不认识圣经，就是不认识基督，不认识基督，就是不认识基督所建立的天主教会。
新约·马尔谷福音
共16章:
耶稣传教的准备
第一章(45)
若翰的使命
1:1 天主子耶稣基督福音的开始，
1:2 正如先知依撒意亚书上记载的：「看，我派遣我的使者在你面前，预备你的道路。
1:3 旷野中有呼号者的声音：你们当预备上主的道路，修直他的途径。」
1:4 洗者若翰便在旷野里出现，宣讲悔改的洗礼，为得罪之赦。
1:5 犹太全地和耶路撒冷的群众都出来，到他那里，承认自己的罪过，在约但河里受他的洗。
1:6 若翰穿的是骆驼毛的衣服，腰间束的是皮带，吃的是蝗虫与野蜜。
1:7 他宣告说：「那比我更有力量的，要在我以后来，我连俯身解他的鞋带也不配。
1:8 我以水洗你们，他却要以圣神洗你们。」
耶稣受洗
1:9 在那些日子里，耶稣由加里肋亚纳匝肋来，在约旦河里受了若翰的洗。
1:10 他刚从水里上来，就看见天裂开了，圣神有如鸽子降在他上面；
1:11 又有声音从天上说：「你是我的爱子，我因你而喜悦。」
1:12 圣神立即催他到旷野里去。
1:13 他在旷野里，四十天之久，受撒殚的试探，与野兽在一起，并有天使服侍他。
在加里肋亚传教
传教初期
开始宣讲福音
1:14 若翰被监禁后，耶稣来到加里肋亚，宣讲天主的福音，
1:15 说：「时期已满，天主的国临近了，你们悔改，信从福音罢!」
1:16 当耶稣沿着加里肋亚海行走时，看见西满和西满的兄弟安德肋，在海里撒网，他们原是渔夫。
1:17 耶稣向他们说：「来跟随我！我要使你们成为渔人的渔夫。」
1:18 他们便立刻拋下网，跟随了他。
1:19 耶稣向前行了不远，看见载伯德的儿子雅各伯和他的弟弟若望，正在船上修网。
1:20 耶稣遂立即召叫他们；他们就把自己的父亲载伯德和佣工们留在船上，跟随他去了。
在葛法翁讲道驱魔
1:21 他们进了葛法翁；一到安息日，耶稣就进入会堂教训人。
1:22 人都惊奇他的教训，因为他教训他们正象有权威似的，不像经师们一样。
1:23 当时，在他们的会堂里，正有一个附邪魔的人，他喊叫说：
1:24 「纳匝肋人耶稣!我们与你有什么相干﹖你竟来毁灭我们!我知道你是谁，你是天主的圣者。」
1:25 耶稣叱责他说：「不要作声!从他身上出去!」
1:26 邪魔使那人拘挛了一阵，大喊一声，就从他身上出去了。
1:27 众人大为惊愕，以致彼此询问说：「这是怎么一回事﹖这是新的教训，并具有权威；他连给邪魔出命，邪魔也听从他。」
1:28 他的声誉遂即传遍了加里肋亚附近各处。
治好伯多禄的岳母
1:29 他一出会堂，就同雅各伯和若望来到了西满和安德肋的家里。
1:30 那时，西满的岳母正躺着发烧；有人就向耶稣提起她来，
1:31 耶稣上前去，握住她的手，扶起她来，热症遂即离开了她；她就伺候他们。
1:32 到了晚上，日落之后，人把所有患病的和附魔的，都带到他跟前，
1:33 阖城的人都聚在门前。
1:34 耶稣治好了许多患各种病症的人，驱逐了许多魔鬼，并且不许魔鬼说话，因为魔鬼认识他。
周游加里肋亚宣讲天国
1:35 清晨，天还很黑，耶稣就起身出去，到荒野的地方在那里祈祷。
1:36 西满和同他在一起的人都去追寻他，
1:37 找到了他，就向他说：「众人都找你呢!」
1:38 耶稣对他们说：「让我们到别处去，到邻近的村镇去罢!好叫我也在那里宣讲，因为我是为这事出来的。」
1:39 他遂到加里肋亚各地，在他们的会堂里宣讲，并驱逐魔鬼。
治好癞病人
1:40 有一个癞病人来到耶稣跟前，跪下求他说：「你若愿意，就能洁净我。」
1:41 耶稣动了怜悯的心，就伸手抚摸他，向他说：「我愿意，你洁净了罢!」
1:42 癞病立时脱离了他，他就洁净了。
1:43 然后，耶稣严厉警告他，立即催他走，
1:44 并向他说：「当心!什么也不可告诉人，但去叫司祭检验你，并为你的洁净，奉献梅瑟所规定的，给他们当作证据。」
1:45 但那人一出去，便开始极力宣扬，把这事传扬开了，以致耶稣不能再公然进城，只好留在外边荒野的地方；但人们却从各处到他跟前来。
与法利塞人的冲突
第二章(28)
治好瘫子
2:1 过了一些日子，耶稣又进了葛法翁，人听说他在家里，
2:2 就聚来了许多人，以致连门前也不能再容纳，他就对他们讲道。
2:3 那时，有人带着一个瘫子到他这里来，由四个人抬着；
2:4 但因为人众多，不能送到他面前，就在耶稣所在之处，拆开了房顶；拆穿之后，把床缒下去，瘫子在上面躺着。
2:5 耶稣一见他们的信心，就对瘫子说：「孩子!你的罪赦了。」
2:6 那时，有几个经师坐在那里，心里忖度说：
2:7 「怎么这人这样说话呢﹖他说了亵渎的话；除了天主一个外，谁能赦罪呢﹖」
2:8 耶稣凭自己的神力，即刻认透了他们私自这样忖度，遂向他们说：「你们心中为什么这样忖度呢﹖
2:9 什么比较容易呢﹖是对瘫子说：你的罪赦了；还是说：起来，拿你的床走﹖
