23Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,G5119G2980G2424G3793G2532G846G3101 2"The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.G3004G1122G2532G5330G2523G1909G3475G2515 3So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach.G3956G3767G302G3745G2036G5213G5083G5083G2532G4160G1161G4160G3361G2596G846G2041G1063G3004G2532G4160G3756 4They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.G1063G1195G926G5413G2532G1419G2532G2007G1909G444G5606G1161G2309G3756G2795G846G846G1147 5"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.G1161G3956G846G2041G4160G4314G2300G444G1161G4115G846G5440G2532G3170G2899G846G2440 6And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.G5037G5368G4411G1722G1173G2532G4410G1722G4864 7They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi.'G2532G783G1722G58G2532G2564G5259G444G4461G4461 8"Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.G1161G2564G3361G5210G2564G4461G1063G1520G2076G5216G2519G5547G1161G3956G5210G2075G80 9And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father.G2532G2564G3361G5216G3962G1909G1093G1063G1520G2076G5216G3962G3588G1722G3772 10And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.G3366G2564G2519G1063G1520G2076G5216G2519G5547 11The greatest among you must be a servant.G1161G3187G5216G2071G5216G1249 12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.G1161G3748G5312G1438G5013G2532G3748G5013G1438G5312 13"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either.G1161G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G2808G932G3772G1715G444G1063G5210G3761G1525G3756G863G1525G1525 14G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G2719G5503G3614G2532G4392G4336G3117G4336G1223G5124G2983G4055G2917 15"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G4013G2281G2532G3584G4160G1520G4339G2532G3752G1096G4160G846G1362G5207G1067G5216 16"Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear 'by God's Temple,' but that it is binding to swear 'by the gold in the Temple.'G3759G5213G5185G3595G3588G3004G3739G302G3660G1722G3485G2076G3762G1161G3739G302G3660G1722G5557G3485G3784 17Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?G3474G2532G5185G1063G5101G2076G3187G5557G2228G3485G37G5557 18And you say that to swear 'by the altar' is not binding, but to swear 'by the gifts on the altar' is binding.G2532G3739G1437G3660G1722G2379G2076G3762G1161G3739G302G3660G1722G1435G1883G846G3784 19How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred?G3474G2532G5185G1063G5101G3187G1435G2228G2379G37G1435 20When you swear 'by the altar,' you are swearing by it and by everything on it.G3767G3660G1722G2379G3660G1722G846G2532G1722G3956G1883G846 21And when you swear 'by the Temple,' you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.G2532G3660G1722G3485G3660G1722G846G2532G1722G2730G846 22And when you swear 'by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.G2532G3660G1722G3772G3660G1722G2362G2316G2532G1722G2521G1883G846 23"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G586G2238G2532G432G2532G2951G2532G863G926G3551G2920G2532G1656G2532G4102G5023G1163G4160G3361G863G2548G863 24Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!G5185G3595G1368G2971G1161G2666G2574 25"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G2511G1855G4221G2532G3953G1161G2081G1073G1537G724G2532G192 26You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.G5185G5330G2511G4412G1787G4221G2532G3953G2443G1622G846G1096G2513G2532 27"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity.G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G3945G2867G5028G3748G3303G5316G5611G1855G1161G2081G1073G3498G3747G2532G3956G167 28Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.G3779G5210G2532G3303G1855G5316G1342G444G1161G2081G2075G3324G5272G2532G458 29"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G3618G5028G4396G2532G2885G3419G1342 30Then you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.'G2532G3004G1487G2258G1722G2250G2257G3962G302G3756G2258G2844G846G1722G129G4396 31"But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.G5620G3140G1438G3754G2075G5207G5407G4396 32Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.G4137G5210G4137G2532G3358G5216G3962 33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?G3789G1081G2191G4459G5343G575G2920G1067 34"Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.G1223G5124G2400G1473G649G4314G5209G4396G2532G4680G2532G1122G2532G1537G846G615G2532G4717G2532G1537G846G3146G1722G5216G4864G2532G1377G575G4172G1519G4172 35As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.G3704G1909G5209G2064G3956G1342G129G1632G1909G1093G575G129G1342G6G2193G129G2197G5207G914G3739G5407G3342G3485G2532G2379 36I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.G281G3004G5213G3956G5023G2240G1909G5026G1074 37"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.G2419G2419G615G4396G2532G3036G649G4314G846G4212G2309G1996G4675G3739G5043G1996G5158G3733G1996G1438G3556G5259G4420G2532G2309G3756 38And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.G2400G5216G3624G863G5213G2048 39For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"G1063G3004G5213G1492G3364G1492G3165G575G737G2193G302G2036G2127G2064G1722G3686G2962
