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Jesus Is Lord over the Sabbath(A)

One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through some fields of grain. His ·followers [disciples] picked the heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them [Deut. 23:25]. Some Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is ·not lawful [forbidden] on the Sabbath day?” [C Gleaning was viewed as work, and therefore forbidden on the Sabbath; Ex. 34:21.]

Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and ·those with him [his companions] were hungry [1 Sam. 21:1–6]? He went into God’s house and took and ate the ·holy bread [consecrated bread; L bread of presentation], which is ·lawful [allowed] only for priests to eat [Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–9]. And he gave some to ·the people who were with him [his companions].” Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, “The Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] is ·Lord [Master] of the Sabbath day.”

Jesus Heals a Man’s Hand(B)

On another Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man with a ·crippled [paralyzed; shriveled; T withered] right hand was there. The ·teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees were watching closely to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath day so they could ·accuse [make a charge against] him. But he knew what they were thinking, and he said to the man with the ·crippled [paralyzed; shriveled; T withered] hand, “Stand up here in ·the middle [front] of everyone.” The man got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath day: to do good or to do ·evil [harm], to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 Jesus looked around at all of them and said to the man, “·Hold [Stretch] out your hand.” The man ·held [stretched] out his hand, and it was ·healed [restored].

11 But the Pharisees and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] were very angry and discussed with each other what they could do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses His Apostles(C)

12 At that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the night praying to God. 13 ·The next morning [L When the day dawned], Jesus called his ·followers [disciples] to him and chose twelve of them, whom he ·named [designated] apostles: 14 Simon (Jesus named him Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon (called the Zealot), 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later ·turned Jesus over to his enemies [L became a traitor].

Jesus Teaches and Heals(D)

17 Jesus and the apostles ·came down from the mountain [L came down; C perhaps to a level place on the side of the mountain], and he stood on level ground. A ·large group [great crowd] of his ·followers [disciples] was there, as well as many people from all around Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast cities of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They all came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their ·sicknesses [diseases], and he healed those who were troubled by ·evil [defiling; L unclean; 4:33] spirits. 19 All the people were trying to touch Jesus, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

20 Jesus looked at his ·followers [disciples] and said,

“·You people who are poor are blessed [or Blessed are you…; C and so through v. 22],
    because the kingdom of God ·belongs to you [is yours].
21 You people who are now hungry are blessed,
    because you will be ·satisfied [filled].
You people who are now ·crying [weeping] are blessed,
    because you will ·laugh with joy [L laugh].

22 “·You are blessed [T Blessed are you; or God will bless you] when people hate you, ·shut you out [exclude/ostracize you], ·insult [mock] you, and ·say you are [L scorn/curse/defame your name as] evil because ·you follow [L of] the Son of Man. 23 ·Be full of joy [L Rejoice and leap] at that time, because you have a great reward in heaven. [L For] Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets [2 Chr. 36:16].

24 “But ·how terrible it will be for [L woe to] you who are rich,
    because you have ·had your easy life [L already received your comfort/consolation].
25 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you who are ·full [well-fed] now,
    because you will be hungry.
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you who are laughing now,
    because you will ·be sad and cry [mourn and weep].

26 “·How terrible [L Woe to you] when everyone ·says only good things [speaks well] about you, because their ancestors ·said the same things about [L did the same things to] the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies(E)

27 “But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who ·are cruel to [hurt; mistreat] you. 29 If anyone ·slaps [strikes; hits] you on one cheek [C probably an insult or act of rejection, although it could be a stronger punch], ·offer him [T turn] the other cheek, too. If someone takes your coat, do not ·stop him from taking [withhold] your ·shirt [tunic]. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and when someone takes something that is yours, don’t ·ask for [demand] it back. 31 ·Do to others what [Treat others as] you would want them to ·do to [treat] you. 32 If you love only the people who love you, what ·praise [credit] should you get? Even sinners love the people who love them. 33 If you do good only to those who do good to you, what ·praise [credit] should you get? Even sinners do that! 34 If you lend things to people, ·always hoping to get something back [or …from whom you expect to be repaid], what ·praise [credit] should you get? Even sinners lend to other sinners ·so that they can get back the same amount [expecting to be repaid in full]! 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without ·hoping [expecting] to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and ·full of sin [wicked; evil]. 36 ·Show mercy [Be compassionate], just as your Father ·shows mercy [is compassionate].

Look at Yourselves(F)

37 “Don’t judge others, and you will not be judged. Don’t ·accuse others of being guilty [condemn others], and you will not be ·accused of being guilty [condemned]. ·Forgive [Pardon; Release], and you will be ·forgiven [pardoned; released]. 38 Give, and ·you will receive [L it will be given to you]. ·You will be given much [L …a good measure…]. ·Pressed down [Compacted], shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap [C the image is of grain overflowing its container]. The ·way you give to [standard/measure you use with] others is the ·way God will give to [standard/measure God will use with] you.”

39 Jesus told them this ·story [parable]: “Can a blind person ·lead [guide] another blind person? No! Both of them will fall into a ·ditch [pit; hole]. 40 A ·student [disciple] is not ·better than [above] the teacher, but ·the student [L everyone] who has been fully trained will be like the teacher.

41 “Why do you notice the ·little piece of dust [speck; tiny splinter] in your ·friend’s [L brother’s (or sister’s)] eye, but you don’t ·notice [consider] the ·big piece of wood [log; plank; beam] in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your ·friend [L brother], ‘·Friend [L Brother], let me take that ·little piece of dust [speck; tiny splinter] out of your eye’ when you cannot see that ·big piece of wood [log; plank; beam] in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the ·wood [log; plank; beam] out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the ·dust [speck; tiny splinter] out of your friend’s [L brother’s] eye.

Two Kinds of Fruit(G)

43 [L For] A good tree does not produce ·bad [rotten] fruit, nor does a ·bad [rotten] tree produce good fruit. 44 [L For] Each tree is ·known [identified] by its own fruit. [L For] People don’t ·gather [pick] figs from thornbushes, and they don’t get grapes from ·bushes [brambles; briers]. 45 Good people bring good things out of the good ·they stored [treasured] in their hearts. But evil people bring evil things out of the evil ·they stored [treasured] in their hearts. ·People speak the things that are in their hearts [L For the mouth speaks what overflows from the heart].

Two Kinds of People(H)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me and ·hears [listens to] my words and ·obeys [acts on them]. 48 That person is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the floods came, the ·water [L river] ·tried to wash the house away [L swept/burst against that house], but it could not shake it, because the house was built well. 49 But the one who ·hears [listens to] my words and does not ·obey [act on them] is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. When the ·floods [L river] ·came [swept/burst against it], the house quickly ·fell [collapsed] and was completely destroyed.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.(B) Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(C)

Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(D) He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.(E) And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man(F) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath(G) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(H) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.(I) But Jesus knew what they were thinking(J) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious(K) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles(L)

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.(M) 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:(N) 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew,(O) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes(P)

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,(Q) 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him,(R) because power was coming from him and healing them all.(S)

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(T)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(U)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(V)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(W) and insult you(X)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(Y)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(Z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(AA)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(AB)
    for you have already received your comfort.(AC)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(AD)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(AE)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(AF)

Love for Enemies(AG)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(AH) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(AI) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(AJ) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(AK)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(AL) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(AM) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(AN) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(AO) of the Most High,(AP) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(AQ) just as your Father(AR) is merciful.

Judging Others(AS)

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AT) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AU) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.(AV) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(AW)

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?(AX) 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.(AY)

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit(AZ)

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.(BA) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.(BB)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(BC)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(BD) and do not do what I say?(BE) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,(BF) I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”