Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, how often do I have to forgive a believer who wrongs me? Seven times?”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven.
“That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. Because he could not pay off the debt, the master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold to pay off the account. Then the servant fell at his master’s feet and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay everything!’
“The master felt sorry for his servant, freed him, and canceled his debt. But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. ‘Pay what you owe!’ he said.
“Then that other servant fell at his feet and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ But he refused. Instead, he turned away and had that servant put into prison until he would repay what he owed.
“The other servants who worked with him saw what had happened and felt very sad. They told their master the whole story.
“Then his master sent for him and said to him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled your entire debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have treated the other servant as mercifully as I treated you?’
“His master was so angry that he handed him over to the torturers until he would repay everything that he owed. That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not sincerely forgive other believers.”
“If a believer does something wrong,go, confront him when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back that believer. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses. If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector. I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.
“I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it. Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
“I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it. Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
"What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed? I can guarantee this truth: If he finds it, he is happier about it than about the 99 that have not strayed. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want one of these little ones to be lost."
"These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be drowned in the sea with a large stone hung around his neck. How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
“If your hand or your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life disabled or injured than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.
Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven."
“If your hand or your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life disabled or injured than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.
Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven."
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
He called a little child and had him stand among them. Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them. What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life? The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory. Then he will pay back each person based on what that person has done. I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
From that time on Jesus began to inform his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem. There he would have to suffer a lot because of the leaders, the chief priests, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be brought back to life.
Peter took him aside and objected to this. He said, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
Peter took him aside and objected to this. He said, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
Jesus replied, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you. You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.”
Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
Jesus replied, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you. You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.”
Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along when they went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” The disciples had been discussing among themselves that they had not taken any bread along. Jesus knew about their conversation and asked, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you don’t have any bread? You have so little faith! Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you filled? Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you filled? Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” Then they understood that he didn’t say to watch out for the yeast in bread, but to watch out for the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” The disciples had been discussing among themselves that they had not taken any bread along. Jesus knew about their conversation and asked, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you don’t have any bread? You have so little faith! Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you filled? Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you filled? Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” Then they understood that he didn’t say to watch out for the yeast in bread, but to watch out for the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. So they asked him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven.
He responded to them, “In the evening you say that the weather will be fine because the sky is red.
And in the morning you say that there will be a storm today because the sky is red and overcast. You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
“Evil and unfaithful people look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will be given is that of Jonah.”
Then he left them standing there and went away.
He responded to them, “In the evening you say that the weather will be fine because the sky is red.
And in the morning you say that there will be a storm today because the sky is red and overcast. You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
“Evil and unfaithful people look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will be given is that of Jonah.”
Then he left them standing there and went away.
Jesus called his disciples and said, “I feel sorry for the people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they may become exhausted on their way home.”
His disciples asked him, “Where could we get enough bread to feed such a crowd in this place where no one lives?”
Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, and they gave the bread and fish to the people.
All of them ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets. Four thousand men had eaten. (This number does not include the women and children who had eaten.)
After he sent the people on their way, Jesus stepped into the boat and came to the territory of Magadan.
His disciples asked him, “Where could we get enough bread to feed such a crowd in this place where no one lives?”
Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, and they gave the bread and fish to the people.
All of them ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets. Four thousand men had eaten. (This number does not include the women and children who had eaten.)
After he sent the people on their way, Jesus stepped into the boat and came to the territory of Magadan.
Jesus moved on from there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain and sat there.
A large crowd came to him, bringing with them the lame, blind, disabled, those unable to talk, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowd was amazed to see mute people talking, the disabled cured, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.
A large crowd came to him, bringing with them the lame, blind, disabled, those unable to talk, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowd was amazed to see mute people talking, the disabled cured, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.
Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
A Canaanite woman from that territory came to him and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not answer her at all. Then his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away. She keeps shouting behind us.”
Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
She came to him, bowed down, and said, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “You’re right, Lord. But even the dogs eat scraps that fall from their masters’ tables.”
Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have strong faith! What you wanted will be done for you.” At that moment her daughter was cured.
