Matthew Chapter 14
John the Baptist Beheaded
1 At that time
Herod the tetrarch
heard the report
about Jesus
2 and said
to his servants,
“This is John the Baptist;
he is risen from the dead,
and therefore these
powers are at
work in him.”
3 For Herod
had laid hold of
John and bound
him, and put him
in prison for the
sake of Herodias,
his brother Philip’s wife.
4 Because
John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you
to have her.”
5 And although
he wanted to put
him to death, he
feared the multitude,
because they counted
him as a prophet.
6 But when Herod’s
birthday was celebrated,
the daughter of Herodias
danced before them and
pleased Herod.
7 Therefore
he promised with
an oath to give her
whatever she might ask.
8 So she, having been
prompted by her mother, said,
“Give me John the Baptist’s
head here on a platter.”
9 And the
king was sorry;
nevertheless, because
of the oaths and
because of
those who sat
with him, he
commanded
it to be given
to her.
10 So he sent and had
John beheaded in prison.
11 And his head was
brought on a platter
and given to the girl,
and she brought it
to her mother.
12 Then his disciples came and
took away the body and buried
it and went and told Jesus.
Feeding the Five Thousand
13 When Jesus heard it,
He departed from there by
boat to a deserted place
by Himself. But when
the multitudes heard it,
they followed Him on
foot from the cities.
14 And when Jesus went out
He saw a great multitude;
and He was moved with
compassion for them,
and healed their sick.
15 When it was evening, His
disciples came to Him, saying,
“This is a deserted place,
and the hour is already late.
Send the multitudes away, that
they may go into the villages
and buy themselves food.”
16 But Jesus
said to them,
“They do not need to go
away. You give them
something to eat.”
17 And they said to Him,
“We have here only five
loaves and two fish.”
18 He said,
“Bring them here
to Me.”
19 Then He
commanded
the multitudes
to sit down on
the grass. And He
took the five loaves
and the two fish, and
looking up to heaven,
He blessed and broke
and gave the loaves to
the disciples; and the
disciples gave to
the multitudes.
When the kingdom of
heaven is present,
God’s will is done.
20 So they all
ate and were filled,
and they took up
twelve baskets full
of the fragments
that remained.
This is the first miracle of
the feeding of the multitudes.
Blessed were the disciples,
after serving the multitude,
each disciple received their
own basket, and they
were filled.
21 Now those
who had eaten were
about five thousand men,
besides women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Sea
22 Immediately Jesus made
His disciples get into the boat and
go before Him to the other side,
while He sent the multitudes away.
23 And when He had
sent the multitudes away,
He went up on the mountain
by Himself to pray. Now
when evening came,
He was alone there.
Jesus set the example for us,
to spend time in prayer,
alone with God.
24 But the boat was now
in the middle of the sea,
tossed by the waves, for
the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the
fourth watch of the
night Jesus went to them,
walking on the sea.
26 And when the
disciples saw Him
walking on the sea,
they were troubled,
saying,
“It is a ghost!”
And they cried
out for fear.
27 But
immediately
Jesus spoke to
them, saying,
“Be of good cheer!
It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter
answered Him
and said, “Lord,
if it is You,
command
me to come to
You on the water.”
29 So
He said,
“Come.”
And when Peter
had come down
out of the boat,
he walked on the
water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he
saw that the wind
was boisterous, he
was afraid; and
beginning to sink
he cried out,
saying,
“Lord, save me!”
31 And
immediately
Jesus stretched
out His hand
and caught him,
and said to him,
“O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?”
32 And when they
got into the boat,
the wind ceased.
33 Then
those who were
in the boat came and
worshiped Him,
saying,
“Truly You are
the Son of God.”
Many Touch Him
and Are Made Well
34 When they
had crossed over,
they came to the land
of Gennesaret.
35 And when the men of
that place recognized Him,
they sent out into all that
surrounding region,
brought to Him all
who were sick,
36 and begged Him
that they might only
touch the hem of
His garment. And
as many as touched it
were made perfectly well.
Pray for healing,
with faith take action.
Matthew Chapter 15
Defilement Comes from Within
1 Then the
scribes and Pharisees
who were from Jerusalem
came to Jesus, saying,
2 “Why do Your
disciples transgress
the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their
hands when they eat bread.”
Jesus answered their question,
in verses 16-20.
3 He
answered
and said to them,
“Why do you also
transgress the
commandment of God
because of your tradition?
4 For God
commanded, saying,
‘Honor your father and your mother’;
and,‘He who curses father or mother,
let him be put to death.’
5 But
you say,
‘Whoever
says to his
father or mother,
“Whatever profit
you might have
received from me
is a gift to God.”
6 then he
need not honor
his father or mother.’
Thus you have made
the commandment
of God of no effect
by your tradition.
7 Hypocrites!
Well did Isaiah
prophesy about you,
saying:
8 ‘These
people draw
near to Me with
their mouth, and honor
Me with their lips, but their
heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain
they worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.’ ”
Believe Jesus teachings,
not the words of men.
10 When He had called
the multitude to Himself,
He said to them,
“Hear and understand:
11 Not what
goes into the mouth
defiles a man; but what
comes out of the mouth,
this defiles a man.”
This parable is explained
in verses 15-20.
12 Then His disciples
came and said to Him, “Do
You know that the Pharisees
were offended when they
heard this saying?”
13 But He answered and said,
“Every plant which My heavenly
Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Jesus is referring
to the pharisees,
who teach
man’s doctrine.
14 Let them alone. They are
blind leaders of the blind. And
if the blind leads the blind,
both will fall into a ditch.”
The pharisees were the
blind leaders. Those who
teach man’s doctrine
instead of God’s word,
are blind leaders.
15 Then
Peter answered
and said to Him,
“Explain this
parable to us.”
16 So Jesus said,
“Are you also still
without understanding?
17 Do you not yet understand
that whatever enters the mouth
goes into the stomach and
is eliminated?
18 But those
things which proceed
out of the mouth come from
the heart, and they
defile a man.
19 For out
of the heart
proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
“evil thoughts”
lusting, evil words,
hurtful deeds.
“Murderers”
Taking the life of another.
“Adulteries”
unfaithfulness to
the marriage bed.
“Fornications”
sex before marriage.
“Thefts”
taking what does
not belong to you.
“False witness”
lying, untrue spoken words.
“Blasphemies”
evil speaking of God, profanity,
taking God’s name in vain.
20 These are
the things which defile
a man, but to eat with unwashed
hands does not defile a man.”
Verses 15-20,
answer the parable,
in verses 10-11.
A Gentile Shows Her Faith
21 Then Jesus
went out from there
and departed to the
region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And behold,
a woman of Canaan
came from that region
and cried out to Him,
saying,
“Have mercy on me,
O Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is severely
demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered
her not a word. And
His disciples came
and urged Him,
saying,
“Send her away, for
she cries out after us.”
24 But He
answered and said,
“I was not sent except
to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel.”
Jesus always gave
the Jews first opportunity
to accept Him as
their Messiah.
“Matthew 10:5-7”
These twelve Jesus sent out
and commanded them, saying,
“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles,
and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
But rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
25 Then
she came and
worshiped Him, saying,
“Lord, help me!”
26 But He
answered and said,
“It is not good to take
the children’s bread and
throw it to the little dogs.”
In those days,
Gentiles were called
little dogs.
27 And she
said, “Yes, Lord,
yet even the little dogs
eat the crumbs which
fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then
Jesus answered
and said to her,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be to you as you desire.”
And her daughter was healed
from that very hour.
Jesus Heals Great Multitudes
29 Jesus
departed from there,
skirted the Sea of Galilee,
and went up on the
mountain and
sat down there.
30 Then
great multitudes
came to Him, having with
them the lame, blind, mute,
maimed, and many others;
and they laid them down
at Jesus’ feet, and He
healed them.
31 So
the multitude
marveled when they
saw the mute speaking,
the maimed made whole,
the lame walking, and
the blind seeing;
and they glorified
the God of Israel.
Feeding the Four Thousand
32 Now Jesus called His
disciples to Himself and said,
“I have compassion on the
multitude, because they have now
continued with Me three days
and have nothing to eat.
And I do not want to
send them away hungry,
lest they faint on the way.”
33 Then His
disciples said to Him,
“Where could we get enough
bread in the wilderness to
fill such a great multitude?”
34 Jesus said to them,
“How many loaves do you have?”
And they said, “Seven, and
a few little fish.”
35 So He commanded
the multitude to sit down
on the ground.
36 And He took the
seven loaves and the
fish and gave thanks,
broke them and gave
them to His disciples;
and the disciples gave
to the multitude.
37 So they all ate
and were filled, and
they took up seven
large baskets full
of the fragments
that were left.
38 Now those who ate
were four thousand men,
besides women and children.
Where Jesus is,
He provides abundantly.
39 And He sent away
the multitude, got into
the boat, and came to
the region of Magdala.
Matthew Chapter 16
The Pharisees and
Sadducees Seek a Sign
1 Then the Pharisees
and Sadducees came,
and testing Him asked
that He would show them
a sign from heaven.
2 He answered
and said to them,
“When it is
evening you say,
‘It will be fair weather,
for the sky is red’;
3 and in the morning,
‘It will be foul weather today, for
the sky is red and threatening.’
Hypocrites! You know how to
discern the face of the sky,
but you cannot discern
the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign,
and no sign shall be given to
it except the sign of the
prophet Jonah.”
And He left them
and departed.
“Matthew 12:38-41”
Then some of the scribes and
pharisees answered, saying,
Teacher, we want to
see a sign from you. But He
answered and said to them," An
evil and adulterous generation
seeks after a sign, and no sign
will be given to it except the
sign of the prophet Jonah.
For as Jonah was three days
and three nights in the belly
of the great fish, so will the
Son of Man be three days
and three nights in the
heart of the earth. The
men of Nineveh will
rise up in the judgment
with this generation and
condemn it, because they
repented at the preaching of
Jonah, and indeed something
greater than Jonah is here.”
The Leaven of the Pharisees
and Sadducees
5 Now when His disciples
had come to the other side,
they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said to them,
“Take heed and beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees.”
7 And they reasoned
among themselves, saying,
“It is because we have
taken no bread.”
8 But Jesus, being
aware of it, said to them,
“O you of little faith,
why do you reason
among yourselves
because you have
brought no bread?
9 Do you not
yet understand, or
remember the five loaves
of the five thousand and how
many baskets you took up?
10 Nor the seven loaves
of the four thousand and
how many large baskets
you took up?
11 How is it you do not
understand that I did not speak
to you concerning bread?
but to beware of the leaven
of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12 Then they understood
that He did not tell them
to beware of the leaven
of bread, but of the
doctrine of the
Pharisees and
Sadducees.
