The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5–15)
1 WBS And it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, 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 WBS And he said to them, When ye pray, say, Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. BSB BSB: So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
3 WBS Give us day by day our daily bread. BSB BSB: Give us each day our daily bread.
4 WBS And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. 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 WBS And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to 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 WBS For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, 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 WBS 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 WBS I say to you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise 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 WBS And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to 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 WBS For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, the door 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 WBS If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he shall ask a fish, will 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 WBS Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? BSB BSB: Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 WBS If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will 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 WBS And he was casting out a demon, and it was dumb. And it came to pass when the demon was gone out, the dumb spoke; and the people wondered. 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 WBS But some of them said, He casteth out demons through Beelzebub, the chief of the demons. BSB BSB: but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”
16 WBS And others tempting him , sought from him a sign from heaven. BSB BSB: And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
17 WBS But he, knowing their thoughts, said to 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 WBS If Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons through 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 WBS And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, 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 WBS When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: BSB BSB: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.
22 WBS But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor in which 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 WBS 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 WBS When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest: and finding none, he saith, I will return to 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 WBS And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. BSB BSB: On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
26 WBS Then he goeth and taketh to 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. 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 WBS And it came to pass, as he was speaking these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said to him, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps which nourished thee. 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 WBS But he said, Yes, 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 WBS And when the people were assembled in crowds, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 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 WBS For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall 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 WBS The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts 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 WBS The men of Nineveh shall rise 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 WBS No man when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a close vessel, but on a candlestick, that they who come 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 WBS The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thy eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thy eye 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 WBS Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee be not darkness. BSB BSB: Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
36 WBS If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light; as when the bright shining of a candle 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 WBS And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to eat. BSB BSB: As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.
38 WBS 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 WBS And the Lord said to him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening 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 WBS Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within also?BSB BSB: You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well?
41 WBS But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold, all things are clean to you. BSB BSB: But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
42 WBS But woe to you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others 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 WBS Woe to you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. BSB BSB: Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
44 WBS Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them . BSB BSB: Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”
45 WBS Then answered one of the lawyers, and said to him, Master, thus saying, 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 WBS And he said, Woe to you also, ye lawyers, for ye load 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 WBS Woe to you! for ye build the sepulchers 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 WBS Truly ye bear testimony, that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchers. BSB BSB: So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
49 WBS Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will slay 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 WBS That the blood of all the prophets, which hath been 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 WBS From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say to 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 WBS Woe to you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye have not entered 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 WBS And as he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to solicit 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 WBS Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something from his mouth, that they might accuse him. BSB BSB: waiting to catch Him in something He might say.