Plucking Grain on the Sabbath^(A)

6 On the second Sabbath after the first, He went through the grain fields, and His disciples plucked and ate the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ² Some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? ⁴ He went into the house of God, and took and ate the ritual bread, and also gave it to those who were with him. This was not lawful, but for the priests only to eat.” ⁵ Then He said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

The Man With a Withered Hand^(B)

⁶ On another Sabbath, when He entered the synagogue and taught, there was a man whose right hand had withered. ⁷ The scribes and the Pharisees watched Him to see whether He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against Him. ⁸ But He knew their thoughts, and He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise and stand in front.” So he rose and stood in front.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ Then looking around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. ¹¹ But they were filled with madness and discussed with each other what they might do to Jesus.

The Choosing of the Twelve Apostles^(C)

¹² In these days He went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ When it was day, He called for His disciples, and of them He chose twelve, whom He named apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom He named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot, ¹⁶ and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Ministering to a Great Crowd^(D)

¹⁷ He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great crowd of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸ including those who were vexed by unclean spirits. And they were healed. ¹⁹ The whole crowd tried to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Blessings and Woes^(E)

²⁰ He lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said:

²³ “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for indeed, your reward is great in heaven. For in like manner their fathers treated the prophets.

Love for Enemies^(F)

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer also the other. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And of him who takes away your goods, do not ask for them back. ³¹ Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

³² “For if you love those who love you, what thanks do you receive? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you receive? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you receive? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much in return. ³⁵ But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and the evil. ³⁶ Be therefore merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others^(G)

³⁷ “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will men give unto you. For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you.”

³⁹ He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? ⁴⁰ The disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is trained will be like his teacher.

⁴¹ “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not see the beam that is in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(H)

⁴³ “A good tree does not bear corrupt fruit, nor does a corrupt tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is known by its own fruit. Men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a wild bush. ⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bears what is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bears what is evil. For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Two Housebuilders^(I)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say? ⁴⁷ Whoever comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man who built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, but could not shake it, for it was founded on rock. ⁴⁹ But he who hears and does not obey is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently. Immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”