Saturday, August 27, 2016
Matthew 10
III. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee (4:12 -- 14:12)
- The Beginning of the Galilean Campaign (4:12-25)
- The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7)
- A Collection of Miracles (chs. 8-9)
- The Commissioning of the 12 Apostles (ch. 10)
Matthew 10
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples
together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every
kind of disease and illness.
2 Here are the names of the twelve
apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother),
3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew
(the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus,
4 Simon (the zealot ), Judas Iscariot (who
later betrayed him).
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with
these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,
6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s
lost sheep.
7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom
of Heaven is near.
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure
those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
9 “Don’t take any money in your money
belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins.
10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a
change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept
hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village,
search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town.
12 When you enter the home, give it your
blessing.
13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let
your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.
14 If any household or town refuses to
welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you
leave.
15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep
among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
17 But beware! For you will be handed over
to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
18 You will stand trial before governors
and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to
tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.
19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about
how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right
time.
20 For it is not you who will be
speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “A brother will betray his brother to
death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against
their parents and cause them to be killed.
22 And all nations will hate you because
you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
23 When you are persecuted in one town,
flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you
have reached all the towns of Israel.
24 “Students are not greater than their
teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.
25 Students are to be like their teacher,
and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the
household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household
will be called by even worse names!
26 “But don’t be afraid of those who
threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be
revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
27 What I tell you now in the darkness,
shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the
housetops for all to hear!
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to
kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy
both soul and body in hell.
29 What is the price of two sparrows—one
copper coin ? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your
Father knowing it.
30 And the very hairs on your head are all
numbered.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are more
valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly
here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
33 But everyone who denies me here on
earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring
peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
35 ‘I have come to set a man against his
father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law.
36 Your enemies will be right in your own
household!’
37 “If you love your father or mother more
than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or
daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
38 If you refuse to take up your cross and
follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
39 If you cling to your life, you will lose
it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
40 “Anyone who receives you receives me,
and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.
41 If you receive a prophet as one who
speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you
receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a
reward like theirs.
42 And if you give even a cup of cold water
to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
Friday, August 26, 2016
A.F.W.I.S. ~ Gary Miller Ministries: A Prayer for your Family Members updated 1.21.2015...
A.F.W.I.S. ~ Gary Miller Ministries: A Prayer for your Family Members updated 1.21.2015...: Prayers for our Family Members Father you said in Psalm 20:4 NIV 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make a...
A.F.W.I.S. ~ Gary Miller Ministries: How to have a conversation with God - updated 12.0...
A.F.W.I.S. ~ Gary Miller Ministries: How to have a conversation with God - updated 12.0...: When you pray, do not use vain repetitions Matthew 6:5-7 5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like th...
Matthew 8-9
III. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee (4:12 -- 14:12)
- The Beginning of the Galilean Campaign (4:12-25)
- The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7)
- A Collection of Miracles (chs. 8-9)
Matthew 8
1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came
down the mountainside.
2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached
him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can
heal me and make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am
willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell
anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take
along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed
of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a
Roman officer came and pleaded with him,
6 “Lord, my young servant lies in bed,
paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
8 But the officer said, “Lord, I am not
worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and
my servant will be healed.
9 I know this because I am under the
authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I
only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to
my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed.
Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t
seen faith like this in all Israel!
11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles
will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
12 But many Israelites—those for whom the
Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer,
“Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant
was healed that same hour.
14 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house,
Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever.
15 But when Jesus touched her hand, the
fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.
16 That evening many demon-possessed people
were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and
he healed all the sick.
17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord
through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our
diseases.”
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he
instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.
19 Then one of the teachers of religious
law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to
live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his
head.”
21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord,
first let me return home and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let
the spiritually dead bury their own dead. ”
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started
across the lake with his disciples.
24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the
lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25 The disciples went and woke him up,
shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid?
You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and
suddenly there was a great calm.
27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this
man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
28 When Jesus arrived on the other side of
the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons
met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go
through that area.
29 They began screaming at him, “Why are
you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before
God’s appointed time?”
30 There happened to be a large herd of
pigs feeding in the distance.
31 So the demons begged, “If you cast us
out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them.
So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd
plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town,
telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men.
34 Then the entire town came out to meet
Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
Matthew 9
1 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back
across the lake to his own town.
2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed
man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be
encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”
3 But some of the teachers of religious
law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”
4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so
he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are
forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?
6 So I will prove to you that the Son of
Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the
paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
7 And the man jumped up and went home!
8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw
this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man
named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my
disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his
disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and
other disreputable sinners.
11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they
asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? ”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy
people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”
13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the
meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who
know they are sinners.”
14 One day the disciples of John the
Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do
and the Pharisees do?”
15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn
while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be
taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing
with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth,
leaving an even bigger tear than before.
17 “And no one puts new wine into old
wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine
and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are
preserved.”
18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of
a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said,
“but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on
her.”
19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and
went with him.
20 Just then a woman who had suffered for
twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe
of his robe,
21 for she thought, “If I can just touch
his robe, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her
he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman
was healed at that moment.
23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s
home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.
24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t
dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him.
25 After the crowd was put outside,
however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!
26 The report of this miracle swept through
the entire countryside.
27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two
blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on
us!”
28 They went right into the house where he
was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes,
Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
29 Then he touched their eyes and said,
“Because of your faith, it will happen.”
