1 N ow it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain.

On the next Day of Rest Jesus was walking through the grain-fields. His followers picked grain. They rubbed it in their hands and ate it.

2 B ut some of the Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Some of the proud religious law-keepers said to them, “Why are you doing what the Law says should not be done on the Day of Rest?”

3 A nd Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him,

Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

4 h ow he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?”

He went into the house of God and ate the special bread used in the religious worship. He gave some to those who were with him also. The Law says only the religious leaders may eat that bread.

5 A nd He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Son of Man is Lord of the Day of Rest also.” Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest

6 O n another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.

On another Day of Rest Jesus went into the Jewish place of worship and taught. A man with a dried-up hand was there.

7 T he scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him.

The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers watched to see if He would heal on the Day of Rest. They wanted to have something to say against Him.

8 B ut He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward.

Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man with the dried-up hand, “Stand up and come here.” The man stood up and went to Jesus.

9 A nd Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?”

Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing. Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad? To save life or to kill?”

10 A fter looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored.

Jesus looked around at them all and said to the man, “Put out your hand.” He put it out and his hand was healed. It was as good as his other hand.

11 B ut they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. Choosing the Twelve

The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers were filled with anger. They talked with each other about what they might do to Jesus. Jesus Calls His Twelve Followers

12 I t was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

One day Jesus went up on a mountain to pray. He prayed all night to God.

13 A nd when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:

In the morning He called His followers to Him. He chose twelve of them and called them.

14 S imon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew;

There were Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew. There were James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15 a nd Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot;

Matthew and Thomas. There were James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Canaanite.

16 J udas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

There were Judas, who was the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who would hand Jesus over to be killed. Jesus Heals Many People

17 J esus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon,

Then Jesus came down and stood on a plain with many of His followers. Many people came from the country of Judea and from Jerusalem and from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.

18 w ho had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured.

Those who were troubled with demons came and were healed.

19 A nd all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. The Beatitudes

All the people tried to put their hands on Jesus. Power came from Him and He healed them all. Jesus Teaches on the Mountain

20 A nd turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “ Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

He looked at His followers and said, “Those of you who are poor are happy, because the holy nation of God is yours.

21 B lessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Those of you who are hungry now are happy, because you will be filled. Those of you who have sorrow now are happy, because you will laugh.

22 B lessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.

You are happy when men hate you and do not want you around and put shame on you because you trust in Me.

23 B e glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Be glad in that day. Be full of joy for your reward is much in heaven. Their fathers did these things to the early preachers.

24 B ut woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.

“It is bad for you who are rich. You are receiving all that you will get.

25 W oe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

It is bad for you who are full. You will be hungry. It is bad for you who laugh now. You will have sorrow and you will cry.

26 W oe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

It is bad for you when everyone speaks well of you. In the same way, their fathers spoke well of the false teachers. Jesus Teaches What the Law Says about Love

27 “ But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

“I say to you who hear Me, love those who work against you. Do good to those who hate you.

28 b less those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Respect and give thanks for those who try to bring bad to you. Pray for those who make it very hard for you.

29 W hoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

Whoever hits you on one side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also. Whoever takes your coat, give him your shirt also.

30 G ive to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Give to any person who asks you for something. If a person takes something from you, do not ask for it back.

31 T reat others the same way you want them to treat you.

Do for other people what you would like to have them do for you.

32 I f you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

“If you love those who love you, what pay can you expect from that? Sinners also love those who love them.

33 I f you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

If you do good to those who do good to you, what pay can you expect from that? Sinners also do good to those who do good to them.

34 I f you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

If you let people use your things and expect to get something back, what pay can you expect from that? Even sinners let sinners use things and they expect to get something back.

35 B ut love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

But love those who hate you. Do good to them. Let them use your things and do not expect something back. Your reward will be much. You will be the children of the Most High. He is kind to those who are not thankful and to those who are full of sin. Jesus Teaches about Finding Bad in Others

36 B e merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“You must have loving-kindness just as your Father has loving-kindness.

37 “ Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

Do not say what is wrong in other people’s lives. Then other people will not say what is wrong in your life. Do not say someone is guilty. Then other people will not say you are guilty. Forgive other people and other people will forgive you.

38 G ive, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

“Give, and it will be given to you. You will have more than enough. It can be pushed down and shaken together and it will still run over as it is given to you. The way you give to others is the way you will receive in return.”

39 A nd He also spoke a parable to them: “ A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?

Jesus used a picture-story as He spoke to them. He said, “Can one blind man lead another blind man? Will they not fall into the ditch together?

40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

The follower is not more important than his teacher. But everyone who learns well will be like his teacher. Jesus Teaches about Saying What Is Wrong in Others

41 W hy do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

“Why do you look at the small piece of wood in your brother’s eye and do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye?

42 O r how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that small piece of wood out of your eye,’ when you do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye? You pretend to be someone you are not. First, take the big piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you can see better to take the small piece of wood out of your brother’s eye. Jesus Teaches about False Teachers

43 F or there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.

“A good tree cannot have bad fruit. A bad tree cannot have good fruit.

44 F or each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.

For every tree is known by its own fruit. Men do not gather figs from thorns. They do not gather grapes from thistles.

45 T he good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Builders and Foundations

Good comes from a good man because of the riches he has in his heart. Sin comes from a sinful man because of the sin he has in his heart. The mouth speaks of what the heart is full of. Jesus Teaches about Houses Built on Rock and Sand

46 “ Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

“And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?

47 E veryone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:

Whoever comes to Me and hears and does what I say, I will show you who he is like.

48 h e is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

He is like a man who built a house. He dug deep to put the building on rock. When the water came up and the river beat against the house, the building could not be shaken because it was built on rock.

49 B ut the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

But he who hears and does not do what I say, is like a man who built a house on nothing but earth. The water beat against the house. At once it fell and was destroyed.”