Walking in the Power of God's Word

Thrones by Vance K. Jackson

Chasing God, Not Approval

15 Minute Daily Reading Plan

Someone Else's World

Building Better Devotions

The Take Off: Launching Into God’s Purpose

How Sweet the Sound

Mark | Reading Plan + Study Questions

Intentional

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="MAT.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy</div><div class="p"> 1When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy#8:2 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. came and knelt before him and said, &#8220;Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. &#8220;I am willing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Be clean!&#8221; Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4Then Jesus said to him, &#8220;See that you don&#8217;t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Faith of the Centurion</div><div class="p"> 5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6&#8220;Lord,&#8221; he said, &#8220;my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Jesus said to him, &#8220;Shall I come and heal him?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8The centurion replied, &#8220;Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, &#8216;Go,&#8217; and he goes; and that one, &#8216;Come,&#8217; and he comes. I say to my servant, &#8216;Do this,&#8217; and he does it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, &#8220;Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, &#8220;Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.&#8221; And his servant was healed at that moment.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals Many</div><div class="p"> 14When Jesus came into Peter&#8217;s house, he saw Peter&#8217;s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.</div><div class="p"> 16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;He took up our infirmities</div><div class="q2">and bore our diseases.&#8221;#8:17 Isaiah 53:4 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="s1">The Cost of Following Jesus</div><div class="p"> 18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, &#8220;Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20Jesus replied, &#8220;Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Another disciple said to him, &#8220;Lord, first let me go and bury my father.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22But Jesus told him, &#8220;Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Calms the Storm</div><div class="p"> 23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, &#8220;Lord, save us! We&#8217;re going to drown!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26He replied, &#8220;You of little faith, why are you so afraid?&#8221; Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.</div><div class="p"> 27The men were amazed and asked, &#8220;What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men</div><div class="p"> 28When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,#8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; other manuscripts Gerasenes two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29&#8220;What do you want with us, Son of God?&#8221; they shouted. &#8220;Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31The demons begged Jesus, &#8220;If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32He said to them, &#8220;Go!&#8221; So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="MAT.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man</div><div class="p"> 1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, &#8220;Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, &#8220;This fellow is blaspheming!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, &#8220;Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, &#8216;Your sins are forgiven,&#8217; or to say, &#8216;Get up and walk&#8217;? 6But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.&#8221; So he said to the paralyzed man, &#8220;Get up, take your mat and go home.&#8221; 7Then the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.</div><div class="s1">The Calling of Matthew</div><div class="p"> 9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector&#8217;s booth. &#8220;Follow me,&#8221; he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.</div><div class="p"> 10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew&#8217;s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, &#8220;Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12On hearing this, Jesus said, &#8220;It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: &#8216;I desire mercy, not sacrifice.&#8217;#9:13 Hosea 6:6 For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Questioned About Fasting</div><div class="p"> 14Then John&#8217;s disciples came and asked him, &#8220;How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Jesus answered, &#8220;How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.</div><div class="p"> 16 &#8220;No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman</div><div class="p"> 18While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, &#8220;My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.&#8221; 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.</div><div class="p"> 20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, &#8220;If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Jesus turned and saw her. &#8220;Take heart, daughter,&#8221; he said, &#8220;your faith has healed you.&#8221; And the woman was healed at that moment.</div><div class="p"> 23When Jesus entered the synagogue leader&#8217;s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24he said, &#8220;Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.&#8221; But they laughed at him. 25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through all that region.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute</div><div class="p"> 27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, &#8220;Have mercy on us, Son of David!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, &#8220;Do you believe that I am able to do this?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p"> 29Then he touched their eyes and said, &#8220;According to your faith let it be done to you&#8221;; 30and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, &#8220;See that no one knows about this.&#8221; 31But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.</div><div class="p"> 32While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, &#8220;Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34But the Pharisees said, &#8220;It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Workers Are Few</div><div class="p"> 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, &#8220;The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="MAT.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">Jesus Sends Out the Twelve</div><div class="p"> 1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.</div><div class="p"> 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.</div><div class="p"> 5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: &#8220;Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim this message: &#8216;The kingdom of heaven has come near.&#8217; 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,#10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.</div><div class="p"> 9 &#8220;Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts&#8212; 10no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.</div><div class="p"> 16 &#8220;I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.</div><div class="p"> 21 &#8220;Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.</div><div class="p"> 24 &#8220;The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!</div><div class="p"> 26 &#8220;So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father&#8217;s care.#10:29 Or will; or knowledge 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don&#8217;t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.</div><div class="p"> 32 &#8220;Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.</div><div class="p"> 34 &#8220;Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn</div><div class="q1"> &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;a man against his father,</div><div class="q2"> a daughter against her mother,</div><div class="q1"> a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law&#8212;</div><div class="q2"> 36 a man&#8217;s enemies will be the members of his own household.&#8217; # 10:36 
 Micah 7:6
 </div><div class="p"> 37 &#8220;Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.</div><div class="p"> 40 &#8220;Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet&#8217;s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person&#8217;s reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch19" data-usfm="MAT.19">
