m.
34
Right then Jesus shouted out, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani,” meaning, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
35
Some of those standing there heard what he shouted, and said, “Look, he’s calling for Elijah.”
36
One of them ran and put a sponge filled with vinegar on a stick, and gave it to Jesus to drink. “Leave him alone,” he said, “let’s see if Elijah will come to lift him down.”
37
Then Jesus gave a load groan, and died.
38
The temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom.
39
When the centurion who was standing facing Jesus saw how he died, he said, “This man really was the Son of God.”
40
Among the women who were watching from a distance were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome.
41
These were the women who had followed Jesus and took care of him when he was in Galilee, along with many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem.
42
When the evening of this Preparation day came (the day before the Sabbath),
43
Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the high council, (who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God), dared to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body.
44
Pilate was surprised that he was dead so soon, so calling the centurion, asked him if Jesus had died already.
45
Once he was sure—from what the centurion told him—he gave permission to Joseph to take the body.
46
Joseph bought a linen sheet, and then lifted Jesus’ body down from the cross and wrapped it in the sheet, and placed him in a rock tomb. Then he rolled a heavy stone against the entrance.
47
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid to rest.
Chapter 16
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Once the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic ointments so that they could anoint Jesus' body.
Very early Sunday morning they went to the tomb, just as the sun came up.
They were wondering, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb?”
But when they arrived and took a look, they saw that the very large stone had already been rolled away.
They went into the tomb, and saw a young man sitting to the right, wearing a long white robe, and they were very frightened.
"Don’t be scared," he told them. "You’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the one who was killed on a cross. He’s risen from the dead, he's not here.
Take a look at where they laid him to rest. Now go, and tell his disciples—and Peter that he’s going ahead of you to Galilee. You’ll see him there just as he promised you.”
They went out and ran from the tomb, because they were shaking and terrified. They didn’t say anything to anyone because they were afraid.
16
The one having believed and having been immersed shall be saved. The one not having believed [or, having disobeyed] shall be condemned.
Footnotes
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(1:2) Malachi 3:1
(1:3) Isaiah 40:3
(1:44) from leprosy
This incident is from 1 Samuel 21:2-7
(5:41) Some other Greek texts read 'Talitha koumi, meaning, little girl, I say to you, wake up!'
(9:44)Some manuscripts include verse 44, "...where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."; this is a quote from Isaiah 66:24.
(9:46) Some manuscripts have verse 46, "...where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."; this is a quote from Isaiah 66:24.
Genesis 2:24
(1:25) Some manuscripts have verse 26
Psalms 118:22-23
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Leviticus 19:18
(14:24) or covenant
(14:63) a sign of great emotion
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