2:10 但为叫你们知道：人子在地上有权柄赦罪──遂对瘫子说：
2:11 我给你说：起来，拿你的床，回家去罢!」
2:12 那人遂起来，立刻拿起床，当着众人的面走出去了，以致众人大为惊愕，遂光荣天主说：「我们从未见过这样的事!」
召选玛窦为徒
2:13 耶稣又出去，到了海边，群众都到他跟前，他便教训他们。
2:14 当他前行时，看见阿耳斐的儿子肋未坐在税关上，便向他说：「你跟随我罢!」肋未就起来跟随了耶稣。
2:15 当耶稣在肋未家中坐席的时候，有许多税吏和罪人，也与耶稣和他的门徒一起坐席，因为已有许多人跟随了他。
2:16 法利塞党的经师看见耶稣与罪人和税吏一起吃饭，就对他的门徒说：「怎么，他与罪人和税吏一起吃喝﹖」
2:17 耶稣听了，就对他们说：「不是健康的人需要医生，而是有病的人；我不是来召义人，而是召罪人。」
禁食的争论
2:18 当时，若翰的门徒和法利塞人正在禁食。有人来向耶稣说：「为什么若翰的门徒和法利塞人的门徒禁食，而你的门徒却不禁食呢﹖」
2:19 耶稣对他们说：「伴郎岂能在新郎还与他们在一起的时候禁食﹖他们与新郎在一起的时候，决不能禁食。
2:20 但日子将要来到：当新郎从他们中被劫去时，在那一天，他们就要禁食了。
2:21 没有人将未漂过的布补在旧衣服上的；不然，补上的那块新布要扯裂了旧的，破绽就更加坏了。
2:22 也没有人把新酒装在旧皮囊里的；不然，酒涨破了皮囊，酒和皮囊都丧失了；而是新酒应装在新皮囊里。」
安息日门徒掐食麦穗
2:23 有一次，正当安息日，耶稣从麦田里路过，他的门徒在行路时掐食起麦穗来。
2:24 法利塞人向耶稣说：「你看!他们为什么做安息日不许做的事﹖」
2:25 耶稣对他们说：「你们从未读过：达味在急迫中和同他一起的人，在饥饿时所作的事吗﹖
2:26 当厄贝雅塔尔作大司祭时，达味怎样进了天主的殿，吃了除司祭外，谁也不许吃的供饼，并且还给了同他一起的人﹖」
2:27 耶稣又对他们说：「安息日是为人立的，并不是人为了安息日；
2:28 所以，人子也是安息日的主。」
拣选和训诲宗徒
第三章(35)
安息日治好枯手人
3:1 耶稣又进了会堂，在那里有一个人，他的一只手枯干了。
3:2 他们窥察耶稣是否在安息日治好那人，好去控告他。
3:3 耶稣对那有一只手枯了的人说：「起来，站在中间!」
3:4 遂对他们说：「安息日许行善呢，或作恶呢﹖许救命呢，或害命呢﹖」他们一声不响。
3:5 耶稣遂含怒环视他们，见他们的心硬而悲伤，就对那人说：「伸出手来!」他一伸，他的手就复了原。
3:6 法利塞人一出去，立刻便与黑落德党人作陷害耶稣的商讨，为除灭他。
群众跟随耶稣
3:7 那时，耶稣同自己的门徒退到海边去，有许多民众从加里肋亚跟随了来，并有从犹太、
3:8 耶路撒冷、依杜默雅、约旦河彼岸、提洛和漆冬一带地方的许多群众，听说他所作的一切事，都来到他跟前。
3:9 因为人多，他遂吩咐他的门徒，为自己备好一只小船，免得人拥挤他。
3:10 因为他治好了许多人，所以，凡有病灾的人都向他涌来，要触摸他。
3:11 邪魔一见了他，就俯伏在他面前，喊说：「你是天主子。」
3:12 他却严厉责斥他们，不要把他显露出来。
拣选十二宗徒
3:13 随后，耶稣上了山，把自己所想要的人召来，他们便来到他面前。
3:14 他就选定了十二人，为同他常在一起，并为派遣他们去宣讲，
3:15 且具有驱魔的权柄。
3:16 他选定了这十二人：西满，给他起名叫伯多禄，
3:17 载伯德的儿子雅各伯和雅各伯的弟弟若望，并为他们起名叫「波纳尔革」，就是「雷霆之子」，
3:18 安德肋、斐理伯、巴尔多禄茂、玛窦、多默、阿尔斐的儿子雅各伯，达陡和热诚者西满，
3:19 并犹达斯依斯加略，他是负卖耶稣者。
耶稣受人毁谤
3:20 耶稣到了家，群众又聚集了来，以致他们连饭都不能吃。
3:21 他的人听说了，便出来要抓住他，因为他们说：「他疯了!」
3:22 从耶路撒冷下来的经师们说：「他附有贝耳则步。」又说：「他赖魔王驱魔。」
3:23 耶稣遂把他们叫来，用比喻向他们说：「撒殚怎能驱逐撒殚呢﹖
3:24 一国若自相纷争，那国就不能存立；
3:25 一家若自相纷争，那家也将不能存立。
3:26 撒殚若起来自相攻击纷争，也就不能存立，必要灭亡。
3:27 决没有人能进入壮士的家，抢劫他的家俱的，除非先把那壮士捆起来，然后抢劫他的家。
3:28 我实在告诉你们：世人的一切罪恶，连所说的任何亵渎的话，都可得赦免；
3:29 但谁若亵渎了圣神，永远不得赦免，而是永久罪恶的犯人。」
3:30 耶稣说这话，是因为他们说：「他附有邪魔。」
耶稣的真亲属
3:31 耶稣的母亲和他的兄弟们来了，站在外边，派人到他跟前去叫他。
3:32 那时，群众正围着他坐着，有人给他说：「看，你的母亲和你的兄弟在外边找你。」
3:33 耶稣回答他们说：「谁是我的母亲和我的兄弟﹖」
3:34 遂环视他周围坐着的人说：「看，我的母亲和我的兄弟!
