1 When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as Yochanan 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 will 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. 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? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

21 "When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.

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 from which 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 the Son of Man will also 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 proclaiming of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

33 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 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 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 gifts to the needy 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, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left 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 Torah scholars answered him, "Rabbi, in saying this you insult us also."

46 He said, "Woe to you Torah scholars 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 emissaries; 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 Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you Torah scholars! 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 lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

1 It happened that Jesus was praying in a certain place; and when he had done, one of his disciples said to him, Master, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.2 He said to them, When you pray, say, Father, thy name be hallowed; thy Reign come;3 give us each day our daily bread;4 and forgive us our sins, for even we forgive all who offend us; and lead us not into temptation.5 Moreover, he said to them, Should one of you have a friend, and go to him at midnight, and say, Friend, lend me three loaves;6 for a friend of mine is come off his road to see me, and I have nothing to set before him;7 and he, from within, should answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now locked; I and my children are in bed; I can not rise to give you:8 I tell you, though he will not rise and supply him, because he is his friend; he will, because of his importunity, get up, and give him as many as he wants.9 I likewise tell you, ask, and you shall obtain; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you:10 for whosoever asks, obtains; whosoever seeks, finds; and to every one who knocks, the door is opened.11 What father amongst you, would give his son a stone when he asks bread; or, when he asks a fish, would, instead of a fish, give him a serpent;12 or, when he asks an egg, would give him a scorpion?13 If you, therefore, bad as you are, can give good things to your children; how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!14 Again, he was expelling a demon, which caused dumbness; and when the demon was gone out, the dumb spake, and the people wondered.15 Some, however, said, He expels demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.16 Others, to try him, asked of him a sign from heaven.17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, By intestine broils, any kingdom may be desolated, one family falling after another.18 Now, if there be intestine broils in the kingdom of Satan; how can that kingdom subsist? for, you say, that I expel demons by Beelzebub.19 Moreover, if I by Beelzebub expel demons; by whom do your sons expel them? Wherefore they shall be your judges.20 But if I, by the finger of God, expel demons, the Reign of God has overtaken you.21 When the strong one armed, guards his palace, his effects are secure.22 But if he who is stronger, shall attack and overcome him, he will strip him of his armor, on which he relied, and dispose of his spoils.23 He who is not for me, is against me; and he who gathers not with me, scatters.24 The unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, wanders over parched deserts, in search of a resting place. But not finding any, he says, I will return to my house, whence I came.25 Being come, he finds it swept and embellished.26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and having entered, they dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.27 While he was saying these things, a woman, raising her voice, cried to him, from amidst the crowd, Happy the womb which bore you! and the breast which suckled you!28 Say, rather, replied he, Happy they who hear the word of God, and obey.29 When the people crowded together, he said, This is an evil generation. They demand a sign; but no sign shall be given them, only the sign of Jonah.30 For, as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall the Son of Man be to this generation.31 The queen of the south country will arise in the judgment against the men of this generation, and cause them to be condemned: because she came from the extremities of the earth, to hear the wise discourses of Solomon: and behold, here is something greater than Solomon.32 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment against this generation, and cause it to be condemned: because they reformed when warned by Jonah: and behold, here is something greater than Jonah.33 A lamp is lighted, not to be concealed, or put under a vessel, but on a stand; that they who enter may have light.34 The lamp of the body is the eye: when, therefore, your eye is sound, the whole body is enlightened; but when your eye is distempered, your body is in darkness.35 Take heed, then, lest the light which is in you, be darkness.36 If your whole body, therefore, be enlightened, having no part dark; the whole will be so enlightened, as when a lamp lights you by its flame.37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. And he went and placed himself at table.38 But the Pharisee was surprised to observe that he used no washing before dinner.39 Then the Lord said to him, As for you, Pharisees, you cleanse the outside of your cups and dishes, while you yourselves are inwardly full of rapacity and malevolence.40 Unthinking men! did not he who made the outside, make the inside also?41 Only give in alms what you have, and all things shall be clean to you.42 Alas, for you, Pharisees! because you pay the tithe of mint and rue, and of every kind of herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These things you ought to have practiced, and not to have omitted those.43 Alas, for you, Pharisees! because you love the most conspicuous seats in synagogues, and salutations in public places.44 Alas, for you! because you are like concealed graves, over which people walk without knowing it.45 Here, one of the lawyers interposing, said, By speaking thus, Rabbi, you reproach us also.46 He answered, Alas, for you, lawyers! also; because you lade men with intolerable burdens-burdens which you yourselves will not so much as touch with one of your fingers.47 Alas, for you! because you build the monuments of the prophets, whom your fathers killed.48 Surely you are both vouchers and accessories to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their monuments.49 Wherefore, thus says the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and Apostles: some of them they will kill, others they will banish;50 so that the blood of all the prophets, which has been shed since the formation of the world, shall be required of this generation;51 from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zechariah, who fell between the altar and the house of God. Yes, I assure you, all shall be required of this generation.52 Alas, for you, lawyers! because you have carried off the key of knowledge; you have not entered yourselves, and those who entering, you hindered.53 While he spoke these things, the Scribes and the Pharisees began vehemently to press him with questions, on many points;54 laying snares for him, in order to draw from his own mouth, matter of accusation against him.