Mar 4:40 Why are you so fearful? how is it that you have no faith?In the Greek, being fearful is associated with low-born and poor. In contrast, being confident (translated here as "faith") is associated with being trustworthy and gaining other people's trust. The idea is that your mental state and world view are connected to your place in society. Being low-born creates a state of fear, which is one reason the Christ's followers were to be "born again." The world chosen for fearful here, deilos, is especially interesting. There are many Greek words that mean "fearful" that do not have the sense of low-born, for example deidêmôn. Like the Hebrew word for fearful, yare', this adjective just mean having fear. Why choose deilos? Especially since this is the only place in the New Testament (with the parallel verse in Matthew, Mat 8:26) that this term is applied to Christ's words? There is more evidence that this is because of its connection to social standing. A very similar Greek word, deimos, means "fearful" in a directly opposite sense: being fearful, that is, generating fear in others by being strong, powerful, and clever. In a very clear sense, deilos and deimos are opposite ends of the social spectrum. Again, as so many ideas in Christ, this is connected to the cycle that Christ describes connecting the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional (relationship). Here, the physical storm plus a mental state, lack of faith, causes an emotional state. That emotional state is, as always, connecting to relationships with people. While Christ doesn't care about social relationships as much as personal, here the results of faithlessness and fearfulness are the same: having others not trust you and seeing no value in you. "Fearful" is from deilos ( deilos), which means "cowardly," "miserable," "wretched," "low-born," and "poor." "How is it" is from pôs ( pos) which means "in any way," "at all," "by any means," and "I suppose." "Faith" is from pistis, which means "confidence," "assurance," "trustworthiness," "credit," "a trust," and "that which give confidence."
Mar 4:39 Peace, be still.Alternative: Be still, be silent. The second word used here translated as"be still" and more specifically meaning "be silent" was last used in Mar 1:25 to address the demons inside of a person. Here it is used ostensibly use to address a storm, quieting the wind and the waves, or is it used to address his apostles who were frightened by the storm. How does this thought fit into the larger context of this chapter, the parable of the sower? The parable is about how the seed of an idea, if given the proper ground, grows naturally over time. However, in this part of the chapter, it is the seed of doubt that is planted by the storm that grows until the apostles are forced to wake the sleeping Christ. What is Christ's advice about what to do regarding this seed of doubt? He says that we must simply still our minds and quit hurting ourselves. This echoes precisely the advice to the man that was possessed by demons. Christ told that man to be silent and come out of himself. If we live in God's kingdom, we realize that we are always safe. Pain and suffering exist for a purpose, to give us challenges to overcome and reasons to come together. Even if we die, we still survive, because we are eternal spirits. We know that this life is temporary. Its purpose is to allows us to learn, grow, and bear fruit, that is, to give us the opportunity to lead productive lives. Dangers are challenges, but the only real danger is our doubt and despair because in doubt and despair we turn on backs on what is real and divine. " Peace" is from siôpaô ( siopao), which means "keep silence," "to be still," "keep secret," and "speak not of." " Be still" is from phimoô ( phimoo), which means "to muzzle," "to be silent," and "to be put to silence."
Mar 4:35 Let us pass over to the other side.Alternative: Let us make our way through into the opposite.
It is a pleasure to find deeper meaning in even the simplest statements. While in the narrative, this statement describes a decision to go to the opposite shore of Galilee, it is entertaining to note that it follows a parable in which the very small mustard seed becomes the very large plant, which creates again the very small seed. This is a great example of going through an opposite form to complete a cycle of growth. The productivity of this cycle comes from producing more see (fruit) than we began with despite losing a lot of the seed to "poor ground" along the way. The cycle of growth is so productive that the losses along the way do not matter. " Let us pass over" is from dierchomai ( dierchomai) which means "to go through" and "to pass through." It comes from the base, erchomai, which means "to set out," "to come," and "to go." It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place with the prefix dia, which means "through," "throughout," and "in the midst of" and is used to describe passage through both time and space. " To" is from eis ( eis), which means "into," "to," "towards," "in regard to," "to the limit of," and "up to (some time)." " The other side" is from the adverb, peran ( peran), which means "on the other side," "across," "over against," "opposite," and "right through."