 <div class="label">19</div><div class="s1">Divorce</div><div class="p"> 1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.</div><div class="p"> 3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, &#8220;Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4 &#8220;Haven&#8217;t you read,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;that at the beginning the Creator &#8216;made them male and female,&#8217;#19:4 Gen. 1:27 5and said, &#8216;For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh&#8217;#19:5 Gen. 2:24? 6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;Why then,&#8221; they asked, &#8220;did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Jesus replied, &#8220;Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10The disciples said to him, &#8220;If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Jesus replied, &#8220;Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others&#8212;and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Little Children and Jesus</div><div class="p"> 13Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.</div><div class="p"> 14Jesus said, &#8220;Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.&#8221; 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.</div><div class="s1">The Rich and the Kingdom of God</div><div class="p"> 16Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, &#8220;Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17 &#8220;Why do you ask me about what is good?&#8221; Jesus replied. &#8220;There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;Which ones?&#8221; he inquired.</div><div class="p">Jesus replied, &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,&#8217;#19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20 and &#8216;love your neighbor as yourself.&#8217;#19:19 Lev. 19:18&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;All these I have kept,&#8221; the young man said. &#8220;What do I still lack?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Jesus answered, &#8220;If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.</div><div class="p"> 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, &#8220;Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, &#8220;Who then can be saved?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Jesus looked at them and said, &#8220;With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27Peter answered him, &#8220;We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28Jesus said to them, &#8220;Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife#19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife. or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch20" data-usfm="MAT.20">
 <div class="label">20</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard</div><div class="p"> 1 &#8220;For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay them a denarius#20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer. for the day and sent them into his vineyard.</div><div class="p"> 3 &#8220;About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, &#8216;You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.&#8217; 5So they went.</div><div class="p"> &#8220;He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 7 &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Because no one has hired us,&#8217; they answered.</div><div class="p"> &#8220;He said to them, &#8216;You also go and work in my vineyard.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8 &#8220;When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, &#8216;Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 9 &#8220;The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12&#8216;These who were hired last worked only one hour,&#8217; they said, &#8216;and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 13 &#8220;But he answered one of them, &#8216;I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn&#8217;t you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don&#8217;t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 16 &#8220;So the last will be first, and the first will be last.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time</div><div class="p"> 17Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18&#8220;We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">A Mother&#8217;s Request</div><div class="p"> 20Then the mother of Zebedee&#8217;s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.</div><div class="p"> 21 &#8220;What is it you want?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">She said, &#8220;Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22 &#8220;You don&#8217;t know what you are asking,&#8221; Jesus said to them. &#8220;Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;We can,&#8221; they answered.</div><div class="p"> 23Jesus said to them, &#8220;You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, &#8220;You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave&#8212; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Two Blind Men Receive Sight</div><div class="p"> 29As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, &#8220;Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 31The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, &#8220;Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32Jesus stopped and called them. &#8220;What do you want me to do for you?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p"> 33&#8220;Lord,&#8221; they answered, &#8220;we want our sight.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch22" data-usfm="MAT.22">
 <div class="label">22</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Wedding Banquet</div><div class="p"> 1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2&#8220;The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.</div><div class="p"> 4 &#8220;Then he sent some more servants and said, &#8216;Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 5 &#8220;But they paid no attention and went off&#8212;one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.</div><div class="p"> 8 &#8220;Then he said to his servants, &#8216;The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.&#8217; 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.</div><div class="p"> 11 &#8220;But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, &#8216;How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?&#8217; The man was speechless.</div><div class="p"> 13 &#8220;Then the king told the attendants, &#8216;Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 14 &#8220;For many are invited, but few are chosen.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar</div><div class="p"> 15Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. &#8220;Teacher,&#8221; they said, &#8220;we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren&#8217;t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax#22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens to Caesar or not?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, &#8220;You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19Show me the coin used for paying the tax.&#8221; They brought him a denarius, 20and he asked them, &#8220;Whose image is this? And whose inscription?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;Caesar&#8217;s,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p">Then he said to them, &#8220;So give back to Caesar what is Caesar&#8217;s, and to God what is God&#8217;s.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.</div><div class="s1">Marriage at the Resurrection</div><div class="p"> 23That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24&#8220;Teacher,&#8221; they said, &#8220;Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27Finally, the woman died. 28Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29Jesus replied, &#8220;You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31But about the resurrection of the dead&#8212;have you not read what God said to you, 32&#8216;I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob&#8217;#22:32 Exodus 3:6? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.</div><div class="s1">The Greatest Commandment</div><div class="p"> 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36&#8220;Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37Jesus replied: &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.&#8217;#22:37 Deut. 6:5 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: &#8216;Love your neighbor as yourself.&#8217;#22:39 Lev. 19:18 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Whose Son Is the Messiah?</div><div class="p"> 41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42&#8220;What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;The son of David,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p"> 43He said to them, &#8220;How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him &#8216;Lord&#8217;? For he says,</div><div class="q1"> 44 &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The Lord said to my Lord:</div><div class="q2"> &#8220;Sit at my right hand</div><div class="q1"> until I put your enemies</div><div class="q2"> under your feet.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217; # 22:44 
 Psalm 110:1
 </div><div class="m"> 45 If then David calls him &#8216;Lord,&#8217; how can he be his son?&#8221; 46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.</div>
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