Questions Jesus asked People

"Who do you say I am?"

^{Matthew 16:13}  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,  ¹⁴ "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." ¹⁵ Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷ Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. ¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. ¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven."

"Who is this man in the wilderness that you went out to see?

^{Mathew 11:7} When John’s disciples had gone, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds.  Did you find him weak as a reed, moved by every breath of wind? ⁸ Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? Those who dress like that live in palaces, not out in the wilderness. ⁹ Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. ¹⁰ John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way before you.’ ¹¹ "I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

"How shall I describe this generation?

^{Mathew 11:16} "How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, ¹⁷ ‘We played wedding songs, and you weren’t happy, so we played funeral songs, but you weren’t sad.’ ¹⁸ For John the Baptist didn’t drink wine and he often fasted, and you say, ‘He’s demon possessed.’ ¹⁹ And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it."

How could evil men like you speak what is good and right?

^Matthew12:33 "A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. ³⁴ You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. ³⁵ A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. ³⁶ And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. ³⁷ The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."

"Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me?

^{Matthew 26:6} Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. ⁷ During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. ⁸ The disciples were indignant when they saw this. "What a waste of money," they said. ⁹ "She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor." ¹⁰ But Jesus replied, "Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? ¹¹ You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. ¹² She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. ¹³ I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be talked about in her memory."

"Well, is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?"

^Luke14:1 One Sabbath day Jesus was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees. The people were watching him closely, ² because there was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, "Well, is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?" ⁴ When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. ⁵ Then he turned to them and asked, "Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you proceed at once to get him out?" ⁶ Again they had no answer.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him?

^{John 14:6}  Jesus told hi m, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!" ⁸ Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied." ⁹ Jesus replied, "Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in    me does his work through me. ¹¹ Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do. ¹² "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. ¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!

"Simon son of John, do you love me?"

^{John 21:15} After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you." "Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him. ¹⁶ Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I love you." "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus said. ¹⁷ Once more he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you." Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep. ¹⁸ The truth is, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will direct you and take you where you don’t want to go." ¹⁹ Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me."

"If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?

^{John 21:20} Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, "Lord, who among us will betray you?" ²¹ Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?" ²² Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me." ²³ So the rumour spread among the community of believers that that disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

"What were you discussing out on the road?"

^{Mark 9:33} After they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying. Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing out on the road?" ³⁴ But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, "Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else." ³⁶ Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me."

 QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASKED JESUS

"How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?"
^{John 3:1} After dark one evening, a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, ² came to speak with Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you." ³ Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God." ⁴ "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?" ⁵ Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. ⁷ So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. ⁸ Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit." ⁹ "What do you mean?" Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰ Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? ¹¹ I assure you, I am telling you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe us. ¹² But if you don’t even believe me when I tell you about things that happen here on earth, how can you possibly believe if I tell you what is going on in heaven? ¹³ For only I, the Son of Man, have come to earth and will return to heaven again. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. ¹⁶ "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. ¹⁸ "There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. ¹⁹ Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants."

"Which Is The Most Important Commandment?"
^{Mathew 12:28} One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" ²⁹ Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. ³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these."

"Are you really the Messiah we’ve been waiting for, or should we keep looking for someone else?"
^{Mathew 11:2} John the Baptist, who was now in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, ³ "Are you really the Messiah we’ve been waiting for, or should we keep looking for someone else?" ⁴ Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him about what you have heard and seen ⁵ the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. ⁶ And tell him: ‘God blesses those who are not offended by me.’ "

"Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
^{Mathew 18:1}About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" ² Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. ³ Then he said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁵ And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. ⁶ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. ⁷ "How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.

How often should I forgive someone who sins against me?
^{Mathew 18:21} Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" ²² "No!" Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!

"Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?"
^{Matthew 19:3} Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?" ⁴ "Haven’t you read the Scriptures?" Jesus replied. "They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁵ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ ⁶ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together." ⁷ "Then why did Moses say a man could merely write an official letter of divorce and send her away?" they asked. ⁸ Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended. ⁹ And I tell you this, a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful."

