Study Desk

Now when one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

"And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here those who are poor, those with disabilities, those who are blind, and those who are limping.'

Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them,

"Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

"Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?

And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!'

"And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I had lost!'

"But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

"But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.'

"And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

"And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

And as He entered a village, ten men with leprosy who stood at a distance met Him;

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,

Now He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed;

"On that day, the one who will be on the housetop, with his goods in the house, must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one in the field must not turn back.

Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

But He said, "The things that are impossible with people are possible with God."

"And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business with this money until I come back.'