Study Desk

"How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the reserved seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.

How terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves which people walk on without knowing it."

Jesus answered, "How terrible also for you teachers of the Law! You put onto people's backs loads which are hard to carry, but you yourselves will not stretch out a finger to help them carry those loads.

How terrible for you! You make fine tombs for the prophets—the very prophets your ancestors murdered.

For this reason the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and messengers; they will kill some of them and persecute others.'

So the people of this time will be punished for the murder of all the prophets killed since the creation of the world,

from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will be punished for them all!

"How terrible for you teachers of the Law! You have kept the key that opens the door to the house of knowledge; you yourselves will not go in, and you stop those who are trying to go in!"

trying to lay traps for him and catch him saying something wrong.

"Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God.

"I assure you that those who declare publicly that they belong to me, the Son of Man will do the same for them before the angels of God.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!'

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?'"

And Jesus concluded, "This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight."

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "And so I tell you not to worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body.

Look how the wild flowers grow: they don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.

(For the pagans of this world are always concerned about all these things.) Your Father knows that you need these things.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them.