"Then it is better not to marry!"
^{Matthew 19:10} Jesus’ disciples then said to him, "Then it is better not to marry!" ¹¹ "Not everyone can accept this statement," Jesus said. "Only those whom God helps. ¹² Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made that way by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone who can, accept this statement."

"Then who in the world can be saved?"
^{Matthew 19:25} The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.²⁶ Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."

"They shouldn’t be doing that!
^{Mark 2:23} One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grain fields, his disciples began breaking off heads of wheat. ²⁴ But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "They shouldn’t be doing that! It’s against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath." ²⁵ But Jesus replied, "Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry? ²⁶ He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest), ate the special bread reserved for the priests alone, and then gave some to his companions. That was breaking the law, too." ²⁷ Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath. ²⁸ And I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath!"

"Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?"
^Matthew17:14 When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, a huge crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, ¹⁵ "Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him." ¹⁷ Jesus replied, "You stubborn, faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." ¹⁸ Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. ¹⁹ Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?" ²⁰ "You didn’t have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

Is it right to pay taxes
^{Luke 20:20} Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent secret agents pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. ²¹ They said, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You sincerely teach the ways of God. ²² Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?" ²³ He saw through their trickery and said, ²⁴ "Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar’s," they replied. ²⁵ "Well then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." ²⁶ So they failed to trap him in the presence of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they were silenced.

"When will the Kingdom of God come?"
^{Luke 17:20} One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. ²¹ You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is among you."

"What does God want us to do?"
^{John 6:28} They replied, "What does God want us to do?"²⁹ Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent."

"What will you do for us?"
^{John 6:30} They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us? ³¹ After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ " ³² Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn’t give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. ³³ The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." ³⁴ "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives."

"We have never been slaves to anyone on earth.
What do you mean, ‘set free’?"
^{John 8:31} Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. ³² And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ³³ "But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone on earth. What do you mean, ‘set free’?" ³⁴ Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. ³⁵ A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free. ³⁷ Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because my message does not find a place in your hearts. ³⁸ I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father." ³⁹ "Our father is Abraham," they declared. "No," Jesus replied, "for if you were children of Abraham, you would follow his good example. ⁴⁰ I told you the truth I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham wouldn’t do a thing like that. ⁴¹ No, you are obeying your real father when you act that way." They replied, "We were not born out of wedlock! Our true Father is God himself." ⁴² Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to do so! ⁴⁴ For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! ⁴⁶ Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t God’s children."

"How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
^{John 10:22} It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah. ²³ He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." ²⁵ Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is what I do in the name of my Father. ²⁶ But you don’t believe me because you are not part of my flock. ²⁷ My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, ²⁹ for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. ³⁰ The Father and I are one."

"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
^{Mark 10:28} One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" ²⁹ Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. ³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these."

"This woman was caught in the very act of adultery.
The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"
^{John 8:1}Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, ² but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. ³ As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. ⁴ "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵ The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" ⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" ⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. ⁹ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. ¹⁰ Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?" ¹¹ "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."

JESUS ON PRAYER

Prayer unto the LORD.
^Luke6:46 "So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me? ⁴⁷ I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. ⁴⁸ It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. ⁴⁹ But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins."

The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.
^{John 4:7} Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." ⁸ He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. ⁹ The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" ¹⁰ Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." ¹¹ "But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? ¹² And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?" ¹³ Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. ¹⁴ But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life." ¹⁵ "Please, sir," the woman said, "give me some of that water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water." ¹⁶ "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her. ¹⁷ "I don’t have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You’re right! You don’t have a husband—¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now." ¹⁹ "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. ²⁰ So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?" ²¹ Jesus replied, "Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem. ²² You Samaritans know so little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. ²³ But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. ²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." ²⁵ The woman said, "I know the Messiah will come—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." ²⁶ Then Jesus told her, "I am the Messiah!"

Bold Prayer
^{Luke 11:5} Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: "Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, ⁶ ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ ⁷ He would call out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can’t help you this time.’ ⁸ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won’t be damaged. ⁹ "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. ¹¹ "You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? ¹² Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! ¹³ If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

"Learn a lesson from this evil judge.
 ^{Luke 18:1} One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. ² "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. ³ A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. ‘I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, ⁵ ‘but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ " ⁶ Then the Lord said,  ⁷ Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?"

