A Question about the Sabbath
(Mark 2.23-28Luke 6.1-5)1 One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields. His disciples were hungry and began picking and eating grains of wheat. 2 Some Pharisees noticed this and said to Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do this!”
3 Jesus answered:
You surely must have read what David did when he and his followers were hungry. 4 He went into the house of God, and then they ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are supposed to eat. 5 Haven't you read in the Law of Moses that the priests are allowed to work in the temple on the Sabbath? But no one says they are guilty of breaking the law of the Sabbath. 6 I tell you there is something here greater than the temple. 7 Don't you know what the Scriptures mean when they say, “Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others?” If you knew what this means, you would not condemn these innocent disciples of mine. 8 So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.
A Man with a Paralyzed Hand
(Mark 3.1-6Luke 6.6-11)9 Jesus left and went into one of their synagogues, 10 where there was a man whose hand was paralyzed. Some Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, so they asked him, “Is it right to heal someone on the Sabbath?”
11 Jesus answered, “If one of your sheep fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn't you lift it out? 12 People are worth much more than sheep, and so it is right to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then Jesus told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did, and it became as healthy as the other one.
14 The Pharisees left and started making plans to kill Jesus.
God's Chosen Servant
15 When Jesus found out what was happening, he left there and large crowds followed him. He healed all of their sick, 16 but warned them not to tell anyone about him. 17 So God's promise came true, just as Isaiah the prophet had said,
18 “Here is my chosen servant!
I love him,
and he pleases me.
I will give him my Spirit,
and he will bring justice
to the nations.
19 He won't shout or yell
or call out in the streets.
20 He won't break off a bent reed
or put out a dying flame,
but he will make sure
that justice is done.
21 All nations will place
their hope in him.”
Jesus and the Ruler of the Demons
(Mark 3.20-30Luke 11.14-23Luke 12.10)22 Some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon in him. Jesus healed the man, and then he was able to talk and see. 23 The crowds were so amazed they asked, “Could Jesus be the Son of David?”
24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”
25 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself. 26 So if Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? 27 If I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? Your followers are the ones who will judge you. 28 But when I force out demons by the power of God's Spirit, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you. 29 How can anyone break into a strong man's house and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.
30 If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the harvest with me, you scatter it. 31-32 I tell you any sinful thing you do or say can be forgiven. Even if you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven, either in this life or in the life to come.
A Tree and Its Fruit
(Luke 6.43-45)33 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. 34 You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. 35 Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. 36 I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37 On that day they will be told they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.
A Sign from Heaven
(Mark 8.11Mark 12Luke 11.29-32)38 Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a sign from heaven.”
39 But Jesus replied:
You want a sign because you are evil and won't believe! But the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 He was in the stomach of a big fish for three days and nights, just as the Son of Man will be deep in the earth for three days and nights. 41 On the day of judgment the people of Nineveh will stand there with you and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah. 42 The Queen of the South will also stand there with you and condemn you. She traveled a long way to hear Solomon's wisdom, and yet here is something much greater than Solomon.
Return of an Evil Spirit
(Luke 11.24-26)43 When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through the desert, looking for a place to rest. But when the demon doesn't find a place, 44 it says, “I will go back to the home I left.” When it gets there and finds the place empty, clean, and neat, 45 it goes off and finds seven other evil spirits even worse than itself. They all come and make their home there, and the person ends up in worse shape than before. That's how it will be with you evil people of today.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
(Mark 3.31-35Luke 8.19-21)46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside because they wanted to talk with him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to talk with you.”
48 Jesus answered, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and my brothers! 50 Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother.”