Peter Confesses
Jesus as the Christ
13 When Jesus came into
the region of Caesarea Philippi,
He asked His disciples, saying,
“Who do men say that I,
the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said,
“Some say John the Baptist,
some Elijah, and others
Jeremiah or one of
the prophets.”
15 He said to them,
“But who do you say
that I am?”
16 Simon Peter
answered and said,
“You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God.”
As Peter knew,
we to must know
who Christ is.
“Christ”
The Messiah,
our Savior, Jesus.
17 Jesus
answered
and said to him,
“Blessed are you,
Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you, but
My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I
also say to you
that you are Peter,
and on this rock I
will build My
church,
and the gates
of Hades shall not
prevail against it.
“Prevail”
Will not overcome
the church.
19 And I will
give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven,
and whatever you bind
on earth will be
bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven.”
Heavenly power given to
God’s earthly church.
Only when Jesus
is present with us,
are the keys of heaven
given to the church to use.
“Bind, bound” - Forbidden.
“Loose, loosed” - Permitted.
20 Then
He commanded
His disciples that they
should tell no one that
He was Jesus the Christ.
The disciples were not
to share this truth,
about Jesus being
the Son of God,
until after Jesus
resurrection.
Because Jesus knew
they did not understand.
Jesus Predicts His
Death and Resurrection
21 From
that time Jesus
began to show to
His disciples that He
must go to Jerusalem,
and suffer many things
from the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and
be killed, and be raised
the third day.
22 Then Peter took Him aside
and began to rebuke Him, saying,
“Far be it from You, Lord; this
shall not happen to You!”
23 But He
turned and
said to Peter,
“Get behind Me,
satan! You are an
offense to Me, for
you are not mindful
of the things of God,
but the things of men.”
Take Up the Cross
and Follow Him
24 Then
Jesus said
to His disciples,
“If anyone desires
to come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow Me.
Taking up your cross
is dying to self,
and living for Jesus.
“Matthew 10:38-39”
And he who does not take his cross
and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
He who finds his life will lose it, and he
who loses his life for My sake
will find it.
25 For
whoever
desires to save
his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life
for My sake will find it.
To live for self,
the sins of the flesh,
brings death.
To die to self,
the sinful flesh,
brings life.
“Matthew 22:37-39”
Jesus said to him,
“You shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
This is the first and
great commandment.
And the second is like it,
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.”
26 For what
profit is it to a man if
he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul?
Or what will a man give
in exchange for his soul?
Believers are to give up
all worldly desires.
“Matthew 6:19-21”
Do not lay up
for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where moth and rust
destroy and where thieves
break in and steal, but
lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor
rust destroys and where
thieves do not break in
and steal. For where
your treasure is, there
your heart will be also.
“1 Timothy 6:7-11”
For we brought nothing
into this world,
and it is certain we can
carry nothing out.
And having food and clothing,
with these we shall
be content. But those
who desire to be rich
fall into temptation and
a snare, and into many
foolish and harmful lusts
which drown men in
destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is
a root of all kinds of evil,
for which some have
strayed from the faith
in their greediness, and
pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.
“James 2:5”
Listen, My beloved brethren;
Has God not chosen the poor
of this world to be rich in faith
and heirs of the kingdom
which He promised to
those who love Him.
27 For the
Son of Man will
come in the glory
of His Father with
His angels, and then
He will reward each
according to his works.
“Reward”
Jesus will reward those
who die to self, and
live for Him.
28 Assuredly, I say to you,
there are some standing here
who shall not taste death
till they see the Son of Man
coming in His kingdom.”
This verse is answered
in chapter 17:1-9.
Matthew Chapter 17
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
1 Now after six days
Jesus took Peter, James,
and John his brother,
led them up on a high
mountain by themselves;
2 and He
was transfigured
before them. His face
shone like the sun,
and His clothes
became as white
as the light.
3 And behold,
Moses and Elijah
appeared to them,
talking with Him.
4 Then
Peter answered
and said to Jesus,
“Lord, it is good
for us to be here;
if You wish, let us
make here three
tabernacles:
one for You,
one for Moses,
and one for Elijah.”
5 While he
was still speaking,
behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them;
and suddenly a voice
came out of the cloud,
saying, “This is
My beloved Son,
in whom I am well
pleased. Hear Him!”
6 And when
the disciples
heard it, they fell
on their faces and
were greatly afraid.
7 But Jesus came and
touched them and said,
“Arise, and do not be afraid.”
8 When
they had lifted
up their eyes, they
saw no one but
Jesus only.
9 Now as
they came down
from the mountain,
Jesus commanded
them, saying,
“Tell the vision
to no one until
the Son of Man is
risen from the dead.”
Verses 1-9,
are a continuation of chapter 16:28,
Peter, James, and John experienced
the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus
was transfigured in His glory,
speaking with Moses and Elijah.
10 And His disciples
asked Him, saying,
“Why then do the scribes
say that Elijah must
come first?”
11 Jesus
answered
and said to them,
“Indeed, Elijah is
coming first and
will restore all things.
12 But I say to you
that Elijah has come
already, and they did
not know him but did to
him whatever they wished.
Likewise the Son of Man
is also about to suffer
at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples
understood that He spoke
to them of John the Baptist.
A Boy Is Healed
14 And when they had
come to the multitude,
a man came to Him,
kneeling down to
Him and saying,
15 “Lord,
have mercy
on my son, for he
is an epileptic and
suffers severely;
for he often falls
into the fire and
often into the water.
16 So I
brought him
to Your disciples,
but they could not
cure him.”
17 Then Jesus
answered and said,
“O faithless and
perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you?
Bring him here to Me.”
“Faithless”
Not using the faith
we have been given.
“Perverse”
Willfully being
disobedient to
God’s word.
18 And Jesus
rebuked the demon,
and it came out of him;
and the child was cured
from that very hour.
“Rebuked” - Cast out.
19 Then the disciples
came to Jesus privately
and said, “Why could
we not cast it out?”
20 So Jesus said to them,
“Because of your unbelief;
for assuredly, I say to you,
if you have faith as a
mustard seed, you will
say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’
and it will move; and
nothing will be impossible
for you.
It is not the
size of the faith, but
using the faith God
has given us.
“Mountain”
Any sin,
addiction,
evil, or negative
influence in our life,
or the lives of others.
21 However,
this kind does
not go out except
by prayer and
fasting.”
“Prayer”
Constant communication
with God, both speaking,
and hearing-listening in our
heart, spirit, mind and thoughts.
You will feel God’s powerful presents,
when you receive a word, or a
few words from Him.
Thank you Jesus!
A very old prayer
That can be repeated
Day and night
“The Jesus Prayer”
Lord Jesus Christ
Son of God
Have mercy
on me.
“Fasting”
Denying the desires of the body,
to be filled more with Jesus.
Jesus teaches hear,
there are times
when prayer
and fasting
are required.
Jesus Again Predicts His
Death and Resurrection
22 Now while they
were staying in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is
about to be betrayed
into the hands of men,
23 and they
will kill Him, and
the third day He
will be raised up.”
And they were
exceedingly sorrowful.
Peter and His Master
Pay Their Taxes
24 When they had
come to Capernaum,
those who received
the temple tax came
to Peter and said,
“Does your Teacher
not pay the temple tax?”
25 He
said, “Yes.”
And when he had
come into the house,
Jesus anticipated him, saying,
“What do you think, Simon?
From whom do the kings of
the earth take customs or taxes,
from their sons or from strangers?”
“Anticipated”
Jesus spoke to Peter first,
before Peter could tell Him
what happened.
26 Peter
said to Him,
“From strangers.”
Jesus said to him,
“Then the sons are free.
The Sons of God are free
from paying temple tax,
for the temple belongs
to God.
27 Nevertheless,
lest we offend them,
go to the sea, cast in a hook,
and take the fish that comes up first.
And when you have opened its mouth,
you will find a piece of money;
take that and give it to them
for Me and you.”
As Christians,
we are to pay taxes,
God provides.
Matthew Chapter 18
Who Is the Greatest
1 At that time the
disciples came to Jesus,
saying,
“Who then is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Then Jesus called
a little child to Him, set
him in the midst of them,
3 and said,
“Assuredly, I say to you,
unless you are converted and
become as little children,
you will by no means enter
the kingdom of heaven.”
“Converted”
To change,
from worldly
carnal desires,
free from pride,
covetousness,
and independence,
to completely depend upon
and trust our heavenly Father.
“Become as little children”
Little children are dependent
on Jesus our Lord and Savior,
not independent taking
care of themselves.
When we become helpless,
then we depend
on the loving care of Jesus.
We must believe,
and, live Jesus teachings,
with childlike trust,
and obedience.
“Mark 10:15”
“Assuredly, I say to you,
whoever does not receive
the kingdom of God
as a little child will by
no means enter it.”
4 “Therefore
whoever humbles himself
as this little child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven.”
“Humbles himself”
Humility begins with self-examination
and continues with self-denial.The
humble person puts Jesus first,
others next, himself last.
5 Whoever
receives one little child
like this in My name
receives Me.
This verse can bless
those that adopt children,
or financially help to feed,
and care for orphans.
Jesus Warns of Offenses
6 “But whoever causes
one of these little ones
who believe in Me to sin,
it would be better for him
if a millstone were hung
around his neck, and
he were drowned in
the depth of the sea.”
These words need to be
read often to remind ourselves,
it would be better for us to have died,
before we committed the sin of tempting,
or causing an innocent person to sin.
In these days of child abuse, we must
take Jesus warning seriously. It is better
to drown with a millstone around our neck,
than to tempt, or abuse a child, or anyone,
and face the judgment of God.
“Romans 8:13”
For if you live
according to the flesh you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death
the deeds of the body, you will live.
7 Woe to the world
because of offenses!
For offenses must come,
but woe to that man by
whom the offense comes!
“Offense”
To do harm, insult,
injure, or tempt anyone to sin.
Miserable and without rest is the man
by whom the offense cometh; woe
to anyone who chooses to walk
in the offensive way.
“Woe”
Sorrow, pain, misery,
grief, sadness, regret.
“Galatians 5:24”
And those who are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires.
8 “If your hand or foot
causes you to sin, cut it off
and cast it from you.
It is better for you
to enter into life
lame or maimed,
rather than having
two hands or two feet,
to be cast into the
everlasting fire.
9 And
if your eye
causes you to sin,
pluck it out and
cast it from you.
It is better for you
to enter into life
with one eye,
rather than having
two eyes, to be cast
into hell fire.
“Pluck out, cut off”
Spiritual surgery, no longer use to sin.
Jesus is not requiring us to harm our
physical bodies, Jesus is teaching
the serious consequences of using
our body to sin. Stop serving the
devil, and committing sins of the
flesh, with our hands, feet, or
lusting with our eyes. It is better
to go to heaven without enjoying
the sins of the flesh, than enjoy them
here, and burn eternally in hell.
