John 6

1. After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).
2. A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
3. Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
4. Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.
5. When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?"
6. But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
7. Philip answered, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece."
8. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,
9. "Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?"
10. "Have the people sit down," Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11. Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
12. And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted."
13. So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14. When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, "Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."
15. Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
16. When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17. got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them.
18. A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
19. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.
20. But Jesus spoke up: "It is I; do not be afraid."
21. Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
22. The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone.
23. However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
24. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him.
25. When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"
26. Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
27. Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval."
28. Then they inquired, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"
29. Jesus replied, "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent."
30. So they asked Him, "What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do?
31. Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32. Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
33. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34. "Sir," they said, "give us this bread at all times."
35. Jesus answered, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
36. But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
37. Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.
38. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
39. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
40. For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41. At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
42. They were asking, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, 'I have come down from heaven?'"
43. "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus replied.
44. "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
45. It is written in the Prophets: 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—
46. not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.
47. Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.
48. I am the bread of life.
49. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
50. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh."
52. At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"
53. So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
54. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55. For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.
56. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.
57. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
58. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever."
59. Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60. On hearing it, many of His disciples said, "This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?"
61. Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, "Does this offend you?
62. Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
63. The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
64. However, there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
65. Then Jesus said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him."
66. From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
67. So Jesus asked the Twelve, "Do you want to leave too?"
68. Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God."
70. Jesus answered them, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"
71. He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.

Matthew 19:16-30

16. Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?"
17. "Why do you ask Me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18. "Which ones?" the man asked. Jesus answered, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
19. honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20. "All these I have kept," said the young man. "What do I still lack?"
21. Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me."
22. When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
23. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27. "Look," Peter replied, "we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?"
28. Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve 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 fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
30. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Luke 15

1. Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
2. So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3. Then Jesus told them this parable:
4. "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5. And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
6. comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!'
7. I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
8. Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9. And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.'
10. In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents."
11. Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons.
12. The younger son said to him, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
14. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
15. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
16. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
17. Finally he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death!
18. I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
20. So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21. The son declared, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22. But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
24. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.
25. Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
27. 'Your brother has returned,' he said, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.'
28. The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
29. But he answered his father, 'Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30. But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31. 'Son, you are always with me,' the father said, 'and all that is mine is yours.
32. But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

Luke 16

1. Jesus also said to His disciples, "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2. So he called him in to ask, 'What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.'
3. The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
4. I know what I will do so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.'
5. And he called in each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first.
6. 'A hundred measures of olive oil,' he answered. 'Take your bill,' said the manager, 'sit down quickly, and write fifty.'
7. Then he asked another, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A hundred measures of wheat,' he replied. 'Take your bill and write eighty,' he told him.
8. The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
9. I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
10. Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
12. And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
13. No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
14. The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
15. So He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
16. The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
18. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19. Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
20. And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
21. and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22. One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
23. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
24. So he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.'
25. But Abraham answered, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
26. And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.'
27. 'Then I beg you, father,' he said, 'send Lazarus to my father's house,
28. for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.'
29. But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.'
30. 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31. Then Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Luke 17:11-37

11. While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
12. As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance
13. and raised their voices, shouting, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
14. When Jesus saw them, He said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
15. When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16. He fell facedown at Jesus' feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
17. "Were not all ten cleansed?" Jesus asked. "Where then are the other nine?
18. Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?"
19. Then Jesus said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well!"
20. When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.
21. Nor will people say, 'Look, here it is,' or 'There it is.' For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
22. Then He said to the disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
23. People will tell you, 'Look, there He is!' or 'Look, here He is!' Do not go out or chase after them.
24. For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
25. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
27. People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
28. It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
29. But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30. It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
31. On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
32. Remember Lot's wife!
33. Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
34. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left.
35. Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left."
36. "Where, Lord?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather."

Mark 10

1. Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
2. Some Pharisees came to test Him. "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" they inquired.
3. "What did Moses command you?" He replied.
4. They answered, "Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away."
5. But Jesus told them, "Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
6. However, from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.'
7. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
8. and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
10. When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
11. So He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
13. Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15. Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
16. And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
17. As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18. "Why do you call Me good?" Jesus replied. "No one is good except God alone.
19. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.'"
20. "Teacher," he replied, "all these I have kept from my youth."
21. Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, "There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me."
22. But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
23. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24. And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26. They were even more astonished and said to one another, "Who then can be saved?"
27. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."
28. Peter began to say to Him, "Look, we have left everything and followed You."
29. "Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel
30. will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
31. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
32. As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:
33. "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
34. who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again."
35. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."
36. "What do you want Me to do for you?" He inquired.
37. They answered, "Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory."
38. "You do not know what you are asking," Jesus replied. "Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?"
39. "We can," the brothers answered. "You will drink the cup that I drink," Jesus said, "and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.
40. But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
41. When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42. So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.
43. But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44. and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
45. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."
46. Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
47. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48. Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49. Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man. "Take courage!" they said. "Get up! He is calling for you."
50. Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
51. "What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "Rabboni," said the blind man, "let me see again."
52. "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.