Mar 4:32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.Here, the Greek word for "grow up" also means "ascend to higher knowledge," which is the continued theme of this section about the seed bearing fruit. The seed in knowledge and united with the earth, our relationships, we ascend to higher knowledge. The Greek term translated as "herb" here is also an interesting choice. It means a cultivated plant as opposed to a wild plant. This is interesting because it infers the idea of cultivation, that is, work by people as opposed to a wild plant. Unlike, Matthew and Mark, Luke doesn't use this term, but the term for "tree." In northern climes, the mustard plant only grows to about three feet. In the Middle East, it can grow to fifteen feet with a thick central stalk. The seed itself is only about a sixteenth of an inch, which is very small compared to other trees of the region. Historically, mustard was not just used as flavoring for food and wine, but it was prominently used in medicine. In the sixth century B.C., Greek scientist Pythagoras used mustard as a remedy for scorpion stings. One hundred years later, Hippocrates used mustard in a variety of medicines and poultices. This makes it even better for this analogy regarding the growth of knowledge because this knowledge isn't just about flavoring food but curing disease. In this analogy, we also have those winged creatures that stole away the seeds in the parable of the sower making a reappearance. The same non-standard word for "birds" is used, indicating angels or demons. Here, however, those same creatures seek shelter in the shade of this tree. Interestingly, however, the term used for "shade" also means a ghost or evil spirit. What is the ghost or evil spirit of a tree of knowledge? " Sown" is from speirô ( speiro), which means "to sow a seed," "to beget offspring," "to scatter like a seed," and "to sow a field." " Grows up" is from anabainô ( anabaino), which means "go up," "mount," "shoot up" [of plants], "rise" [of rivers], "ascend to higher knowledge," "come to an end," and "turn out." " Becomes" is from gignomai ( ginomai), which means "to become," "to come into being," "to be produced," and "to be." " Greater" is meizôn, ( meizon) which means "bigger," and "greater" and is the comparative form of megas, which means "big" and "great." " Herbs" is from lachanon ( lachanon), which means "garden herbs," and "vegetables." It is the opposite of "wild plants." " Shoots outs" is from poieô ( poieo), which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." " Branches" is from klados ( klados ), which means "branches," "twig," "shoot," and "branch" of a blood vessel. "Fowls" is from the Greek, peteinos, ( peteinos) which means "fully-fledged," "able to fly" or "winged." In the form used, peteinon, it refers to any winged thing. There was clearly a conscious choice here not to use the Greek word for bird, which is ornis, or, in the diminutive, ornithion. All the English words referring to birds coming from Greek begin with this "ornith" prefix, including ornithology, the study of birds. This is the same word used in the parable of the sower. " Air" is from the Greek ouranos ( ouranos), which means "heaven as in the vault of the sky," "heaven as the seat of the gods," "the sky," "the universe," and "the climate." " May" is from the verb, dunamai ( dunamai), which means "to have power by virtue of your own capabilities," "to be able," and "to be strong enough." In the previous verse, the word used was the adjective, dunatos ( dunatos), which means "strong," "mighty," "possible," and "practicable." " Lodge" is from kataskênoô ( kataskenoo), which means "taking up one's quarters," "encamp," and "rest." " Shadow" is from skia ( skia), which means "shadow," "reflection," "image," "shade [of dead]," "phantom," "evil spirit," "shade [of trees]," silhouette," and "profile. "
Mar 4:31 [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
Christ is differentiating here between the size of a piece of knowledge and its potential for yielding fruit. In his estimation, the basic idea of the universal rule, that is, the rules of God's reign, are not large or complex. The term he uses for "grain" is actually a metaphor in Greek for "a grain of sense."
When you put this particular grain of sense into your relationships, which is Christ's symbol for term translated as "the earth" here, it doesn't matter that it seems so small, new, and perhaps naive. (The word used here for "small," also means "young.") This small, new idea has the potential within them to mature and grow over time.
The wordplay in the verse using "grain" for "grain of sense" and "small" to also mean "young" only works in Greek. From my admittedly limited research into the Aramaic, they do not seem to have any of the similar meanings in that language. Was this wordplay original with Christ or was it the invention of the Gospel writers, who, in recording this verse, choose to use the same words in the same way either independently or working from the same text of sayings?
"Grain" is not from the Greek word for seed ( sperma) used later in the verse, but from kokkos ( kokkos), which means "a grain" and "a seed," a metaphor for a "grain of sense." "Mustard seed," though translated as seed, is sinapi, ( sinapi) which means simply "mustard." " Sown" and " sow" are from speirô ( speiro), which means "to sow a seed," "to beget offspring," "to scatter like a seed," and "to sow a field." "Less" is from mikros, which means "small," "little," and "young." "Seed" is from sperma ( sperma), which means "seed," "sperm," "origin," "race," "descent," and "offspring." "Ground" is from gê (ge), which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky.