“Romans 6:6-7”
Knowing this, that our
old man was crucified
with Him, that the body
of sin might be done
away with, that we
should no longer be
slaves of sin. For
he who has died
has been freed
from sin.
“Romans 13:14”
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the
flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10 “Take heed that
you do not despise
one of these little ones,
for I say to you that in
heaven their angels
always see the face
of My Father who
is in heaven.
Always remember,
guardian angels
are watching over
all of God’s children.
11 For the
Son of Man
has come to save
that which was lost.
12 “What do you think?
If a man has a hundred sheep,
and one of them goes astray,
does he not leave the ninety-nine
and go to the mountains to seek
the one that is straying?
13 And if he should find
it, assuredly, I say to you,
he rejoices more over
that sheep than over
the ninety-nine that
did not go astray.
14 Even so it is not
the will of your Father
who is in heaven that
one of these little ones
should perish.
No one will be lost,
if we receive Jesus
the giver of life.
“John 3:16-17”
For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into
the world to condemn the world,
but that the world through Him
might be saved.
Dealing with a Sinning Brother
15 “Moreover if your
brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone.
If he hears you, you have
gained your brother.
16 But if he will not hear,
take with you one or two
more, that ‘by the mouth
of two or three witnesses
every word may be
established.’
17 And if he refuses to
hear them, tell it to the church.
But if he refuses even to hear
the church, let him be to you
like a heathen and a
tax collector.
Jesus teaches in verses 15-17,
how to find forgiveness,
with a sinning brother.
A Christian brother
would not live in sin.
“James 5:19-20”
brethren, if anyone among
you wanders from the truth,
and someone turns him back,
let him know that he who turns
a sinner from the error of his way
will save a soul from death and
cover a multitude of sins.
18 “Assuredly, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you
loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven."
“Matthew 6:10”
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
“Matthew 16:18-19”
And I also say
to you that you
are Peter, and on this
rock I will build My church,
and the gates of Hades shall not
prevail against it. And I will give you
the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth will be bound
in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you
that if two of you agree
on earth concerning
anything that they ask,
it will be done for them
by My Father in heaven.
How blessed Christian
marriages are when
husband and wife
constantly pray.
How blessed we are,
when we pray with
a brother or sister,
in the name of Jesus.
“1 John 5:14-15”
Now this is the confidence
that we have in Him, that if we
ask anything according to His will,
He hears us and if we know that He
hears us, whatever we ask, we
know that we have the
petitions that we
ask of Him.
20 For where
two or three are
gathered together
in My name,
I am there
in the midst
of them.”
Gather together with believers,
this is God’s blessing to
prayer partners.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter
came to Him
and said, “Lord,
how often shall my
brother sin against me,
and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him,
“I do not say to you,
up to seven times,
but up to seventy
times seven.
23 Therefore the
kingdom of heaven
is like a certain king
who wanted to settle
accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had
begun to settle accounts,
one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But as he was
not able to pay, his
master commanded that
he be sold, with his wife
and children and all
that he had, and that
payment be made.
26 The servant therefore
fell down before him, saying,
‘Master, have patience with me,
and I will pay you all.’
27 Then the master
of that servant was
moved with compassion,
released him, and forgave
him the debt.
28 “But that servant
went out and found one
of his fellow servants who
owed him a hundred denarii;
and he laid hands on him
and took him by the throat,
saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 So his fellow servant
fell down at his feet and
begged him, saying,
‘Have patience with me,
and I will pay you all.’
30 And he would
not, but went and threw
him into prison till he
should pay the debt.
31 So when his
fellow servants saw what
had been done, they
were very grieved,
and came and told
their master all
that had been done.
32 Then his master,
after he had called
him, said to him,
‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you all
that debt because
you begged me.
33 Should you not also
have had compassion
on your fellow servant,
just as I had pity on you?’
34 And his master was
angry, and delivered him to
the torturers until he should
pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father
also will do to you if each of you,
from his heart, does not forgive
his brother his trespasses.”
Verses 21-35,
“The parable of the
unforgiving servant”
There is no limit,
we are to forgive others,
as we have been forgiven.
Forgiveness sets the one
who forgives free.
Forgiveness is
the key to heaven,
God forgives all our sin,
and the door to heaven is open.
If we do not forgive others, we bind
our self in the sin of unforgiveness, and
the door to heaven is closed to us.
“Matthew 6:14-15”
For if you forgive
men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive
men their trespasses,
neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
Chapter 19
Marriage and Divorce
1 Now it came to pass,
when Jesus had finished
these sayings, that He
departed from Galilee
and came to the region
of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2 And great
multitudes followed
Him, and He healed
them there.
When we follow Jesus,
we will be healed.
3 The Pharisees
also came to Him,
testing Him, and
saying to Him,
“Is it lawful for
a man to divorce
his wife for just
any reason?”
4 And He
answered
and said to them,
“Have you not read
that He who made
them at the beginning
‘made them male
and female,’
“Genesis 1:27”
So God created man
in His own image;
in the image of God
He created him;
male and female
He created them.
5 and said,
‘For this reason a
man shall leave his
father and mother and
be joined to his wife,
and the two shall
become one flesh’?
“Genesis 2:24”
Therefore a man shall leave
his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and they shall become
one flesh.
6 So then, they are no
longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God
has joined together,
let not man separate.”
"let not man separate"
“Malachi 2:16”
For the Lord God of Israel says,
that He hates divorce, for it
covers one’s garment
with violence,
says the Lord of hosts.
Therefore take heed to your
spirit, that you do not
deal treacherously.
7 They said to Him,
“Why then did Moses
command to give a
certificate of divorce,
and to put her away?”
8 He said to them,
“Moses, because of the
hardness of your hearts,
permitted you to divorce
your wives, but from the
beginning it was not so.
“Hardness of your hearts”
Hearts are hardened,
when we do not
listen to God’s word.
“Hebrews 3:12-15”
Beware, brethren, lest
there be in any of you
an evil heart of unbelief in
departing from the living God;
but exhort one another daily,
while it is called, today, lest any
of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. For we have
become partakers of Christ if
we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast to the end,
while it is said: Today if you
will hear His voice, do not
harden your hearts as
in the rebellion.
9 And I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife,
except for sexual immorality,
and marries another,
commits adultery;
and whoever
marries her
who is divorced
commits adultery.”
10 His
disciples
said to Him,“If
such is the case of
the man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
Jesus Teaches on Celibacy
11 But He said to them,
“All cannot accept this saying,
but only those to whom
it has been given:
12 For there are eunuchs
who were born thus from
their mother’s womb, and
there are eunuchs who were
made eunuchs by men, and
there are eunuchs who have
made themselves eunuchs for
the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
He who is able to accept it,
let him accept it.”
“Eunuch”
A castrated man,
physically, or spiritually.
"Made themselves eunuchs
for the kingdom of heaven"
This is a promise of eternal life,
for Christians called, or chosen, to
live celibate, by the grace of God,
controlling every earthly desire,
that they may receive from
God without distraction.
“1 Corinthians 7:32-35”
But I want you to be without care.
He who is unmarried cares
for the things of the Lord,
how he may please
the Lord. But he
who is married
cares about the
things of the world,
how he may please his
wife. There is a difference
between a wife and a virgin.
The unmarried woman cares
about the things of the lord,
that she may be holy
both in body and in
spirit. But she who
is married cares
about the things
of the world, how
she may please her
husband. And this I say
for your own profit, not that
I may put a leash on you,
but for what is proper,
and that you may
serve the Lord
without distraction.
"Isaiah 56:4-5"
For thus says the Lord:
"To the eunuchs who
keep My Sabbaths, and
choose what pleases me,
and holds fast My covenant,
even to them I will give in My house
and within My walls a place and a
name better than that of sons and
daughters; I will give them an
everlasting name that shall
not be cut off."
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 Then little children
were brought to Him
that He might put His
hands on them and pray,
but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said,
“Let the little children
come to Me, and
do not forbid them;
for of such is the
kingdom of heaven.”
15 And He laid His hands on
them and departed from there.
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
16 Now behold,
one came and said to Him,
“Good Teacher, what good thing
shall I do that I may have
eternal life?”
17 So He said to him,
“Why do you call Me good?
No one is good but One, that is, God.
But if you want to enter into life,
keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him,
“Which ones?” Jesus said,
“‘You shall not murder,’
‘You shall not commit adultery,’
‘You shall not steal,’
‘You shall not bear false witness,’
19 ‘Honor your father
and your mother,’ and,
‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”
The commandments were given,
to show us, we need
a Savior - Jesus.
20 The young
man said to Him,
“All these things I have
kept from my youth.
What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him,
“If you want to be perfect,
go, sell what you have
and give to the poor,
and you will have
treasure in heaven;
and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young
man heard that saying,
he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions.
The first commandment God gave us is:
“You shall have no other god’s before Me.”
The rich man’s god was money.
“Luke 14:33”
So likewise, whoever of you
does not forsake all that he has
cannot be My disciple!
With God All Things Are Possible
23 Then Jesus
said to His disciples,
“Assuredly, I say to you
that it is hard for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle
than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God.”
When a rich man’s
faith is in money,
there is no salvation.
There is only one way
to salvation, through
Jesus Christ our
Lord and Savior.
“1 Timothy 6:9-10”
But those who desire to be rich
fall into temptation and a snare,
and into many foolish and harmful
lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition. For the love of money
is a root of all kinds of evil, for which
some have strayed from the faith in
their greediness, and pierced
themselves through with
many sorrows
25 When His disciples
heard it, they were greatly
astonished, saying,
“Who then can be saved?”
26 But Jesus looked
at them and said to them,
“With men this is impossible,
but with God all things
are possible.”
Men cannot save themselves,
Salvation is a gift from God.
“John 14:6”
Jesus said to him,
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father
except through Me.”
27 Then
Peter answered
and said to Him,
“See, we have left
all and followed You.
Therefore what shall we have?”
The reward for all believers,
who receive Jesus as their Savior,
is eternal life in heaven.
28 So Jesus
said to them,
“Assuredly I say to you,
that in the regeneration,
when the Son of Man sits
on the throne of His glory,
you who have followed Me
will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Assuredly”
Without doubt.
“Regeneration”
Jesus future reign on earth.
“Luke 22:28-30”
But you are those who
have continued with Me
in My trials. And I bestow
upon you a kingdom,
just as My Father
bestowed one upon Me,
that you may eat and
drink at My table
in My kingdom,
and sit on thrones
judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone
who has left houses
or brothers or sisters
or father or mother
or wife or children
or lands, for My
name’s sake, shall
receive a hundredfold,
and inherit eternal life.
This is a promise of
eternal life, Amen.
