Teaching About Divorce

19 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from (A)Galilee and (B)entered (C)the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And (D)large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

And Pharisees came up to him and (E)tested him by asking, (F)“Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, (G)“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, (H)‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and (I)the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. (J)What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, (K)“Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your (L)hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. (M)And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”[a]

10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, (N)“Not everyone can receive this saying, but only (O)those to (P)whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs (Q)for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

Let the Children Come to Me

13 (R)Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples (S)rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, (T)“Let the little children (U)come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

The Rich Young Man

16 (V)And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to (W)have (X)eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. (Y)If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, (Z)“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, (AA)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, (AB)“All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be (AC)perfect, go, (AD)sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (AE)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 (AF)When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, (AG)only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 (AH)Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter (AI)the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus (AJ)looked at them and said, (AK)“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, (AL)we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,[b] (AM)when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me (AN)will also sit on twelve thrones, (AO)judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 (AP)And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold[c] and will (AQ)inherit eternal life. 30 But (AR)many who are (AS)first will be last, and the last first.

Laborers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius[d] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And (AT)about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And (AU)when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his (AV)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and (AW)the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, (AX)‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take (AY)what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 (AZ)Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or (BA)do you begrudge my generosity?’[e] 16 So (BB)the last will be first, and the first last.”

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

17 (BC)And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, (BD)we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will (BE)condemn him to death 19 and (BF)deliver him over to the Gentiles (BG)to be mocked and flogged and (BH)crucified, and he will be raised on (BI)the third day.”

A Mother's Request

20 (BJ)Then (BK)the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and (BL)kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine (BM)are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (BN)in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, (BO)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (BP)to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, (BQ)“You will drink (BR)my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, (BS)but it is for those for whom it has been (BT)prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, (BU)“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (BV)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 (BW)It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[f] 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,[g] 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but (BX)to serve, and (BY)to give his life as a ransom for (BZ)many.”

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29 (CA)And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,[h] have mercy on us, (CB)Son of David!” 31 The crowd (CC)rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

The Triumphal Entry

21 (CD)Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to (CE)the Mount of Olives, then Jesus (CF)sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place (CG)to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

(CH)“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    (CI)humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt,[i] the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd (CJ)spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, (CK)“Hosanna to (CL)the Son of David! (CM)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna (CN)in the highest!” 10 And (CO)when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is (CP)the prophet Jesus, (CQ)from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

12 (CR)And Jesus entered the temple[j] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of (CS)the money-changers and the seats of those who sold (CT)pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, (CU)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but (CV)you make it a den of robbers.”

14 (CW)And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 (CX)But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, (CY)“Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; (CZ)have you never read,

(DA)“‘Out of the mouth of (DB)infants and nursing babies
    you have prepared praise’?”

17 And (DC)leaving them, he (DD)went out of the city to (DE)Bethany and lodged there.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

18 (DF)In the morning, as he was returning to the city, (DG)he became hungry. 19 (DH)And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, (DI)“Truly, I say to you, (DJ)if you have faith and (DK)do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, (DL)‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And (DM)whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, (DN)if you have faith.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 (DO)And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him (DP)as he was teaching, and said, (DQ)“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, (DR)from where did it come? (DS)From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, (DT)‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ (DU)we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was (DV)a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 (DW)“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in (DX)the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he (DY)changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (DZ)the tax collectors and (EA)the prostitutes go into (EB)the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you (EC)in the way of righteousness, and (ED)you did not believe him, but (EE)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward (EF)change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

33 (EG)“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted (EH)a vineyard (EI)and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and (EJ)leased it to tenants, and (EK)went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[k] to the tenants (EL)to get his fruit. 35 (EM)And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and (EN)stoned another. 36 (EO)Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, (EP)‘This is the heir. Come, (EQ)let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and (ER)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 (ES)When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, (ET)“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and (EU)let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, (EV)“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

(EW)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;[l]
this was the Lord's doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God (EX)will be taken away from you and given to a people (EY)producing its fruits. 44 And (EZ)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and (FA)when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[m]

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And (FB)although they were seeking to arrest him, (FC)they feared the crowds, because they held him to be (FD)a prophet.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And again Jesus (FE)spoke to them in parables, saying, (FF)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave (FG)a wedding feast for his son, and (FH)sent his servants[n] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. (FI)Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my (FJ)dinner, (FK)my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But (FL)they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, (FM)treated them shamefully, and (FN)killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and (FO)destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not (FP)worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and (FQ)gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there (FR)a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, (FS)‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and (FT)cast him into the outer darkness. In that place (FU)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are (FV)called, but few are (FW)chosen.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

15 (FX)Then the Pharisees went and plotted how (FY)to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent (FZ)their disciples to him, along with (GA)the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, (GB)we know that you are true and teach (GC)the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for (GD)you are not swayed by appearances.[o] 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay (GE)taxes to (GF)Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why (GG)put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.[p] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, (GH)“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they (GI)left him and went away.

Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

23 The same day (GJ)Sadducees came to him, (GK)who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, (GL)‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, (GM)because you know neither the Scriptures nor (GN)the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither (GO)marry nor (GP)are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, (GQ)have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 (GR)‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, (GS)they were astonished at his teaching.

The Great Commandment

34 (GT)But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced (GU)the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 (GV)And one of them, (GW)a lawyer, asked him a question (GX)to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, (GY)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And (GZ)a second is like it: (HA)You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 (HB)On these two commandments depend (HC)all the Law and the Prophets.”

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 (HD)Now while the Pharisees (HE)were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about (HF)the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, (HG)“The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, (HH)in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

44 (HI)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
    until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

45 If then David calls him Lord, (HJ)how is he his son?” 46 (HK)And no one was able to answer him a word, (HL)nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees

23 Then Jesus (HM)said to the crowds and to his disciples, (HN)“The scribes and the Pharisees (HO)sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, (HP)but not the works they do. (HQ)For they preach, but do not practice. (HR)They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[q] and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. (HS)They do all their deeds (HT)to be seen by others. For they make (HU)their phylacteries broad and (HV)their fringes long, and they (HW)love the place of honor at feasts and (HX)the best seats in the synagogues and (HY)greetings in (HZ)the marketplaces and being called (IA)rabbi[r] by others. (IB)But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are (IC)all brothers.[s] (ID)And call no man your father on earth, for (IE)you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, (IF)the Christ. 11 (IG)The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 (IH)Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 “But woe (II)to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you (IJ)shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you (IK)neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[t] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single (IL)proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a (IM)child of (IN)hell[u] as yourselves.

16 “Woe to (IO)you, (IP)blind guides, who say, (IQ)‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or (IR)the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by (IS)the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or (IT)the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by (IU)him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by (IV)heaven swears by (IW)the throne of God and by (IX)him who sits upon it.

23 (IY)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (IZ)you tithe mint and dill and (JA)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: (JB)justice and mercy and faithfulness. (JC)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing (JD)a camel!

25 (JE)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (JF)you clean the outside of (JG)the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of (JH)greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of (JI)the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

27 (JJ)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like (JK)whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and (JL)all uncleanness. 28 So you also (JM)outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of (JN)hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 (JO)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are (JP)sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 (JQ)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, (JR)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to (JS)hell? 34 (JT)Therefore (JU)I send you (JV)prophets and wise men and (JW)scribes, (JX)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and (JY)some you will (JZ)flog in your synagogues and (KA)persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all (KB)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (KC)Abel to the blood of (KD)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[v] whom you murdered between (KE)the sanctuary and (KF)the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, (KG)all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

37 (KH)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that (KI)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have (KJ)gathered (KK)your children together (KL)as a hen gathers her brood (KM)under her wings, and (KN)you were not willing! 38 See, (KO)your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, (KP)‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

24 (KQ)Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, (KR)there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

As he sat on (KS)the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him (KT)privately, saying, “Tell us, (KU)when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your (KV)coming and of (KW)the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, (KX)“See that no one leads you astray. For (KY)many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am (KZ)the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you (LA)are not alarmed, for this (LB)must take place, but the end is not yet. For (LC)nation will rise against nation, and (LD)kingdom against kingdom, and there will be (LE)famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of (LF)the birth pains.

