Study Desk

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:'Prepare the way of the Lord;Make His paths straight.' " Isaiah 40:3 ">[fn]

Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11">[xr] And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.

And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."

But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

And when the scribes and [fn] Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5">[xr] Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.

And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. [fn]

Matthew 12:15-21">[xr] But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea

So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.

But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."

No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

Matthew 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21">[xr] Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.

Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, [fn] not even with chains,