New King James Version  
Chapter 4
The Temptation of Christ
1Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
3And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”
5Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
8And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
9Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
10For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’
11and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
12And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
13Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Acceptance Throughout Galilee
14Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
15And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Rejection at Nazareth
16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph's son?”
23He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ”
24Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.
25But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;
26but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
28So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.
30Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
Demons are Cast Out
31Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.
32And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.
33Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,
34saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”
35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.
36Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”
37And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
Peter's Mother-in-Law Healed
38Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her.
39So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.
Jesus Ministers Throughout Galilee
40When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.
41And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.
42Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;
43but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
44And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
Chapter 5
The First Disciples are Called
1So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,
2and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.
3Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
6And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
7So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;
10and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
11So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
A Leper is Cleansed
12And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
13Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.
14And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”
15However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.
A Paralytic is Healed
16So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
17Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.
19And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
20When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’?
24But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
25Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
Matthew is Called
27After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.”
28So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.
Jesus Eats with Sinners
29Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.
30And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Jesus Teaches About Fasting
33Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”
34And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”
Parable of the Cloth and Wineskins
36Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.
37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.
38But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
39And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”
Chapter 6
Jesus Works on the Sabbath
1Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands.
2And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
3But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?”
5And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
6Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.
8But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood.
9Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”
10And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
11But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Selection of the Twelve Apostles
12Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
14Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;
15Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
16Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
17And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
18as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
19And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Beatitudes
20Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Rules of Kingdom Life
27“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
29To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
37“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind
39And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
41And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
42Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
43“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Parable of the Two Foundations
46“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
47Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
49But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

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