3:35 因为谁奉行天主的旨意，他就是我的兄弟、姊妹和母亲。」
天国的比喻
第四章(41)
撒种的比喻
4:1 耶稣又在海边上开始施教，有大伙群众聚集在他跟前，他只得上了一只船，在海上坐着，所有的群众都在海边地上。
4:2 他用比喻教训他们许多事，在施教时，他向他们说：
4:3 「你们听：有个撒种的出去撒种。
4:4 他撒种的时候，有的落在路旁，飞鸟来把它吃了；
4:5 有的落在石头地里，那里没有多少土壤，即刻发了芽，因为所有的土壤不深，
4:6 太阳一出来，被晒焦了；又因为没有根，就干枯了；
4:7 有的落在荆棘中，荆棘长起来，把它窒息了，就没有结实；
4:8 有的落在好地里，就长大成熟，结了果实，有的结三十倍，有的六十倍，有的一百倍。」
4:9 他又说：「有耳听的，听罢!」
4:10 当耶稣独自一人的时候，那些跟从他的人和十二门徒便问他这些比喻的意义。
4:11 耶稣对他们说：「天主国的奥义只赏给了你们，但对那些外人，一切都用比喻，
4:12 使他们看是看，却看不见；听是听，却听不明白，免得他们回头，而得赦免。」
4:13 耶稣对他们说：「你们不明白这个比喻，又怎能明白其他的一切比喻呢﹖
4:14 那撒种的人撒的，是所讲的「话」。
4:15 那撒在路旁的「话」，是指人听了后，撒殚立时来，把撒在他们心里的「话」夺了去。
4:16 同样，那撒在石头地里的，是指人听了这「话」后，立刻欣然接受；
4:17 但他们心里没有根，不能持久，及至为了这「话」发生艰难或迫害，立刻就跌倒了。
4:18 还有那撒在荆棘中的，是指人听了这「话」后，
4:19 世俗的焦虑，财富的迷惑，以及其他的贪欲进来，把「话」蒙住了，结不出果实。
4:20 那撒在好地里的，是指人听了这「话」，就接受了，并结了果实，有的三十倍，有的六十倍，有的一百倍。」
门徒的责任
4:21 耶稣又向他们说：「人拿灯来，岂是为放在斗底或床下吗﹖不是为放在灯台上吗﹖
4:22 因为没有什么隐藏的事，不是为显露出来的；也没有隐密的事，不是为彰明出来的。
4:23 谁若有耳听，听罢!」
4:24 耶稣又向他们说：「要留心你们所听的：你们用什么尺度量给人，也要用什么尺度量给你们，且要多加给你们，
4:25 因为凡有的，还要给他；凡没有的，连他所有的，也要从他夺去。」
种子自长的比喻
4:26 他又说：「天主的国好比一个人把种子撒在地里，
4:27 他黑夜白天，或睡或起，那种子发芽生长，至于怎样，他却不知道，
4:28 因为土地自然生长果实：先发苗，后吐穗，最后穗上满了麦粒。
4:29 当果实成熟的时候，便立刻派人以镰刀收割，因为到了收获的时期。」
芥子的比喻
4:30 他又说：「我们以什么比拟天主的国呢﹖或用什么比喻来形容它呢﹖
4:31 它好象一粒芥子，种在地里的时候，比地上一切的种子都小；
4:32 当下种之后，生长起来，比一切蔬菜都大；并且长出大枝，以致天上的飞鸟能栖息在它的荫下。」
4:33 耶稣用许多这样的比喻，按照他们所能听懂的，给他们讲道。
4:34 若不用比喻，他就不给他们讲什么，但私下里却给自己的门徒解释一切。
平息风浪
4:35 在当天晚上，耶稣对门徒说：「我们渡海到对岸去罢!」
4:36 他们遂离开群众，就照他在船上的原状，带他走了；与他一起的还有别的小船。
4:37 忽然，狂风大作，波浪打进船内，以致小船已满了水。
4:38 耶稣却在船尾依枕而睡。他们叫醒他，给他说：「师傅!我们要丧亡了，你不管吗﹖」
4:39 耶稣醒来，叱责了风，并向海说：「不要作声，平定了罢!」风就停止了，遂大为平静。
4:40 耶稣对他们说：「为什么你们这样胆怯﹖你们怎么还没有信德呢﹖」
4:41 他们非常惊惧，彼此说：「这人到底是谁﹖连风和海也听从他!」
第五章(43)
治好革辣撒附魔人
5:1 他们来到了海的对岸革辣撒人的地方。
5:2 耶稣一下船，即刻有一个附邪魔的人，从坟墓里出来，迎着他走来，
5:3 原来那人居住在坟墓里，再没有人能捆住他，就是用锁链也不能，
5:4 因为人屡次用脚镣和锁链将他捆缚，他却将锁链挣断，将脚镣弄碎，没有人能制伏他。
5:5 他昼夜在坟墓里或山陵中喊叫，用石头击伤自己。
5:6 他从远处望见了耶稣，就跑来，跪在他前，
5:7 大声喊说：「至高天主之子耶稣，我与你有什么相干﹖我因着天主誓求你，不要苦害我!」
5:8 因为耶稣曾向他说：「邪魔，从这人身上出去!」
5:9 耶稣问他说：「你名叫什么﹖」他回答说：「我名叫『军旅』，因为我们众多。」
5:10 他再三恳求耶稣，不要驱逐他们离开此地。
5:11 那时，在那边山坡上，有一大群猪正在牧放，
5:12 他们恳求耶稣说：「请打发我们到那猪群，好让我们进入它们内。」
5:13 耶稣准许了他们；邪魔就出来，进入了猪内。那群猪约有二千，便从山崖上直冲到海里，在海里淹死了。