“Then (LG)they will deliver you up (LH)to tribulation and (LI)put you to death, and (LJ)you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away[w] and (LK)betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many (LL)false prophets will arise (LM)and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, (LN)the love of many will grow cold. 13 (LO)But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom (LP)will be proclaimed throughout the whole world (LQ)as a testimony (LR)to all nations, and (LS)then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation (LT)spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in (LU)the holy place ((LV)let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 (LW)Let the one who is on (LX)the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And (LY)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be (LZ)great tribulation, (MA)such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for (MB)the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 (MC)Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For (MD)false christs and (ME)false prophets will arise and (MF)perform great signs and wonders, (MG)so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, (MH)I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, (MI)he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 (MJ)For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be (MK)the coming of the Son of Man. 28 (ML)Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

29 “Immediately after (MM)the tribulation of those days (MN)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and (MO)the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then (MP)will appear in heaven (MQ)the sign of the Son of Man, and then (MR)all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and (MS)they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (MT)with power and great glory. 31 And (MU)he will send out his angels with a loud (MV)trumpet call, and they will (MW)gather (MX)his elect from (MY)the four winds, (MZ)from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, (NA)at the very gates. 34 (NB)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 (NC)Heaven and earth will pass away, but (ND)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

36 “But concerning that day and hour (NE)no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, (NF)nor the Son,[x] (NG)but the Father only. 37 (NH)For as were the days of Noah, (NI)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 (NJ)For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, (NK)marrying and giving in marriage, until (NL)the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, (NM)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 (NN)Two women will be grinding (NO)at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, (NP)stay awake, for you do not know on what day (NQ)your Lord is coming. 43 (NR)But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night (NS)the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be (NT)ready, for (NU)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is (NV)the faithful and (NW)wise servant,[y] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 (NX)Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, (NY)he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master (NZ)is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[z] and eats and drinks with (OA)drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come (OB)on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place (OC)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like (OD)ten virgins who took their lamps[aa] and went to meet (OE)the bridegroom.[ab] Five of them were foolish, and five were (OF)wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom (OG)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:9 Some manuscripts add and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; other manuscripts except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery
  2. Matthew 19:28 Greek in the regeneration
  3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts manifold
  4. Matthew 20:2 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  5. Matthew 20:15 Or is your eye bad because I am good?
  6. Matthew 20:26 Greek diakonos
  7. Matthew 20:27 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
  8. Matthew 20:30 Some manuscripts omit Lord
  9. Matthew 21:5 Or donkey, and on a colt
  10. Matthew 21:12 Some manuscripts add of God
  11. Matthew 21:34 Or bondservants; also verses 35, 36
  12. Matthew 21:42 Greek the head of the corner
  13. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts omit verse 44
  14. Matthew 22:3 Or bondservants; also verses 4, 6, 8, 10
  15. Matthew 22:16 Greek for you do not look at people's faces
  16. Matthew 22:19 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  17. Matthew 23:4 Some manuscripts omit hard to bear
  18. Matthew 23:7 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master; also verse 8
  19. Matthew 23:8 Or brothers and sisters
  20. Matthew 23:13 Some manuscripts add here (or after verse 12) verse 14: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation
  21. Matthew 23:15 Greek Gehenna; also verse 33
  22. Matthew 23:35 Some manuscripts omit the son of Barachiah
  23. Matthew 24:10 Or stumble
  24. Matthew 24:36 Some manuscripts omit nor the Son
  25. Matthew 24:45 Or bondservant; also verses 46, 48, 50
  26. Matthew 24:49 Or bondservants
  27. Matthew 25:1 Or torches
  28. Matthew 25:1 Some manuscripts add and the bride

Divorce(A)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(B) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them(C) there.

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife(D) for any and every reason?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](E) and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]?(F) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(G)

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”(H)

10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.(I) 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

The Little Children and Jesus(J)

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them(K) and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs(L) to such as these.”(M) 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(N)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(O)?”(P)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(Q)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(R) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[c](S) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](T)

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(U) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(V) and you will have treasure in heaven.(W) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(X) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Y)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(Z) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(AA) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(AB) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(AC) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(AD)

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like(AE) a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.(AF) He agreed to pay them a denarius[f] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came,(AG) the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble(AH) against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat(AI) of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.(AJ) Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’(AK)

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”(AL)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(AM)

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem,(AN) and the Son of Man(AO) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(AP) They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(AQ) and crucified.(AR) On the third day(AS) he will be raised to life!”(AT)

A Mother’s Request(AU)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(AV) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(AW) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(AX)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(AY) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(AZ) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(BA) with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(BB) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(BC) did not come to be served, but to serve,(BD) and to give his life as a ransom(BE) for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Sight(BF)

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David,(BG) have mercy on us!”

