The World English Bible (WEB) Part 98

4:42 When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the mult.i.tudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn't go away from them. 4:43 But he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of G.o.d to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent." 4:44 He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

5:1 Now it happened, while the mult.i.tude pressed on him and heard the word of G.o.d, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 5:2 He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were was.h.i.+ng their nets. 5:3 He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the mult.i.tudes from the boat. 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch."

5:5 Simon answered him, "Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net." 5:6 When they had done this, they caught a great mult.i.tude of fish, and their net was breaking. 5:7 They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 5:8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord." 5:9 For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught; 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive."

5:11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him. 5:12 It happened, while he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

5:13 He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean."

Immediately the leprosy left him. 5:14 He commanded him to tell no one, "But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

5:15 But the report concerning him spread much more, and great mult.i.tudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 5:16 But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.

5:17 It happened on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. 5:18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. 5:19 Not finding a way to bring him in because of the mult.i.tude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the midst before Jesus. 5:20 Seeing their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

5:21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but G.o.d alone?"

5:22 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, "Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? 5:23 Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?' 5:24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (he said to the paralyzed man), "I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house."

5:25 Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying G.o.d. 5:26 Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified G.o.d. They were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

5:27 After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, "Follow me!"

5:28 He left everything, and rose up and followed him. 5:29 Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. 5:30 Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" 5:31 Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

5:33 They said to him, "Why do John's disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?"

5:34 He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 5:35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days." 5:36 He also told a parable to them. "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old. 5:37 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 5:38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. 5:39 No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"

6:1 Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first, that he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands. 6:2 But some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?"

6:3 Jesus, answering them, said, "Haven't you read what David did when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him; 6:4 how he entered into the house of G.o.d, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?" 6:5 He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

6:6 It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. 6:7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him. 6:8 But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.

6:9 Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?" 6:10 He looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other. 6:11 But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

6:12 It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to G.o.d. 6:13 When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: 6:14 Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; 6:15 Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; 6:16 Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor. 6:17 He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; 6:18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed. 6:19 All the mult.i.tude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

6:20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of G.o.d. 6:21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 6:22 Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets. 6:24 "But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. 6:25 Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 6:26 Woe,* when* men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets. 6:27 "But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 6:28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 6:29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don't withhold your coat also. 6:30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don't ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.

6:31 "As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. 6:32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 6:33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

6:34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

6:36 Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. 6:37 Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."

6:39 He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit? 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 6:41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? 6:42 Or how can you tell your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,' when you yourself don't see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye. 6:43 For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit. 6:44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don't gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 6:45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

6:46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things which I say? 6:47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. 6:48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 6:49 But he who hears, and doesn't do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

7:1 After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 7:2 A certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. 7:3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. 7:4 When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for you to do this for him, 7:5 for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us." 7:6 Jesus went with them.

When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 7:7 Therefore I didn't even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.

7:8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!'

and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the mult.i.tude who followed him, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel." 7:10 Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

7:11 It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain.

Many of his disciples, along with a great mult.i.tude, went with him. 7:12 Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 7:13 When the Lord saw her, he had compa.s.sion on her, and said to her, "Don't cry." 7:14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" 7:15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

7:16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified G.o.d, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "G.o.d has visited his people!" 7:17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

7:18 The disciples of John told him about all these things. 7:19 John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?" 7:20 When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?'"

7:21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. 7:22 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 7:23 Blessed is he who is not offended by me."

7:24 When John's messengers had departed, he began to tell the mult.i.tudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?

A reed shaken by the wind? 7:25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 7:26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 7:27 This is he of whom it is written,

'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'* 7:28 "For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of G.o.d is greater than he."

7:29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared G.o.d to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism. 7:30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of G.o.d, not being baptized by him themselves.

7:31 *"To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like? 7:32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, 'We piped to you, and you didn't dance. We mourned, and you didn't weep.' 7:33 For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

7:35 Wisdom is justified by all her children."

7:36 One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat at the table. 7:37 Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 7:38 Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner."

7:40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

He said, "Teacher, say on."

7:41 "A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 7:42 When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"

7:43 Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."

He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 7:44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 7:45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.

7:46 You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." 7:48 He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

7:49 Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

7:50 He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

8:1 It happened soon afterwards, that he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of G.o.d.

With him were the twelve, 8:2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 8:3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions. 8:4 When a great mult.i.tude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. 8:5 "The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 8:6 Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 8:7 Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. 8:8 Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit one hundred times." As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"