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites
^{Matthew 6:5} "And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. ⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

 Pray like this
^{Matthew 6:7} "When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! ⁹ Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.
¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us our food for today,
¹² and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
^{Matthew 6:14} "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.¹⁶ "And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

Effective Prayer
^{Matthew 7:7} "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. ⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. ⁹ You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ¹⁰ Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! ¹¹ If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.¹² "Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

Ask, using my name, and you will receive
^{John 16:22} You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. ²³ At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will grant your request because you use my name. ²⁴ You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

"How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him"
^{Luke 11:11} "You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? ¹² Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! ¹³ If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask
^{Matthew 18:18} I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven.¹⁹ "I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

"I am there among them."
^{Matthew 18:20} For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them."

Pray for those who hurt you.
^{Luke 6:27} "But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸ Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

"Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation."
^{Luke 22:39} Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. ⁴⁰ There he told them, "Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation."⁴¹ He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴² "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." ⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. ⁴⁴ He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. ⁴⁵ At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. ⁴⁶ "Why are you sleeping?" he asked. "Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you."

THINGS JESUS TAUGHT

 And if they follow me, the Father will honor them
^{John 12:20} Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover ²¹ paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." ²² Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus. ²³ Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. ²⁴ The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone—a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. ²⁵ Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. ²⁷ Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’? But that is the very reason why I came! ²⁸ Father, bring glory to your name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." ²⁹ When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. ³⁰ Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. ³¹ The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. ³² And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself."

Let the children come to me.
^{Mark 10:13} One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." ¹⁶ Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
^{Luke 4:16} When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. ¹⁷ The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him, and he unrolled the scroll to the place where it says: ¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, ¹⁹ and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come." ²⁰ He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at him intently. ²¹ Then he said, "This Scripture has come true today before your very eyes!"

The True Family of Jesus
^{Matthew 12:46} As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. ⁴⁷ Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." ⁴⁸ Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" ⁴⁹ Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. ⁵⁰ Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

"What is your request?"
^{Matthew 12:20} Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. ²¹ "What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?" ²² But Jesus told them, "You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!" ²³ "You will indeed drink from it," he told them. "But I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen." ²⁴ When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. ²⁵ But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. ²⁶ But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. ²⁸ For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
^{Luke 10:38} As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. ³⁹ Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. ⁴⁰ But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me." ⁴¹ But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! ⁴² There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her."

The Beatitudes
^{Matthew 5:2} This is what he taught them:
³ "God blesses those who realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.
⁴ God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ God blesses those who are gentle and lowly,
for the whole earth will belong to them.
⁶ God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.
⁷ God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
⁹ God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
¹¹ "God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.
¹² Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.

Teaching about Salt and Light
^{Matthew 5:13} "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. ¹⁵ Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Teaching about the Law
^{Matthew 5:17} "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. ¹⁸ I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved. ¹⁹ So if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. ²⁰ "But I warn you—unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!

Teaching about Anger
^{Matthew 5:21} "You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ ²² But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. ²³ "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. ²⁶ I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

Teaching about Adultery
^{Matthew 5:27} "You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Teaching about Divorce
^{Matthew 5:31} "You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a letter of divorce.’ ³² But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Teaching about Vows
^{Matthew 5:33} "Again, you have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say, don’t make any vows! If you say, ‘By heaven!’ it is a sacred vow because heaven is God’s throne. ³⁵ And if you say, ‘By the earth!’ it is a sacred vow because the earth is his footstool. And don’t swear, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Don’t even swear, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. ³⁷ Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.

