Study Desk

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question:

Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent.

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them.

He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry—

how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests?

He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets .

And in his name the Gentiles will hope ."

So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.

The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him.

And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path.

He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.

He gave them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.

Then he said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old."

Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?

Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother named Mary? And aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?