“Mark 10:29-30”
So Jesus answered and said,
“Assuredly, I say to you,
there is no one who has
left house or brothers or
sisters or father or mother
or wife or children or lands,
for My sake and the gospel’s.
Who shall not receive a hundredfold
now in this time, houses and brothers
and sisters and mothers and children
and lands, with persecutions, and
in the age to come, eternal life.”
“For My name’s sake”
“Philippians 2:9-11”
Therefore God also has
highly exalted Him and
given Him the name
which is above every
name, that at the
name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of
those in heaven,
and of those on
earth, and of those
under the earth, and
that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.
30 But many
who are first will be last,
and the last first.
This verse is explained by Jesus,
in chapter 20:1-16
Matthew Chapter 20
The Parable of the
Workers in the Vineyard
1 “For the
kingdom of heaven
is like a landowner who
went out early in the morning
to hire laborers for his
vineyard.
2 Now when he had
agreed with the laborers
for a denarius a day,
he sent them into
his vineyard.
3 And he went out
about the third hour
and saw others standing
idle in the marketplace,
4 and said to them, ‘You
also go into the vineyard,
and whatever is right
I will give you.’
So they went.
5 Again
he went out
about the sixth
and the ninth hour,
and did likewise.
6 And about
the eleventh hour he
went out and found others
standing idle, and said to them,
‘Why have you been standing
here idle all day?’
7 They said to him,
‘Because no one hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You
also go into the vineyard,
and whatever is right you
will receive.’
8 “So when evening
had come, the owner of the
vineyard said to his steward,
‘Call the laborers and give them
their wages, beginning with
the last to the first.’
9 And when those
came who were hired
about the eleventh hour,
they each received
a denarius.
10 But when
the first came, they
supposed that they
would receive more;
and they likewise
received each
a denarius.
11 And
when they
had received it,
they complained
against the landowner,
12 saying, ‘These last men
have worked only one hour,
and you made them equal to us
who have borne the burden
and the heat of the day.’
13 But he answered
one of them and said,
‘Friend, I am doing you
no wrong. Did you not
agree with me for
a denarius?
14 Take what is
yours and go your way.
I wish to give to this last
man the same as to you.
15 Is it not lawful
for me to do what
I wish with my own things?
Or is your eye evil because
I am good?’
16 So the
last will be first,
and the first last.
For many are called,
but few chosen.”
Verses 1-16,
“The parable of the
workers in the vineyard”
The Lord rewards the needy,
not the greedy.
Those who consider themselves last,
shall be first.
Those who consider themselves first
shall be last.
The chosen are those that receive
Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Jesus a Third Time Predicts
His Death and Resurrection
17 Now Jesus,
going up to Jerusalem,
took the twelve disciples
aside on the road and
said to them,
18 “Behold, we are
going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be
betrayed to the chief priests
and to the scribes; and
they will condemn
Him to death,
19 and deliver Him to
the Gentiles to mock and
to scourge and to crucify.
And the third day He
will rise again.”
Greatness Is Serving
20 Then the mother
of Zebedee’s sons came
to Him with her sons,
kneeling down and
asking something
from Him.
21 And He
said to her,
“What do you wish?”
She said to Him,
“Grant that these two
sons of mine may sit,
one on Your right hand
and the other on the left,
in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus
answered and said,
“You do not know what you ask.
Are you able to drink the cup
that I am about to drink,
and be baptized with
the baptism that I am
baptized with?”
They said to Him,
“We are able.”
Jesus suffering,
and death on the cross.
“The cup, Jesus suffering”
“Matthew 26:39”
He went a little farther
and fell on His face,
and prayed, saying,
“O My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from Me,
nevertheless, not as I will,
but as you will.”
“Baptism, Jesus death”
“Luke 12:50”
But I have a baptism
to be baptized with,
and how distressed I am
till it is accomplished.
23 So He said to them,
“You will indeed drink My cup,
and be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with;
but to sit on My right hand and
on My left is not Mine to give,
but it is for those for whom
it is prepared by My Father.”
24 And when
the ten heard it, they
were greatly displeased
with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called
them to Himself and said,
You know that the rulers of
the Gentiles lord it over them,
and those who are great
exercise authority over them.
26 Yet it shall not
be so among you;
but whoever desires to
become great among you,
let him be your servant.
27 And
whoever desires
to be first among you,
let him be your slave,
“Slave”
obedient servant.
The measure
of greatness
is not position,
power, or prestige,
it is service to the least.
“Matthew 25:45”
Then He will
answer them, saying,
“Assuredly I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do
it to one of the least of these,
you did not do it to Me.”
28 just as the Son of Man
did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give
His life a ransom for many.”
Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight
29 Now as they
went out of Jericho, a
great multitude followed Him.
30 And
behold, two blind
men sitting by the road,
when they heard that
Jesus was passing by,
cried out, saying,
“Have mercy on us,
O Lord, Son of David!”
31 Then the multitude warned
them that they should be quiet;
but they cried out all the more,
saying, “Have mercy on us,
O Lord, Son of David!”
32 So Jesus stood still
and called them, and said,
“What do you want Me
to do for you?”
33 They said to Him, “Lord,
that our eyes may be opened.”
34 So Jesus
had compassion
and touched their eyes.
And immediately their
eyes received sight,
and they followed Him.
The blind men knew
Jesus was Emmanuel,
(God with us).
There is power in asking,
be like the blind men,
and cry out for healing!
Matthew Chapter 21
The Triumphal Entry
1 Now when they
drew near Jerusalem,
and came to Bethphage,
at the Mount of Olives,
then Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them,
“Go into the village
opposite you, and
immediately you will
find a donkey tied,
and a colt with her.
Loose them and
bring them to Me.
3 And if anyone says
anything to you, you shall say,
‘The Lord has need of them,’
and immediately he will
send them.”
4 All this was done
that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by
the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 So
the disciples
went and did as
Jesus commanded them.
7 They
brought
the donkey
and the colt, laid
their clothes on them,
and set Him on them.
8 And a very great multitude
spread their clothes on the road;
others cut down branches from
the trees and spread them
on the road.
9 Then the multitudes
who went before and those
who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
“Hosanna” - Praise to God.
10 And when He
had come into Jerusalem,
all the city was moved,
saying, “Who is this?”
11 So the multitudes said,
“This is Jesus, the prophet from
Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 Then Jesus went into
the temple of God and
drove out all those who
bought and sold in the temple,
and overturned the tables
of the money changers
and the seats of those
who sold doves.
13 And He said to them,
“It is written, ‘My house shall
be called a house of prayer,’
but you have made it a
‘den of thieves.’ ”
They were doing
worldly business in
God’s sacred house.
14 Then the blind
and the lame came
to Him in the temple,
and He healed them.
15 But when the chief priests
and scribes saw the wonderful
things that He did, and the
children crying out in the
temple and saying,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
they were indignant
“Indignant”
resentment, offended.
16 and said to Him,
“Do You hear what
these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them,
“Yes. Have you never read,
"Out of the mouth of babes and
nursing infants You have
perfected praise’?”
17 Then He left them
and went out of the
city to Bethany, and
He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered
18 Now in the morning,
as He returned to the city,
He was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree
by the road, He came to it
and found nothing on it
but leaves, and said to it,
“Let no fruit grow
on you ever again.”
Immediately the fig
tree withered away.
The fig tree represents the hypocrites,
who professed to be believers in God,
but produced no fruit.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20 And when the disciples
saw it, they marveled, saying,
“How did the fig tree wither
away so soon?”
21 So
Jesus answered
and said to them,
“Assuredly,
I say to you,
if you have faith
and do not doubt,
you will not only do what
was done to the fig tree,
but also if you say to this
mountain, ‘Be removed and
be cast into the sea,’
it will be done.
“Mountain”
Any sin, addiction, negative
or evil influence in our life.
22 And whatever
things you ask in prayer,
believing, you will receive.”
We must have faith,
Jesus will answer
our prayers.
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
23 Now when He
came into the temple,
the chief priests and the
elders of the people
confronted Him as
He was teaching,
and said, “By what
authority are You
doing these things?
And who gave You
this authority?”
24 But Jesus
answered and
said to them,
“I also will ask
you one thing,
which if you tell Me,
I likewise will tell
you by what authority
I do these things:
25 The
baptism of John;
where was it from?
From heaven or
from men?”
And they reasoned
among themselves, saying,
“If we say, ‘From heaven,’
He will say to us, ‘Why then
did you not believe him?’
26 But
if we say,
‘From men,’ we
fear the multitude,
for all count John
as a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus
and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them,
“Neither will I tell
you by what authority
I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think?
A man had two sons, and
he came to the first and said,
‘Son, go, work today in
my vineyard.’
29 He
answered and
said,‘I will not,’
but afterward
he regretted it
and went.
30 Then he came to the
second and said likewise.
And he answered and said,
‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 Which of the two
did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them,
“Assuredly, I say to you
that tax collectors and
harlots enter the kingdom
of God before you.
32 For John came to you
in the way of righteousness,
and you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and
harlots believed him;
and when you saw it,
you did not afterward
relent and believe him.
“Relent”
Changing your mind,
from the wrong way,
to the right way.
The Parable of the
Wicked Vine dressers
33 “Hear another parable:
There was a certain landowner
who planted a vineyard
and set a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it
and built a tower.
And he leased it
to vine dressers
and went into
a far country.
34 Now
when vintage-time
drew near, he sent his
servants to the vine
dressers, that they
might receive its fruit.
35 And the vine dressers
took his servants, beat one,
killed one, and stoned another.
36 Again he
sent other servants,
more than the first, and they
did likewise to them.
37 Then last of all he sent
his son to them, saying,
‘They will respect my son.’
38 But when the
vine dressers saw the son,
they said among themselves,
‘This is the heir. Come, let us
kill him and seize his inheritance.’
39 So they took him
and cast him out of
the vineyard and
killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the
owner of the vineyard comes,
what will he do to those
vine dressers?”
41 They said to Him,
“He will destroy those
wicked men miserably,
and lease his vineyard
to other vine dressers
who will render to him
the fruits in their seasons.”
Verses 33-41,
“The parable of the
wicked vine dressers”
“landowner” - God
"vineyard"- Israel
“vine dressers” - scribes, pharisees
“servants” - prophets
“His Son” - Jesus.
42 Jesus said to them,
“Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Chief cornerstone”
Is Jesus.
Even before
man was created,
the chief cornerstone,
the plan of our salvation,
was marvelously set in place.
43 “Therefore
I say to you, the
kingdom of God
will be taken from you
and given to a nation
bearing the fruits of it.
44 And whoever falls on
this stone will be broken;
but on whomever it falls,
it will grind him to powder.”
The Jewish leaders stumbled
over Jesus, because they would
not believe Jesus teachings.
