Study Desk

They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, "He said that because we did not bring bread."

Then Jesus answered him, "Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

He answered, "Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and [if it is God's will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

"Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!

"But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

"Then his master called him and said to him, 'You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me.

He said to them, "Because your hearts were hard and stubborn Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

"They answered him, 'Because no one hired us.' He told them, 'You go into the vineyard also.'

'Am I not lawfully permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'

And although they were trying to arrest Him, they feared the people, because they regarded Jesus as a prophet.

But Jesus replied to them, "You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead].

"But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you swallow up widows' houses, and to cover it up you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.

"Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte (convert to Judaism), and when he becomes a convert, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

"Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

"Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold.

"Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house [because there will not be enough time].

"Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.

"But the foolish virgins said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'