Jesus explains the Sabbath
1 Now it happened that on the Sabbath after the annual one, he and his disciples were passing through some fields, picking some of the heads of grain and rubbing them in their hands so they could eat them . 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “What you’re doing is forbidden on the Sabbaths.” 3 And Jesus responded, “Have you never read about what David did when he and those with him were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God and ate the bread that had been presented as offerings, sharing it also with those with him. Yet only the priests are allowed to eat it.” 5 And then he added, “The Human is Master of the Sabbath.”
Jesus heals a man with a deformed hand
6 On yet another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught. There was someone there with a deformed right hand. 7 The scribes and Pharisees were watching Jesus like a hawk, to see if he’d heal on the Sabbath so they could have grounds to accuse him. 8 But he knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up here in front.” And he did so.
9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you: is it permitted on the Sabbaths to do good or to do malice, to save a life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them all and said to the man, “Hold out your hand!” He did so, and it was suddenly restored just like the other hand. 11 But they completely lost their minds and discussed among themselves what they could do to Jesus.
Jesus chooses The Twelve
12 It was in those days that Jesus retreated up into the mountain to pray, and he spent the entire night in prayer to God. 13 The next day he summoned his disciples and chose twelve from among them, designating them apostles:
14 Simon, whom he named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; 15 Matthew; Thomas; James, son of Alpheus; Simon the Zealot; 16 Judas, son of James; and Judas from Kerioth, who would become a traitor
Jesus teaches and heals the crowds
17 Jesus came down from the mountain with them, and he stood in a low-lying place. A huge crowd of his disciples was there, along with innumerable people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They came to hear him and to be miraculously healed of their diseases, and all who had been oppressed by unclean spirits were cured. 19 The whole crowd wanted to touch him because power was coming out of him, and he healed them all.
Blessings and woes
20 Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said,
“Happy are the destitute, because the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 “Happy are those who hunger for now, because you will be satisfied.
“Happy are those who weep for now, because you will laugh.
22 “Be happy when people despise you, shun you, disgrace you, reject you, and ruin your reputation, just because of the Human. 23 Be happy about that day and jump for joy; just look at the wages you’ve earned in heaven! For this is what your ancestors did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, because you’ve already received your comfort.
25 “Woe to you who are satisfied for now, because you will hunger.
“Woe to you who laugh for now, because you will grieve and sob.
26 “Woe to you if everyone speaks highly of you, because their ancestors also spoke well of the false prophets.
Compassion for all
27 “To those who hear, I say this: Love your enemies. Do good to those who despise you; 28 bless those who call down curses on you; pray for those who insult you. 29 If someone hits you on one side of your jaw, present to them the other side; if someone confiscates your outer clothing, don’t stop them from taking your inner clothing as well. 30 Give people what they ask of you, and don’t demand that they return what they take from you. 31 In other words, treat people the way you want them to treat you.31 32 “If you only love those who love you, what credit is that to you? After all, scoundrels only love those who love them. 33 If you only do good to those who return the favor, what credit is that to you? After all, scoundrels do the same thing. 34 And if you only lend to those who can pay you back, what credit is that to you? After all, sinners lend to each other and expect to be repaid. 34 35 So then, love your enemies; be good to others and lend without expecting anything return. Then you will earn generous wages and you will be called Children of the Highest, because he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Become compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Double standards and discernment
37 “Don’t be judgmental, and you will certainly not be so judged; don’t condemn, and you will certainly not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you— filled up, packed solid, and spilling over! This is what they will give to you personally, because the level of generosity you show to others will be shown to you in return.”
39 And then he gave them a parable: “The blind cannot lead the blind; both will certainly fall into a ditch. 40 Neither is the student superior to the teacher, though after completing the training they may reach the same level. 41 So how is it that you can notice the splinter in someone else’s eye, yet completely ignore the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to them, ‘Here, let me get that splinter out of your eye’, when you have a plank in your own eye? You are using a double standard! First get the plank out of your own eye before you try to remove the splinter in someone else’s eye.
43 “You know that a good tree doesn’t produce rotten fruit, and that a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit, 44 because each tree is identified by what it actually produces. You don’t pick figs or grapes from thorn bushes. 45 So also, someone who treasures up good things within them will produce good things, while someone with evil inside of them will produce evil things. Both express what is in their minds.
Practicing what Jesus preaches
46 “Now how can you call me ‘Master, Master’ yet don’t do what I say? 47 Let me tell you what all who come to me and hear and practice my sayings are like: 48 Such a person is like someone who built a house and dug a deep foundation on rock. Though a flood came and the river pounded against the house, it was not strong enough to shake it because of how well it was built. 49 But the one who hears and yet doesn’t put it into practice is like someone who built a house on soil without any foundation. The river pounded against it and it collapsed right away into a huge pile.”
- 31 The last sentence gives the purpose and explanation for the preceding sentences. Jesus is not telling people to become doormats or punching bags, but to practice empathy.
- 34 Again, Jesus is not telling people to never make loans, but to make gifts instead to those who cannot repay; this is a reinforcement of the command to practice empathy.