Lord of the Sabbath
1One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. 2Some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?” 3Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He went into the house of God, took the bread of the Presence, ate it and gave it to his companions — bread that no one is permitted to eat except the priests.” 5And he told them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” 6On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against him. 8But he knew what they were thinking, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand here in the middle.” The man rose and stood there. 9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10He looked around at them all and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored. 11They were beside themselves with fury and began discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Choosing the Twelve
12In those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13When day came he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot; 16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor. 17He came down with them and stood on a level place. A great crowd of his disciples was there, along with a huge gathering of people from the whole of Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; 18and those tormented by unclean spirits were cured. 19The whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.
Blessings and Warnings
20Then he raised his eyes to his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. 21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22Blessed are you when people hate you, when they shut you out and insult you and throw out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23Be glad on that day and leap for joy, for your reward in heaven is great; that is exactly how their ancestors treated the prophets. 24But how terrible for you who are rich, for you already have your comfort. 25How terrible for you who are full now, for you will go hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26How terrible when everyone speaks well of you; that is exactly how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies
27But to you who are listening I say: love your enemies, treat well those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well; and from the one who takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and do not demand back what is taken from you. 31Treat others exactly as you would want them to treat you. 32If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do as much. 34And if you lend to those you expect to be repaid by, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35No: love your enemies, do good and lend without expecting anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Release, and you will be released. 38Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, spilling over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be used to measure back to you.”
Trees, Fruit and Foundations
39He also told them a parable: “Can one blind person guide another? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40A student is not above the teacher, but everyone fully trained will be like his teacher. 41Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? 42How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you do not see the plank in your own? You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the speck in your brother’s. 43No good tree produces rotten fruit, and no rotten tree produces good fruit. 44Every tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs from thornbushes, or pick grapes from a bramble. 45A good person brings good out of the good stored up in the heart, and an evil person brings evil out of evil; for the mouth speaks out of what fills the heart. 46Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say? 47Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and acts on them — I will show you what that person is like. 48He is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood came, the river beat against that house and could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But whoever hears and does not act is like someone who built a house on the ground with no foundation. The river beat against it, and it collapsed at once, and the ruin of that house was complete.”