31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(BH)(BI)

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,(BJ) Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill(BK) what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[g](BL)

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks(BM) on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna[h] to the Son of David!”(BN)

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[i](BO)

“Hosanna[j] in the highest heaven!”(BP)

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet(BQ) from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus at the Temple(BR)

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(BS) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers(BT) and the benches of those selling doves.(BU) 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[k](BV) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[l](BW)

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.(BX) 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”(BY) they were indignant.(BZ)

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’[m]?”(CA)

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany,(CB) where he spent the night.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(CC)

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.(CD)

20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,(CE) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(CF) in prayer.”

The Authority of Jesus Questioned(CG)

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority(CH) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”(CI)

27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’(CJ)

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors(CK) and the prostitutes(CL) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(CM) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(CN) and the prostitutes(CO) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(CP) and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants(CQ)

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted(CR) a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.(CS) Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.(CT) 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants(CU) to the tenants to collect his fruit.

35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.(CV) 36 Then he sent other servants(CW) to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir.(CX) Come, let’s kill him(CY) and take his inheritance.’(CZ) 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,”(DA) they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,(DB) who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[n]?(DC)

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you(DD) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[o](DE)

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.(DF)

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(DG)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(DH) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(DI) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(DJ) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(DK) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(DL) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(DM) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(DN)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(DO)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(DP)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(DQ)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(DR) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[p](DS) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(DT) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(DU)

Marriage at the Resurrection(DV)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(DW) who say there is no resurrection,(DX) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(DY) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(DZ) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(EA) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[q]?(EB) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(EC)

The Greatest Commandment(ED)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(EE) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(EF) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[r](EG) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[s](EH) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(EI)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(EJ)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(EK) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[t](EL)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(EM)

A Warning Against Hypocrisy(EN)(EO)

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law(EP) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(EQ)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(ER) They make their phylacteries[u](ES) wide and the tassels on their garments(ET) long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(EU) they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(EV)

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(EW) and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(EX) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(EY)

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!(EZ) You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.(FA) [14] [v]

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,(FB) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell(FC) as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(FD) You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’(FE) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(FF) 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(FG) 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells(FH) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(FI)

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(FJ) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(FK) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(FL) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,(FM) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(FN) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(FO) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets(FP) and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.(FQ) 32 Go ahead, then, and complete(FR) what your ancestors started!(FS)

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(FT) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(FU) 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;(FV) others you will flog in your synagogues(FW) and pursue from town to town.(FX) 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel(FY) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,(FZ) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.(GA) 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.(GB)

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,(GC) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,(GD) and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.(GE) 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[w](GF)

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times(GG)

24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another;(GH) every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,(GI) the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming(GJ) and of the end of the age?”(GK)

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.(GL) For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.(GM) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.(GN) There will be famines(GO) and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted(GP) and put to death,(GQ) and you will be hated by all nations because of me.(GR) 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets(GS) will appear and deceive many people.(GT) 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(GU) 14 And this gospel of the kingdom(GV) will be preached in the whole world(GW) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place(GX) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’[x](GY) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop(GZ) go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!(HA) 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.(HB)

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect(HC) those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.(HD) 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders(HE) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning(HF) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming(HG) of the Son of Man.(HH) 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.(HI)

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[y](HJ)

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[z] will mourn(HK) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,(HL) with power and great glory.[aa] 31 And he will send his angels(HM) with a loud trumpet call,(HN) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[ab] is near, right at the door.(HO) 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.(HP) 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.(HQ)

The Day and Hour Unknown(HR)(HS)

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[ac] but only the Father.(HT) 37 As it was in the days of Noah,(HU) so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,(HV) up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.(HW) 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.(HX) 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.(HY)

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.(HZ) 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming,(IA) he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready,(IB) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,(IC) whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.(ID) 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.(IE) 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.(IF) 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(IG)

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like(IH) ten virgins who took their lamps(II) and went out to meet the bridegroom.(IJ) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.(IK) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
  2. Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24
  3. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  4. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.
  6. Matthew 20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.
  7. Matthew 21:5 Zech. 9:9
  8. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
  9. Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:25,26
  10. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
  11. Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
  12. Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
  13. Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)
  14. Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
  15. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.
  16. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  17. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  18. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  19. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  20. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1
  21. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
  22. Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
  23. Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26
  24. Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
  25. Matthew 24:29 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
  26. Matthew 24:30 Or the tribes of the land
  27. Matthew 24:30 See Daniel 7:13-14.
  28. Matthew 24:33 Or he
  29. Matthew 24:36 Some manuscripts do not have nor the Son.