Prayer
(Matthew 6.9-13Matthew 7.7-11)1 When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray.”
2 So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way:
‘Father, help us
to honor your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom.
3 Give us each day
the food we need.
4 Forgive our sins,
as we forgive everyone
who has done wrong to us.
And keep us
from being tempted.’ ”
5 Then Jesus went on to say:
Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, “Let me borrow three loaves of bread. 6 A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don't have a thing for him to eat.” 7 And suppose your friend answers, “Don't bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you something.”
8 He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking.
9 So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. 10 Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 11 Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 12 Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? 13 As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
Jesus and the Ruler of Demons
(Matthew 12.22-30Mark 3.20-27)14 Jesus forced a demon out of a man who could not talk. And after the demon had gone out, the man started speaking, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some people said, “He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”
16 Others wanted to put Jesus to the test. So they asked him to show them a sign from God. 17 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said:
A kingdom where people fight each other will end up in ruin. And a family that fights will break up. 18 If Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? Yet you say that I force out demons by the power of Beelzebul. 19 If I use his power to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? They are the ones who will judge you. 20 But if I use God's power to force out demons, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you.
21 When a strong man arms himself and guards his home, everything he owns is safe. 22 But if a stronger man comes and defeats him, he will carry off the weapons in which the strong man trusted. Then he will divide with others what he has taken. 23 If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the crop with me, you scatter it.
Return of an Evil Spirit
(Matthew 12.43-45)24 When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through the desert, looking for a place to rest. But when it doesn't find a place, it says, “I will go back to the home I left.” 25 When it gets there and finds the place clean and fixed up, 26 it goes off and finds seven other evil spirits even worse than itself. They all come and make their home there, and that person ends up in worse shape than before.
Being Really Blessed
27 While Jesus was still talking, a woman in the crowd spoke up, “The woman who gave birth to you and nursed you is blessed!”
28 Jesus replied, “That's true, but the people who are really blessed are the ones who hear and obey God's message!”
A Sign from God
(Matthew 12.38-42Mark 8.12)29 As crowds were gathering around Jesus, he said:
You people of today are evil! You keep looking for a sign from God. But what happened to Jonah is the only sign you will be given. 30 Just as Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh, the Son of Man will be a sign to the people of today. 31 When the judgment comes, the Queen of the South will stand there with you and condemn you. She traveled a long way to hear Solomon's wisdom, and yet here is something far greater than Solomon. 32 The people of Nineveh will also stand there with you and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah.
Light
(Matthew 5.15Matthew 6.22Matthew 23)33 No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a clay pot. A lamp is put on a lampstand, so everyone who comes into the house can see the light. 34 Your eyes are the lamp for your body. When your eyes are good, you have all the light you need. But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. 35 So be sure your light isn't darkness. 36 If you have light, and nothing is dark, then light will be everywhere, as when a lamp shines brightly on you.
Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law of Moses
(Matthew 23.1-36Mark 12.38-40Luke 20.45-47)37 When Jesus finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him home for a meal. Jesus went and sat down to eat. 38 The Pharisee was surprised that he did not wash his hands before eating. 39 So the Lord said to him:
You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes, but on the inside you are greedy and evil. 40 You fools! Didn't God make both the outside and the inside? 41 If you would only give what you have to the poor, everything you do would please God.
42 You Pharisees are in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your gardens, such as mint and rue. But you cheat people, and you don't love God. You should be fair and kind to others and still give a tenth to God.
43 You Pharisees are in for trouble! You love the front seats in the synagogues, and you like to be greeted with honor in the market. 44 But you are in for trouble! You are like unmarked graves that people walk on without even knowing it.
45 A teacher of the Law of Moses spoke up, “Teacher, you said cruel things about us.”
46 Jesus replied:
You teachers are also in for trouble! You load people down with heavy burdens, but you won't lift a finger to help them carry the loads. 47 Yes, you are really in for trouble. You build monuments to honor the prophets your own people murdered long ago. 48 You must think that was the right thing for your people to do, or else you would not have built monuments for the prophets they murdered.
49 Because of your evil deeds, the Wisdom of God said, “I will send prophets and apostles to you. But you will murder some and mistreat others.” 50 You people living today will be punished for all the prophets who have been murdered since the beginning of the world. 51 This includes every prophet from the time of Abel to the time of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the temple. You people will certainly be punished for all of this.
52 You teachers of the Law of Moses are really in for trouble! You carry the keys to the door of knowledge about God. But you never go in, and you keep others from going in.
