Study Desk

Now the day was ending, and the twelve came up and said to Him, "Dismiss the crowd, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; because here, we are in a secluded place."

They did so, and had them all recline.

But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not comprehend it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.

At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for doing so was well pleasing in Your sight.

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

"So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

Now as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it demands a sign, and so no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

"For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

"No one lights a lamp and puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.

"So watch out that the light in you is not darkness.

"So you are witnesses and you approve of the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs.

so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation,

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

"Now if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You of little faith!

"You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks.

"Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

"Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

And He was also saying to the crowds, "Whenever you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out.

"For when you are going with your accuser to appear before the magistrate, on the way, make an effort to settle with him, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, "There are six days during which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day."