The salvation plan is complete
dependence on Jesus Christ,
the chief cornerstone. We fall
on Him, and are broken
from our independence.
When Jesus comes again,
in judgment, He will crush
the unbelievers.
45 Now when the
chief priests and Pharisees
heard His parables, they
perceived that He was
speaking of them.
46 But when
they sought to
lay hands on Him,
they feared the multitudes,
because they took Him
for a prophet.
Matthew Chapter 22
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
1 And Jesus
answered and spoke to
them again by parables and said:
2 “The
kingdom of
heaven is like
a certain king
who arranged a
marriage for his son,
“The parable of the wedding feast”
The king is God the Father,
the marriage is the church,
and the son is Jesus.
3 and sent
out his servants
to call those who were
invited to the wedding; and
they were not willing to come.
4 Again, he sent out
other servants, saying,‘tell
those who are invited,“see,
I have prepared my dinner;
my oxen and fatted cattle
are killed, and all things
are ready. Come
to the wedding.” ’
5 But they made light
of it and went their ways,
one to his own farm,
another to his business.
The world sometimes
keeps us so busy,
we choose not to
hear God’s invitation.
6 And the
rest seized his
servants, treated
them spitefully, and
killed them.
7 But
when the king
heard about it,
he was furious.
And he sent out
his armies, destroyed
those murderers, and
burned up their city.
8 Then he said
to his servants,‘The
wedding is ready,
but those who were
invited were not worthy.
They were not worthy,
because they had
refused to accept Jesus,
as their Savior.
9 Therefore go
into the highways,
and as many as
you find, invite
to the wedding.’
10 So
those servants
went out into the
highways and gathered
together all whom they
found, both bad and good.
And the wedding hall
was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king
came in to see the guests,
he saw a man there who did
not have on a wedding garment.
12 So he said to him,
‘Friend, how did you
come in here without
a wedding garment?’
And he was speechless.
The man without a
wedding garment trusted
in his own righteousness,
and had not received
Jesus as his Savior.
13 Then the king
said to the servants,
‘Bind him hand and foot,
take him away, and
cast him into outer
darkness; there
will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For
many are called,
but few are chosen.”
Many are called, the chosen,
are those that accept Jesus
as their Savior.
The Pharisees: Is It Lawful
to Pay Taxes to Caesar?
15 Then the Pharisees
went and plotted how
they might entangle
Him in His talk.
16 And they sent
to Him their disciples with
the Herodians, saying,
“Teacher, we know that
You are true, and
teach the way of
God in truth;
nor do You care
about anyone, for
You do not regard
the person of men.
17 Tell us, therefore,
what do You think?
Is it lawful to pay taxes
to Caesar, or not?”
18 But Jesus perceived
their wickedness, and said,
“Why do you test Me,
you hypocrites?
19 Show Me the tax money.”
So they brought Him a denarius.
20 And He
said to them,
“Whose image and
inscription is this?”
21 They said
to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And He said to them,
“Render therefore to
Caesar the things
that are Caesar’s,
and to God the
things that are God’s.”
Christians are to pay taxes,
and give our lives in every
way to God.
22 When they had
heard these words,
they marveled, and
left Him and went
their way.
The Sadducees:
What About the Resurrection?
23 The same day the Sadducees,
who say there is no resurrection,
came to Him and asked Him,
“Acts 23:8”
For Sadducees say that
there is no resurrection,
and no angel or spirit,
but the pharisees
confess both.
24 saying: “Teacher,
Moses said that if a man dies,
having no children, his
brother shall marry
his wife and raise up
offspring for his brother.
25 Now there were
with us seven brothers.
The first died after
he had married,
and having no offspring,
left his wife to his brother.
26 Likewise the second also,
and the third, even to the seventh.
27 Last of all
the woman died also.
28 Therefore,
in the resurrection,
whose wife of the
seven will she be?
For they all had her.”
29 Jesus answered
and said to them,
“You are mistaken,
not knowing the Scriptures
nor the power of God.
30 For in
the resurrection
they neither marry nor
are given in marriage,
but are like angels of
God in heaven.
There will be no marriage
in heaven. We will be like
angels, living forever, in
God’s love and peace.
‘Luke 20:34-36”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“The sons of this age marry and
are given in marriage.
But those who are
counted worthy
to attain that
age, and the
resurrection
from the dead,
neither marry nor
are given in marriage,
nor can they die anymore,
for they are equal to the
angels and are sons
of God, being sons
of the resurrection.”
31 But concerning the
resurrection of the dead,
have you not read what
was spoken to you by
God, saying,
“John 5:28-29”
Do not
marvel at this, for
the hour is coming
in which all who
are in the graves
will hear His voice
and come forth, those
who have done good,
to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done
evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.
32 ‘I
am the God
of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob’?
God is not the God
of the dead, but of
the living.”
“The dead”
Dead in sin,
unbelievers.
“The living”
“John 8:51”
Most assuredly, I say to you,
“If anyone keeps My word
he shall never see death.”
“John 11:25-26”
Jesus said to her,
“I am the resurrection and the life,
he who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live. And
whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?”
33 And when the
multitudes heard this,
they were astonished
at His teaching.
The Scribes: Which Is the
First Commandment of All?
34 But when
the Pharisees
heard that He had
silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together.
35 Then one of them,
a lawyer, asked Him
a question, testing Him,
and saying,
36 “Teacher, which is the
great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus
said to him,
“‘You shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first
and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it:
‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments
hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
These are the two
great commandments,
spoken by our Lord.
Jesus: How Can David
Call His Descendant Lord?
41 While the Pharisees were
gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 saying,
“What do you think
about the Christ?
Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him,
“The Son of David.”
43 He said to them,
“How then does David in the
Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand, till I make
Your enemies Your footstool” ’
45 If David then calls Him
‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?”
Jesus is a descendant
of the family of David,
but His heritage was divine.
46 And no one was
able to answer Him a word,
nor from that day on did
anyone dare question
Him anymore.
Matthew 23
Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees
1 Then Jesus spoke to the
multitudes and to His disciples,
2 saying:
“The scribes and the Pharisees
sit in Moses’ seat.
3 Therefore whatever
they tell you to observe,
that observe and do, but
do not do according to
their works; for they
say, and do not do.
4 For they
bind heavy burdens,
hard to bear, and lay them
on men’s shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they
do to be seen by men. They
make their phylacteries broad and
enlarge the borders of their garments.
“Phylacteries”
Small boxes containing bible passages,
that were worn on the forehead or arm.
6 They love the
best places at feasts,
the best seats in the
synagogues,
7 greetings in
the marketplaces,
and to be called by
men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
8 But you, do not
be called ‘Rabbi’; for
One is your Teacher,
the Christ, and you
are all brethren.
9 Do not
call anyone on
earth your father;
for One is your Father,
He who is in heaven.
Our Father,
is our creator God,
Christians are His
obedient children.
10 And do not
be called teachers;
for One is your
Teacher, the Christ.
11 But he who is greatest
among you shall be your servant.
12 And whoever exalts himself
will be humbled, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted.
We are blessed,
to serve others,
and be humble.
13 “But woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you shut
up the kingdom of heaven
against men; for you
neither go in yourselves,
nor do you allow those
who are entering to go in.
The scribes and pharisees
refused to believe Jesus
message of salvation,
thereby preventing
others from believing.
“Woe” - Self inflicted grief.
14 Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you
devour widows’ houses,
and for a pretense
make long prayers.
Therefore you will
receive greater
condemnation.
“Pretense”
To hide a greedy motive
“Hypocrites”
Those who pretend to be good,
when they are not.
15 “Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you travel
land and sea to win one
proselyte, and when he
is won, you make him
twice as much a son
of hell as yourselves.
“Proselyte”
A convert to
the Jewish law.
16 “Woe to you,
blind guides, who say,
‘Whoever swears by the temple,
it is nothing; but whoever swears
by the gold of the temple,
he is obliged to perform it.’
17 Fools and blind!
For which is greater,
the gold or the temple
that sanctifies the gold?
18 And, ‘Whoever
swears by the altar, it
is nothing; but whoever
swears by the gift that
is on it, he is obliged
to perform it.’
19 Fools and blind!
For which is greater,
the gift or the altar
that sanctifies the gift?
20 Therefore he
who swears by the altar,
swears by it and by all
things on it.
21 He who swears
by the temple, swears
by it and by Him
who dwells in it.
22 And he who
swears by heaven,
swears by the throne
of God and by Him
who sits on it.
Verses 16-22,
Jesus shows the pharisees
were blind to the true
values of a Godly life.
23 “Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you pay
tithe of mint and anise and
cumin, and have neglected
the weightier matters of the
law: justice and mercy and faith.
These you ought to have done,
without leaving the others
undone.
“Justice”
What is right, or as it should be,
respect for the rights of others.
Freedom from prejudice,
and favoritism.
“Mercy”
Kindness,
compassion, love.
“Faith”
Trust in God,
and His word.
24 Blind guides, who strain
out a gnat and swallow a camel!
The camel was at this time,
the largest unclean animal.
25 “Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you
cleanse the outside
of the cup and dish,
but inside they are
full of extortion and
self-indulgence.
“Extortion”
Taking something
from someone
else falsely, stealing.
“Self-indulgence”
Wanting to keep everything,
for yourself.
26 Blind Pharisee,
first cleanse the inside
of the cup and dish,
that the outside of
them may be clean also.
God cleanses us,
thru repentance,
we are cleansed,
from the inside out,
not from the outside in.
27 “Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you are
like whitewashed tombs
which indeed appear
beautiful outwardly,
but inside are full
of dead men’s
bones and
all uncleanness.
Outward beauty can
hide inward evil, but
the presents of God
cannot be hidden,
Jesus love will shine
through you.
“Uncleanness”
Dirty, foul, filthy,
evil, serving the devil.
28 Even
so you also
outwardly appear
righteous to men,
but inside you are
full of hypocrisy
and lawlessness.
“Hypocrisy”
Pretending to be
what one is not.
“Lawlessness”
Disobedience
to God’s word.
29 “Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! Because you
build the tombs of the
prophets and adorn
the monuments of
the righteous,
30 and say, ‘If we
had lived in the days
of our fathers, we would
not have been partakers with
them in the blood of
the prophets.’
31 “Therefore you are
witnesses against yourselves
that you are sons of those
who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the
measure of your fathers’ guilt.
33 Serpents,
brood of vipers!
How can you escape the
condemnation of hell?
34 Therefore, indeed,
I send you prophets,
wise men, and scribes:
some of them you will kill
and crucify, and some of
them you will scourge in
your synagogues and
persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may
come all the righteous
blood shed on the earth,
from the blood of righteous
Abel to the blood of Zechariah,
son of Berechiah, whom you
murdered between the
temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you,
all these things will come
upon this generation.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the one who kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to her!
