^{1 Ref} And it came to pass, in his being in a certain place praying, as he ceased, a certain one of his disciples said unto him, `Sir, teach us to pray, as also John taught his disciples.'

^{2 Ref} And he said to them, `When ye may pray, say ye: Our Father who art in the heavens; hallowed be Thy name: Thy reign come; Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on earth;

^{3 Ref} our appointed bread be giving us daily;

^{4 Ref} and forgive us our sins, for also we ourselves forgive every one indebted to us; and mayest Thou not bring us into temptation; but do Thou deliver us from the evil.'

^{5 Ref} And he said unto them, `Who of you shall have a friend, and shall go on unto him at midnight, and may say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,

⁶ seeing a friend of mine came out of the way unto me, and I have not what I shall set before him,

^{7 Ref} and he from within answering may say, Do not give me trouble, already the door hath been shut, and my children with me are in the bed, I am not able, having risen, to give to thee.

^{8 Ref} `I say to you, even if he will not give to him, having risen, because of his being his friend, yet because of his importunity, having risen, he will give him as many as he doth need;

^{9 Ref} and I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you;

^{10 Ref} for every one who is asking doth receive; and he who is seeking doth find; and to him who is knocking it shall be opened.

^{11 Ref} `And of which of you -- the father -- if the son shall ask a loaf, a stone will he present to him? and if a fish, will he instead of a fish, a serpent present to him?

^{12 Ref} and if he may ask an egg, will he present to him a scorpion?

^{13 Ref} If, then, ye, being evil, have known good gifts to be giving to your children, how much more shall the Father who is from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him!'

^{14 Ref} And he was casting forth a demon, and it was dumb, and it came to pass, the demon having gone forth, the dumb man spake, and the multitudes wondered,

^{15 Ref} and certain of them said, `By Beelzeboul, ruler of the demons, he doth cast forth the demons;'

^{16 Ref} and others, tempting, a sign out of heaven from him were asking.

^{17 Ref} And he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, `Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated; and house against house doth fall;

^{18 Ref} and if also the Adversary against himself was divided, how shall his kingdom be made to stand? for ye say, by Beelzeboul is my casting forth the demons.

^{19 Ref} `But if I by Beelzeboul cast forth the demons -- your sons, by whom do they cast forth? because of this your judges they shall be;

^{20 Ref} but if by the finger of God I cast forth the demons, then come unawares upon you did the reign of God.

^{21 Ref} `When the strong man armed may keep his hall, in peace are his goods;

^{22 Ref} but when the stronger than he, having come upon `him', may overcome him, his whole-armour he doth take away in which he had trusted, and his spoils he distributeth;

^{23 Ref} he who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me doth scatter.

^{24 Ref} `When the unclean spirit may go forth from the man it walketh through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding, it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth;

^{25 Ref} and having come, it findeth `it' swept and adorned;

^{26 Ref} then doth it go, and take to it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having entered, they dwell there, and the last of that man becometh worst than the first.'

^{27 Ref} And it came to pass, in his saying these things, a certain woman having lifted up the voice out of the multitude, said to him, `Happy the womb that carried thee, and the paps that thou didst suck!'

^{28 Ref} And he said, `Yea, rather, happy those hearing the word of God, and keeping `it'!'

^{29 Ref} And the multitudes crowding together upon him, he began to say, `This generation is evil, a sign it doth seek after, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

^{30 Ref} for as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of Man be to this generation.

^{31 Ref} `A queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and lo, greater than Solomon here!

^{32 Ref} `Men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they reformed at the proclamation of Jonah; and lo, greater than Jonah here!

^{33 Ref} `And no one having lighted a lamp, doth put `it' in a secret place, nor under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, that those coming in may behold the light.

^{34 Ref} `The lamp of the body is the eye, when then thine eye may be simple, thy whole body also is lightened; and when it may be evil, thy body also is darkened;

^{35 Ref} take heed, then, lest the light that `is' in thee be darkness;

^{36 Ref} if then thy whole body is lightened, not having any part darkened, the whole shall be lightened, as when the lamp by the brightness may give thee light.'

