The World English Bible (WEB) Part 94

12:17 Jesus answered them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's."

They marveled greatly at him.

12:18 There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying, 12:19 "Teacher, Moses wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.' 12:20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring. 12:21 The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; 12:22 and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife."

12:24 Jesus answered them, "Isn't this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of G.o.d? 12:25 For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 12:26 But about the dead, that they are raised; haven't you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how G.o.d spoke to him, saying, 'I am the G.o.d of Abraham, the G.o.d of Isaac, and the G.o.d of Jacob'*? 12:27 He is not the G.o.d of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."

12:28 One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together.

Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"

12:29 Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our G.o.d, the Lord is one: 12:30 you shall love the Lord your G.o.d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'* This is the first commandment. 12:31 The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'* There is no other commandment greater than these."

12:32 The scribe said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 12:33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

12:34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of G.o.d."

No one dared ask him any question after that. 12:35 Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 12:36 For David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'* 12:37 Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?"

The common people heard him gladly. 12:38 In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, 12:39 and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts: 12:40 those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the mult.i.tude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. 12:42 A poor widow came, and she cast in two small bra.s.s coins, which equal a quadrans coin. 12:43 He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, 12:44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on."

13:1 As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!"

13:2 Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down."

13:3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 13:4 "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?"

13:5 Jesus, answering, began to tell them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray. 13:6 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and will lead many astray.

13:7 "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don't be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet. 13:8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains. 13:9 But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

13:10 The Good News must first be preached to all the nations. 13:11 When they lead you away and deliver you up, don't be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

13:12 "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 13:13 You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. 13:14 But when you see the abomination of desolation,* spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, 13:15 and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.

13:16 Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.

13:17 But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days! 13:18 Pray that your flight won't be in the winter. 13:19 For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which G.o.d created until now, and never will be. 13:20 Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days. 13:21 Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there!' don't believe it. 13:22 For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. 13:23 But you watch.

"Behold, I have told you all things beforehand. 13:24 But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, 13:25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.* 13:26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 13:27 Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

13:28 "Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near; 13:29 even so you also, when you see these things coming to pa.s.s, know that it is near, at the doors. 13:30 Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pa.s.s away until all these things happen.

13:31 Heaven and earth will pa.s.s away, but my words will not pa.s.s away.

13:32 But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 13:33 Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don't know when the time is.

13:34 "It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. 13:35 Watch therefore, for you don't know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; 13:36 lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping. 13:37 What I tell you, I tell all: Watch."

14:1 It was now two days before the feast of the Pa.s.sover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him. 14:2 For they said, "Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people."

14:3 While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard--very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. 14:4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, "Why has this ointment been wasted? 14:5 For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." They grumbled against her.

14:6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. 14:7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. 14:8 She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying. 14:9 Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her."

14:10 Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. 14:11 They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him. 14:12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Pa.s.sover, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make ready that you may eat the Pa.s.sover?"

14:13 He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, 14:14 and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Pa.s.sover with my disciples?"' 14:15 He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make ready for us there."

14:16 His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Pa.s.sover.

14:17 When it was evening he came with the twelve. 14:18 As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, "Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me--he who eats with me."

14:19 They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, "Surely not I?" And another said, "Surely not I?"

14:20 He answered them, "It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. 14:21 For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born."

14:22 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body."

14:23 He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them.

They all drank of it. 14:24 He said to them, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. 14:25 Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of G.o.d." 14:26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

14:27 Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'* 14:28 However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee."

14:29 But Peter said to him, "Although all will be offended, yet I will not."

14:30 Jesus said to him, "Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

14:31 But he spoke all the more, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." They all said the same thing.

14:32 They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray." 14:33 He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. 14:34 He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch."

14:35 He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pa.s.s away from him. 14:36 He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire."

14:37 He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn't you watch one hour? 14:38 Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

14:39 Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. 14:40 Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn't know what to answer him. 14:41 He came the third time, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 14:42 Arise, let us be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand."

14:43 Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came--and with him a mult.i.tude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 14:44 Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, "Whoever I will kiss, that is he.

Seize him, and lead him away safely." 14:45 When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, "Rabbi! Rabbi!" and kissed him.

14:46 They laid their hands on him, and seized him. 14:47 But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

14:48 Jesus answered them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? 14:49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn't arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

14:50 They all left him, and fled. 14:51 A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself, over his naked body.

The young men grabbed him, 14:52 but he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 14:53 They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.

14:54 Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire. 14:55 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none. 14:56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn't agree with each other. 14:57 Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying, 14:58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'" 14:59 Even so, their testimony did not agree.

14:60 The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?" 14:61 But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"