The Leaven of the Pharisees (Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)
1 WBS In the mean time, when there was gathered an innumerable multitude of people, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. BSB BSB: In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 WBS For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. BSB BSB: There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
3 WBS Therefore, whatever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops. BSB BSB: What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.
Fear God Alone (Matthew 10:26–31)
4 WBS And I say to you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. BSB BSB: I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
5 WBS But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him. BSB BSB: But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
6 WBS Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? BSB BSB: Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
7 WBS But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. BSB BSB: And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Confessing Christ (Matthew 10:32–33)
8 WBS Also I say to you, Whoever shall confess me before men, him will the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. BSB BSB: I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.
9 WBS But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. BSB BSB: But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 WBS And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven. BSB BSB: And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 WBS And when they bring you to the synagogues, and before magistrates, and powers, be not solicitous how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: BSB BSB: When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.
12 WBS For the Holy Spirit will teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. BSB BSB: For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool 13 WBS And one of the company said to him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. BSB BSB: Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 WBS And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you? BSB BSB: But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
15 WBS And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. BSB BSB: And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
16 WBS And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: BSB BSB: Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.
17 WBS And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to deposit my fruits? BSB BSB: So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’
18 WBS And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I deposit all my fruits and my goods. BSB BSB: Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.
19 WBS And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast abundance of goods laid up for many years; take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry. BSB BSB: Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 WBS But God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? BSB BSB: But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
21 WBS So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God. BSB BSB: This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Worry (Matthew 6:25–34)
22 WBS And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
23 WBS The life is more than food, and the body is more than raiment. BSB BSB: For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24 WBS Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: which neither have store-house, nor barn; and God feedeth them: How much more are ye better than the fowls? BSB BSB: Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
25 WBS And which of you by solicitude can add to his stature one cubit? BSB BSB: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
26 WBS If ye then are not able to do that thing which is least, why are ye anxious for the rest? BSB BSB: So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 WBS Consider the lilies how they grow: They toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. BSB BSB: Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
28 WBS If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? BSB BSB: If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
29 WBS And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. BSB BSB: And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
30 WBS For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. BSB BSB: For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 WBS But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. BSB BSB: But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19–21)
32 WBS Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 WBS Sell what ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which become not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. BSB BSB: Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34 WBS For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. BSB BSB: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Readiness at Any Hour (Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)
35 WBS Let your loins be girt, and your lights burning; BSB BSB: Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.
36 WBS And ye yourselves like men that wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. BSB BSB: Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
37 WBS Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them to sit down to eat, and will come forth and serve them. BSB BSB: Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
38 WBS And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. BSB BSB: Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.
39 WBS And this know, that if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer his house to be broken through. BSB BSB: But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
40 WBS Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. BSB BSB: You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
41 WBS Then Peter said to him, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us, or even to all? BSB BSB: “Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”
42 WBS And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of provisions in due season? BSB BSB: And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?
43 WBS Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. BSB BSB: Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
44 WBS In truth I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. BSB BSB: Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
45 WBS But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken? BSB BSB: But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
46 WBS The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him , and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. BSB BSB: The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
48 WBS But he that knew not, and committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes . For to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have committed much, from him they will ask the more. BSB BSB: But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.
Not Peace but Division (Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)
50 WBS But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it shall be accomplished! BSB BSB: But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
52 WBS For from henceforth there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. BSB BSB: From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 WBS The father will be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. BSB BSB: They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Interpreting the Present Time (Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)
54 WBS And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, immediately ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens.
55 WBS And when ye perceive the south wind blowing, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. BSB BSB: And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is.
56 WBS Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?BSB BSB: You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
Reconciling with an Adversary (Matthew 5:21–26)
57 WBS And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? BSB BSB: And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
58 WBS When thou goest with thy adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he draw thee before the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. BSB BSB: Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.
59 WBS I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. BSB BSB: I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”