Teaching about Revenge
^{Matthew 5:38} "You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it.’ ³⁹ But I say, don’t resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. ⁴⁰ If you are ordered to court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. ⁴¹ If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. ⁴² Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

Teaching about Love for Enemies
^{Matthew 5:43} "You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵ In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. ⁴⁶ If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. ⁴⁷ If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ⁴⁸ But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Teaching about Giving to the Needy
^{Matthew 6:4} "Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. ² When you give a gift to someone in need, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. ³ But when you give to someone, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting
^{Matthew 6:14} "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. ¹⁶ "And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

Teaching about Money and Possessions
^{Matthew 6:19} "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.²² "Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. ²³ But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!²⁴ "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.²⁵ "So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.²⁸ "And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!³¹ "So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. ³² Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, ³³ and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.³⁴ "So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged.
^{Matthew 7:2} "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. ³ And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? ⁴ How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. ⁶ "Don’t give what is holy to unholy people. Don’t give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

"How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin".
^{Matthew 18:3} Then he said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁵ And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. ⁶ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. ⁷ "How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting. ⁸ So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven crippled or lame than to be thrown into the unquenchable fire with both of your hands and feet. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. ¹⁰ "Beware that you don’t despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

The Rich Man
^{Mark 10:17} As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?" ¹⁸ "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked. "Only God is truly good. ¹⁹ But as for your question, you know the commandments: ‘Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not testify falsely. Do not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’ " ²⁰ "Teacher," the man replied, "I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a child." ²¹ Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. "You lack only one thing," he told him. "Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ²² At this, the man’s face fell, and he went sadly away because he had many possessions. ²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!" ²⁴ This amazed them. But Jesus said again, "Dear children, it is very hard to get into the Kingdom of God. ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" ²⁶ The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked. ²⁷ Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God." ²⁸ Then Peter began to mention all that he and the other disciples had left behind. "We’ve given up everything to follow you," he said. ²⁹ And Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, ³⁰ will receive now in return, a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—with persecutions. And in the world to come they will have eternal life. ³¹ But many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then."

The Widow’s Offering
^{Mark 12:41} Jesus went over to the collection box in the Temple and sat and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. ⁴² Then a poor widow came and dropped in two pennies. ⁴³ He called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have given. ⁴⁴ For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves
^{Matthew 10:16} "Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as snakes and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and beaten in the synagogues. ¹⁸ And you must stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me—yes, to witness to the world. ¹⁹ When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say in your defense, because you will be given the right words at the right time. ²⁰ For it won’t be you doing the talking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.²¹ "Brother will betray brother to death, fathers will betray their own children, and children will rise against their parents and cause them to be killed. ²² And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But those who endure to the end will be saved. ²³ When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I assure you that I, the Son of Man, will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.

A servant is not greater than the master
^{Matthew 10:24} "A student is not greater than the teacher. A servant is not greater than the master. ²⁵ The student shares the teacher’s fate. The servant shares the master’s fate. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, how much more will it happen to you, the members of the household! ²⁶ But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. ²⁷ What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ears, shout from the housetops for all to hear! ²⁸ "Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰ And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.

"If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth"
^{Matthew 10:32} "If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. ³³ But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.

If you cling to your life, you will lose it;
but if you give it up for me, you will find it
^{Matthew 10:34} "Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. ³⁵ I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ Your enemies will be right in your own household! ³⁷ If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. ³⁸ If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. ³⁹ If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it.

"And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded."
^{Mathew 10:40} "Anyone who welcomes you is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me. ⁴¹ If you welcome a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will receive the same reward a prophet gets. And if you welcome good and godly people because of their godliness, you will be given a reward like theirs. ⁴² And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded."

"You must be ready all the time,
 for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
^{Luke 12:39} "Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." ⁴¹ Peter asked, "Lord, is this illustration just for us or for everyone?" ⁴² And the Lord replied, "I’m talking to any faithful, sensible servant to whom the master gives the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family. ⁴³ If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. ⁴⁴ I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. ⁴⁵ But if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk—⁴⁶ well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷ The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it. ⁴⁸ "But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.

I am warning you!
^{Luke 17:3} I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him."

We are servants who have simply done our duty
^{Luke 17:7} "When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn’t just sit down and eat. ⁸ He must first prepare his master’s meal and serve him his supper before eating his own. ⁹ And the servant is not even thanked, because he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. ¹⁰ In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.’ "

Do this in remembrance of me
^{Luke 22:14} Then at the proper time Jesus and the twelve apostles sat down together at the table. ¹⁵ Jesus said, "I have looked forward to this hour with deep longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. ¹⁶ For I tell you now that I won’t eat it again until it comes to fulfillment in the Kingdom of God." ¹⁷ Then he took a cup of wine, and when he had given thanks for it, he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." ¹⁹ Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁰ After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This wine is the token of God’s new covenant to save you—an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.