Mar 4:30 Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Alternative: To what shall we compare God's reign? Or what illustration can we set in parallel beside it?
This verse raises an interesting point about Christ's use of analogies or parables. He has just finished explaining what of his parables, the sower of the seed means. He also explained why and how he both hides and reveals the truth in his teaching. Elsewhere, he explains that he is emulating the father who is hidden in the universe. He gives us the choice whether or not we want to learn. We can learn from his teaching, but only if we are willing to study it and work toward understanding. This hard-won understanding is contrast with the automatic way in which the seed yields its fruit in nature. If we sow the seed and harvest the crop, God does the rest. This is a free gift from God. If you didn't know anything about Christ, except his words as captured in the Gospels, you would think that his main mission on earth was to describe the "kingdom of Heaven," which was can also describe as God' reign, the universal rule, or, if I may add another interpretation, God's plan. The vast majority of his parables begin with the words "the universal rule is like." Strangely enough, these parables do not involve the story of sin and redemption central to Christianity. Instead, they are always about learning, growing, and getting our priorities straight. "Like" is from homoioô ( homoioo), which means "to make like," "to become like," "to liken," and "to compare. "Comparison" is from parabolê ( parabole), which means "comparison," "illustration," and "analogy." It is most often translated in the NT as "parable." "Compare" is from paraballô (paraballo), which means "to throw beside," "to throw to," "to expose," "to set beside," "to set in parallel," "to compare," "to throw, turn, or bend sideways," "to deposit with one," "to deceive," "to come near," "to come alongside," and "to direct one's course toward."
Mar 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Alternative: But when the fruit is bestowed, immediately he dispatches the sickle to supply the harvest.
So the earth brings forth fruit from the seed automatically, but to get the benefit of the harvest, the sickle must be used to cut down the wheat. The purpose of the crop is to be productive, so once it has produced fruit, it is time for it to be cut down. The central character in this parable is the man who sows the seed. Christ says that this man doesn't know how the information in the seed and the nature of the earth combine to bring forth is fruit. So the man in this analogy is every one of us. To survive, we sow the seeds, let the earth do its work, and then harvest the resulting crop. The process in between the sowing and the harvest are God answering our prayer, giving us our bread. However, this story is a parallel with Christ and his apostles sowing the word. The word "apostle" is even referenced here. The verb describing "sending in" the sickle is the root word for apostle. Those sowing the word may not know how or where it will grow but know that it happens automatically. However, the parallel with the apostles sowing the word seems to seem to breaks down at the very same point the term for "apostle" is mentioned. The apostle does not send in the sickle and harvest the crop at least not in any way that is easy for us to understand. This last part of the verse is ominous, suggesting as is does the inevitability of death. Symbolically, Christ uses the harvest in Mat 13:39 to describe "the end of the world," or, more accurately, "the end of an age." In my view, for Christ this means our personal physical deaths. Somehow, it is this death that allows the fruit to be harvested. On the physical level, the death of one generation allows new generations to arise and what is built by one generation is inherited by the next. On the intellectual level, the ideas of one generation bear fruit in the next generation as they build on the best ideas of the previous generation. On the emotional level, the child/parent/grandparent relationship lays the foundation for all personal relationships of caring and the passing of our grandparents and parents teaches us what lives on in those relationships. On the spiritual level, we cannot know what is happening exactly except in the sense of following these parallels. In Mat 26:46 the term translated here as "is brought forth" is translated as "betrayed" as Christ wakes the apostles when the soldiers come with Judas to arrest him. "Fruit" is from karpos (karpos), which means "fruit," "the fruits of the earth," "seed," "offspring," "returns for profit," and "reward."
"Is brought forth" is from paradidômi ( paradidomi), which means "to give over to another," "to transmit," "to hand down," "to grant," "to teach," and "to bestow." "Immediately" is from eutheôs ( eutheos), which is the adverb of euthus, which means "straight," "direct," "straightforward," and "frank." As an adverb, it means "straight," "simple," "straightway," forthwith," "immediately," "directly," and "at once." " He puts in" is the Greek, apostellô (apostello), which is our source of the word "apostle." It means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch." "Is come" is from paristêmi ( paristemi), which means "to cause to stand beside," "to place besides," "to set before the mind," "to present," "to furnish," "to supply," "to deliver," "to make good," "to show," "to present," "to offer," and "to render."
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From the Beginning in Matthew
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You can see all of Christ's statements in Matthew and prayers based on
them in the following PDF file:
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To see our posts providing linguistic analysis of each of Christ's
statements, click on the links below:
Christ's First Words:
Mat 3:15
"Let it be so now, it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all
righteousness."
