Study Desk

"Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend's eye, but you don't see the big piece of wood that is in your own eye?

You say to your friend, ‘Let me get that little piece of dust out of your eye.' Why do you say this? Can't you see that big piece of wood in your own eye? You are a hypocrite. First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend's eye.

Right then Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses and diseases. He healed those who had evil spirits and made many who were blind able to see again.

Then he said to John's followers, "Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosy are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good News is being told to the poor.

When John's followers left, Jesus began talking to the people about John: "What did you people go out into the desert to see? Someone who is weak, like a stem of grass blowing in the wind?

Really, what did you expect to see? Someone dressed in fine clothes? Of course not. People who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are all in kings' palaces.

So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet. But I tell you, he is more than that.

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.

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.'

"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, they put the lamp on a lampstand so that the people who come in will have enough light to see.

Everything that is hidden will become clear. Every secret thing will be made known, and everyone will see it.

Someone said to Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to see you."

People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man sitting there at the feet of Jesus. The man had clothes on and was in his right mind again; the demons were gone. This made the people afraid.

Herod said, "I cut off John's head. So who is this man I hear these things about?" Herod continued trying to see Jesus.

Believe me when I say that some of you people standing here will see God's kingdom before you die."

Then Jesus turned to his followers. They were there alone with him. He said, "It is a great blessing for you to see what you now see!

I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you now see, but they could not. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they could not."

"No one takes a light and puts it under a bowl or hides it. Instead, they put it on a lampstand so that the people who come in can see.

Then Jesus said to the people, "When you see clouds growing bigger in the west, you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming.' And soon it begins to rain.

"You will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God's kingdom. But you will be left outside. There you will cry and grind your teeth with pain.