^{37 Ref} And in `his' speaking, a certain Pharisee was asking him that he might dine with him, and having gone in, he reclined (at meat),

^{38 Ref} and the Pharisee having seen, did wonder that he did not first baptize himself before the dinner.

^{39 Ref} And the Lord said unto him, `Now do ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the plate make clean, but your inward part is full of rapine and wickedness;

^{40 Ref} unthinking! did not He who made the outside also the inside make?

^{41 Ref} But what ye have give ye `as' alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you.

^{42 Ref} `But wo to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting.

^{43 Ref} `Wo to you, the Pharisees, because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places.

^{44 Ref} `Wo to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye are as the unseen tombs, and the men walking above have not known.'

^{45 Ref} And one of the lawyers answering, saith to him, `Teacher, these things saying, us also thou dost insult;'

^{46 Ref} and he said, `And to you, the lawyers, wo! because ye burden men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves with one of your fingers do not touch the burdens.

^{47 Ref} `Wo to you, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

^{48 Ref} Then do ye testify, and are well pleased with the works of your fathers, because they indeed killed them, and ye do build their tombs;

^{49 Ref} because of this also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets, and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute,

^{50 Ref} that the blood of all the prophets, that is being poured forth from the foundation of the world, may be required from this generation;

^{51 Ref} from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yes, I say to you, It shall be required from this generation.

^{52 Ref} `Wo to you, the lawyers, because ye took away the key of the knowledge; yourselves ye did not enter; and those coming in, ye did hinder.'

^{53 Ref} And in his speaking these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began fearfully to urge and to press him to speak about many things,

^{54 Ref} laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

^{1 Ref} And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples?

^{2 Ref} And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come.

^{3 Ref} Give us every day bread for our needs.

^{4 Ref} May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test.

^{5 Ref} And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread;

⁶ Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him;

^{7 Ref} And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you?

^{8 Ref} I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of.

^{9 Ref} And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you.

^{10 Ref} For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open.

^{11 Ref} And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake?

^{12 Ref} Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

^{13 Ref} If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?

^{14 Ref} And he was sending an evil spirit out of a man who was without the power of talking. And it came about that when the spirit had gone the man had the power of talking; and the people were full of wonder.

^{15 Ref} But some of them said, He sends out evil spirits by Beelzebul, the ruler of evil spirits.

^{16 Ref} And others, testing him, were looking for a sign from heaven from him.

^{17 Ref} But he, having knowledge of their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom in which there is division is made waste; and a house in which there is division comes to destruction.

^{18 Ref} If, then, Satan is at war with himself, how will he keep his kingdom? because you say that I send evil spirits out of men by the help of Beelzebul.

^{19 Ref} And if I, by Beelzebul, send out evil spirits, by whose help do your sons send them out? so let them be your judges.

^{20 Ref} But if I, by the finger of God, send out evil spirits, then the kingdom of God has overtaken you.

^{21 Ref} When the strong man armed keeps watch over his house, then his goods are safe:

^{22 Ref} But when one who is stronger makes an attack on him and overcomes him, he takes away his instruments of war, in which he had put his faith, and makes division of his goods.

^{23 Ref} He who is not with me is against me, and he who will not give me help in getting people together is driving them away.

^{24 Ref} The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of a man, goes through dry places, looking for rest; and when he does not get it, he says, I will go back to my house from which I came.

^{25 Ref} And when he comes, he sees that it has been made fair and clean.

^{26 Ref} Then he goes and gets seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they go in, and take their places there: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.

^{27 Ref} And it came about that when he said these things, a certain woman among the people said in a loud voice, Happy is the body which gave you birth, and the breasts from which you took milk.

^{28 Ref} But he said, More happy are they who give hearing to the word of God and keep it.

^{29 Ref} And when a great number of people came together to him, he said, This generation is an evil generation: it is looking for a sign and no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

^{30 Ref} For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of man be to this generation.

^{31 Ref} The queen of the South will come up on the day of judging and give her decision against the men of this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now something greater than Solomon is here.

^{32 Ref} The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: for they were turned away from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; but now something greater than Jonah is here.

^{33 Ref} No man, when the light has been lighted, puts it in a secret place, or under a vessel, but on its table, so that those who come in may see the light.