How often I wanted to gather your
children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under
her wings, but you were
not willing!
38 See! Your house
is left to you desolate;
39 for I
say to you,
you shall see Me
no more till you say,
‘Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord!’ ”
This chapter ends blessing
the return of the Lord Jesus.
Blessed are we, when we
behold His presence in
others, as we await
His return.
-----
In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus teaches
what will happen before His return.
Be ready to meet Jesus,
He may be returning very soon!
Even Today!
Matthew Chapter 24
Jesus Predicts the
Destruction of the Temple
1 Then Jesus went out
and departed from the temple,
and His disciples came up to
show Him the buildings
of the temple.
2 And Jesus said to them,
“Do you not see all these things?
Assuredly, I say to you, not
one stone shall be left
here upon another,
that shall not be
thrown down.”
Jesus knew the future,
the temple was destroyed
by the Romans in 70 AD.
The Signs of the Times
and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat
on the Mount of Olives,
the disciples came to Him
privately, saying, “Tell us, when
will these things be? And what
will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus
answered and
said to them:
“Take heed that no
one deceives you.
5 For many will come
in My name, saying,
‘I am the Christ,’ and
will deceive many.
6 And you will hear
of wars and rumors of wars.
See that you are not troubled;
for all these things must come
to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will
rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom.
And there will be famines,
pestilences, and earthquakes
in various places.
8 All these are the
beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will
deliver you up to tribulation
and kill you, and you will be
hated by all nations for My
name’s sake.
“Famines” - Drought, scarcity of food.
“Pestilences” - Sickness, disease.
“Tribulation” - Severe affliction.
10 And then many
will be offended, will
betray one another, and
will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets
will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because
lawlessness will
abound, the love of
many will grow cold.
“Lawlessness”
Disobedience
to God’s word.
13 But he who endures
to the end shall be saved.
“Endures”
To remain obedient to Jesus,
to suffer without giving up.
“Hebrews 11:25”
Choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to
enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.
14 And this gospel
of the kingdom will be
preached in all the world
as a witness to all the nations,
and then the end will come.
“Gospel of the kingdom”
The good news of salvation,
from our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
---
Let us hold to the righteous right hand,
as He leads us step by step on our
heavenly journey to eternal salvation.
Thanking and praising our Savior
for His continued blessing of
ears that hear and eyes that see.
Let us carefully read the teachings of
our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, as
He leads and guides us, word by word,
to our eternal home in heaven.
Daily sharing our Savior's love
and peace with others along the way.
The Great Tribulation
15 “Therefore
when you see the
‘abomination of desolation,’
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place”
(whoever reads, let him understand),
“Abomination of desolation”'
"Daniel 12:11-13"
And from the time that the
daily sacrifice is taken away, and the
abomination of desolation is set up,
there shall be one thousand two
hundred and and ninety days.
blessed is he who waites,
and comes to the one
thousand three hundred
and thirty-five days. "But you,
go your way till the end; for you
shall rest, and will arise to your
inheritance at the end of the days."
16 “then let those who are
in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let him who
is on the housetop
not go down to take
anything out of his house.
18 And let him who is in the
field not go back to get his clothes.
19 But woe to
those who are pregnant
and to those who are
nursing babies in those days!
“Woe” - A state of sorrow.
20 And pray
that your flight
may not be in winter
or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there
will be great tribulation,
such as has not been since
the beginning of the world
until this time, no, nor
ever shall be.
22 And unless those
days were shortened,
no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect’s sake those
days will be shortened.
Jesus will miraculously
shorten the length of days.
“The elect”
Those who have received
Jesus gift of salvation.
23 “Then if
anyone says to you,
‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or
‘There!’ do not believe it.
24 For false Christs
and false prophets will
rise and show great signs
and wonders to deceive,
if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have
told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore
if they say to you,
‘Look, He is in the desert!’
do not go out; or ‘Look,
He is in the inner rooms!’
do not believe it.
27 For as
the lightning
comes from the east
and flashes to the west,
so also will the coming
of the Son of Man be.
Everyone in the world will know,
Jesus is coming. Let us keep our
eyes fixed on Jesus, the living
word. Verses 16-27 are our
Lord’s specific instructions
for the last days. Let us
not lean to our own
understanding, but
hear with His ears,
and, see with His eyes.
28 For wherever
the carcass is, there
the eagles will be
gathered together.
“Carcass”
The living dead,
those that have not
received Jesus as
their Savior.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after
the tribulation of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not
give its light; the stars
will fall from heaven,
and the powers of
the heavens will
be shaken.
30 Then the sign
of the Son of Man
will appear in heaven,
and then all the tribes of
the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.
31 And He will send His angels
with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together
His elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to
the other.
These verses
explain the return of Jesus,
and the rapture of the church.
“Rapture”
When Jesus takes His
born again believers
to heaven!
“1 Thessalonians 4:16-18”
For the Lord Himself
will descend from
heaven with a shout,
with the voice of an
archangel, and with
the trumpet of God.
and the dead in
Christ will rise first.
Then we who are
alive and remain shall
be caught up together
with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
And thus we shall always be
with the Lord. Therefore comfort
one another with these words.
“Elect”
God’s chosen people,
those who have received
the gift of eternal life,
through Jesus Christ,
their Savior and Lord.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable
from the fig tree: When its
branch has already become
tender and puts forth leaves,
you know that summer is near.
33 So you also,
when you see all these
things, know that it is
near; at the doors!
34 Assuredly,
I say to you, this
generation will by no
means pass away till all
these things take place.
35 Heaven and earth
will pass away, but My words
will by no means pass away.
The watchful and
believing generation,
will be awaiting
Jesus second coming.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “But of that day
and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of
heaven, but My Father only.
37 But as the days of
Noah were, so also will
the coming of the Son
of Man be.
38 For as in the days
before the flood, they were
eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage,
until the day that
Noah entered the ark,
39 and
did not know
until the flood came
and took them all away,
so also will the coming
of the Son of Man be.
Just as Noah
and his family
were hearing and
obeying God’s word,
we too must be reading,
and obeying God’s word.
Our peace is in the
presence of God, we
are in the presence of
God, when we pray,
and read God’s word.
40 Then two men
will be in the field:
one will be taken
and the other left.
41 Two women will
be grinding at the mill:
one will be taken and
the other left.
“Taken”
The believers will be taken,
as in the days of Noah,
the believers were saved,
and the unbelievers
left behind.
42 Watch therefore,
for you do not know
what hour your Lord
is coming.
43 But know this,
that if the master of
the house had known
what hour the thief would
come, he would have
watched and not
allowed his house
to be broken into.
44 Therefore
you also be ready,
for the Son of Man
is coming at an hour
you do not expect.
Our Lord’s instructions
to His faithful and
believing generation,
watch for Jesus second
coming! Be ready!
To meet Jesus!
The Faithful Servant
and the Evil Servant
45 “Who then is a
faithful and wise servant,
whom his master made
ruler over his household,
to give them food in
due season?
46 Blessed is that servant
whom his master, when he
comes, will find so doing.
47 Assuredly, I say to you
that he will make him ruler
over all his goods.
48 But if that evil
servant says in his heart,
‘My master is delaying
his coming,’
49 and begins to
beat his fellow servants,
and to eat and drink with
the drunkards,
50 the master of that
servant will come on a day
when he is not looking for
him and at an hour that
he is not aware of,
51 and will
cut him in two
and appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites.
There shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
As wise servants of God,
it is our blessing, to remain
faithful, and obedient,
serving the needy.
Watching continually,
for our Lord’s return.
Matthew Chapter 25
The Parable of the
Wise and Foolish Virgins
1“Then the
kingdom of heaven
shall be likened to ten virgins
who took their lamps and went
out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five
of them were wise,
and five were foolish.
3 Those
who were foolish
took their lamps and took
no oil with them,
“The oil is the Holy Spirit”
4 but the wise took oil in
their vessels with their lamps.
The wise virgins were
filled with the Holy Spirit
5 But while the bridegroom was
delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And
at midnight
a cry was heard:
‘Behold, the bridegroom is
coming; go out to meet him!’
7 Then all
those virgins arose
and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish
said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise answered,
saying, ‘No, lest there should
not be enough for us and you;
but go rather to those who sell,
and buy for yourselves.
‘The five foolish virgins, asked
for the oil of the Holy Spirit,
from the five wise virgins,
we receive the Holy Spirit,
only through our Lord
Jesus Christ.”
10 And while
they went to buy,
the bridegroom came,
and those who were ready
went in with him to the wedding;
and the door was shut.
“Ready”
The watchful believers were filled,
With the Holy Spirit.
11 “Afterward the
other virgins came also,
saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12 But he answered
and said, ‘Assuredly,
I say to you, I do not know you.’
The shut door means,
the day of salvation is past.
The wise virgins are believing,
sincere Christians.The foolish
virgins professed,
but practiced not.
“Matthew 7:21”
“Not everyone who
says to Me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter the kingdom
of heaven, but he who
does the will of My
Father in heaven.
13 “Watch therefore,
for you know neither
the day nor the hour
in which the Son of
Man is coming.
“Watch”
Be ready, be prepared,
be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Be ready to meet our returning
Savior, Jesus Christ. Make
sure of your Salvation now!
It will be too late when
Jesus returns!
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For the kingdom of heaven
is like a man traveling to a far
country, who called his own
servants and delivered
his goods to them.
“Servants” - Servants of God.
15 And to one
he gave five talents,
to another two,
and to another one,
to each according
to his own ability;
and immediately
he went on a journey.
16 Then he who
had received the
five talents went
and traded with them,
and made another
five talents.
17 And likewise
he who had received
two gained two
more also.
“Talent”
Every servant of God is given
at least one talent, to serve the
kingdom of God on earth.
18 But he who
had received one
went and dug in the
ground, and hid his
lord’s money.
God’s talents are given
to His servants, to be
used for the kingdom
of God, not hidden.
19 After a long time
the lord of those servants
came and settled accounts
with them.
“After a long time”
God gives us His timing,
to use our God
given talents.
20 “So he who
had received five talents
came and brought five
other talents, saying,
‘Lord, you delivered
to me five talents;
look, I have gained
five more talents
besides them.’
21 His lord
said to him,
‘Well done, good
and faithful servant;
you were faithful over
a few things, I will make
you ruler over many things.
Enter into the joy of your lord.’
“Well done, good and faithful servant”
These are the words every Christian
wants to hear, when Jesus invites us
into eternal life with Him. This is the
reward given to God’s servants,
who glorify God, in serving
God’s kingdom on earth.
22 He also who
had received two talents
came and said, ‘Lord,
you delivered to me
two talents; look, I
have gained two
more talents
besides them.’
23 His lord said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant;
you have been faithful over a few
things, I will make you ruler
over many things. Enter
into the joy of your lord.’