A Canaanite woman from that territory came to him and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not answer her at all. Then his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away. She keeps shouting behind us.”
Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
She came to him, bowed down, and said, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “You’re right, Lord. But even the dogs eat scraps that fall from their masters’ tables.”
Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have strong faith! What you wanted will be done for you.” At that moment her daughter was cured.
Then he called the crowd and said to them, “Listen and try to understand! What goes into a person’s mouth doesn’t make him unclean.It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you realize that when the Pharisees heard your statement they were offended?”
He answered, “Any plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
Peter said to him, “Explain this illustration to us.” Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you know that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and then into a privy? But whatever goes out of the mouth comes from within, and that’s what makes a person unclean. Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, other sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within. These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating without washing one’s hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you realize that when the Pharisees heard your statement they were offended?”
He answered, “Any plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
Peter said to him, “Explain this illustration to us.” Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you know that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and then into a privy? But whatever goes out of the mouth comes from within, and that’s what makes a person unclean. Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, other sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within. These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating without washing one’s hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”
Then some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They asked, “Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
He answered them, “Why do you break the commandment of God because of your traditions? For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that whoever tells his father or mother, ‘I have given to God whatever support you might have received from me,’ does not have to honor his father.
Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God’s word. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is pointless, because their teachings are rules made by humans.’”
He answered them, “Why do you break the commandment of God because of your traditions? For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that whoever tells his father or mother, ‘I have given to God whatever support you might have received from me,’ does not have to honor his father.
Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God’s word. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is pointless, because their teachings are rules made by humans.’”
The boat, now hundreds of yards from shore, was being thrown around by the waves because it was going against the wind. Between three and six o’clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid. Immediately, Jesus said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink.
He shouted, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out, caught hold of him, and said, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”
When they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing. The men in the boat bowed down in front of Jesus and said, “You are truly the Son of God.”
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid. Immediately, Jesus said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink.
He shouted, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out, caught hold of him, and said, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”
When they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing. The men in the boat bowed down in front of Jesus and said, “You are truly the Son of God.”
In the evening the disciples came to him. They said, “No one lives around here, and it’s already late. Send the crowds to the villages to buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
They told him, “All we have here are five loaves of bread and two fish.”
Jesus said, “Bring them to me.”
Then he ordered the people to sit down on the grass. After he took the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed the food. He broke the loaves apart, gave them to the disciples, and they gave them to the people. All of them ate as much as they wanted. When they picked up the leftover pieces, they filled twelve baskets.
About five thousand men had eaten. (This number does not include the women and children who had eaten.)
Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
They told him, “All we have here are five loaves of bread and two fish.”
Jesus said, “Bring them to me.”
Then he ordered the people to sit down on the grass. After he took the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed the food. He broke the loaves apart, gave them to the disciples, and they gave them to the people. All of them ate as much as they wanted. When they picked up the leftover pieces, they filled twelve baskets.
About five thousand men had eaten. (This number does not include the women and children who had eaten.)
When Herod celebrated his birthday, Herodias’ daughter danced for his guests. Herod was so delighted with her that he swore he would give her anything she wanted.
Urged by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” The king regretted his promise. But because of his oath and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted.
He had John’s head cut off in prison. So the head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
John’s disciples came for the body and buried it. Then they went to tell Jesus.
Urged by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” The king regretted his promise. But because of his oath and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted.
He had John’s head cut off in prison. So the head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
John’s disciples came for the body and buried it. Then they went to tell Jesus.
At that time Herod, ruler of Galilee, heard the news about Jesus. He said to his officials, “This is John the Baptizer! He has come back to life. That’s why he has the power to perform these miracles.”
Herod had arrested John, tied him up, and put him in prison. Herod did this for Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. John had been telling Herod, “It’s not right for you to be married to her.”
So Herod wanted to kill John. However, he was afraid of the people because they thought John was a prophet.
Herod had arrested John, tied him up, and put him in prison. Herod did this for Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. John had been telling Herod, “It’s not right for you to be married to her.”
So Herod wanted to kill John. However, he was afraid of the people because they thought John was a prophet.