20One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him.G2532G1096G1722G3391G1565G2250G846G1321G2992G1722G2411G2532G2097G749G2532G1122G2186G4862G42452They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"G2532G2036G4314G846G3004G2036G2254G1722G4169G1849G4160G5023G2228G5101G2076G1325G4671G5026G18493"Let me ask you a question first," he replied.G1161G611G2036G4314G846G2504G2065G2504G2065G5209G1520G3056G2532G2036G34274"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?"G908G2491G2258G1537G3772G2228G1537G4445They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John.G1161G4817G4314G1438G3004G3754G1437G2036G1537G3772G2046G1302G3767G4100G846G37566But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet."G1161G1437G2036G1537G444G3956G2992G2642G2248G1063G2076G3982G2491G1511G43967So they finally replied that they didn't know.G2532G611G1492G3361G1492G41598And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things."G2532G2424G2036G846G3761G3004G1473G5213G1722G4169G1849G4160G50239Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.G1161G756G3004G4314G2992G5026G3850G5100G444G5452G290G2532G1554G846G1554G1092G2532G589G2425G555010At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.G2532G1722G2540G649G1401G4314G1092G2443G1325G846G575G2590G290G1161G1092G1194G846G1821G275611So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.G2532G4369G3992G2087G1401G1161G1194G2548G2532G818G1821G275612A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.G2532G4369G3992G5154G1161G5135G5126G2532G154413"'What will I do?' the owner asked himself. 'I know! I'll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.'G1161G2036G2962G290G5101G4160G3992G3450G27G5207G2481G1788G1492G512614"But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'G1161G1092G1492G846G1260G4314G1438G3004G3778G2076G2818G1205G615G846G2443G2817G1096G225715So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?" Jesus asked.G2532G1544G846G1854G290G615G5101G3767G4160G2962G290G4160G84616"I'll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." "How terrible that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested.G2064G2532G622G5128G1092G2532G1325G290G243G1161G191G2036G3361G109617Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does this Scripture mean? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.'G1161G1689G846G2036G5101G2076G5124G3767G1125G3037G3739G3618G593G3778G1096G2776G1519G113718Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on."G3956G4098G1909G1565G3037G4917G1161G1909G3739G302G4098G3039G846G303919The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people's reaction.G2532G749G2532G1122G1722G846G5610G2212G1911G5495G1909G846G2532G5399G2992G1063G1097G3754G2036G5026G3850G4314G84620Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.G2532G3906G649G1455G5271G1511G1438G1342G2443G1949G846G3056G1519G3860G846G746G2532G1849G223221"Teacher," they said, "we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.G2532G1905G846G3004G1320G1492G3754G3004G2532G1321G3723G2532G3756G2983G4383G235G1321G3598G2316G225G190922Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"G1832G2254G1325G5411G2541G2228G375623He saw through their trickery and said,G1161G2657G846G3834G2036G4314G846G5101G3985G316524"Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied.G1925G3427G1220G5101G1504G2532G1923G2192G611G1161G2036G254125"Well then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God."G1161G2036G846G591G5106G2541G3588G2541G2532G2316G3588G231626So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.G2532G2480G3756G1949G846G4487G1726G2992G2532G2296G1909G846G612G460127Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead.G1161G4334G5100G4523G3588G483G1511G3361G386G1905G84628They posed this question: "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.G3004G1320G3475G1125G2254G1437G5100G80G599G2192G1135G2532G3778G599G815G2443G846G80G2983G1135G2532G1817G4690G846G8029Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.G2258G3767G2033G80G2532G4413G2983G1135G599G81530So the second brother married the widow, but he also died.G2532G1208G2983G1135G2532G3778G599G81531Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children.G2532G5154G2983G846G1161G5615G2033G2532G2641G3756G5043G2532G59932Finally, the woman also died.G1161G5305G3956G1135G599G253233So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!"G3767G1722G386G5101G1135G846G1096G1063G2033G2192G846G113534Jesus replied, "Marriage is for people here on earth.G2532G2424G611G2036G846G5207G5127G165G1060G2532G154835But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.G1161G2661G5177G1565G165G2532G386G1537G3498G3777G1060G3777G154836And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.G3777G1063G1410G599G2089G1063G1526G2465G2532G1526G5207G2316G5607G5207G38637"But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'G1161G3754G3498G1453G2532G3475G3377G1909G942G5613G3004G2962G2316G11G2532G2316G2464G2532G2316G238438So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him."G1161G2076G3756G2316G3498G235G2198G1063G3956G2198G84639"Well said, Teacher!" remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there.G1161G5100G1122G611G2036G1320G2573G203640And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.G1161G3765G5111G3765G1905G846G376241Then Jesus presented them with a question. "Why is it," he asked, "that the Messiah is said to be the son of David?G1161G2036G4314G846G4459G3004G5547G1511G1138G520742For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right handG2532G1138G846G3004G1722G976G5568G2962G2036G3450G2962G2521G1537G3450G118843until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'G2193G302G5087G4675G2190G4675G4228G528644Since David called the Messiah 'Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"G1138G3767G2564G846G2962G4459G2076G2532G846G520745Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said,G1161G191G3956G2992G2036G846G310146"Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.G4337G575G1122G3588G2309G4043G1722G4749G2532G5368G783G1722G58G2532G4410G1722G4864G2532G4411G1722G117347Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished."G3739G2719G5503G3614G2532G4392G4336G3117G4336G3778G2983G4055G2917
