Study Desk

"The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up.

Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant.

Then Jesus' mother and His brothers came up toward Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd.

Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee)." So they set out.

Seeing Jesus, he cried out [with a terrible voice from the depths of his throat] and fell down before Him [in dread and terror], and shouted loudly, "What business do we have [in common] with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me [before the appointed time of judgment]!"

And people came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind (mentally healthy); and they were frightened.

Now a man named Jairus, a synagogue official, came [to Him]; and he fell at Jesus' feet and began begging Him to come to his house;

came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His outer robe, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

(For there were about 5,000 men.) And He said to His disciples, "Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each."

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

"For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God].

"For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the [heavenly] Father and of the holy angels.

As He was praying, the appearance of His face became different [actually transformed], and His clothing became white and flashing with the brilliance of lightning.

who appeared in glory, and were speaking of His departure [from earthly life], which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and those who were with him had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and splendor and majesty, and the two men who were standing with Him.

Even while the boy was coming, the demon slammed him down and threw him into a [violent] convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

They were all amazed [practically overwhelmed] at the [evidence of the] greatness of God and His majesty and His wondrous work. But while they were still awed by everything Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples,

"Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is going to be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies]."

Now when the time was approaching for Him to be taken up [to heaven], He was determined to go to Jerusalem [to fulfill His purpose].

When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?"