Study Desk

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them,

and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be praised by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.

Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns-and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.

Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

"Go!" He told them. So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.

Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?

When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

"Go away," He told them. "The girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.