5:14 放猪的人就逃去，到城里和乡间传报开了；人都出来看是发生了什么事。
5:15 他们来到耶稣跟前，看见那个附魔的人，即为「军旅」所附的人，坐在那里，穿著衣服，神志清醒，就害怕起来。
5:16 看见的人就把附魔的人所遇到的事，和那群猪的事，都给他们述说了。
5:17 他们便请求耶稣离开他们的境界。
5:18 当耶稣上船时，那曾附过魔的人，恳求耶稣让他同耶稣在一起。
5:19 耶稣没有允许他，但对他说：「你回家，到你的亲属那里，给他们传述上主为你作了何等大事，怎样怜悯了你。」
5:20 那人就走了，在十城区开始传扬耶稣为他所作的何等大事，众人都惊奇不已。
治好患血漏的妇人复活雅依洛的女儿
5:21 耶稣乘船又渡回对岸，有大伙群众聚集在他周围；他遂留在海滨。
5:22 那时，来了一个会堂长，名叫雅依洛，一见耶稣，就跪伏在他脚前，
5:23 恳切求他说：「我的小女儿快要死了，请你来，给她覆手，叫她得救回生。」
5:24 耶稣就同他去了。有一大群人跟随着他，拥挤着他。
5:25 那时，有一个妇人，患血漏已有十二年。
5:26 她在许多医生手里，受了许多痛苦，花尽了自己所有的一切，不但没有见效，反而病势更加重了。
5:27 她听了有关耶稣的传说，便来到人群中，从后边摸了耶稣的衣裳，
5:28 因为她心里想：「我只要一摸他的衣裳，必然会好的。」
5:29 她的血源立刻涸竭了，并且觉得身上的疾病也好了。
5:30 耶稣立时觉得有一种能力从自己身上出去，就在人群中回过头来说：「谁摸了我的衣裳﹖」
5:31 他的门徒向他说：「你看!群众四面拥挤着你，你还问：谁摸了我﹖」
5:32 耶稣四周观望，要看作这事的妇人。
5:33 那妇人明知在自己身上所成的事，就战战兢兢地前来，跪伏在耶稣前，把实情完全告诉了他。
5:34 耶稣便向她说：「女儿，你的信德救了你，平安去罢!你的疾病必得痊愈!」
5:35 他还说话的时候，有人从会堂长家里来，说：「你的女儿死了，你还来烦劳师傅做什么﹖」
5:36 耶稣听见所说的话，就给会堂长说：「不要怕，只管信。」
5:37 除伯多禄、雅各伯和雅各伯的弟弟若望外，他没有让任何人跟他去。
5:38 他们到了会堂长的家里，耶稣看见群众非常喧噪：有的哭泣，有的哀号，
5:39 便进去，给他们说：「你们为什么喧噪哭泣呢﹖小女孩并没有死,只是睡着了!」
5:40 他们都讥笑他。他却把众人赶出去，带着小女孩的父亲和母亲，及同他在一起的人，进了小女孩所在的地方。
5:41 他拿起小女孩的手，对她说：「塔里塔，古木!」意思是：「女孩子，我命你起来!」
5:42 那女孩子就立刻起来行走，原来她已十二岁了；他们都惊讶得目瞪口呆。
5:43 耶稣却严厉命令他们，不要叫任何人知道这事；又吩咐给女孩子吃的。
派遣门徒传教
第六章(56)
纳匝肋人不信耶稣
6:1 耶稣从那里起身，来到自己的家乡，门徒也跟了他来。
6:2 到了安息日，他便开始在会堂里教训人：众人听了，就惊讶说：「他这一切是从那里来的呢﹖所赐给他的是什么样的智慧﹖怎么借他的手行出这样的奇能﹖
6:3 这人不就是那个木匠吗﹖他不是玛利亚的儿子，雅各伯、若瑟、犹达、西满的兄弟吗﹖他的姊妹不是也都在我们这里吗﹖」他们便对他起了反感。
6:4 耶稣对他们说：「先知除了在自己的本乡、本族、和本家外，是没有不受尊敬的。」
6:5 耶稣在那里不能行什么奇能，只给少数的几个病人覆手，治好了他们。
6:6 他因他们的无信心而感到诧异，遂周游四周各村施教去了。
派遣十二宗徒出外传教
6:7 耶稣叫来十二门徒，开始派遣他们两个两个地出去，赐给他们制伏邪魔的权柄，
6:8 嘱咐他们在路上除了一根棍杖外，什么也不要带：不要带食物，不要带口袋，也不要在腰带里带铜钱；
6:9 却要穿鞋，不要穿两件内衣。
6:10 又对他们说：「你们无论在那里，进了一家，就住在那里，直到从那里离去；
6:11 无论何处不接待你们，或不听从你们，你们就从那里出去，拂去你们脚下的尘土，作为反对他们的证据。」
6:12 他们就出去宣讲，使人悔改，
6:13 并驱逐了许多魔鬼，且给许多病人傅油，治好了他们。
黑落德以为若翰复活
6:14 因为耶稣的名声传扬出去，黑落德王也听到了。有人说：「洗者若翰从死者中复活了，为此这些奇能才在他身上运行。」
6:15 但也有人说：「他是厄里亚。」更有人说：「他是先知，好象古先知中的一位。」
6:16 黑落德听了，却说：「是我所斩首的若翰复活了!」
6:17 原来这个黑落德，为了他兄弟斐理伯的妻子黑落狄雅的原故，因为他娶了她为妻，曾遣人逮捕了若翰，把他押在监里；
6:18 因为若翰曾给黑落德说：「你不可占有你兄弟的妻子。」
6:19 黑落狄雅便怀恨他，愿意杀害他，只是不能，