1 At that time Iesus went on a Sabbath day through ye corne, and his disciples were an hungred, and bega to plucke ye eares of corne and to eate. 2 And when the Pharises sawe it, they saide vnto him, Beholde, thy disciples doe that which is not lawfull to doe vpon the Sabbath. 3 But he said vnto them, Haue ye not read what Dauid did when he was an hungred, and they that were with him? 4 Howe he entred into ye house of God, and did eate the shewe bread, which was not lawfull for him to eate, neither for them which were with him, but onely for the Priestes? 5 Or haue ye not read in the Lawe, how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priestes in the Temple breake the Sabbath, and are blameles? 6 But I say vnto you, that here is one greater then the Temple. 7 Wherefore if ye knewe what this is, I will haue mercie, and not sacrifice, ye would not haue condemned the innocents. 8 For the sonne of man is Lord, euen of the Sabbath. 9 And he departed thence, and went into their Synagogue: 10 And beholde, there was a man which had his hand dried vp. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawfull to heale vpon a Sabbath day? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said vnto the, What man shall there be among you, that hath a sheepe, and if it fal on a Sabbath day into a pit, doth not take it and lift it out? 12 How much more then is a man better then a sheepe? therefore, it is lawfull to doe well on a Sabbath day. 13 Then said he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it foorth, and it was made whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharises went out, and consulted against him, howe they might destroy him. 15 But whe Iesus knew it, he departed thece, and great multitudes folowed him, and he healed the al, 16 And charged them in threatning wise, that they should not make him knowen, 17 That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, 18 Behold my seruant whom I haue chosen, my beloued in whom my soule deliteth: I wil put my Spirit on him, and he shall shewe iudgement to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not striue, nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voyce in the streetes. 20 A bruised reede shall he not breake, and smoking flaxe shall he not quenche, till he bring forth iudgement vnto victorie. 21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust. 22 Then was brought to him one, possessed with a deuill, both blind, and dumme, and he healed him, so that he which was blind and dumme, both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amased, and saide, Is not this that sonne of Dauid? 24 But when the Pharises heard it, they saide, This man casteth the deuils no otherwise out, but through Beelzebub the prince of deuils. 25 But Iesus knew their thoughtes, and said to them, Euery kingdome deuided against it selfe, is brought to nought: and euery citie or house, deuided against it selfe, shall not stand. 26 So if Satan cast out Satan, he is deuided against himself: how shall then his kingdom endure? 27 Also if I through Beelzebub cast out deuils, by whom doe your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your iudges. 28 But if I cast out deuils by ye Spirit of God, then is the kingdome of God come vnto you. 29 Els howe can a man enter into a strong mans house and spoyle his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and then spoile his house. 30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. 31 Wherefore I say vnto you, euery sinne and blasphemie shalbe forgiuen vnto men: but the blasphemie against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men. 32 And whosoeuer shall speake a word against the Sonne of man, it shall be forgiuen him: but whosoeuer shall speake against the holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiuen him, neither in this worlde, nor in the worlde to come. 33 Either make the tree good, and his fruite good: or els make the tree euill, and his fruite euil: for the tree is knowen by the fruite. 34 O generations of vipers, howe can you speake good things, when ye are euill? For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good things: and an euill man out of an euill treasure, bringeth forth euill things. 36 But I say vnto you, that of euery idle word that men shall speake, they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement. 37 For by thy wordes thou shalt be iustified, and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned. 38 Then answered certaine of ye Scribes and of the Pharises, saying, Master, we would see a signe of thee. 39 But he answered and said to them, An euill and adulterous generation seeketh a signe, but no signe shall be giuen vnto it, saue that signe of the Prophet Ionas. 40 For as Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly: so shall the Sonne of man be three daies and three nights in ye heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineue shall rise in iudgement with this generation, and condemne it: for they repented at the preaching of Ionas: and behold, a greater then Ionas is here. 42 The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation, and shall condemne it: for she came from the vtmost partes of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon: and beholde, a greater then Salomon is here. 43 Nowe when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throughout drie places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I wil returne into mine house from whence I came: and when he is come, he findeth it emptie, swept and garnished. 45 Then he goeth, and taketh vnto him seuen other spirites worse then himselfe, and they enter in, and dwell there: and the ende of that man is worse then the beginning. Euen so shall it be with this wicked generation. 46 While he yet spake to ye multitude, beholde, his mother, and his brethren stood without, desiring to speake with him. 47 Then one said vnto him, Beholde, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speake with thee. 48 But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched foorth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Beholde my mother and my brethren. 50 For whosoeuer shall doe my Fathers will which is in heauen, the same is my brother and sister and mother.