^{34 Ref} The light of the body is the eye: when your eye is true, all your body is full of light; but when it is evil, your body is dark.

^{35 Ref} So take care that the light which is in you is not dark.

^{36 Ref} If, then, all your body is light, with no part of it dark, it will be completely full of light, as when a flame with its bright shining gives you light.

^{37 Ref} Now, while he was talking, a Pharisee made a request that he would come to a meal with him; and he went in and took his seat at the meal.

^{38 Ref} And when the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised because he came to the meal without first washing himself.

^{39 Ref} And the Lord said to him, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the plate clean; but inside you are thieves and full of evil.

^{40 Ref} O you foolish ones! did not he who made the outside in the same way make the inside?

^{41 Ref} But if you give to the poor such things as you are able, then all things are clean to you.

^{42 Ref} But a curse is on you, Pharisees! for you make men give a tenth of every sort of plant, and give no thought to right and the love of God; but it is right for you to do these things, and not let the others be undone.

^{43 Ref} A curse is on you, Pharisees! for your desires are for the most important seats in the Synagogues and for words of respect said to you in the market-place.

^{44 Ref} A curse is on you! for you are like the resting-places of dead men, which are not seen, and men go walking over them without knowledge of it.

^{45 Ref} And one of the teachers of the law, answering, said to him, Master, in saying this, you give a bad name to us as to them.

^{46 Ref} And he said, A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for while other men are crushed under the weight of the rules you make for them, you yourselves do not put so much as one finger to them.

^{47 Ref} A curse is on you! for you make resting-places for the bodies of the prophets, but your fathers put them to death.

^{48 Ref} So you are witnesses and give approval to the work of your fathers; for they put them to death and you make their last resting-places.

^{49 Ref} For this reason the wisdom of God has said, I will send them prophets and teachers, and to some of them they will give death and cruel pains;

^{50 Ref} So that punishment may come on this generation for the blood of all the prophets which was given from the earliest days;

^{51 Ref} From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who was put to death between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I say to you, It will come on this generation.

^{52 Ref} A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you did not go in yourselves, and you got in the way of those who were going in.

^{53 Ref} And when he had come out of that place, the scribes and the Pharisees came round him angrily, questioning him about more things;

^{54 Ref} And watching him, for a chance to get something from his words which might be used against him.

^{1 Ref} It happened, that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."

^{2 Ref} He said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father in heaven, May your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven.

^{3 Ref} Give us day by day our daily bread.

^{4 Ref} Forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.'"

^{5 Ref} He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

⁶ for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,'

^{7 Ref} and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'?

^{8 Ref} I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

^{9 Ref} "I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

^{10 Ref} For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

^{11 Ref} "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

^{12 Ref} Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he?

^{13 Ref} If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

^{14 Ref} He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. It happened, when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

^{15 Ref} But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons."

^{16 Ref} Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.

^{17 Ref} But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.

^{18 Ref} If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

^{19 Ref} But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges.

^{20 Ref} But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.

^{21 Ref} "When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

^{22 Ref} But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

^{23 Ref} "He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn't gather with me scatters.

^{24 Ref} The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, 'I will turn back to my house from which I came out.'

^{25 Ref} When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order.

^{26 Ref} Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first."

^{27 Ref} It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!"

^{28 Ref} But he said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it."

^{29 Ref} When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.

^{30 Ref} For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation.

^{31 Ref} The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.

^{32 Ref} The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

^{33 Ref} "No man, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar, nor under a basket, but on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.

^{34 Ref} The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.

^{35 Ref} Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn't darkness.

^{36 Ref} If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light."

^{37 Ref} Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table.

^{38 Ref} When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.

^{39 Ref} The Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

^{40 Ref} You foolish ones, didn't he who made the outside make the inside also?

^{41 Ref} But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

^{42 Ref} But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

^{43 Ref} Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces.

^{44 Ref} Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don't know it."

^{45 Ref} One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also."

^{46 Ref} He said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won't even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

^{47 Ref} Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

^{48 Ref} So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs.

^{49 Ref} Therefore also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

^{50 Ref} that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

^{51 Ref} from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

^{52 Ref} Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn't enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered."

^{53 Ref} As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;

^{54 Ref} lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.