Study Desk

"Be careful! When you do something good, don't do it in front of others so that they will see you. If you do that, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

"When you give to those who are poor, don't announce that you are giving. Don't be like the hypocrites. When they are in the synagogues and on the streets, they blow trumpets before they give so that people will see them. They want everyone to praise them. The truth is, that's all the reward they will get.

So when you give to the poor, don't let anyone know what you are doing.

So this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, we pray that your name will always be kept holy.

"When you fast, don't make yourselves look sad like the hypocrites. They put a look of suffering on their faces so that people will see they are fasting. The truth is, that's all the reward they will get.

So when you fast, wash your face and make yourself look nice.

"So I tell you, don't worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it.

If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It's just grass—one day it's alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!

So don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.

You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.

So Jesus made clear the full meaning of what Isaiah the prophet said: "He took away our diseases and carried away our sicknesses."

Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people. There, two men who had demons inside them came to him. They lived in the burial caves and were so dangerous that no one could use the road by those caves.

Jesus said to them, "Go!" So the demons left the men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hill into the lake, and all were drowned.

Some people brought to him a man who was paralyzed and was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So he said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, you will be glad to hear this. Your sins are forgiven."

Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said, "Why are you thinking such evil thoughts?

The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven.' There's no proof that it really happened. But what if I say to the man, ‘Stand up and walk'? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home."

When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." So he got up and followed Jesus.

Jesus heard them say this. So he said to them, "It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy.

So Jesus and his followers went with the man.

Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "You believe that I can make you see again, so it will happen."