[1] 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] He said to them, "When you pray, say, `Our
Father in heaven, May your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May
your desire be done on Earth, as it is in heaven. [3] Give us day by day
our daily bread. [4] 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] 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] 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] 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] 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] For everyone who
asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.
[11] 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] Or if he asks for an egg, he won`t give him a scorpion,
will he? [13] 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] 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] But some of them said, "He casts out demons by
Beelzebul, the prince of the demons." [16] Others, testing him, sought from
him a sign from heaven. [17] But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house
divided against itself falls. [18] If Satan also is divided against
himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say that I cast out demons
by Beelzebul. [19] But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your
sons cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges. [20] But if I by
the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come to you.
[21] When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods
are safe. [22] But when someone stronger comes on him, and overcomes him,
he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his
spoils. [23] He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn`t gather
with me scatters. [24] 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 whence I came out.` [25] When he returns, he finds it
swept and put in order. [26] 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] 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] But he said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear
the word of God, and keep it." [29] 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] For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will
also the Son of Man be to this generation. [31] 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] 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] No man, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in
a cellar, nor under a basket, but on the stand, that they which enter in
may see the light. [34] The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when
your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is
evil, your body also is full of darkness. [35] Therefore see whether the
light that is in you isn`t darkness. [36] 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] Now as he
spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat
at the table. [38] When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not
first washed himself before dinner. [39] 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] You foolish ones,
didn`t he who made the outside make the inside also? [41] But give for alms
those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.
[42] But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb,
and bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and
not to leave the other undone. [43] Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the
best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. [44]
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] One of the
lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also." [46] 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] Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the
prophets, and your fathers killed them. [48] So you testify and consent to
the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs.
[49] 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] that the
blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world,
may be required of this generation; [51] 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] 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] 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] laying in wait for him, and
seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.
