The Birth of Jesus

(Matthew 1.18-25)

2 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.^{[a] 2} These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.^[b]

³ Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. ⁴ So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.

⁵ Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, ⁶ and while they were there, ⁷ she gave birth to her first-born^[c] son. She dressed him in baby clothes^[d] and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds

⁸ That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. ^9 (A) All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. ¹⁰ But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. ¹¹ This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. ¹² You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”

¹³ Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:

¹⁵ After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.

¹⁷ When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. ¹⁸ Everyone listened and was surprised. ¹⁹ But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.

²⁰ As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

^21 (B) Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands.^[e] And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.

Simeon Praises the Lord

^22 (C) The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.^[f]

They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, ^23 (D) just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born^[g] baby boy belongs to the Lord.” ²⁴ The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.

²⁵ At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him ²⁶ and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.

²⁷ When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. ²⁸ Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,

³³ Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. ³⁴ Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, ³⁵ and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”

Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus

^36 (F) The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. ³⁷ And now she was 84 years old.^[h] Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.^[i]

³⁸ At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.

The Return to Nazareth

^39 (G) After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰ The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

^41 (H) Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. ⁴² And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. ⁴³ After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. ⁴⁴ They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. ⁴⁵ When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.

⁴⁶ Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.

⁴⁸ When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!”

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?”^{[j] 50} But they did not understand what he meant.

⁵¹ Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.

^52 (I) Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

(Matthew 3.1-12; Mark 1.1-8; John 1.19-28)

3 For 15 years^[k] Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod^[l] was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. ² Annas and Caiaphas were the Jewish high priests.^[m]

At that time God spoke to Zechariah's son John, who was living in the desert. ³ So John went along the Jordan Valley, telling the people, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.” ^4 (J) Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said,

^7 (K) Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, “You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? ^8 (L) Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham.^{[n] 9 (M)} An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”

¹⁰ The crowds asked John, “What should we do?”

¹¹ John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”

^12 (N) When tax collectors^[o] came to be baptized, they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?”

¹³ John told them, “Don't make people pay more than they owe.”

¹⁴ Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us? What do we have to do?”

John told them, “Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.”

¹⁵ Everyone became excited and wondered, “Could John be the Messiah?”

¹⁶ John said, “I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.^[p] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ His threshing fork^[q] is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out.”

¹⁸ In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. ^19 (O) But to Herod the ruler, he said, “It was wrong for you to take Herodias, your brother's wife.” John also said Herod had done many other bad things. ²⁰ Finally, Herod put John in jail, and this was the worst thing he had done.

The Baptism of Jesus

(Matthew 3.13-17; Mark 1.9-11)

²¹ While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up, ^22 (P) and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”

The Ancestors of Jesus

(Matthew 1.1-17)

²³ When Jesus began to preach, he was about 30 years old. Everyone thought he was the son of Joseph. But his family went back through Heli, ²⁴ Matthat, Levi, Melchi, Jannai, Joseph, ²⁵ Mattathias, Amos, Nahum, Esli, Naggai, ²⁶ Maath, Mattathias, Semein, Josech, Joda;

²⁷ Joanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neri, ²⁸ Melchi, Addi, Cosam, Elmadam, Er, ²⁹ Joshua, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, Levi;

³⁰ Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim, ³¹ Melea, Menna, Mattatha, Nathan, David, ³² Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon, Nahshon;

³³ Amminadab, Admin, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Judah, ³⁴ Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor, ³⁵ Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah;

³⁶ Cainan, Arphaxad, Shem, Noah, Lamech, ³⁷ Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Kenan, ³⁸ Enosh, and Seth.

The family of Jesus went all the way back to Adam and then to God.

Jesus and the Devil

(Matthew 4.1-11; Mark 1.12,13)

4 When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, and the Spirit led him into the desert. ² For 40 days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating.^[r] When it was all over, he was hungry.

³ The devil said to Jesus, “If you are God's Son, tell this stone to turn into bread.”

