1 Now it happened that, on the second first Sabbath, as he passed through the grain field, his disciples were separating the ears of grain and eating them, by rubbing them in their hands.
2 Then certain Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbaths?”
3 And responding to them, Jesus said: “Have you not read this, what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him?
4 How he entered into the house of God, and took the bread of the Presence, and ate it, and gave it to those who were with him, though it is not lawful for anyone to eat it, except the priests alone?”
5 And he said to them, “For the Son of man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”
6 And it happened that, on another Sabbath, he entered into the synagogue, and he taught. And there was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and Pharisees observed whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might thereby find an accusation against him.
8 Yet truly, he knew their thoughts, and so he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up and stand in the middle.” And rising up, he stood still.
9 Then Jesus said to them: “I ask you if it is lawful on the Sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? To give health to a life, or to destroy it?”
10 And looking around at everyone, he said to the man, “Extend your hand.” And he extended it. And his hand was restored.
11 Then they were filled with madness, and they discussed with one another, what, in particular, they might do about Jesus.
12 And it happened that, in those days, he went out to a mountain to pray. And he was in the prayer of God throughout the night.
13 And when daylight had arrived, he called his disciples. And he chose twelve out of them (whom he also named Apostles):
14 Simon, whom he surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James of Alphaeus, and Simon who is called the Zealot,
16 and Jude of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was a traitor.
17 And descending with them, he stood in a level place with a multitude of his disciples, and a copious multitude of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast, and Tyre and Sidon,
18 who had come so that they might listen to him and be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled by unclean spirits were cured.
19 And the entire crowd was trying to touch him, because power went out from him and healed all.
20 And lifting up his eyes to his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who are weeping now, for you shall laugh.
22 Blessed shall you be when men will have hated you, and when they will have separated you and reproached you, and thrown out your name as if evil, because of the Son of man.
23 Be glad in that day and exult. For behold, your reward is great in heaven. For these same things their fathers did to the prophets.
24 Yet truly, woe to you who are wealthy, for you have your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are satisfied, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when men will have blessed you. For these same things their fathers did to the false prophets.
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, and pray for those who slander you.
29 And to him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your tunic.
30 But distribute to all who ask of you. And do not ask again of him who takes away what is yours.
31 And exactly as you would want people to treat you, treat them also the same.
32 And if you love those who love you, what credit is due to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 And if you will do good to those who do good to you, what credit is due to you? Indeed, even sinners behave this way.
34 And if you will loan to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is due to you? For even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive the same in return.
35 So truly, love your enemies. Do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and to the wicked.
36 Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful.
37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.”
39 Now he told them another comparison: “How can the blind lead the blind? Would they not both fall into a pit?
40 The disciple is not above his teacher. But each one will be perfected, if he is like his teacher.
41 And why do you see the straw that is in your brother’s eye, while the log that is in your own eye, you do not consider?
42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then will you see clearly, so that you may lead out the straw from your brother’s eye.
43 For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor does an evil tree produce good fruit.
44 For each and every tree is known by its fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather the grape from the bramble bush.
45 A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
46 But why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?
47 Anyone who comes to me, and listens to my words, and does them: I will reveal to you what he is like.
48 He is like a man building a house, who has dug deep and has laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when the floodwaters came, the river was rushing against that house, and it was not able to move it. For it was founded upon the rock.
49 But whoever hears and does not do: he is like a man building his house upon the soil, without a foundation. The river rushed against it, and it soon fell down, and the ruin of that house was great.” |