It is not the
abundance of talents,
but the use of the talents,
for the kingdom of God,
that brings the Lord great joy,
and the servant great blessing.
24 “Then he who
had received the one
talent came and said,
‘Lord, I knew you to be
a hard man, reaping
where you have not sown,
and gathering where you
have not scattered seed.
When we lean on our
own understanding,
we lose the true
meaning of God’s word.
25 And I was afraid,
and went and hid your
talent in the ground.
Look, there you have
what is yours.’
God does not want His talent
returned to Him, but used for
the kingdom of God on earth
26 “But his lord
answered and said to him,
‘You wicked and lazy servant,
you knew that I reap
where I have not sown,
and gather where
I have not scattered seed.
27 So you ought
to have deposited my
money with the bankers,
and at my coming I would
have received back my
own with interest.
28 So take
the talent from him,
and give it to him who
has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone
who has, more will
be given, and he will
have abundance; but
from him who does not
have, even what he has
will be taken away.
Use your talent for the
kingdom of God,
or you will lose
your talent.
30 And cast the
unprofitable servant
into the outer darkness.
There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
The Son of Man
Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the
Son of Man comes
in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him,
then He will sit on the
throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will
be gathered before Him,
and He will separate them
one from another, as a
shepherd divides his
sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the
sheep on His right hand,
but the goats on the left.
“Sheep” - Believers
Wise believers,
follow the Masters
instructions.
“Goats” - unbelievers
Unbelievers, follow
the sinful world,
and their own
understanding.
34 Then the King
will say to those on
His right hand, ‘Come,
you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom
prepared for you
from the foundation
of the world:
35 for I was hungry
and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you
gave Me drink;
I was a stranger
and you took Me in;
36 I was naked
and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me;
I was in prison and you
came to Me.’
This is what believers
are called to do.
amen , Glory,
Hallelujah!
37 “Then the righteous
will answer Him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see
You hungry and feed You,
or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we
see You a stranger
and take You in, or
naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did
we see You sick,
or in prison, and
come to You?’
40 And the King
will answer and say
to them, ‘Assuredly,
I say to you, inasmuch
as you did it to one of the
least of these My brethren,
you did it to Me.’
“The righteous”
Those who receive
Jesus as their Savior.
“Assuredly”
Without doubt.
“The least of these”
Those less
important to man.
41 “Then He
will also say to
those on the left hand,
‘Depart from Me,
you cursed,
into the everlasting
fire prepared for
the devil and his angels:
42 for I was hungry
and you gave Me no food;
I was thirsty and you
gave Me no drink;
43 I was a stranger
and you did not take Me in,
naked and you did not clothe Me,
sick and in prison and you
did not visit Me.
44 Then they also will answer Him,
saying, Lord, when did we see
You hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or
sick or in prison,
and did not
minister to You?
45 Then He will answer them,
saying, Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it
to one of the least of these,
you did not do it to Me.
46 And these will go away
into everlasting punishment,
but the righteous into eternal life."
Matthew Chapter 26
The Plot to Kill Jesus
1 Now it came to pass,
when Jesus had finished
all these sayings, that
He said to His disciples,
2 “You know that
after two days is
the Passover, and
the Son of Man will
be delivered up to
be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders
of the people assembled at
the palace of the high priest,
who was called Caiaphas,
4 and plotted to take
Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
5 But they said,
“Not during the feast,
lest there be an uproar
among the people.”
The Anointing at Bethany
6 And when Jesus
was in Bethany at the
house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came
to Him having an
alabaster flask of
very costly fragrant oil,
and she poured it on
His head as He sat
at the table.
8 But when His disciples
saw it, they were indignant,
saying, “Why this waste?
9 For this fragrant oil
might have been sold for
much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus
was aware of it,
He said to them,
“Why do you trouble
the woman? For she has
done a good work for Me.
11 For you have the
poor with you always,
but Me you do not
have always.
12 For in pouring
this fragrant oil
on My body, she
did it for My burial.
13 Assuredly,
I say to you,
wherever this gospel
is preached in the whole
world, what this woman
has done will also be told
as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the
twelve, called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests
15 and said,
“What are you
willing to give me
if I deliver Him to you?”
And they counted out
to him thirty pieces
of silver.
16 So from that time he
sought opportunity to
betray Him.
Jesus Celebrates Passover
with His Disciples
17 Now on the first day
of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread
the disciples came to Jesus, saying
to Him, “Where do You want us
to prepare for You to eat the
Passover?”
18 And He said,
“Go into the city to
a certain man, and say
to him, ‘The Teacher says,
“My time is at hand;
I will keep the
Passover
at your house
with My disciples.”
19 So the disciples
did as Jesus had
directed them; and
they prepared
the Passover.
20 When evening
had come, He sat
down with the twelve.
21 Now as they
were eating, He said,
“Assuredly, I say to you,
one of you will betray Me.”
22 And they were
exceedingly sorrowful,
and each of them
began to say to Him,
“Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said,
“He who dipped his hand
with Me in the dish will
betray Me.
24 The Son of Man
indeed goes just as
it is written of Him,
but woe to that man by
whom the Son of Man
is betrayed! It would
have been good for
that man if he had
not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who
was betraying Him,
answered and said,
“Rabbi, is it I?”
He said to him,
“You have said it.”
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
26 And as
they were eating,
Jesus took bread,
blessed and broke
it, and gave it to the
disciples and said,
“Take, eat;
this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup,
and gave thanks, and gave
it to them, saying,
“Drink from it,
all of you.
28 For this is
My blood of the
new covenant,
which is shed for many
for the remission of sins.
"remission of sin"
Forgiveness of sin.
29 But I say to you,
I will not drink of this
fruit of the vine from
now on until that day
when I drink it new
with you in My
Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when
they had sung a hymn,
they went out to the
Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 Then Jesus said to them,
“All of you will be made to
stumble because of Me this
night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock
will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised,
I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered
and said to Him,
“Even if all are made to
stumble because of You,
I will never be made
to stumble.”
34 Jesus
said to him,
“Assuredly,
I say to you
that this night,
before the rooster
crows, you will
deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him,
“Even if I have to die
with You, I will not
deny You!” And so
said all the disciples.
The Prayer in the Garden
36 Then Jesus
came with them to
a place called Gethsemane,
and said to the disciples,
“Sit here while I go
and pray over there.”
37 And He
took with Him
Peter and the two
sons of Zebedee,
and He began
to be sorrowful
and deeply distressed.
38 Then
He said to them,
“My soul is exceedingly
sorrowful, even to death.
Stay here and watch
with Me.”
39 He went
a little farther
and fell on His face,
and prayed, saying,
“O My Father,
if it is possible,
let this cup pass
from Me;
nevertheless,
not as I will,
but as You will.”
40 Then He
came to the disciples
and found them sleeping,
and said to Peter,
“What! could you not
watch with Me one hour
41 watch and pray,
lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again,
a second time,
He went away
and prayed,
saying,
“O My Father,
if this cup cannot
pass away from
Me unless I drink it,
Your will be done.”
43 And He
came and found
them asleep again,
for their eyes
were heavy.
44 So He
left them, went
away again, and
prayed the third time,
saying the same words.
45 Then He
came to His
disciples and said
to them,
“Are you still
sleeping and resting?
Behold, the hour
is at hand, and the
Son of Man is being
betrayed into the
hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going.
See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
47 And while He
was still speaking, behold,
Judas, one of the twelve,
with a great multitude
with swords and clubs,
came from the chief priests
and elders of the people.
48 Now His betrayer
had given them a sign,
saying, “Whomever I kiss,
He is the One; seize Him.”
49 Immediately
he went up to Jesus
and said, “Greetings,
Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 But Jesus said to him,
“Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid
hands on Jesus and took Him.
51 And suddenly,
one of those who were
with Jesus stretched out
his hand and drew his
sword, struck the servant
of the high priest, and
cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus said to him,
“Put your sword in its place,
for all who take the sword
will perish by the sword.
53 Or do you think
that I cannot now pray
to My Father, and He will
provide Me with more than
twelve legions of angels?
54 How then
could the Scriptures
be fulfilled, that it
must happen thus?”
55 In that hour Jesus
said to the multitudes,
“Have you come out,
as against a robber,
with swords and clubs
to take Me? I sat daily
with you, teaching in the
temple, and you did
not seize Me.
56 But all
this was done
that the Scriptures
of the prophets
might be fulfilled.
”Then all the disciples
forsook Him and fled.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
57 And those
who had laid hold
of Jesus led Him away
to Caiaphas the high priest,
where the scribes and the
elders were assembled.
58 But Peter
followed Him
at a distance to
the high priest’s
courtyard. And
he went in and
sat with the servants
to see the end.
59 Now the
chief priests,
the elders, and
all the council
sought false testimony
against Jesus to put
Him to death,
60 but found none.
Even though many false
witnesses came forward,
they found none.
But at last two
false witnesses
came forward
61 and said,
“This fellow said,
‘I am able to destroy
the temple of God
and to build it in
three days.’ ”
62 And the
high priest arose
and said to Him,
“Do You answer nothing?
What is it these men testify
against You?”
63 But Jesus kept silent.
And the high priest answered
and said to Him, “I put You
under oath by the living
God: Tell us if You
are the Christ, the
Son of God!”
64 Jesus said to him,
“It is as you said. Nevertheless,
I say to you, hereafter you
will see the Son of Man
sitting at the right hand
of the Power, and
coming on the
clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest
tore his clothes, saying,
“He has spoken blasphemy!
What further need do we
have of witnesses? Look,
now you have heard
His blasphemy!
66 What do you think?”
They answered and said,
“He is deserving of death.”
67 Then they
spat in His face
and beat Him; and
others struck Him with
the palms of their hands,
68 saying,
“Prophesy to us, Christ!
Who is the one who struck You?”
Peter Denies Jesus,
and Weeps Bitterly
69 Now Peter sat
outside in the courtyard.
And a servant girl came
to him, saying, “You also
were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he
denied it before
them all, saying,
“I do not know
what you are saying.”
71 And when
he had gone out
to the gateway,
another girl saw him
and said to those
who were there,
“This fellow also was
with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But again
he denied with an oath,
“I do not know the Man!”
73 And a little
later those who
stood by came up
and said to Peter,
“Surely you also
are one of them,
for your speech
betrays you.”
74 Then he
began to curse
and swear, saying,
“I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster
crowed.
75 And Peter
remembered the
word of Jesus who
had said to him,
“Before the
rooster crows,
you will deny
Me three times.”
So he went out
and wept bitterly.
Matthew Chapter 27
Jesus Handed
Over to Pontius Pilate
1 When morning came,
all the chief priests and elders
of the people plotted against
Jesus to put Him to death.