6:20 因为黑落德敬畏若翰，知道他是一个正义圣洁的人，曾保全了他；几时听他讲道，就甚觉困惑，但仍乐意听他。
6:21 好机会的日子到了：当黑落德在自己的生日上，为自己的重要官员、军官和加里肋亚的显要，设了筵席的时候，
6:22 那个黑落狄雅的女儿便进来跳舞，获得了黑落德和同席人的欢心。王便对女孩子说：「你要什么，向我求罢!我必赐给你!」
6:23 又对她发誓说：「无论你求我什么，就是我王国的一半，我也必定给你!」
6:24 她便出去问她的母亲说：「我该求什么﹖」她母亲答说：「洗者若翰的头。」
6:25 她便立刻进去，到王面前要求说：「我要你立刻把洗者若翰的头，放在盘子里给我!」
6:26 王遂十分忧郁；但为了誓言和同席的人，不愿对她食言，
6:27 王遂即差遣卫兵，吩咐把若翰的头送来。卫兵便去，在监里斩了若翰的头，
6:28 把他的头放在盘子里送来，交给了那女孩子，那女孩子便交给了自己的母亲。
6:29 若翰的门徒听说了，就来领去了他的尸身，把他安葬在坟墓里。
首次增饼
6:30 宗徒们聚集到耶稣跟前，将他们所作所教的一切，都报告给耶稣。
6:31 耶稣向他们说：「你们来，私下到荒野的地方去休息一会儿!」这是因为来往的人很多，以致他们连吃饭的工夫也没有。
6:32 他们便乘船私下往荒野的地方去了。
6:33 人看见他们走了。许多人也知道他们要去的地方，便从各城徒步，一起往那里奔走，且在他们以先到了。
6:34 耶稣一下船，看见一大伙群众，就对他们动了怜悯的心，因为他们好象没有牧人的羊，遂开口教训他们许多事。
6:35 时间已经很晚了，他的门徒来到他跟前说：「这地方是荒野，且时间已经很晚了，
6:36 请你遣散他们，好叫他们往四周田舍村庄去，各自买东西吃。」
6:37 耶稣却回答说：「你们自己给他们吃的罢!」门徒向他说：「我们去买两百块银钱的饼给他们吃吗﹖」
6:38 耶稣问他们说：「你们有多少饼﹖去看看!」他们一知道了，就说：「五个饼，两条鱼。」
6:39 于是耶稣吩咐他们，叫众人一伙一伙地坐在青草地上。
6:40 人们就一组一组地坐下：或一百人，或五十人。
6:41 耶稣拿起那五个饼和那两条鱼来，举目向天，祝福了，把饼擘开，递给门徒，叫他们摆在众人面前，把两条鱼也分给众人。
6:42 众人吃了，也都饱了；
6:43 人就把剩余的碎块收了满满十二筐；还有鱼的碎块。
6:44 吃饼的，男人就有五千。
步行水面
6:45 耶稣即刻催迫门徒们上船，先到那边贝特赛达去，这其间他遣散了群众。
6:46 耶稣辞别了众人之后，便往山上祈祷去了。
6:47 到了夜晚，船已在海中，耶稣独自在陆地上。
6:48 他看见门徒艰苦地在摇橹，他们正遇着逆风。约夜间四更时分，耶稣步行海面，朝着他们走来，有意越过他们。
6:49 门徒看见他步行海上，以为是个妖怪，就都惊叫起来，
6:50 因为众人都看见了他，遂都惊慌不已。耶稣连忙与他们讲话，向他们说：「放心!是我。不要怕!」
6:51 遂到他们那里上了船，风就停了。他们心中越发惊奇，
6:52 因为他们还不明白关于增饼的事，他们的心还是迟钝。
6:53 他们渡到了陆地，来到革乃撒勒，就靠了岸。
6:54 他们刚一下船，人立刻认出他来。
6:55 便跑遍那全地域，开始用床把有病的人，抬到听说耶稣所在的地方去。
6:56 凡耶稣所到的地方，或村庄，或城市，或乡间，人都把患病的人放在街道上，求耶稣容许他们，至少摸摸他的衣边；凡摸到他的，就都痊愈了。
第七章(37)
法利塞人的祖传
7:1 法利塞人和一些从耶路撒冷来的经师，聚集到耶稣跟前。
7:2 他们曾看见他的几个门徒用不洁的手，就是用没有洗过的手吃饭──
7:3 原来，法利塞人和所有的犹太人，都拘守先人的传授：若不仔细洗手，就不吃饭；
7:4 从街市上回来，若不先沐浴，也不吃饭；还有其它许多按传授应拘守的事：如洗杯，洗壶，洗铜器等──
7:5 法利塞人和经师们就问耶稣说：「你的门徒为什么不遵守先人的传授，而用不洁的手吃饭﹖」
7:6 耶稣对他们说：「依撒意亚论你们这些假善人预言的真好，正如所记载的：『这民族用嘴唇尊敬我，他们的心却远离我。
7:7 他们恭敬我，也是虚假的，因为他们所讲授的教义，是人的规律。』
7:8 你们离弃天主的诫命，而只拘守人的传授。」
7:9 又向他们说：「真好啊!你们为拘守你们的传授，竟废除了天主的诫命。
7:10 梅瑟原说过：『你该孝敬你的父亲及你的母亲；』又说：『咒骂了父亲或母亲的，应处以死刑。』
7:11 你们却说：人若对父亲或母亲说：我所能供养你的，已成了「科尔班」，即「献仪」，
7:12 那么就许那人不必再为父母做什么了；
7:13 这样你们便为了你们所传授的遗教，废弃了天主的话；并且你们还行了许多其他诸如此类的事。」
7:14 耶稣又叫过群众来，对他们说：「你们都要听我，且要明白!
