1On the second sabbath after the first, Jesus went through the grain fields. His disciples picked the ears of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them.
2Some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?"
3Jesus answered them, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, and the men who were with him?"
4"He went into the house of God and took the showbread and ate it. He gave some to those who were with him too. Only the priests are allowed to eat that bread."
5And he said to them, "The Son of man is Lord of the sabbath as well."
6On another sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was shrivelled.
7The scribes and Pharisees watched Jesus to see if he would heal on the sabbath day. They wanted to find something to accuse him of.
8But he knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the shrivelled hand, "Get up, and stand out here in the middle." And the man got up and stood there.
9Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing. Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it?"
10He looked round at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was made well again, like the other one.
11They were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
12In those days Jesus went out to a mountain to pray. He spent the whole night praying to God.
13When it was day, he called his disciples to him. From them he chose twelve, and he named them apostles.
14They were Simon (whom he also named Peter) and his brother Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
16and Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.
17Jesus came down with them and stood on the level ground. A crowd of his disciples was there, and a great many people from all of Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases.
18Those who were troubled by unclean spirits came too, and they were healed.
19The whole crowd tried to touch him, because power went out from him and healed them all.
20He looked up at his disciples and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours."
21"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."
22"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they shut you out from their company, and insult you, and treat your name as something evil, because of the Son of man."
23"Be glad on that day, and leap for joy. Look, your reward in heaven is great. Their fathers treated the prophets in the same way."
24"But how terrible for you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort."
25"How terrible for you who are full, for you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep."
26"How terrible for you when everyone speaks well of you, for their fathers spoke that way about the false prophets."
27"But I say to you who are listening: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,"
28"bless those who curse you, and pray for those who treat you badly."
29"If someone hits you on one cheek, offer him the other one too. If someone takes away your coat, do not stop him taking your shirt as well."
30"Give to everyone who asks you. If someone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back."
31"Do to other people just as you would want them to do to you."
32"If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them."
33"If you do good only to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same."
34"If you lend only to those you hope will pay you back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get the same amount back."
35"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the children of the Most High. For he is kind to those who are ungrateful and evil."
36"So be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
38"Give, and it will be given to you. A full measure, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use for others will be used to measure back to you."
39He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into the ditch?"
40"The disciple is not above his master, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his master."
41"Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, and not notice the plank in your own eye?"
42"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you cannot see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly enough to take out the speck in your brother's eye."
43"A good tree does not produce bad fruit, and a bad tree does not produce good fruit."
44"Every tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs from thorns, or pick grapes from a bramble bush."
45"A good man brings out what is good from the good treasure of his heart. An evil man brings out what is evil from the evil treasure of his heart. For the mouth speaks out of what fills the heart."
46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things I say?"
47"I will show you what anyone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and does them."
48"He is like a man who built a house. He dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood came, the river beat hard against that house, but it could not shake it, because it was built on rock."
49"But the one who hears and does not obey is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river beat hard against it, and it fell at once, and that house was completely ruined."