Study Desk

When a strong man arms himself and guards his home, everything he owns is safe.

The Pharisee was surprised that he did not wash his hands before eating.

As thousands of people crowded around Jesus and were stepping on each other, he told his disciples: Be sure to guard against the dishonest teaching of the Pharisees! It is their way of fooling people.

Jesus said to his disciples: I tell you not to worry about your life! Don't worry about having something to eat or wear.

Look how the wild flowers grow! They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of these flowers.

Servants are fortunate if their master finds them awake and ready when he comes! I promise you that he will get ready and have his servants sit down so he can serve them.

Jesus then told them this story: A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. One day he went out to pick some figs, but he didn't find any.

He placed his hands on her, and right away she stood up straight and praised God.

Jesus' words made his enemies ashamed. But everyone else in the crowd was happy about the wonderful things he was doing.

As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he taught the people in the towns and villages.

They cannot pay you back. But God will bless you and reward you when his people rise from death.

The servant told his master what happened, and the master became so angry that he said, "Go as fast as you can to every street and alley in town! Bring in everyone who is poor or crippled or blind or lame."

His master then told him, "Go out along the back roads and fence rows and make people come in, so that my house will be full.

The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property." So the father divided his property between his two sons.

Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living.

He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs.

Finally, he came to his senses and said, "My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death!

The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

But his father said to the servants, "Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house. His father came out and begged him to go in.