^4 (Q) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘No one can live only on food.’ ”

⁵ Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place and quickly showed him all the nations on earth. ⁶ The devil said, “I will give all this power and glory to you. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ Just worship me, and you can have it all.”

^8 (R) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:

⁹ Finally, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and had him stand on top of the temple. The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. ^10-11 (S) The Scriptures say:

^12 (T) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ”

¹³ After the devil had finished testing Jesus in every way possible, he left him for a while.

Jesus Begins His Work

(Matthew 4.12-17; Mark 1.14,15)

¹⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee with the power of the Spirit. News about him spread everywhere. ¹⁵ He taught in the Jewish synagogues, and everyone praised him.

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus

(Matthew 13.53-58; Mark 6.1-6)

¹⁶ Jesus went back to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as usual he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. When he stood up to read from the Scriptures, ¹⁷ he was given the book of Isaiah the prophet. He opened it and read,

²⁰ Jesus closed the book, then handed it back to the man in charge and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue looked straight at Jesus.

²¹ Then Jesus said to them, “What you have just heard me read has come true today.”

²² All the people started talking about Jesus and were amazed at the wonderful things he said. They kept on asking, “Isn't he Joseph's son?”

²³ Jesus answered:

You will certainly want to tell me this saying, “Doctor, first make yourself well.” You will tell me to do the same things here in my own hometown that you heard I did in Capernaum. ^24 (V) But you can be sure that no prophets are liked by the people of their own hometown.

^25 (W) Once during the time of Elijah there was no rain for three and a half years, and people everywhere were starving. There were many widows in Israel, ^26 (X) but Elijah was sent only to a widow in the town of Zarephath near the city of Sidon. ^27 (Y) During the time of the prophet Elisha, many men in Israel had leprosy.^[s] But no one was healed, except Naaman who lived in Syria.

²⁸ When the people in the synagogue heard Jesus say this, they became so angry ²⁹ that they got up and threw him out of town. They dragged him to the edge of the cliff on which the town was built, because they wanted to throw him down from there. ³⁰ But Jesus slipped through the crowd and got away.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

(Mark 1.21-28)

³¹ Jesus went to the town of Capernaum in Galilee and taught the people on the Sabbath. ^32 (Z) His teaching amazed them because he spoke with power. ³³ There in the synagogue was a man with an evil spirit. He yelled out, ³⁴ “Hey, Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with us? Are you here to get rid of us? I know who you are! You are God's Holy One.”

³⁵ Jesus ordered the evil spirit to be quiet and come out. The demon threw the man to the ground in front of everyone and left without harming him.

³⁶ They all were amazed and kept saying to each other, “What kind of teaching is this? He has power to order evil spirits out of people!” ³⁷ News about Jesus spread all over that part of the country.

Jesus Heals Many People

(Matthew 8.14-17; Mark 1.29-34)

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon's home. When Jesus got there, he was told that Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. ³⁹ So Jesus went over to her and ordered the fever to go away. Right then she was able to get up and serve them a meal.

⁴⁰ After the sun had set, people with all kinds of diseases were brought to Jesus. He put his hands on each one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ Demons went out of many people and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus ordered the demons not to speak because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² The next morning Jesus went out to a place where he could be alone, and crowds came looking for him. When they found him, they tried to stop him from leaving. ⁴³ But Jesus said, “People in other towns must hear the good news about God's kingdom. This is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So he kept on preaching in the synagogues in Judea.^[t]

Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

(Matthew 4.18-22; Mark 1.16-20)

5 ^(AA) Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret,^[u] teaching the people as they crowded around him to hear God's message. ² Near the shore he saw two boats left there by some fishermen who had gone to wash their nets. ³ Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to row it out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down^[v] in the boat to teach the crowd.

⁴ When Jesus had finished speaking, he told Simon, “Row the boat out into the deep water and let your nets down to catch some fish.”