The Three Temptations:
Mat 4:4 It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Mat 4:7 It is written again, You shall not test the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:10 "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"
The Message:
Mat 4:19 "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Chapter Five:
The Beatitudes:
Mat 5:3, "Blessed are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Mat 5:4
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Mat 5:5
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."
Mat 5:6 "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Mat 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. "
Mat 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
Mat 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Mat 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
Mat 5:12 "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for this is how they persecuted the prophets who came before you."
Mat 5:13
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men."
Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden."
Mat 5:15
"Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."
Mat 5:16
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
The Commandments:
Mat 5:17 "Don't think that I have come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill."
Mat 5:18 "Truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, until all is fulfilled."
Mat 5:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:19 "So whoever breaks one of these smallest commandments and teaches others to do so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall keep and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Mat 5:21 You have heard that it was said by the ancients, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.
Mat 5:22 But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, "Raca!" shall be in danger of the high council: but whoever shall say, "You fool!" shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you;
Mat 5:24 Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Mat 5:25Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the street with him; lest at any time your adversary delivers you to the judge, and the judge delivers you to the officer, and you are cast into prison.
Mat 5:26 Truly I say to you, you shall be unable to come out of there until you have paid your last dime.
Mat 5:27 You have heard that it was said by the ancients, You shall not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:29 And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast [it] away: for it is better for you that one of your parts should perish, and not [that] your whole body should be cast into hell. Mat 5:30 And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast [it] away for it is better for thee that one of your members should perish, and not [that] your whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:31 It has been said, whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce:
Mat 5:32 But I say to you, That whoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever marries a woman that is divorced commits adultery.
Mat 5:33 Again, you have heard that it has been said by the ancients, You shall not swear falsely, but shall fulfill to the Lord your oaths.
Mat 5:34 But I say to you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36 Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no: for anything more than this is evil.
Mat 5:38 You have
heard it said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39 But I
say to you, Do not resist evil: but if someone slaps you on your right cheek,
turn the other to him as well.
Mat 5:40 And if any man sues you in court, and takes away your coat, let him have [your] cloak as well.
Mat 5:41 And whoever compels you to go a mile, go with him two.
Mat 5:42 Give to him that asks you, and do not turn away from him that wants to borrow from you.
Mat 5:43 You have heard that it said, You shall love your
neighbor, and hate your enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I tell you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who revile you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you get? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Mat 5:47 And if you embrace only your brothers, what do you do better than others? Do not even the tax-collectors do this?
Mat 5:48 You will then be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Chapter Six
On Religious Devotion and Prayer
Mat 6:1 Take care that you do not give charity publicly, to be seen by others: otherwise you have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
Mat 6:2 Therefore when you give charity, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have praise of men. Truly I tell you, They have been paid their reward.
Mat 6:3 When you give charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing:
Mat 6:4 Your charity should be in secret: and your Father who see in secret himself shall reward you openly.
Mat 6:5 And when you pray, you should not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Truly I tell you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to you Father who is hidden; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
Mat 6:7 But when you pray, do not repeat babble like the heathens [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for the volume of their words.
Mat 6:8 Do not be like them: for your Father knows what things you have need before you ask him.
Mat 6:9 Therefore you should pray like this: Our Father who is in heaven, Holy is your name.
Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mat 6:16 Moreover when you fast, do not, as hypocrites do, have a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;
Mat 6:18 That you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father who is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly.
Treasure in the Universe
Mat 6:19 Do not Lay up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break in nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye is good, your whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great [is] that darkness!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than clothing?
Mat 6:26 Behold the birds of the air: they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why are you worried about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I tell to you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore do not worry and say, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, What shall we wear?
Mat 6:32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things: for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
Mat 6:34 Therefore do not think about tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take care of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.
Chapter Seven
Judging Others
Mat 7:1 Judge not, so that you will be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with the judgment that you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you use, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why do you see the mote in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how do you say to you brother, Let me pull the mote out of you eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in you own eye?
Mat 7:5 You hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye; and then you can see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor should you cast your pearls before swine, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever that you want others to do for you, you should do for them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13 Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leads to destruction, and many are there who will go in by it:
Mat 7:14 Because narrow [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leads to life, and few there are that find it.
Mat 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that does not bring not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father in heaven.
Mat 7:22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then I will tell them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them is like a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it did not fall: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them is like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Chapter Eight
Healing and Being Healed
Mat 8:3 I will; be clean.
