John 1

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him
nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to 
testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light;
he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was
coming into the world He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world
did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision
or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory
of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John testifies
concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me
has surpassed me because he was before me.' " From the fullness of his grace we have
all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and
truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God,
but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side,
has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ

Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to
ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
      He said, "I am not."
      "Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."  Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back
to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet,
"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are
not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you
stands  one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose
sandals I am not worthy to untie."  This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

Jesus the Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has
surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came
baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."  Then John gave this testimony:

"I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him,
except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Jesus' First Disciples

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by,
he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"  
"Come," he replied, "and you will see."  So they went and saw where he was staying,
and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had
said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother
Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas"
(which, when translated, is Peter).

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."  
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the
prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.  When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him,
 "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see
greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open,
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a
mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
and he began to teach them saying: 

Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,   for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,  for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,  for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad,
because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it
be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be
thrown out and trampled by men.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do
people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it
gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come
to abolish them but to fulfill them.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the
Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever
practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you
that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,
you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who
murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother
^]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca  is answerable
to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.  Therefore,
if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother;
then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with
him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer,
and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have
paid the last penny.

Adultery

You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.  But I tell you that anyone who
looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye
causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body
than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it
off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole
body to go into hell.

Divorce

It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell
you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become
an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but  keep
the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you,  Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is
God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let
your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

An Eye for an Eye

You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, Do not resist
an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone
wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  If someone forces you to
go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from
the one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor  and hate your enemy.' But I tell you:
Love your enemies  and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your
Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers,
what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them.  
If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  So when you give
to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their
reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have
received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them,
for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 "This, then, is how you should pray:
   " 'Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, 
your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive
 men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure
their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received
their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father,
who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you
is darkness, how great is that darkness!  No one 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.

Do Not Worry

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body,
what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to his life?  "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow.

They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like
one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow
is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying,

 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7

Judging Others

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,
and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother,
'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite,
first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother's eye.  Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.
If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up
the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down
and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.  Not everyone who says to me,
Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.
Away from me, you evildoers!'

The Wise and Foolish Builders

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."