^5 (AB) “Master,” Simon answered, “we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down.” ^6 (AC) They did this and caught so many fish that their nets began ripping apart. ⁷ Then they signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. The men came, and together they filled the two boats so full that they both began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this happen, he knelt down in front of Jesus and said, “Lord, don't come near me! I am a sinner.” ⁹ Peter and everyone with him were completely surprised at all the fish they had caught. ¹⁰ His partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised too.

Jesus told Simon, “Don't be afraid! From now on you will bring in people instead of fish.” ¹¹ The men pulled their boats up on the shore. Then they left everything and went with Jesus.

Jesus Heals a Man

(Matthew 8.1-4; Mark 1.40-45)

¹² Jesus came to a town where there was a man who had leprosy.^[w] When the man saw Jesus, he knelt down to the ground in front of Jesus and begged, “Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”

¹³ Jesus put his hand on him and said, “I want to! Now you are well.” At once the man's leprosy disappeared. ^14 (AD) Jesus told him, “Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest. Offer a gift to the priest, just as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed.”^[x]

¹⁵ News about Jesus kept spreading. Large crowds came to listen to him teach and to be healed of their diseases. ¹⁶ But Jesus would often go to some place where he could be alone and pray.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

(Matthew 9.1-8; Mark 2.1-12)

¹⁷ One day some Pharisees and experts in the Law of Moses sat listening to Jesus teach. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem.

God had given Jesus the power to heal the sick, ¹⁸ and some people came carrying a man on a mat because he could not walk. They tried to take him inside the house and put him in front of Jesus. ¹⁹ But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus. So they went up on the roof,^[y] where they removed some tiles and let the mat down in the middle of the room.

²⁰ When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ The Pharisees and the experts began arguing, “Jesus must think he is God! Only God can forgive sins.”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, “Why are you thinking this? ²³ Is it easier for me to tell this man that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and walk? ²⁴ But now you will see that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth.” Jesus then said to the man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk home.”

²⁵ At once the man stood up in front of everyone. He picked up his mat and went home, giving thanks to God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and praised God. What they saw surprised them, and they said, “We have seen a great miracle today!”

Jesus Chooses Levi

(Matthew 9.9-13; Mark 2.13-17)

²⁷ Later, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector^[z] named Levi sitting at the place for paying taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸ Levi left everything and went with Jesus.

²⁹ In his home Levi gave a big dinner for Jesus. Many tax collectors and other guests were also there.

^30 (AE) The Pharisees and some of their teachers of the Law of Moses grumbled to Jesus' disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with these tax collectors and other sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered, “Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. ³² I didn't come to invite good people to turn to God. I came to invite sinners.”

People Ask about Going without Eating

(Matthew 9.14-17; Mark 2.18-22)

³³ Some people said to Jesus, “John's followers often pray and go without eating,^[aa] and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your disciples never go without eating or drinking.”

³⁴ Jesus told them, “The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them. ³⁵ But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.”

³⁶ Jesus then told them these sayings:

No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and make the hole even bigger.

³⁷ No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would swell and burst the old skins.^[ab] Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. ³⁸ New wine must be put only into new wineskins.

³⁹ No one wants new wine after drinking old wine. They say, “The old wine is better.”

A Question about the Sabbath

(Matthew 12.1-8; Mark 2.23-28)

6 ^(AF) One Sabbath when Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields,^[ac] the disciples picked some wheat. They rubbed the husks off with their hands and started eating the grain.

² Some Pharisees said, “Why are you picking grain on the Sabbath? You're not supposed to do that!”

^3 (AG) Jesus answered, “You surely have read what David did when he and his followers were hungry. ^4 (AH) He went into the house of God and took the sacred loaves of bread that only priests were supposed to eat. He not only ate some himself, but even gave some to his followers.”

⁵ Jesus finished by saying, “The Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Paralyzed Hand

(Matthew 12.9-14; Mark 3.1-6)

⁶ On another Sabbath^[ad] Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, and a man with a paralyzed right hand was there. ⁷ Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses kept watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man. They did this because they wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong.

⁸ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he told the man to stand up where everyone could see him. And the man stood up. ⁹ Then Jesus asked, “On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone's life or destroy it?”