7:15 不是从人外面进入他内的，能污秽人，而是从人里面出来的，才污秽人。
7:16 凡有耳听的，听罢!」
7:17 耶稣离开群众，回到家里，他的门徒便问他这比喻的意义。
7:18 耶稣就给他们说：「怎么，连你们也不明白吗﹖你们不晓得：凡从外面进入人内的，不能使人污秽，
7:19 因为进不到他的心，但到他的肚腹内，再排泄到厕所里去吗﹖」──他这是说一切食物都是洁净的。
7:20 耶稣又说：「凡从人里面出来的，那才使人污秽，
7:21 因为从里面，从人心里出来的是些恶念、邪淫、盗窃、凶杀、
7:22 奸淫、贪吝、毒辣、诡诈、放荡、嫉妒、毁谤、骄傲、愚妄：
7:23 这一切恶事，都是从内里出来的，并且使人污秽。」
客纳罕妇人
7:24 耶稣从那里起身，往提洛和漆冬境内去了。他进了一家，不愿任何人知道，但是不能隐藏。
7:25 当下就有一个妇人，她的女儿附了邪魔，一听说耶稣，就来跪伏在他脚前。
7:26 这妇人是个外邦人，生于叙利腓尼基；她恳求耶稣把魔鬼从她女儿身上赶出去。
7:27 耶稣向她说：「应先让儿女们吃饱了，因为拿儿女的饼扔给小狗是不对的。」
7:28 那妇人却回答说：「主!是啊!可是小狗在桌子底下，也可吃孩子们的碎屑呢!」
7:29 耶稣对她说：「为了这句话，你去罢!魔鬼已从你女儿身上出去了。」
7:30 她一回到自己的家里，看见孩子躺在床上，魔鬼已出去了。
耶稣治好聋哑人
7:31 耶稣又从提洛境内出来，经过漆冬，向着加里肋亚海，到了十城区中心地带。
7:32 有人给他带来一个又聋又哑的人，求他给他覆手。
7:33 耶稣便领他离开群众，来到一边，把手指放进他的耳朵里，并用唾沫，抹他的舌头，
7:34 然后望天叹息，向他说：「厄法达」就是说：「开了罢!」
7:35 他的耳朵就立时开了,舌结也解了，说话也清楚了。
7:36 耶稣遂嘱咐他们不要告诉任何人；但他越嘱咐他们，他们便越发宣传；
7:37 人都不胜惊奇说：「他所做的一切都好：使聋子听见，叫哑吧说话。」
第八章(38)
二次增饼
8:1 当那些日子，又有一大群人，没有什么吃的了。耶稣叫过门徒来，给他们说：
8:2 「我很怜悯这批群众，因为他们同我在一起已经三天，也没有什么可吃的了。
8:3 我若遣散他们空着肚子各自回家，他们必要在路上晕倒；况且他们中还有些是从远处来的。」
8:4 门徒回答说：「在这荒野里，人从那里能得饼，使这些人吃饱呢﹖」
8:5 耶稣问他们说：「你们有多少饼﹖」他们说：「七个。」
8:6 耶稣就吩咐群众坐在地上，拿起那七个饼来，祝谢了，擘开，递给他的门徒，叫他们分开；他们就给群众分开。
8:7 又有几条小鱼，耶稣祝福后，也吩咐把这些小鱼分开。
8:8 人都吃饱了，把剩下来的碎块收集了七篮子。
8:9 人数约有四千；然后耶稣遣散了他们，
8:10 即劾同门徒上船，来到了达玛奴达境内。
提防法利塞人
8:11 法利塞人出来，开始和他辩论，向他要求一个来自天上的征兆，想试探他。
8:12 耶稣从心里叹息说：「为什么这一世代要求征兆﹖我实在告诉你们，必不给这世代一个征兆!」
8:13 他就离开他们，再上船往对岸去了。
8:14 门徒忘了带饼，在船上除了一个饼外，随身没有带别的食物。
8:15 耶稣嘱咐他们说：「你们应当谨慎，提防法利塞人的酵母和黑落德的酵母。」
8:16 他们彼此议论：他们没有饼了。
8:17 耶稣看出来了，就对他们说：「为什么你们议论没有饼了﹖你们还不明白，还不了解吗﹖你们的心仍然迟钝吗﹖
8:18 你们有眼看不见，有耳听不见吗﹖你们不记得：
8:19 当我擘开五个饼给五千人的时候，你们收满了几筐碎块﹖」他们回答说：「十二筐。」
8:20 「还有，七个饼给四千人的时候，你们收满了几篮碎块﹖」他们回答说：「七篮。」
8:21 于是耶稣对他们说：「你们还不了解吗﹖」
在贝特赛达治好瞎子
8:22 他们来到贝特赛达，有人给耶稣送来一个瞎子，求他抚摸他。
8:23 耶稣便拉着瞎子的手，领他到村外，在他的眼上吐了唾沫，然后又给他覆手，问他说：「你看见什么没有﹖」
8:24 他举目一望，说：「我看见人，见他们好象树木在行走。」
8:25 然后，耶稣又按手在他的眼上，他定睛一看，就复了原，竟能清清楚楚看见一切。
8:26 耶稣打发他回家去说：「连这村庄你也不要进去。」
伯多禄认主为默西亚
8:27 耶稣和他的门徒起身，往斐理伯的凯撒勒雅附近的村庄去；在路上问自己的门徒说：「人们说我是谁﹖」
8:28 他们回答说：「是洗者若翰；也有些人说是厄里亚；还有些人说是先知中的一位。」
8:29 耶稣又问他们说：「你们说我是谁﹖」伯多禄回答说：「你是默西亚。」
8:30 耶稣就严禁他们，不要向任何人谈及他。
首次预言受难和复活
8:31 耶稣便开始教训他们：人子必须受许多苦，被长老、司祭长和经师弃绝，且要被杀害；但三天以后必要复活。
8:32 耶稣明明说了这话。伯多禄便拉他到一边，开始谏责他。
8:33 耶稣却转过身来，注视着自己的门徒，责斥伯多禄说：「撒殚，退到我后面去!因为你所体会的，不是天主的事，而是人的事。」
人应跟随耶稣背十字架
