Luke 7:36-8:3 - And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, ‘This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner.’ 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, ‘Simon, I have somewhat to say unto you.’ And he said, ‘Master, say on.’
41 ‘There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, you have rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Do you this woman? I entered into your house; you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil you did not anoint: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. 48 And he said unto her, your sins are forgiven.’ 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, ‘Who is this that forgives sins also?’ 50 And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
Jesus Preaches About the Kingdom of God
8 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Jesus Heals One Possessed
Matthew 12:22-13:23 - Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, ‘Is not this the son of David?’ 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.’
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, ‘Every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his Kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad.
31 For this reason I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Make the Tree Good and Its Fruit Good
33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment. 37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.’
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Master, we would see a sign from you.’ 39 But he answered and said unto them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost pares of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, I will return into my house from what I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goes he, and takes with himself 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. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.’
Who is My Mother and Who are My Brothers?
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, ‘Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to speak with you.’ 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, ‘Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?’ 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, ‘Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.’
The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:1 – The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, ‘Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who has ears to hear, let him hear.’
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, ‘Why do you speak unto them in parables?’ 11 He answered and said unto them, ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower
18 Understand therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one hears the word of the Kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and anon with joy receives it; 21 Yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’
Mark 4:26-29 - And he said, ‘So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how. 28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’
The Parable of the Tares
Matthew 13:24-30 - Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, did not you sow good seed in your field? From what then has it tares? 28 He said unto them, ‘An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, No; lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’