¹⁰ After he had looked around at everyone, he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his bad hand became completely well.

¹¹ The teachers and the Pharisees were furious and started saying to one another, “What can we do about Jesus?”

Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.1-4; Mark 3.13-19)

¹² About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. ¹³ The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. ¹⁴ One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter's brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One,^{[ae] 16} Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot,^[af] who later betrayed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals

(Matthew 4.23-25)

¹⁷ Jesus and his apostles went down from the mountain and came to some flat, level ground. Many other disciples were there to meet him. Large crowds of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal towns of Tyre and Sidon were there too. ¹⁸ These people had come to listen to Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. All who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed. ¹⁹ Everyone was trying to touch Jesus, because power was going out from him and healing them all.

Blessings and Troubles

(Matthew 5.1-12)

²⁰ Jesus looked at his disciples and said:

^22 (AI) God will bless you when others hate you and won't have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. ^23 (AJ) Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.

²⁶ You are in for trouble when everyone says good things about you. That is what your own people said about those prophets who told lies.

Love for Enemies

(Matthew 5.38-48; 7.12a)

²⁷ This is what I say to all who will listen to me:

Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. ²⁸ Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you. ^31 (AK) Treat others just as you want to be treated.

³² If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. ³³ If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. ³⁴ If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.

^35 (AL) But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back.^[ag] Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. ³⁶ Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you.

Judging Others

(Matthew 7.1-5)

³⁷ Jesus said:

Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. ³⁸ If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.

^39 (AM) Jesus also used some sayings as he spoke to the people. He said:

Can one blind person lead another blind person? Won't they both fall into a ditch? ^40 (AN) Are students better than their teacher? But when they are fully trained, they will be like their teacher.

⁴¹ You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. ⁴² How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you don't see the log in your own eye? You show-offs! First, get the log out of your own eye; then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

(Matthew 7.17-20; 12.34b,35)

⁴³ A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. ^44 (AO) You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. You cannot pick figs or grapes from thornbushes. ^45 (AP) Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.

Two Builders

(Matthew 7.24-27)

⁴⁶ Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? ⁴⁷ Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me ⁴⁸ is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When a flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn't even shake. ⁴⁹ But anyone who hears what I say and doesn't obey me is like someone whose house wasn't built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces!

Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant

(Matthew 8.5-13; John 4.43-54)

7 After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. ² In this town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked his servant very much. ³ And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.

⁴ The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! ⁵ He loves our nation and even built us a synagogue.” ⁶ So Jesus went with them.

When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. ⁷ And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. ⁸ I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”

⁹ When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!”

¹⁰ The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.

A Widow's Son

¹¹ Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. ¹² As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.

¹³ When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”

¹⁴ Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” ¹⁵ The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶ Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”

¹⁷ News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.

John the Baptist

(Matthew 11.1-19)

^18-19 John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”

²⁰ When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”

²¹ At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. ^22 (AQ) Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy^[ah] are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. ²³ God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”

²⁴ After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:

What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? ²⁵ What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. ^27 (AR) In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” ²⁸ No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.

^29 (AS) Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors^[ai] had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.

³¹ Jesus went on to say:

What are you people like? What kind of people are you? ³² You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

³³ John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” ³⁴ But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” ³⁵ Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.

Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.^[aj]

^37 (AT) When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. ³⁸ Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

³⁹ The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.

⁴¹ Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50. ⁴² Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”

⁴³ Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”

“You are right,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You didn't even pour olive oil on my head,^[ak] but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”

⁵⁰ But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved.^[al] May God give you peace!”

Women Who Helped Jesus

8 Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him, ^2 (AU) and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene,^[am] who once had seven demons in her. ³ Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus^[an] and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials.^[ao]

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Mark 4.1-9)

⁴ When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:

⁵ A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing this, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds. ⁶ Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up. ⁷ Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.

When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, “If you have ears, pay attention!”

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Mark 4.10-12)

⁹ Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. ^10 (AV) So he answered:

I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you. But for others I use stories, so they will look, but not see, and they will hear, but not understand.