53 Jesus was about to leave, but the teachers and the Pharisees wanted to get even with him. They tried to make him say what he thought about other things, 54 so they could catch him saying something wrong.
1 Gadījās, ka viņš kādā vietā lūdza Dievu; kad viņš bija beidzis lūgt, tad kāds no viņa mācekļiem sacīja uz viņu: „Kungs, māci mums Dievu lūgt, itin kā arī Jānis ir mācījis savus mācekļus.“
2 Tad viņš tiem sacīja: „Kad lūdzat Dievu, tad sakait: Tēvs! svētīts lai top tavs vārds, lai nāk tava valstība.
3 Mūsu dienišķo maizi dodi mums katru dienu
4 Un piedodi mums mūsu grēkus, jo arī mēs piedodam katram, kas mums ir parādā, un neieved mūs kārdināšanā.“
5 Un viņš sarija: „Kufam jūsu starpā ir draugs, ja viņš pie tā noietu nakts vidū un tam teiktu: Mīļais, aizdod man trīs maizes,
6 Jo mans draugs no ceļa pie manis ir iegriezies, bet man nekā nav ko viņam celt priekšā; —
7 Un tas no iekšpuses atbildētu un sacītu: Neapgrūtini mani; durvis ir jau aizslēgtas, un mani bērni ir jau pie manis gultā: es nevaru celties un tev dot.
8 Es jums saku, ja ari viņš neceltos un nedotu tāpēc, ka tas ir viņa draugs, tad viņa neatlaidības dēļ tas celsies un dos viņam, cik tam vajaga.
9 Tā ari es jums saku: lūdziet, tad jums taps dots, meklējiet, tad jūs atradīsit, klauvējiet, tad jums taps atvērts.
10 Jo ikkatrs, kas lūdz, dabū, kas meklē, atrod, un kas klauvē, tam atvērs.
11 Kur būtu kāds tēvs jūsu starpā, kas dotu savam dēlam čūsku, kad tas lūdz tam zivi?
12 Jeb skarpiju, kad tas lūdz olu?
13 Ja nu jūs, ļauni būdami, zināt dot saviem berniem labas dāvanas, cik daudz vairāk jūsu Tēvs no debesīm dos Svēto Garu tiem, kas viņu lūdz?“
14 Pēc tam viņš izdzina ļaunu garu, kas bija mēms. Kad nu ļaunais gars bija izgājis, tad mēmais sāka runāt, un ļaudis brīnījās.
15 Bet daži no viņiem sacīja: „Viņš izdzen ļaunos garus caur Belcebulu, ļauno garu valdnieku.“
16 Bet citi, viņu kārdinādami, prasīja no viņa zīmi no debesīm.
17 Bet viņš, nopratis viņu domas, sacīja: „Ikviena valsts, kas savā iekšienē ir sašķelta, aiziet postā, un tur nams uz namu grūst.
18 Ja nu sātāns ar sevi ir naidā, kā tad viņa valsts pastāvēs? Jo jūs sakāt, ka es ļaunos garus izdzenu caur Belcebulu.
19 Bet ja es laimos garus izdzenu caur Belcebulu, caur ko tad jūsu bērni tos izdzen? Tāpēc viņi būs jūsu tiesātāji.
20 Bet ja es ļaunos garus izdzenu ar Dieva pirkstu, tad jau Dieva valstība pie jums ir atnākusi.
21 Kad stiprais apbruņojies sargā savu pili, viņa īpašums paliek mierā,
22 Bet kad kāds par viņu stiprāks nāk un to uzvar, tad tas paņem viņa bruņas, uz kurām tas paļavās, un izdala viņam atņemto laupījumu.
23 Kas nav ar mani, tas ir pret mani; un kas ar mani nesakrāj, tas izkaisa.
24 Kad nešķīsts gars atstāj cilvēku, tad viņš apstaigā sausas vietas un meklē atpūtas vietu, bet to neatradis, saka: Es atgriezīšos savā mājoklī, kupu atstāju.