21While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.G1161G308G1492G4145G906G846G1435G1519G1049 2Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.G1161G1492G2532G5100G3998G5503G906G1563G1417G3016 3"I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.G2532G2036G230G3004G5213G3754G3778G4434G5503G906G4119G3956 4For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."G1063G537G3778G1537G846G4052G906G1519G1435G2316G1161G3778G846G1537G846G5303G906G537G979G3739G2192 5Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said,G2532G5100G3004G4012G2411G3754G2885G2570G3037G2532G334G2036 6"The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"G5023G3739G2334G2250G2064G1722G3739G863G3756G863G3037G1909G3037G3739G2647G3756G2647 7"Teacher," they asked, "when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?"G1161G1905G846G3004G1320G3767G4219G2071G5023G2071G2532G5101G4592G3752G5023G3195G1096 8He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and saying, 'The time has come!' But don't believe them.G1161G2036G991G4105G3361G4105G1063G4183G2064G1909G3450G3686G3004G3754G1473G1510G2532G2540G1448G4198G3361G3767G3694G846 9And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won't follow immediately."G1161G3752G191G4171G2532G181G4422G3361G4422G1063G5023G1163G4412G1096G235G5056G3756G2112 10Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.G5119G3004G846G1484G1453G1909G1484G2532G932G1909G932 11There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.G5037G3173G4578G2071G2596G5117G2532G3042G2532G3061G5037G5400G2532G3173G4592G2071G575G3772 12"But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.G1161G4253G537G5130G1911G846G5495G1909G5209G2532G1377G3860G1519G4864G2532G5438G71G1909G935G2532G2232G1752G3450G3686G1752 13But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.G1161G576G5213G1519G3142 14So don't worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you,G5087G3767G1519G5216G2588G3361G4304G626 15for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!G1063G1473G1325G5213G4750G2532G4678G3739G3956G5213G480G1410G3756G1410G471G3761G436 16Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you.G1161G3860G2532G5259G1118G2532G80G2532G4773G2532G5384G2532G1537G5216G2289 17And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.G2532G2071G3404G5259G3956G1223G3450G3686 18But not a hair of your head will perish!G2532G3364G2359G1537G5216G2776G622 19By standing firm, you will win your souls.G1722G5216G5281G2932G5216G5590 20"And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.G1161G3752G1492G2419G2944G5259G4760G5119G1097G3754G2050G846G1448 21Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city.G5119G5343G1722G2449G5343G1519G3735G2532G1633G1722G3319G846G1633G2532G1525G3361G1722G5561G1525G1519G846 22For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.G3754G3778G1526G2250G1557G3956G3588G1125G4137 23How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people.G1161G3759G1722G1064G2192G2532G2337G1722G1565G2250G1063G2071G3173G318G1909G1093G2532G3709G1722G5129G2992 24They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.G2532G4098G4750G3162G2532G163G1519G3956G1484G2532G2419G2071G3961G5259G1484G891G2540G1484G4137 25"And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.G2532G2071G4592G1722G2246G2532G4582G2532G798G2532G1909G1093G4928G1484G1722G640G2281G2532G4535G2278 26People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.G444G674G575G5401G2532G4329G1904G3625G1063G1411G3772G4531 27Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.G2532G5119G3700G5207G444G2064G1722G3507G3326G1411G2532G4183G1391 28So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"G1161G5130G756G1096G352G2532G1869G5216G2776G1360G5216G629G1448 29Then he gave them this illustration: "Notice the fig tree, or any other tree.G2532G2036G846G3850G1492G4808G2532G3956G1186 30When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near.G3752G2235G4261G991G1097G575G1438G3754G2330G2076G2235G1451 31In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near.G3779G2532G5210G3752G1492G5023G1096G1097G3754G932G2316G2076G1451 32I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place.G281G3004G5213G3754G3778G1074G3928G3364G3928G302G2193G3956G1096 33Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.G3772G2532G1093G3928G1161G3450G3056G3928G3364G3928 34"Watch out! Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware,G1161G4337G1438G3379G5216G2588G925G1722G2897G2532G3178G2532G3308G982G2532G1565G2250G2186G1909G5209G160 35like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth.G1063G5613G3803G1904G1909G3956G2521G1909G4383G3956G1093 36Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man."G69G3767G1189G1722G3956G2540G2443G2661G1628G3956G5023G3195G1096G2532G2476G1715G5207G444 37Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.G1161G2250G2258G1321G1722G2411G1161G3571G1831G835G1519G3735G2564G1636 38The crowds gathered at the Temple early each morning to hear him.G2532G3956G2992G3719G4314G846G1722G2411G191G846
Dublin, OH
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