Jesus Explains the Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Mark 4.13-20)

¹¹ This is what the story means: The seed is God's message, ¹² and the seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But the devil comes and snatches the message out of their hearts, so they will not believe and be saved. ¹³ The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don't have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.

¹⁴ The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything. ¹⁵ Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.

Light

(Mark 4.21-25)

^16 (AW) No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed. A lamp is always put on a lampstand, so people who come into a house will see the light. ^17 (AX) There is nothing hidden that will not be found. There is no secret that will not be well known. ^18 (AY) Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12.46-50; Mark 3.31-35)

¹⁹ Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him. ²⁰ Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.”

²¹ Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God's message.”

A Storm

(Matthew 8.23-27; Mark 4.35-41)

²² One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and he said, “Let's cross the lake.”^[ap] They started out, ²³ and while they were sailing across, he went to sleep.

Suddenly a storm struck the lake, and the boat started sinking. They were in danger. ²⁴ So they went to Jesus and woke him up, “Master, Master! We are about to drown!”

Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm. ²⁵ Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Don't you have any faith?”

But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!”

A Man with Demons in Him

(Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20)

²⁶ Jesus and his disciples sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.^{[aq] 27} As Jesus was getting out of the boat, he was met by a man from this town. The man had demons in him. He had gone naked for a long time and no longer lived in a house, but in the graveyard.^[ar]

²⁸ The man saw Jesus and screamed. He knelt down in front of him and shouted, “Jesus, Son of God Most High, what do you want with me? I beg you not to torture me!” ²⁹ He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to go out of him.

The man had often been attacked by the demon. And even though he had been bound with chains and leg irons and kept under guard, he smashed whatever bound him. Then the demon would force him out into lonely places.

³⁰ Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”

He answered, “My name is Lots.” He said this because there were “lots” of demons in him. ³¹ They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit,^[as] where they would be punished.

³² A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and Jesus let them go. ³³ Then the demons left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When the men taking care of the pigs saw this, they ran to spread the news in the town and on the farms. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they also found the man. The demons had gone out of him, and he was sitting there at the feet of Jesus. He had clothes on and was in his right mind. But the people were terrified.

³⁶ Then all who had seen the man healed told about it. ³⁷ Everyone from around Gerasa^[at] begged Jesus to leave, because they were so frightened.

When Jesus got into the boat to start back, ³⁸ the man who had been healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him off and said, ³⁹ “Go back home and tell everyone how much God has done for you.” The man then went all over town, telling everything that Jesus had done for him.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Matthew 9.18-26; Mark 5.21-43)

⁴⁰ Everyone had been waiting for Jesus, and when he came back, a crowd was there to welcome him. ⁴¹ Just then the man in charge of the synagogue came and knelt down in front of Jesus. His name was Jairus, and he begged Jesus to come to his home ⁴² because his twelve-year-old child was dying. She was his only daughter.

While Jesus was on his way, people were crowding all around him. ⁴³ In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors,^[au] but none of them could make her well.

⁴⁴ As soon as she came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

While everyone was denying it, Peter said, “Master, people are crowding all around and pushing you from every side.”^[av]

⁴⁶ But Jesus answered, “Someone touched me, because I felt power going out from me.” ⁴⁷ The woman knew that she could not hide, so she came trembling and knelt down in front of Jesus. She told everyone why she had touched him and that she had been healed at once.

⁴⁸ Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace!”

⁴⁹ While Jesus was speaking, someone came from Jairus' home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”

⁵⁰ When Jesus heard this, he told Jairus, “Don't worry! Have faith, and your daughter will get well.”

⁵¹ Jesus went into the house, but he did not let anyone else go with him, except Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother. ⁵² Everyone was crying and weeping for the girl. But Jesus said, “The child isn't dead. She is just asleep.” ⁵³ The people laughed at him because they knew she was dead.