8:34 他遂召集群众和门徒来，对他们说：「谁若愿意跟随我，该弃绝自己，背着自己的十字架，跟随我，
8:35 因为谁若愿意救自己的性命，必要丧失性命；但谁若为我和福音的缘故，丧失自己的性命，必要救得性命。
8:36 人纵然赚得了全世界而赔上自己的灵魂，为他有什么益处﹖
8:37 人还能拿什么作为自己灵魂的代价﹖
8:38 谁若在这淫乱和罪恶的世代中，以我和我的话为耻，将来人子在他父的光荣中，同诸圣天使降来时，也要以他为耻。」
第九章(50)
9:1 耶稣又对他们说：「我实在告诉你们：站在这里的人中，就有几个在未尝到死味以前，必要看见天主的国带着威能降来。」
耶稣显圣容
9:2 六天后，耶稣带着伯多禄、雅各伯和若望，单独带领他们上了一座高山，在他们前变了容貌：
9:3 他的衣服发光，那样洁白，世上没有一个漂布的能漂得那样白。
9:4 厄里亚和梅瑟也显现给他们，正在同耶稣谈论。
9:5 伯多禄遂开口对耶稣说：「师傅，我们在这里真好！让我们张搭三个帐棚：一个为你，一个为梅瑟，一个为厄里亚。」
9:6 他原不知道该说什么，因为他们都吓呆了。
9:7 当时，有一团云彩遮蔽了他们，从云中有声音说：「这是我的爱子，你们要听从他!」
9:8 他们忽然向四周一看，任谁都不见了，只有耶稣同他们在一起。
9:9 他们从山上下来的时候，耶稣嘱咐他们，非等人子从死者中复活后，不要将他们所见的告诉任何人。
9:10 他们遵守了这话，却彼此讨论从死者中复活是什么意思。
9:11 他们就问耶稣说：「为什么经师们说厄里亚应该先来﹖」
9:12 耶稣对他们说：「厄里亚固然要先来重整一切：但是经上关于人子应受许多痛苦，被人轻慢，是怎样记载的呢﹖
9:13 可是，我告诉你们：厄里亚己经来了，人们任意对待了他，正如经上关于他所记载的。」
治好附魔的儿童
9:14 他们来到门徒那里，看见一大群人围着他们，经师和他们正在辩论。
9:15 全民众一看见了耶稣，就都惊奇，立刻向前跑去问候他。
9:16 耶稣问门徒说：「你们和他们辩论什么﹖」
9:17 群众中有一个人回答说：「师傅，我带了我的儿子来见你，他附着一个哑吧魔鬼；
9:18 无论在那里，魔鬼抓住他，就把他摔倒，他就口吐白沫，咬牙切齿，并且僵硬了。我曾请你的门徒把魔鬼逐出，他们却不能。」
9:19 耶稣开口向他们说：「哎!无信的世代!我与你们在一起要到几时呢﹖我容忍你们要到几时呢﹖带他到我这里来！」
9:20 他们就把孩子领到耶稣跟前。魔鬼一见耶稣，立时使那孩子拘挛了一阵，那孩子便倒在地上，打滚吐沫。
9:21 耶稣问他的父亲说：「这事发生在他身上有多少时候了﹖」他回答说：「从小的时候；
9:22 魔鬼屡次把他投到火里或水里，要害死他。但是，你若能做什么，你就怜悯我们，帮助我们罢!」
9:23 耶稣对他说：「『你若能，』为信的人，一切都是可能的!」
9:24 小孩子的父亲立刻喊说：「我信！请你补助我的无信罢！」
9:25 耶稣看见群众都跑过来，就叱责邪魔说：「又聋又哑的魔鬼，我命你从他身上出去！再不要进入他内！」
9:26 魔鬼就喊叫起来，猛烈地使那孩子拘挛了一阵，就出去了；那孩子好象死了一样，以致有许多人说：「他死了！」
9:27 但是，耶稣握住他的手，拉他起来，他就起来了。
9:28 耶稣进到家里，他的门徒私下问他说：「为什么我们不能赶他出去﹖」
9:29 耶稣对他们说：「这一类，非用祈祷【和禁食】，是不能赶出去的。」
二次预言受难和复活
9:30 他们从那里起身，经过加里肋亚；耶稣却不愿叫人知道。
9:31 因为那时他教训他的门徒，给他们说：「人子将要被交在人手中，为人所杀；被杀以后，过了三天，他必要复活。」
9:32 门徒却不明白这些话，又害怕询问他。
天国中谁最大
9:33 他们来到葛法翁，进到家里，耶稣问他们说：「你们在路上争论了什么﹖」
9:34 他们都默不作声，因为他们在路上彼此争论谁最大。
9:35 耶稣坐下，叫过那十二人来，给他们说：「谁若想做第一个，他就得做众人中最末的一个，并要做众人的仆役。」
9:36 遂领过一个小孩子来，放在门徒中间，抱起他来，给他们说：
9:37 「谁若因我的名字，收留一个这样的小孩子，就是收留我；谁若收留我，并不是收留我，而是收留那派遣我来的。」
9:38 若望向耶稣说：「师傅！我们见过一个人，他因你的名字驱魔，我们禁止了他，因为他不跟从我们。」
9:39 耶稣说：「不要禁止他，因为没有任何人，以我的名字行了奇迹，就会立刻诽谤我的，
9:40 因为谁不反对我们，就是倾向我们。」
基督徒的爱德
9:41 「谁若因你们属于基督，而给你们一杯水喝，我实在告诉你们：他决不会失掉他的赏报。
9:42 谁若使这些信者中的一个小子跌倒，倒不如拿一块驴拉的磨石，套在他的脖子上，投在海里，为他更好。
9:43 倘若你的手使你跌倒，砍掉它！
9:44 你残废进入生命，比有两只手而往地狱里，到那不灭的火里去更好。
9:45 倘若你的脚使你跌倒，砍掉它！
9:46 你瘸腿进入生命，比有双脚被投入地狱里更好。
9:47 倘若你的眼使你跌倒，剜出它来！你一只眼进入天主的国，比有两只眼被投入地狱里更好，
