The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5–15)
1 RV And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. BSB BSB: One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 RV And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. BSB BSB: So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
3 RV Give us day by day our daily bread. BSB BSB: Give us each day our daily bread.
4 RV And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation. BSB BSB: And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7–12)
5 RV And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6 RV for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; BSB BSB: because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’
7 RV and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee? BSB BSB: And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Do not bother me. My door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’
8 RV I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth. BSB BSB: I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 RV And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. BSB BSB: So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
10 RV For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. BSB BSB: For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 RV And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? BSB BSB: What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
12 RV Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? BSB BSB: Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 RV If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? BSB BSB: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
A House Divided (Matthew 12:22–30; Mark 3:20–27)
14 RV And he was casting out a devil which was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb man spake; and the multitudes marveled. BSB BSB: One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,
15 RV But some of them said, By Beelzebub the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. BSB BSB: but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”
16 RV And others, tempting him , sought of him a sign from heaven. BSB BSB: And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
17 RV But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. BSB BSB: Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.
18 RV And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils by Beelzebub. BSB BSB: If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.
19 RV And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. BSB BSB: And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
21 RV When the strong man fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in peace: BSB BSB: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.
22 RV but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him his whole armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. BSB BSB: But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.
23 RV He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. BSB BSB: He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
An Unclean Spirit Returns (Matthew 12:43–45)
24 RV The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house whence I came out. BSB BSB: When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’
25 RV And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. BSB BSB: On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
26 RV Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more evil than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. BSB BSB: Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.”
True Blessedness 27 RV And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. BSB BSB: As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!”
28 RV But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. BSB BSB: But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
The Sign of Jonah (Jonah 3:1–10; Matthew 12:38–42)
29 RV And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah. BSB BSB: As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
30 RV For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. BSB BSB: For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.
31 RV The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. BSB BSB: The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.
32 RV The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. BSB BSB: The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.
The Lamp of the Body (Matthew 6:22–24)
33 RV No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light. BSB BSB: No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a basket. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light.
34 RV The lamp of thy body is thine eye: when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when it is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. BSB BSB: Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness.
35 RV Look therefore whether the light that is in thee be not darkness. BSB BSB: Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
36 RV If therefore thy whole body be full of light, having no part dark, it shall be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining doth give thee light. BSB BSB: So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.”
Woes to Pharisees and Experts in the Law (Matthew 23:1–36)
37 RV Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. BSB BSB: As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.
38 RV And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner. BSB BSB: But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39 RV And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. BSB BSB: Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
40 RV Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also? BSB BSB: You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well?
41 RV Howbeit give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you. BSB BSB: But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
42 RV But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over judgment and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. BSB BSB: Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.
43 RV Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces. BSB BSB: Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
44 RV Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not. BSB BSB: Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”
45 RV And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Master, in saying this thou reproachest us also. BSB BSB: One of the experts in the law told Him, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us as well.”
46 RV And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. BSB BSB: “Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.
47 RV Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. BSB BSB: Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them.
48 RV So ye are witnesses and consent unto the works of your fathers: for they killed them, and ye build their tombs . BSB BSB: So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
49 RV Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and some of them they shall kill and persecute; BSB BSB: Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’
50 RV that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; BSB BSB: As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,
51 RV from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary: yea, I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation. BSB BSB: from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.
52 RV Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. BSB BSB: Woe to you experts in the law! For you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
53 RV And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things; BSB BSB: As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,
54 RV laying wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth. BSB BSB: waiting to catch Him in something He might say.