⁵⁴ Jesus took hold of the girl's hand and said, “Child, get up!” ⁵⁵ She came back to life and got right up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were surprised, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.5-15; Mark 6.7-13)

9 Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them complete power over all demons and diseases. ² Then he sent them to tell about God's kingdom and to heal the sick. ^3 (AZ) He told them, “Don't take anything with you! Don't take a walking stick or a traveling bag or food or money or even a change of clothes. ⁴ When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. ^5 (BA) If people won't welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet^[aw] as a warning to them.”

⁶ The apostles left and went from village to village, telling the good news and healing people everywhere.

Herod Is Worried

(Matthew 14.1-12; Mark 6.14-29)

^7 (BB) Herod^[ax] the ruler heard about all that was happening, and he was worried. Some people were saying John the Baptist had come back to life. ⁸ Others were saying Elijah had come^[ay] or one of the prophets from long ago had come back to life. ⁹ But Herod said, “I had John's head cut off! Who is this I hear so much about?” Herod was eager to meet Jesus.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

(Matthew 14.13-21; Mark 6.30-44; John 6.1-14)

¹⁰ The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. He then took them with him to the village of Bethsaida, where they could be alone. ¹¹ But a lot of people found out about this and followed him. Jesus welcomed them. He spoke about God's kingdom and healed everyone who was sick.

¹² Late in the afternoon the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd to the villages and farms around here. They need to find a place to stay and something to eat. There is nothing in this place. It's like a desert!”

¹³ Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”

But they replied, “We have only five small loaves of bread^[az] and two fish. If we are going to feed all these people, we will have to go and buy food.” ¹⁴ There were about 5,000 men in the crowd.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Tell the people to sit in groups of 50.” ¹⁵ They did this, and all the people sat down. ¹⁶ Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and fish and handed them to his disciples to give to the people.

¹⁷ Everyone ate all they wanted. What was left over filled twelve baskets.

Who Is Jesus?

(Matthew 16.13-19; Mark 8.27-29)

¹⁸ When Jesus was alone praying, his disciples came to him, and he asked them, “What do people say about me?”

^19 (BC) They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist or Elijah^[ba] or a prophet from long ago who has come back to life.”

^20 (BD) Jesus then asked, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah sent from God.”

²¹ Jesus strictly warned his disciples not to tell anyone about this.

Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death

(Matthew 16.20-28; Mark 8.30—9.1)

²² Jesus told his disciples, “The nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. They will reject him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.”

^23 (BE) Then Jesus said to all the people:

If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross every day and follow me. ^24 (BF) If you want to save your life,^[bb] you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will save it. ²⁵ What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself or waste your life? ²⁶ If you are ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of his Father and the holy angels. ²⁷ You can be sure some of the people standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom.

The True Glory of Jesus

(Matthew 17.1-8; Mark 9.2-8)

^28 (BG) About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. ²⁹ While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. ³⁰ Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. ³¹ They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death^[bc] in Jerusalem would mean.

³² Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.

³³ Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.

³⁴ While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. ^35 (BH) From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”

³⁶ After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy

(Matthew 17.14-18; Mark 9.14-27)

³⁷ The next day Jesus and his three disciples came down from the mountain and were met by a large crowd. ³⁸ Just then someone in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please do something for my son! He is my only child! ³⁹ A demon often attacks him and makes him scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won't leave him until it has completely worn the boy out. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn't do it.”

⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “You people are stubborn and don't have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you?”

Then Jesus said to the man, “Bring your son to me.” ⁴² While the boy was being brought, the demon attacked him and made him shake all over. Jesus ordered the demon to stop. Then he healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ Everyone was amazed at God's great power.

Jesus Again Speaks about His Death

(Matthew 17.22,23; Mark 9.30-32)

While everyone was still amazed at what Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Pay close attention to what I am telling you! The Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies.” ⁴⁵ But the disciples did not know what he meant. The meaning was hidden from them. They could not understand it, and they were afraid to ask.

Who Is the Greatest?

