He Is No Fool Who Gives What He Cannot Keep

1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.

6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

9 Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.

10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.

11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on.

12 As you enter into the household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.

15 Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.

19 But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.

27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,

30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.

33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

34 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.

37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

1 I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit,

2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh,

4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;

5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.

6 But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel.

7 Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”

8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs.

9 For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”

10 Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,

12 it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.”

13 Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!

15 For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.

17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

19 You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?”

20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”

21 Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?

22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,

24 us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

25 As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”

26 “It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ There they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

27 Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;

28 for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.”

29 As Isaiah has said before, “Unless the Lord of Armies had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.”

30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.

32 Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

33 even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”

23 He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

2 But he answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’

3 In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times!

4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” He left them, and departed.

5 The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.

6 Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

8 Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’

9 Don’t you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

10 Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

11 How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

12 Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

14 They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

18 I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”

20 Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.

21 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

22 Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”

23 But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.

28 Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

1 In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them,

2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

4 His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

6 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude.

7 They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.

8 They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

9 Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

10 Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him.

12 He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

13 He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side.

14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them.

15 He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

16 They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.”

17 Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened?

18 Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?

19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.”

20 “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.”

21 He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

22 He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him.

23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.

24 He looked up, and said, “I see men; for I see them like trees walking.”

25 Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.

26 He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.”

27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life?

38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; the treacherous for the upright.

7 However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.

8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;

11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

24 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

20 For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.