Study Desk

I tell you, God will help his people quickly. But when the Son of Man comes again, will he find people on earth who believe in him?"

The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.

"The tax collector stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. He felt very humble before God. He said, ‘O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!'

I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, who felt that he was better than others, was not right with God. People who make themselves important will be made humble. But those who make themselves humble will be made important."

Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

Jesus answered, "God can do things that are not possible for people to do."

Then Jesus talked to the twelve apostles alone. He said to them, "Listen, we are going to Jerusalem. Everything that God told the prophets to write about the Son of Man will happen.

Then the man was able to see. He followed Jesus, thanking God. Everyone who saw this praised God for what happened.

Jesus was coming close to Jerusalem. He was already near the bottom of the Mount of Olives. The whole group of followers was happy. They were very excited and praised God. They thanked God for all the powerful things they had seen.

They said, "‘Welcome! God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord.' Peace in heaven and glory to God!"

They will destroy you and all your people. Not one stone of your buildings will stay on top of another. All this will happen because you did not know the time when God came to save you."

When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people?"

The priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish leaders all talked about this. They said to each other, "If we answer, ‘John's baptism was from God,' then he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe John?'

He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God."

In that life people are like angels and cannot die. They are children of God, because they have been raised from death.

Moses clearly showed that people are raised from death. When Moses wrote about the burning bush, he said that the Lord is ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

So they were not still dead, because he is the God only of living people. Yes, to God they are all still living."

In the book of Psalms, David himself says, ‘The Lord God said to my Lord: Sit by me at my right side,

But they cheat widows and take their homes. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. God will punish them very much."

Jesus looked up and saw some rich people putting their gifts to God into the Temple collection box.