(Matthew 18.1-5; Mark 9.33-37)

^46 (BI) Jesus' disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he had a child stand there beside him. ^48 (BJ) Then he said to his disciples, “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me. Whichever one of you is the most humble is the greatest.”

For or against Jesus

(Mark 9.38-40)

⁴⁹ John said, “Master, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But we told him to stop, because he isn't one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Don't stop him!” Jesus said. “Anyone who isn't against you is for you.”

A Samaritan Village Refuses To Receive Jesus

⁵¹ Not long before it was time for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² He sent some messengers on ahead to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. ⁵³ But he was on his way to Jerusalem, so the people there refused to welcome him. ^54 (BK) When the disciples James and John saw what was happening, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy these people?”^[bd]

⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and corrected them for what they had said.^{[be] 56} Then they all went on to another village.

Three People Who Wanted To Be Followers

(Matthew 8.19-22)

⁵⁷ Along the way someone said to Jesus, “I'll follow you anywhere!”

⁵⁸ Jesus said, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own.”

⁵⁹ Jesus told someone else to come with him. But the man said, “Lord, let me wait until I bury my father.”^[bf]

⁶⁰ Jesus answered, “Let the dead take care of the dead, while you go and tell about God's kingdom.”

^61 (BL) Then someone said to Jesus, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and take care of things at home.”

⁶² Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn't worth a thing to God's kingdom!”

The Work of the Seventy-Two Followers

10 Later the Lord chose 72^[bg] other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go. ^2 (BM) He said to them:

A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in. ^3 (BN) Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. ^4 (BO) Don't take along a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals. And don't waste time greeting people on the road.^{[bh] 5} As soon as you enter a home, say, “God bless this home with peace.” ⁶ If the people living there are peace-loving, your prayer for peace will bless them. But if they are not peace-loving, your prayer will return to you. ^7 (BP) Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they give you, because workers are worth what they earn. Don't move around from house to house.

⁸ If the people of a town welcome you, eat whatever they offer. ⁹ Heal their sick and say, “God's kingdom will soon be here!”^[bi]

^10 (BQ) But if the people of a town refuse to welcome you, go out into the street and say, ¹¹ “We are shaking the dust from our feet^[bj] as a warning to you. And you can be sure that God's kingdom will soon be here!”^{[bk] 12 (BR)} I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than the people of that town!

The Unbelieving Towns

(Matthew 11.20-24)

^13 (BS) You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are also in for trouble! If the miracles that took place in your towns had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.^{[bl] 14} On the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will. ^15 (BT) People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? Well, you will go down to hell!

^16 (BU) My followers, whoever listens to you is listening to me. Anyone who says “No” to you is saying “No” to me. And anyone who says “No” to me is really saying “No” to the one who sent me.

The Return of the Seventy-Two

¹⁷ When the 72^[bm] followers returned, they were excited and said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed when we spoke in your name!”

¹⁸ Jesus told them:

I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. ^19 (BV) I have given you the power to trample on snakes and scorpions and to defeat the power of your enemy Satan. Nothing can harm you. ²⁰ But don't be happy because evil spirits obey you. Be happy that your names are written in heaven!

Jesus Thanks His Father

(Matthew 11.25-27; 13.16,17)

²¹ At that same time, Jesus felt the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit,^[bn] and he said:

My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.

^22 (BW) My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who really knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so they can know him too.

²³ Jesus then turned to his disciples and said to them in private, “You are really blessed to see what you see! ²⁴ Many prophets and kings were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.”

The Good Samaritan

^25 (BX) An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to have eternal life?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”

^27 (BY) The man replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’ ”

^28 (BZ) Jesus said, “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.”

²⁹ But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbors?”

³⁰ Jesus replied:

As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.

³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. ³² Later a temple helper^[bo] came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.

^33 (CA) A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him ³⁴ and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine^[bp] and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. ³⁵ The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.”

³⁶ Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the Law of Moses answered, “The one who showed pity.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same!”

Martha and Mary

^38 (CB) The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. ³⁹ She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”

⁴¹ The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, ⁴² but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”