25 Un viņš noiet un atrod to izslaucītu un izgreznotu.
26 Tad viņš noiet un ņem līdz sep-tiņus citus garus, kas ļaunāki par viņu, un viņi nāk un tur dzīvo, un ar šo cilvēku kļūst ļaunāki, nekā bija iepriekš.“
27 Un gadījās, kad viņš tā runāja, tad kāda sieviete paceltā balsī uz viņu sacīja: „Svētīgas tās miesas, kas tevi nesušas un tās krūtis, ko tu esi zīdis.“
28 Bet viņš sacīja: „Tiešām, svētīgi ir tie, kas Dieva vārdu dzird un pasargā.“
29 Un kad ļaudis sapulcējās, tad viņš iesāka runāt: „Šī cilts ir samaitāta cilts. Viņa meklē zīmi, bet cita zīme kā Jonas zīme tai netaps dota;
30 Jo, kā Jona bij par zīmi niniviešiem, tā arī Cilvēka Dēls būs par zīmi šai ciltij.
31 Dienvidzemes ķēniņiene stāsies tiesas dienā pret šīs cilts ļaudīm un tos pazudinās; jo viņa nāca no pasaules gala klausīties Salamana gudrību, un redzi, te ir vairāk nekā Salamans.
32 Ninivieši celsies tiesas dienā pret šo cilti un to pazudinās; jo viņi, dzirdējuši Jonas sludināšanu, atgriezās no grēkiem, un redzi, še ir vairāk nekā Jona.
33 Bet sveci iededzinājis, neviens to neliek kaktā vai zem pūra, bet to liek lukturī, lai tie, kas nāk iekšā, redzētu viņas gaismu.
34 Miesas spīdeklis ir acs. Ja tava acs ir laba, tad ari visa tava miesa ir gaiša, bet ja acs ir samaitāta, tad visa tava miesa ir tumša.
35 Tad nu pielūko, ka gaisma, kas tevi ir, nekļūst par tumsu.
36 Ja nu visa tava miesa ir gaiša bez kāda tumša kaktiņa, tad viņa būs tik gaiša, it kā svece ar savu gaismu tevi apspīdētu.“
37 Bet kamēr viņš vēl tā runāja, kāds farizējs viņu lūdza pie sevis uz azaidu. Un viņš iegājis apsēdās.
38 Farizējs, to redzēdams, brīnījās, ka viņš nemazgājās priekš ēšanas.
39 Bet tas Kungs tam sacīja: „Tagad jūs, farizēji, šķīstījat kausa un bļodas ārpusi, bet jūsu iekšpuse ir piepildīta ar laupījumu un blēdību.
40 Jūs bezprātīgie! Vai tas, kas ra-dījis ārpusi, nav radījis arī iekšpusi?
41 Bet dodiet, kas iekšā, par mīlestības dāvanu, un redzi, viss jums būs šķīsts.
42 Bet vai jums, jūs farizēji! Jūs dodat desmito tiesu no mētrām, dillēm un visādiem dārza augiem, bet atstājat novārtā taisnību un Dieva mīlestību. Vienu vajadzēja darīt un otru neatstāt novārtā.
43 Vai jums, jūs farizēji, jums patīk sinagogās sēdēt augstos krēslos un pilsētas laukumos tapt sveicinātiem.
44 Vai jums! Jūs esat līdzīgi slepe-niem kapiem; ļaudis, kas pāri staigā, to nezina.“
45 Tad viens no bauslības mācītājiem viņu pārtrauca sacīdams: „Mācītāj, tā runādams, tu apvaino arī mūs.“
46 Un viņš atbildēja: „Arī jums vai! jūs bauslības vīri! jo jūs uzkraujat cilvēkiem nepanesamas nastas, bet paši tām nepieskaraties ne ar vienu pirkstu.
47 Vai jums! jo jūs praviešiem ceļat pieminekļus, bet jūsu tēvi tos ir nokāvuši.
48 Tā jūs apliecināt, ka jums patīk jūsu tēvu darbi; viņi tos nokāva, un jūs ceļat pieminekļus.
49 Tāpēc arī Dieva gudrība saka: Es sūtīšu pie viņiem praviešus un apustuļus, un viņi citus nokaus un citus vajās,
50 Lai no šīs cilts prasītu visu praviešu asinis, kas izlietas no pasaules sākuma,
51 No Ābela asinīm līdz Cacharijas asinīm, kas nonāvēts starp altāri un dievnamu. Patiesi es jums saku: no šīs cilts viņas tiks prasītas.
52 Vai jums! jūs bauslības vīri! Jūs esat noslēpuši atzīšanas atslēgu; paši jūs neejat iekšā un tos, kas gribēja ieiet, jūs esat aizkavējuši!“
53 Kad viņš no turienes bija aizgājis, tad rakstu mācītāji un farizēji sāka viņam pastāvīgi uzmākties ar visādiem jautājumiem,
54 Slepeni glūnēdami, vai neizdosies viņu noķert kādos vārdos.