2 And when
they had bound Him,
they led Him away
and delivered Him
to Pontius Pilate
the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas,
His betrayer, seeing
that He had been
condemned, was
remorseful and brought
back the thirty pieces
of silver to the chief
priests and elders,
“Remorseful”
A sense of guilt,
and sorrow, for
one’s actions.
4 saying,
“I have sinned by
betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is
that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw
down the pieces of
silver in the temple
and departed, and
went and hanged
himself.
6 But the
chief priests took
the silver pieces
and said,
“It is not lawful
to put them into
the treasury,
because they are
the price of blood.”
7 And they
consulted together
and bought with them
the potter’s field, to
bury strangers in.
8 Therefore
that field has
been called the
Field of Blood
to this day.
9 Then was
fulfilled what
was spoken by
Jeremiah the prophet,
saying, “And they took
the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of Him who was
priced, whom they of the
children of Israel priced,
10 and gave
them for the
potter’s field, as
the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Faces Pilate
11 Now Jesus
stood before the
governor. And the
governor asked Him,
saying, “Are You the
King of the Jews?”
Jesus said to him,
“It is as you say.”
12 And while
He was being
accused by the
chief priests
and elders,
He answered
nothing.
13 Then
Pilate said to Him,
“Do You not hear how
many things they testify
against You?”
14 But He
answered him
not one word,
so that the governor
marveled greatly.
Taking the Place of Barabbas
15 Now
at the feast
the governor
was accustomed
to releasing to the
multitude one prisoner
whom they wished.
16 And at
that time they
had a notorious
prisoner called
Barabbas.
17 Therefore,
when they had
gathered together,
Pilate said to them,
“Whom do you want
me to release to you?
Barabbas, or Jesus
who is called Christ?”
18 For he
knew that they
had handed Him
over because of envy.
“Envy”
Jealousy,
in the selfish heart.
19 While
he was sitting
on the judgment seat,
his wife sent to him, saying,
“Have nothing to do with
that just Man, for I have
suffered many things
today in a dream
because of Him.”
20 But the
chief priests and
elders persuaded
the multitudes that
they should ask for
Barabbas and
destroy Jesus.
21 The governor
answered and said to them,
“Which of the two do you
want me to release to you?”
They said, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate said to them,
“What then shall I do with
Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said to him,
“Let Him be crucified!”
23 Then the governor said,
“Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more,
saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
24 When Pilate
saw that he could
not prevail at all,
but rather that a tumult
was rising, he took water
and washed his hands
before the multitude, saying,
“I am innocent of the blood
of this just Person.
You see to it.”
“Prevail”
Succeed,
or to be successful.
“Tumult” - A riot.
25 And all
the people answered
and said, “His blood
be on us and
on our children.”
This curse of guilt remains today,
on all who will not receive
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
26 Then he
released Barabbas
to them; and when
he had scourged Jesus,
he delivered Him to
be crucified.
“Scourged”
To whip,
inflicting pain
and suffering.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the
soldiers of the
governor took
Jesus into the Praetorium
and gathered the whole
garrison around Him.
28 And they
stripped Him and
put a scarlet robe
on Him.
29 When they
had twisted a crown
of thorns, they put it
on His head, and a reed
in His right hand. And they
bowed the knee before Him
and mocked Him, saying,
“Hail, King of the Jews!”
30 Then
they spat on Him,
and took the reed and
struck Him on the head.
31 And when
they had mocked Him,
they took the robe off Him,
put His own clothes on Him,
and led Him away to
be crucified.
“Crucified”
To be crucified,
was the cruelest,
most painful form of
execution in that day.
The King on a Cross
32 Now as
they came out,
they found a man
of Cyrene, Simon
by name. Him they
compelled to bear
His cross.
33 And when
they had come
to a place called
Golgotha, that is to
say, Place of
a Skull,
34 they gave
Him sour wine
mingled with gall
to drink. But when
He had tasted it,
He would not drink.
35 Then they
crucified Him, and
divided His garments,
casting lots, that it might
be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet:
“They divided My
garments among them,
And for My clothing
they cast lots.”
36 Sitting
down, they kept
watch over Him there.
37 And they
put up over His
head the accusation
written against Him:
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then two
robbers were
crucified with Him,
one on the right and
another on the left.
39 And
those who passed
by blasphemed Him,
wagging their heads
“Blasphemed”
To speak evil.
40 and saying,
“You who destroy
the temple and build
it in three days,
save Yourself! If You
are the Son of God,
come down from the cross.”
41 Likewise
the chief priests also,
mocking with the scribes
and elders, said,
42 “He saved others;
Himself He cannot save.
If He is the King of Israel,
let Him now come down
from the cross, and
we will believe Him.
43 He trusted in God;
let Him deliver Him now
if He will have Him;
for He said,
‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44 Even the robbers
who were crucified with
Him reviled Him with
the same thing.
“Reviled”
Abusive language.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
45 Now from
the sixth hour
until the ninth hour
there was darkness
over all the land.
This heaven sent darkness,
reflects, and reveals,
the Father’s sadness, as
He forsakes His Son in
His agonizing suffering.
As Jesus paid the full
price for our Salvation.
46 And about
the ninth hour
Jesus cried out with
a loud voice, saying,
“Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani?”
that is, “My God,
My God, why have
You forsaken Me?”
Jesus suffering, paid the
debt for our sin in full.
Jesus pain was the greatest
pain ever experienced.
Thru Jesus love,
and grace, we
are saved.
47 Some
of those who
stood there, when
they heard that, said,
“This Man is calling for Elijah!”
48 Immediately
one of them ran
and took a sponge,
filled it with sour wine
and put it on a reed,
and offered it to
Him to drink.
49 The
rest said,
“Let Him alone;
let us see if Elijah
will come to save Him.”
50 And Jesus
cried out again
with a loud voice,
and yielded up His spirit.
51 Then,
behold,
the veil of the
temple was torn
in two from top to
bottom; and the earth
quaked, and the rocks
were split,
When God tore the
veil in the temple,
the way of man’s
Salvation was opened.
52 and the
graves were opened; and
many bodies of the saints
who had fallen asleep
were raised;
53 and
coming out of
the graves after
His resurrection,
they went into
the holy city and
appeared to many.
54 So when
the centurion
and those with him,
who were guarding Jesus,
saw the earthquake
and the things that had
happened, they feared
greatly, saying, “Truly
this was the Son of God!”
55 And
many women
who followed
Jesus from Galilee,
ministering to Him,
were there looking
on from afar,
56 among
whom were
Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother
of James and Joses,
and the mother of
Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb
57 Now when
evening had come,
there came a rich
man from Arimathea,
named Joseph, who
himself had also
become a disciple
of Jesus.
58 This man
went to Pilate
and asked for
the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate commanded
the body to be given to him.
59 When Joseph
had taken the body,
he wrapped it in a
clean linen cloth,
60 and laid
it in his new tomb
which he had hewn
out of the rock;
and he rolled a
large stone against
the door of the tomb,
and departed.
61 And
Mary Magdalene
was there, and
the other Mary,
sitting opposite the tomb.
Pilate Sets a Guard
62 On the next day,
which followed the
Day of Preparation,
the chief priests and
Pharisees gathered
together to Pilate,
63 saying,
“Sir, we remember,
while He was still alive,
how that deceiver said,
‘After three days I will rise.’
64 Therefore
command that
the tomb be made
secure until the third day,
lest His disciples come by
night and steal Him away,
and say to the people,
‘He has risen from the dead.’
So the last deception will
be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate
said to them,
“You have a guard;
go your way, make
it as secure as you
know how.”
66 So
they went
and made the
tomb secure,
sealing the stone
and setting the guard.
Matthew Chapter 28
He Is Risen
1 Now after the Sabbath,
as the first day of the week
began to dawn,
Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
came to see the tomb.
“Dawn”
The beginning of a new day.
2 And behold,
there was a great
earthquake;
for an angel of the
Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back
the stone from the door,
and sat on it.
3 His countenance
was like lightning,
and his clothing
as white as snow.
4 And the guards
shook for fear of him,
and became like
dead men.
5 But the angel answered
and said to the women,
“Do not be afraid,
for I know that you seek
Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here;
for He is risen,
as He said.
Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
“He is risen” - Jesus lives!
Because Jesus lives!
We live also!
Thank You Jesus!
7 And go quickly
and tell His disciples
that He is risen
from the dead,
and indeed He is going
before you into Galilee;
there you will see Him.
Behold, I have told you.”
8 So they went
out quickly from the tomb
with fear and great joy,
and ran to bring
His disciples word.
The Women Worship the Risen Lord
9 And as
they went to tell
His disciples, behold,
Jesus met them, saying,
“Rejoice!”
So they came and
held Him
by the feet and
worshiped Him.
10 Then Jesus
said to them,
“Do not be afraid.
Go and tell My brethren
to go to Galilee,
and there they will see Me.”
The Soldiers Are Bribed
11 Now while they
were going, behold,
some of the guard
came into the city
and reported to
the chief priests
all the things that
had happened.
12 When they had
assembled with the
elders and consulted
together, they gave
a large sum of
money to the soldiers,
13 saying, “Tell them,
‘His disciples came at
night and stole Him
away while we slept.’
14 And if this comes
to the governor’s ears,
we will appease him
and make you secure.”
15 So they took
the money and did
as they were instructed;
and this saying is commonly
reported among the
Jews until this day.
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples
went away into Galilee, to the
mountain which Jesus had
appointed for them.
17 When
they saw Him,
they worshiped Him;
but some doubted.
“Some doubted”
“John 20:24-29”
Now Thomas, called the twin,
one of the twelve, was not
with them when Jesus
came. The other
disciples therefore
said to Him, we have
seen the Lord. So he said
to them, unless I see
in His hands the
print of the nails,
and put my finger into the
print of the nails, and
put My hand into
His side, I will
not believe.
And after eight
days His disciples
were again inside, and
Thomas with them.
Jesus came,
the doors
being shut, and
stood in the midst,
and said,
“Peace to you!”
Then He said to Thomas,
“Reach your finger
here, and look
at My hands,
and reach
your hand here,
and put it into My side.
“Do not be unbelieving,
but believing”
and Thomas
answered
and said to Him,
My Lord and my God!
Jesus said to him,
“Thomas, because
you have seen
Me, you
have
believed.
Blessed are those
who have not seen
and yet have believed.”
18 And Jesus came and
spoke to them, saying,
“All authority has
been given
to Me
in heaven
and on earth.
19 Go therefore
and make disciples
of all the nations,
baptizing
them in
the name
of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to
observe all things that I
have commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always, even
to the end of the age.”
Amen.
Matthew Chapter 28, is the
record of our lord’s resurrection,
assuring us of His everlasting
presence in our earthly
journey, and eternal
life in heaven.
Praise the Lord!
Thank you Jesus! Amen!
After finishing Matthew
Momma Helen did
her favorite book, John.