Mat 8:4 See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
Mat 8:7 [To the centurion about his palsied servant] I will come and heal him.
Mat 8:10 [After the centurion says he isn't worthy] Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Mat 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 8:13 Go your way; and as you have believed, [so] be it done to you.
Mat 8:20 The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man has no place to lay [his] head.
Mat 8:22 Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Mat 8:26 Why are you fearful, Oh you of little faith?
Mat 8:32 Go.
Chapter Nine
Forgiveness and Following
Mat 9:2 Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.
Mat 9:4 Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Mat 9:5 For what is easier, to say, [your] sins are forgiven you; or to say, Arise, and walk?
Mat 9:6 But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.
Mat 9:9 Follow me.
Mat 9:12 Those who are whole do not need a physician, but those who are sick.
Mat 9:13 But go and learn what this means, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mat 9:15 Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
Mat 9:16 No man puts a patch of new cloth onto an old garment, for that patch lifts up from the garment, and the hole is made worse.
Mat 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins: else the wineskines break, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish: but they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
Mat 9:22 Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole.
Chapter Ten
Coming Out to Others
Mat 10:5 Do not go to the way of the Gentiles and to a Samaritan city, do not enter.
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.
Mat 10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
Mat 10:10 Nor bag for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
Mat 10:11 And whatever city or town you shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and remain there until you leave.
Mat 10:12 And when you enter into an house, salute it.
Mat 10:13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Mat 10:14 And whoever does not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15 Truly I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha on the day of judgment, than for that city.
Witnessing to God
Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: therefore be as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18 And you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you should speak: for it will be given you in that same hour what you shall speak.
Mat 10:20 For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.
Persecution
Mat 10:21 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father the child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22 And you shall be hated by all for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another: for truly I tell you, You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, until the Son of man comes.
Mat 10:24 The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his lord.
Mat 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more [shall they call] those of his household?
Mat 10:26 Do not
fear them therefore: for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and
hid that will not be known.
Mat 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, you speak in light: and what you hear in the ear, you preach upon the housetops.
Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32 Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Do not think that I have come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes [shall be] those of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he who takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him that sent me.
Mat 10:41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Mat 10:42 And whoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold [water] only in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, shall mever lose his reward.
Chapter Eleven
Who Is Christ? Who Is John the Baptist?
Mat 11:4 Go and show John again those things which you hear and see:
Mat 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Mat 11:6 And blessed is [he], whoever shall not be offended by me.
Mat 11:7 What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, those that wear soft [clothing] are in kings' houses.
Mat 11:9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10 For this is [he], of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.
Mat 11:11 Truly I say to you, Among those that are born of women there has not risen a greater [one] than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Mat 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Mat 11:14 And if you will receive [it], this is Elijah, who was to come.
Mat 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Satisfying Society or God
Mat 11:16 To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17 And saying, We have piped to you, and you did not dance; we have wailed to you, and you have not lamented.
Mat 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a devil.
Mat 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man a glutton, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Mat 11:21 Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22 But I tell you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Mat 11:23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Mat 11:25 I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
Mat 11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight.
Mat 11:27 All things are delivered to me by my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, but the Son, and [he] to whomever the Son will reveal [him].
Mat 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest in your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.
Chapter Twelve
The Priority of the Sabbath
Mat 12:3 Have you not read what David did, when he and those who were hungry?
Mat 12:5 Or have you not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Mat 12:6 But I say to you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7 But if you knew what [this] means: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not condemn the guiltless.
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Mat 12:11 What man is there among you, if he has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold of it, and lift [it] out?
Mat 12:12 How much better then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath days.
Mat 12:13 Stretch forth your hand.
Casting Out Demons and What Comes Out of Us
Mat 12:25 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Mat 12:26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come to you.
Mat 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and plunder his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.
Mat 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that does not gather with me scatters abroad.
Mat 12:31 Therefore I tell you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven men.
Mat 12:32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.
Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [its] fruit.
Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Mat 12:36 But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account for on the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
Mat 12:39 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there no sign shall be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas [is] here.
Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon [is] here.
Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
Mat 12:44 Then he says, I will return to my house from where I came; and when he arrives, he finds [it] empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last [state] of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Mat 12:48 Who is my mother? and who are my brothers? Mat 12:49 Behold my mother and my brothers! Mat 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Matthew Chapter 12 Summary
One Last Thing on Matthew 12
Chapter Thirteen
The Analogies of the Spreading
Mat 13:3 Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9 Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
New Article on the Four Keys to the Gospels
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