Faith and Service
(Matthew 18.6Matthew 7Matthew 21Matthew 22Mark 9.42)1 Jesus said to his disciples:
There will always be something that causes people to sin. But anyone who causes them to sin is in for trouble. A person who causes even one of my little followers to sin 2 would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their neck. 3 So be careful what you do.
Correct any followers of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who say they are sorry. 4 Even if one of them mistreats you seven times in one day and says, “I am sorry,” you should still forgive that person.
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Make our faith stronger!”
6 Jesus replied:
If you had faith no bigger than a tiny mustard seed, you could tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up, roots and all, and to plant itself in the ocean. And it would!
7 If your servant comes in from plowing or from taking care of the sheep, would you say, “Welcome! Come on in and have something to eat”? 8 No, you wouldn't say that. You would say, “Prepare me something to eat. Get ready to serve me, so I can have my meal. Then later on you can eat and drink.” 9 Servants don't deserve special thanks for doing what they are supposed to do. 10 And that's how it should be with you. When you've done all you should, then say, “We are merely servants, and we have simply done our duty.”
Ten Men with Leprosy
11 On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus went along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy came toward him. They stood at a distance 13 and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 Jesus looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
On their way they were healed. 15 When one of them discovered that he was healed, he came back, shouting praises to God. 16 He bowed down at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was from the country of Samaria.
17 Jesus asked, “Weren't ten men healed? Where are the other nine? 18 Why was this foreigner the only one who came back to thank God?” 19 Then Jesus told the man, “You may get up and go. Your faith has made you well.”
God's Kingdom
(Matthew 24.23-28Matthew 37-41)20 Some Pharisees asked Jesus when God's kingdom would come. He answered, “God's kingdom isn't something you can see. 21 There is no use saying, ‘Look! Here it is’ or ‘Look! There it is.’ God's kingdom is here with you.”
22 Jesus said to his disciples:
The time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not. 23 When people say to you, “Look there,” or “Look here,” don't go looking for him. 24 The day of the Son of Man will be like lightning flashing across the sky. 25 But first he must suffer terribly and be rejected by the people of today. 26 When the Son of Man comes, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. 27 People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day when Noah went into the big boat. Then the flood came and drowned everyone on earth.
28 When Lot lived, people were also eating and drinking. They were buying, selling, planting, and building. 29 But on the very day Lot left Sodom, fiery flames poured down from the sky and killed everyone. 30 The same will happen on the day when the Son of Man appears.
31 At that time no one on a rooftop should go down into the house to get anything. No one in a field should go back to the house for anything. 32 Remember what happened to Lot's wife.
33 People who try to save their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives will save them. 34 On that night two people will be sleeping in the same bed, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 35-36 Two women will be together grinding wheat, but only one will be taken. The other will be left.
37 Then Jesus' disciples spoke up, “But where will this happen, Lord?”
Jesus said, “Where there is a corpse, there will always be vultures.”
Par grēku, ticību un pienākumu
(Mt 18:6–9Mk 9:42–48)1 Vēl viņš saviem mācekļiem teica: “Nav iespējams, ka apgrēcība nenāk, bet vai! tam, caur ko tā nāk! 2 Tādam labāk, ja tam dzirnakmeni uzkar kaklā un to iemet jūrā, nekā tas apgrēcina vienu no šiem mazajiem. 3 Pielūkojiet! Ja tavs brālis grēko, norāj viņu un, ja viņš nožēlo, piedod viņam. 4 Un, pat ja viņš grēkotu pret tevi septiņas reizes dienā un septiņas reizes vērstos pie tevis, sacīdams: es nožēloju, – piedod viņam.” 5 Un apustuļi sacīja Kungam: “Vairo mums ticību.” 6 Bet Kungs sacīja: “Ja jums būtu ticība kā sinepju graudiņš, jūs sacītu šim zīdkokam: tiec izrauts ar visām saknēm un iestādīts jūrā, – un tas jums paklausītu. 7 Kurš no jums savam kalpam, kas ganījis vai aris, kad tas pārnāk no lauka, viņam sacīs: tūlīt nāc un sēdies pie galda! 8 Vai tad viņš tam neteiks: pagatavo man azaidu un tad, aplicis priekšautu, apkalpo mani, kamēr paēdu un padzeru; un pēc tam ēdīsi un dzersi tu. 9 Vai gan viņam jāpateicas kalpam, ka tas izpildījis visu, kas pavēlēts? 10 Tāpat arī jūs, kad būsiet izpildījuši visu, kas jums pavēlēts, sakiet: mēs esam nederīgi kalpi, un mēs esam izdarījuši vien to, ko vajadzēja darīt.”