30 Then their eyes were opened, and they
could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.”
31 But instead, they went out and spread
his fame all over the region.
32 When they left, a demon-possessed man
who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus.
33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then
the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever
happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.
34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out
demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”
35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and
villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News
about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had
compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without
a shepherd.
37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest
is great, but the workers are few.
38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of
the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Matthew 4:12 - 7
III. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee (4:12 -- 14:12)
- The Beginning of the Galilean Campaign (4:12-25)
- The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7)
Matthew 4 NLT
12 When Jesus heard that John had been
arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
13 He went first to Nazareth, then left
there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of
Zebulun and Naphtali.
14 This fulfilled what God said through the
prophet Isaiah:
15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles
live,
16 the people who sat in darkness have seen
a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its
shadow, a light has shined.”
17 From then on Jesus began to preach,
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ”
18 One day as Jesus was walking along the
shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and
Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow
me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
20 And they left their nets at once and
followed him.
21 A little farther up the shore he saw two
other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee,
repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.
22 They immediately followed him, leaving
the boat and their father behind.
23 Jesus traveled throughout the region of
Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the
Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
24 News about him spread as far as Syria,
and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their
sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or
paralyzed—he healed them all.
25 Large crowds followed him wherever he
went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and
from east of the Jordan River.
Matthew 5 NLT
1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering,
Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around
him,
2 and he began to teach them.
3 “God blesses those who are poor and
realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they
will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble, for
they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst
for justice, for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful, for
they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for
doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you
and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against
you because you are my followers.
12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a
great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were
persecuted in the same way.
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what
good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be
thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a
city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it
under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to
everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good deeds
shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I
did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I
came to accomplish their purpose.
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and
earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until
its purpose is achieved.
19 So if you ignore the least commandment
and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of
Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great
in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20 “But I warn you—unless your
righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law
and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were
told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’
22 But I say, if you are even angry with
someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in
danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in
danger of the fires of hell.
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at
the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something
against you,
24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar.
Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with
your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may
hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will
be thrown into prison.
26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be
free again until you have paid the last penny.
27 “You have heard the commandment that
says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’
28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a
woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 So if your eye—even your good eye
—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to
lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand
—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose
one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A
man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’
32 But I say that a man who divorces his
wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone
who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
33 “You have also heard that our ancestors
were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make
to the .’
34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not
say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.
35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because
the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is
the city of the great King.
36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you
can’t turn one hair white or black.
37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or
‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
38 “You have heard the law that says the
punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I say, do not resist an evil person!
If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.
40 If you are sued in court and your shirt
is taken from you, give your coat, too.
41 If a soldier demands that you carry his
gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn
away from those who want to borrow.
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love
your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.
44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for
those who persecute you!
45 In that way, you will be acting as true
children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil
and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
46 If you love only those who love you,
what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.
47 If you are kind only to your friends,
how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
48 But you are to be perfect, even as your
Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 6
1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds
publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your
Father in heaven.
2 When you give to someone in need, don’t
do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call
attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received
all the reward they will ever get.
3 But when you give to someone in need,
don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
4 Give your gifts in private, and your
Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the
hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues
where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they
will ever get.
6 But when you pray, go away by yourself,
shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father,
who sees everything, will reward you.
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on
as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely
by repeating their words again and again.
8 Don’t be like them, for your Father
knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your
will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins, as we have
forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
14 “If you forgive those who sin against
you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
15 But if you refuse to forgive others,
your Father will not forgive your sins.
16 “And when you fast, don’t make it
obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so
people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the
only reward they will ever get.
17 But when you fast, comb your hair and
wash your face.
18 Then no one will notice that you are
fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father,
who sees everything, will reward you.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth,
where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and
steal.
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where
moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
21 Wherever your treasure is, there the
desires of your heart will also be.
22 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light
for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.
23 But when your eye is bad, your whole
body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually
darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you
will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry
about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes
to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or
harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t
you far more valuable to him than they are?
27 Can all your worries add a single moment
to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look
at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their
clothing,
29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not
dressed as beautifully as they are.
30 And if God cares so wonderfully for
wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will
certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things,
saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
32 These things dominate the thoughts of
unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else,
and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 7
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not
be judged.
2 For you will be treated as you treat
others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be
judged.
3 “And why worry about a speck in your
friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
4 How can you think of saying to your
friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see
past the log in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in
your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your
friend’s eye.
6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who
are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then
turn and attack you.
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive
what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the
door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks, receives.
Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “You parents—if your children ask for a
loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give
them a snake? Of course not!
11 So if you sinful people know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good
gifts to those who ask him.
12 “Do to others whatever you would like
them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the
prophets.
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only
through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for
the many who choose that way.
14 But the gateway to life is very narrow
and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
15 “Beware of false prophets who come
disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.
16 You can identify them by their fruit,
that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs
from thistles?
17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a
bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and
a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.
19 So every tree that does not produce good
fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by
its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord!
Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of
my Father in heaven will enter.
22 On judgment day many will say to me,
‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and
performed many miracles in your name.’
23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get
away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and
follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the
floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse
because it is built on bedrock.
26 But anyone who hears my teaching and
doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
27 When the rains and floods come and the
winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these
things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 for he taught with real authority—quite
unlike their teachers of religious law.
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