Study Desk

The men had no money, so they could not pay their debt. But the banker told the men that they did not have to pay him. Which one of those two men will love him more?"

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet. But she washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair.

You did not greet me with a kiss, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in.

You did not honor me with oil for my head, but she rubbed my feet with her sweet-smelling oil.

Other seed fell on rock. It began to grow but then died because it had no water.

Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. This seed grew, but later the weeds stopped the plants from growing.

He said, "You have been chosen to know the secret truths about God's kingdom. But I use stories to speak to other people. I do this so that ‘They will look, but they will not see, and they will listen, but they will not understand.'

Some people are like the seed that fell beside the path. They hear God's teaching, but then the devil comes and causes them to stop thinking about it. This keeps them from believing it and being saved.

Others are like the seed that fell on rock. That is like the people who hear God's teaching and gladly accept it. But they don't have deep roots. They believe for a while. But when trouble comes, they turn away from God.

"What about the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That is like the people who hear God's teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life stop them from growing. So they never produce a crop.

So think carefully about what you are hearing. The people who have some understanding will receive more. But those who do not have understanding will lose even what they think they have."

Jesus' mother and brothers came to visit him. But they could not get close to him, because there were so many people.

When Jesus got out of the boat, a man from that town came to him. This man had demons inside him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He did not live in a house but in the caves where the dead are buried.

The demon inside the man had often seized him, and he had been put in jail with his hands and feet in chains. But he would always break the chains. The demon inside him would force him to go out to the places where no one lived. Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. When the man saw Jesus, he fell down before him, shouting loudly, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, don't punish me!"

The man he had healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,

A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on doctors, but no doctor was able to heal her.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I felt power go out from me."

Everyone was crying and feeling sad because the girl was dead. But Jesus said, "Don't cry. She is not dead. She is only sleeping."

But Jesus held her hand and called to her, "Little girl, stand up!"

But the people learned where Jesus went and followed him. He welcomed them and talked with them about God's kingdom. He healed the people who were sick.