Jēzus dziedina desmit spitālīgos
11 Ceļā uz Jeruzālemi viņš nonāca apvidū starp Samariju un Galileju. 12 Viņam ieejot kādā ciemā, pretī nāca desmit spitālīgi vīri. Tie apstājās iztālēm un 13 skaļā balsī sauca: “Jēzu, Mācītāj, apžēlojies par mums!” 14 Tos ieraudzījis, viņš tiem sacīja: “Ejiet un rādieties priesteriem.” Un notika, ka tie ceļā tapa šķīsti. 15 Viens no tiem, redzēdams, ka ir izārstēts, griezās atpakaļ, skaļā balsī slavēdams Dievu. 16 Un, Jēzum pateikdamies, tas krita uz sava vaiga pie viņa kājām; tas bija samarietis. 17 Jēzus vērsās pie tā un sacīja: “Vai tad visi desmit nekļuva šķīsti no spitālības? Kur ir tie deviņi? 18 Vai tad cits neviens neatradās, kas grieztos atpakaļ un pagodinātu Dievu, kā vien šis cittautietis?” 19 Viņš tam sacīja: “Celies un ej! Tava ticība tevi ir izglābusi.”
Dieva valstības nākšana
(1Moz 6:5–8:221Moz 19:12–14)20 Uz farizeju jautājumu, kad nāks Dieva valstība, viņš tiem atbildēja: “Dieva valstība nenāks redzamā veidā. 21 Nedz arī kādi sacīs: redzi, šeit! – vai: tur! – jo, redzi, Dieva valstība ir jūsu vidū.” 22 Bet mācekļiem viņš sacīja: “Nāks dienas, kad jūs ilgosieties redzēt kaut vienu Cilvēka Dēla dienu, bet neredzēsiet. 23 Kad jums sacīs: redzi, tur! Redzi, šeit! – neejiet un nedzenieties tam pakaļ! 24 Jo kā zibens, kas uzplaiksnī un apspīd debesis no vienas malas līdz otrai, tā arī Cilvēka Dēls parādīsies . 25 Bet pirms tam viņam vajadzēs daudz ciest un tikt šīs paaudzes atmestam. 26 Un, tāpat kā notika Noas dienās, tā būs arī Cilvēka Dēla dienās. 27 Tie ēda un dzēra, un precējās līdz tai dienai, kad Noa iegāja šķirstā un plūdi nāca un visus pazudināja. 28 Tāpat kā tas notika Lata dienās: tie ēda un dzēra, pirka un pārdeva, stādīja un būvēja. 29 Bet tajā dienā, kad Lats izgāja no Sodomas, uguns un sērs lija no debesīm un visus pazudināja. 30 Tāpat būs arī tajā dienā, kad parādīsies Cilvēka Dēls. 31 Ja kāds tajā dienā būs uz jumta un viņa mantas būs mājā, lai tas nekāpj zemē tās paņemt, un, ja kāds būs laukā, tas lai negriežas atpakaļ. 32 Atcerieties Lata sievu! 33 Kas savu dzīvību meklēs paglābt, tas to zaudēs, bet, kas to zaudēs, tas to pasargās dzīvu. 34 Es jums saku: tajā naktī divi būs vienā gultā – viens tiks paņemts, bet otrs atstāts. 35 Būs divas, kas kopā mals – viena tiks paņemta, bet otra atstāta.” 37 Tie vērsās pie viņa, jautādami: “Kur tā notiks, Kungs?” Viņš atbildēja: “Kur būs maita, tur salidos ērgļi.”
