1 W hen he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

2 H e said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

3 G ive us day by day our daily bread.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 F orgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” A Friend Comes at Midnight

5 H e said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 f or a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’

for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

7 a nd he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’?

and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?

8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

9 “ I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10 F or everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11 “ Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12 O r if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he?

Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 I f you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” A House Divided Cannot Stand

14 H e was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

15 B ut some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

16 O thers, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

17 B ut he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18 I f Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19 B ut if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges.

And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20 B ut if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 “ When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

22 B ut when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.

But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

23 “ He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. An Unclean Spirit Returns

24 T he unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’

25 W hen he returns, he finds it swept and put in order.

And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.

26 T hen he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Keeping the Word

27 I t came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

28 B ut he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Seeking a Sign

29 W hen the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

30 F or even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation.

For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

31 T he Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

32 T he men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The Lamp of the Body

33 “ No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light.

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.

34 T he lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.

The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

35 T herefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness.

Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.

36 I f therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light.”

If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers

37 N ow as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table.

And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.

38 W hen the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.

When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

39 T he Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.

40 Y ou foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also?

Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

41 B ut give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

42 B ut woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

43 W oe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces.

Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 W oe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them. ”

45 O ne of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you insult us also.”

Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

46 H e said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

47 W oe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48 S o you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs.

In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.

49 T herefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’

50 t hat the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,

51 f rom the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52 W oe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

53 A s he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,

54 l ying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.