Study Desk

and the Holy Spirit came down on him. The Spirit looked like a real dove. Then a voice came from heaven and said, "You are my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with you."

The fishermen were all amazed at the many fish they caught. When Simon Peter saw this, he bowed down before Jesus and said, "Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!"

So Jesus went with them. He was coming near the officer's house when the officer sent friends to say, "Lord, you don't need to do anything special for me. I am not good enough for you to come into my house.

I know this because I am a man under the authority of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,' and he goes. And I tell another soldier, ‘Come,' and he comes. And I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and my servant obeys me."

One time Jesus was praying alone. His followers came together there, and he asked them, "Who do the people say I am?"

Then Jesus said to his followers, "And who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah from God."

"You can go now. But listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves.

Then the Holy Spirit made Jesus feel very happy. Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children. Yes, Father, you did this because it's what you really wanted to do.

Jesus said to them, "Go tell that fox, ‘Today and tomorrow I am forcing demons out of people and finishing my work of healing. Then, the next day, the work will be finished.'

The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me now the part of your property that I am supposed to receive someday.' So the father divided his wealth between his two sons.

"The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, ‘All my father's hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.'

The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"So, the manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I am not strong enough to dig ditches. I am too proud to beg.

He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!'

But this woman is bothering me. If I give her what she wants, then she will leave me alone. But if I don't give her what she wants, she will bother me until I am sick.'"

The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.

"The tax collector stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. He felt very humble before God. He said, ‘O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!'

"Then the king said to him, ‘What a bad servant you are! I will use your own words to condemn you. You said that I am a hard man. You said that I even take money that I didn't earn and gather food that I didn't grow.

Jesus said, "Be careful! Don't be fooled. Many people will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah' and ‘The right time has come!' But don't follow them.