Those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank
^{Luke 22:24} And they began to argue among themselves as to who would be the greatest in the coming Kingdom. ²⁵ Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men order their people around, and yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ ²⁶ But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. ²⁷ Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant. ²⁸ You have remained true to me in my time of trial. ²⁹ And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right ³⁰ to eat and drink at my table in that Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done
^{John 14:12} "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. ¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth
^{John 14:15} "If you love me, obey my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. ¹⁸ No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. ¹⁹ In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. ²⁰ When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."

He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you
^{John 14:23} Jesus replied, "All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn’t love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me. ²⁵ I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. ²⁶ But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative—and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you. ²⁷ "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid. ²⁸ Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. ²⁹ I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen. ³⁰ "I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, ³¹ but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you
^{John 15:1} "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³ You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. ⁵ "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. ⁷ But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! ⁸ My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. ⁹ "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! ¹² I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. ¹³ And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you obey me. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. ¹⁶ You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. ¹⁷ I command you to love each other.

Do you remember what I told you?
^{John 15:18} "When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. ²⁰ Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! ²¹ The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me. ²² They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Anyone who hates me hates my Father, too. ²⁴ If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us—me and my Father. ²⁵ This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: ‘They hated me without cause.’ ²⁶ "But I will send you the Counselor—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me. ²⁷ And you must also tell others about me because you have been with me from the beginning.

The world’s sin is unbelief in me.
^{John 16:5} "But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going. ⁶ Instead, you are very sad. ⁷ But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹ The world’s sin is unbelief in me. ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹ Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged. ¹² "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. ¹⁴ He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.

"Do you finally believe?
^{John 16:31} Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe? ³² But the time is coming—in fact, it is already here—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. ³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

The Great Commission
^{Matthew 28:18} Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

"But what do you think about this?
^{Matthew 21:28} "But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. ³⁰ Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. ³¹ Which of the two was obeying his father?" They replied, "The first, of course." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. ³² For John the Baptist came and showed you the way to life, and you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to turn from your sins and believe him.

Story of the Great Feast
^{Matthew 22:2} "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. ³ Many guests were invited, and when the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify everyone that it was time to come. But they all refused! ⁴ So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared, and choice meats have been cooked. Everything is ready. Hurry!’ ⁵ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went about their business, one to his farm, another to his store. ⁶ Others seized his messengers and treated them shamefully, even killing some of them. ⁷ "Then the king became furious. He sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city. ⁸ And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. ⁹ Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ ¹⁰ "So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. ¹¹ But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ¹² ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ And the man had no reply. ¹³ Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen."

Story of the Ten Bridesmaids
^{Matthew 25:1} "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ The five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps, ⁴ but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. ⁵ When the bridegroom was delayed, they all lay down and slept. ⁶ At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and welcome him!’ ⁷ "All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. ⁸ Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ "But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. ¹¹ Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ ¹² But he called back, ‘I don’t know you!’ ¹³ "So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return.

The Final Judgment
^{Matthew 25:31} "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ ³⁷ "Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? ³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ ⁴¹ "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! ⁴² For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me anything to drink. ⁴³ I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ ⁴⁴ "Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ ⁴⁵ And he will answer, ‘I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ ⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."

Rejoice your names are registered as citizens of heaven.
^{Luke 10:18} "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! ¹⁹ And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. ²⁰ But don’t rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven."

Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving
^{Luke 10:21} Then Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. ²² "My Father has given me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." ²³ Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, "How privileged you are to see what you have seen. ²⁴ I tell you, many prophets and kings have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not."

The Cost of Being a Disciple
^{Luke 14:25} Great crowds were following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ²⁶ "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me. ²⁸ "But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? ²⁹ Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! ³⁰ They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’ ³¹ "Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten tho