Temptations and Trespasses (Matthew 18:6–9; Mark 9:42–48)
1 UST Jesus said to his disciples,“Things that tempt people to sin will certainly happen. But how terrible it will be for anyone who causes those things to happen! BSB BSB: Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
2 UST It would be better for that person if someone fastened a huge stone around his neck and threw him into the sea than if he were to cause someone to sin whose faith was weak. BSB BSB: It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
3 UST Be careful how you act. If another believer sins, you should rebuke him. If he says that he is sorry for having sinned and asks you to forgive him, then you should forgive him. BSB BSB: Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 UST Even if he sins against you seven times in one day, if he comes to you each time and says,‘I am sorry for what I did,’ you must continue forgiving him.” BSB BSB: Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
The Power of Faith (Matthew 17:19–20)
5 UST Then the representatives said to Jesus,“Give us more faith!” BSB BSB: The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 UST Jesus replied,“Even if you had faith that was no bigger than this tiny mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree,‘Pull yourself out of the ground, roots and all, and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it would obey you!” BSB BSB: And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 UST { Jesus also said,}“Suppose that one of you had a servant who was plowing your fields or taking care of your sheep. After he came into the house from the field, you would not say,‘Come immediately and sit down to eat!’ BSB BSB: Which of you whose servant comes in from plowing or shepherding in the field will say to him, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
8 UST Instead, you would say to him,‘Prepare a meal for me! Then put on your serving clothes and serve it to me so that I can eat and drink! Afterwards you can eat and drink.’ BSB BSB: Instead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you may eat and drink’?
9 UST You would not thank your servant just for doing the work that he had been told to do! BSB BSB: Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told?
10 UST Similarly, when you have done everything that God has told you to do, you should say,‘We are only God’ s servants. We do not deserve to have you thank us. We have only done the things that he told us to do.’” BSB BSB: So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
The Ten Lepers (2 Kings 5:1–14)
11 UST As Jesus and his disciples were walking along the road to Jerusalem, they were going through the area between the regions of Samaria and Galilee. BSB BSB: While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
12 UST As Jesus entered a village, ten lepers came toward him, but they stood at some distance away. BSB BSB: As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance
13 UST They called out,“Jesus, Master, please have pity on us!” BSB BSB: and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 UST When Jesus saw them, he said to them,“Go and have the priests examine you.” So they went, and on the way, their leprosy disappeared. BSB BSB: When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
15 UST Then one of them, when he saw that he no longer had leprosy, went back, praising God loudly. BSB BSB: When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 UST { He came to Jesus and} he lay down on the ground with his face at Jesus’ feet, and he thanked him. This man was a Samaritan. BSB BSB: He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 UST Then Jesus said,“I healed ten lepers! I would have expected the other nine to come back as well! BSB BSB: “Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine?
18 UST This foreign man was the only one who returned to thank God. None of the others came back!” BSB BSB: Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?”
19 UST Then he said to the man,“Get up and go on your way. God has healed you because you trusted in me.” BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well!”
The Coming of the Kingdom (Genesis 19:24–29)
20 UST One day some Pharisees asked Jesus,“When will God begin to rule everyone?” He replied,“That will not happen with signs that people can recognize if they watch for them. BSB BSB: When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.
21 UST People will not be able to say,‘Look! God is ruling here!’ or‘God is ruling there!’{ Contrary to what you think,} God has already begun to rule within you.” BSB BSB: Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 UST Jesus said to his disciples,“There will be a time when you will want to see me, the Son of Man, ruling powerfully. But you will not see that. BSB BSB: Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
23 UST People will say to you,‘Look, the Messiah is over there!’ or they will say,‘Look, he is here!’{ When they say that,} do not follow them. BSB BSB: People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.
24 UST For when the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other{, everyone can see it}. Similarly, when I, the Son of Man, come back again, everyone will see me. BSB BSB: For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
25 UST But before that happens, I must suffer in many ways, and people will reject me. BSB BSB: But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26 UST But when I, the Son of Man, come again, people will be doing things just like people were doing at the time when Noah lived. BSB BSB: Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
27 UST At that time people ate and drank{ as usual}, and they got married{ as usual}, up until the day when Noah and his family entered the big boat. But then the flood came and destroyed all those who were not in the boat. BSB BSB: People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 UST Similarly, when Lot lived{ in the city of Sodom}, people{ there} ate and drank{ as usual}. They bought things and they sold things. They planted crops and they built houses{ as usual}. BSB BSB: It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
29 UST But on the day that Lot left Sodom, fire and burning sulfur came down from the sky and destroyed all those who had stayed in the city. BSB BSB: But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 UST Similarly, when I, the Son of Man, return to earth, people will be unprepared. BSB BSB: It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
31 UST On that day, those who are outside their houses, with all the things that they own inside the houses, must not take the time to go inside and get them. Similarly, those who are out working in a field must not come back home to get anything.{ They must flee quickly.} BSB BSB: On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
32 UST Remember what happened to Lot’ s wife! BSB BSB: Remember Lot’s wife!
33 UST Anyone who continues in his own way of living will die. But anyone who leaves his old way of living{ for my sake} will live forever. BSB BSB: Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
34 UST I tell you this: On the night when I return, there will be two people sleeping in one bed. God will take the one who believes in me and leave the other one behind. BSB BSB: I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left.
35 UST Two women will be grinding grain together. God will take one of them and leave the other one behind.” BSB BSB: Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left.”
36 UST “There will be two in the field; one will be taken and the other left.” BSB BSB: Not in the BSB
37 UST His disciples said to him,“Lord, where will this happen?” He replied to them,“Wherever there is a dead body, the vultures will gather to eat it.” BSB BSB: “Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”