9:48 那里的虫子不死，火也不灭。
9:49 因为所有的人都要用火腌起来。
9:50 盐是好的；但盐若成了不咸的，你们可用什么去调和它﹖在你们中间当有盐，又该彼此和平相处。」
在犹太和耶路撒冷
第十章(52)
离婚的问题
10:1 耶稣从那里起身，来到犹太境界，约旦河的对岸，群众又聚集到他那里，他又照常教训他们。
10:2 有些法利塞人前来问耶稣：许不许丈夫休妻﹖意思是要试探他。
10:3 耶稣回答他们说：「梅瑟吩咐了你们什么﹖」
10:4 他们说：「梅瑟准许了写休书休妻。」
10:5 耶稣对他们说：「这是为了你们的心硬，他才给你们写下了这条法令。
10:6 但是，从创造之初，天主造了他们一男一女。
10:7 为此，人要离开他的父母，依附自己的妻子，
10:8 二人成为一体，以致他们再不是两个，而是一体了。
10:9 所以，天主所结合的，人不可拆散。」
10:10 回到家里，门徒又问他这事，
10:11 耶稣对他们说：「谁若休自己的妻子而另娶，就是犯奸淫，辜负妻子；
10:12 若妻子离弃自己的丈夫而另嫁，也是犯奸淫。」
祝福儿童
10:13 有人给耶稣领来一些小孩子，要他抚摸他们；门徒却斥责他们。
10:14 耶稣见了，就生了气，对他们说：「让小孩子到我跟前来，不要阻止他们!因为天主的国正属于这样的人。
10:15 我实在告诉你们：谁若不像小孩子一样接受天主的国，决不能进去。」
10:16 耶稣遂抱起他们来，给他们覆手，祝福了他们。
富贵少年
10:17 正在耶稣出来行路时，跑来了一个人，跪在他面前，问他说：「善师，为承受永生，我该作什么﹖」
10:18 耶稣对他说：「你为什么称我善﹖除了天主一个外，没有谁是善的。
10:19 诫命你都知道：不可杀人，不可奸淫，不可偷盗，不可做假见证，不可欺诈，应孝敬你的父母。」
10:20 他回答耶稣说：「师傅！这一切我从小就都遵守了。」
10:21 耶稣定睛看他，就喜爱他，对他说：「你还缺少一样：你去，变卖你所有的一切，施舍给穷人，你必有宝藏在天上；然后来，背着十字架，跟随我!」
10:22 因了这话，那人就面带愁容，忧郁地走了，因为他有许多产业。
10:23 耶稣周围一看，对自己的门徒说：「那些有钱财的人，进天主的国是多么难啊!」
10:24 门徒就都惊奇他这句话。耶稣又对他们说：「孩子们!仗恃钱财的人，进天主的国是多么难啊!
10:25 骆驼穿过针孔，比富有的人进天主的国还容易。」
10:26 他们就更加惊奇，彼此说：「这样，谁还能得救﹖」
10:27 耶稣注视他们说：「在人不可能，在天主却不然，因为在天主，一切都是可能的。」
百倍赏报
10:28 伯多禄开口对他说：「看，我们舍弃了一切，而跟随了你。」
10:29 耶稣回答说：「我实在告诉你们：人为了我，为了福音，而舍弃了房屋、或兄弟、或姊妹、或母亲、或父亲、或儿女、或田地，
10:30 没有不在今时就得百倍的房屋、兄弟、姊妹、母亲、儿女、田地──连迫害也在内，并在来世获得永生。
10:31 但有许多在先的，要成为在后的；在后的，要成为在先的。」
三次预言受难和复活
10:32 那时，他们在路上，要上耶路撒冷去，耶稣在门徒前头走，他们都惊奇，跟随的人也都害怕。耶稣又把那十二人带到一边，开始告诉他们那将要临到他身上的事：
10:33 「看，我们上耶路撒冷去，人子要被交于司祭长和经师；他们要定他的死罪，要把他交给外邦人；
10:34 这些人要戏弄他，唾污他，鞭打他，杀害他；但三天以后，他必要复活。」
载伯德二子的要求
10:35 载伯德的儿子雅各伯和若望走到耶稣跟前，对他说：「师傅!我们愿你允许我们的要求!」
10:36 耶稣对他们说：「你们愿意我给你们做什么﹖」
10:37 他们回答说：「赐我们在你的光荣中，一个坐在你右边，一个坐在你左边。」
10:38 耶稣对他们说：「你们不知道你们所求的是什么；你们能饮我饮的爵吗﹖或者，你们能受我受的洗吗﹖」
10:39 他们对他说：「我们能。」耶稣就对他们说：「我饮的爵，你们必要饮；我受的洗，你们必要受；
10:40 但坐在我右边或左边，不是我可以给你的，而是给谁预备了，就给谁。」
10:41 那十个听了，就开始恼怒雅各伯和若望。
10:42 耶稣叫门徒过来，对他们说：「你们知道：在外邦人中，有尊为首领的，主宰他们，有大臣管辖他们；
10:43 但你们中间，却不可这样：谁若愿意在你们中间成为大的，就当作你们的仆役；
10:44 谁若愿意在你们中间为首，就当作众人的奴仆；
10:45 因为人子，不是来受服事，而是来服事人，并交出自己的性命，为大众作赎价。」
治好耶里哥的瞎子
10:46 他们来到了耶里哥。耶稣和他的门徒及一大群人，从耶里哥出来的时候，有一个瞎眼的乞丐，即提买的儿子巴尔提买坐在路旁。
10:47 他一听说是纳匝肋人耶稣，就喊叫说：「耶稣，达味之子，可怜我罢!」
10:48 有许多人就斥责他，叫他不要作声；但他越发喊叫说：「达味之子，可怜我罢!」
10:49 耶稣就站住说：「叫他过来!」人就叫那瞎子，给他说：「放心!起来!他叫你呢!」
10:50 瞎子就扔下自己的外衣，跳起来，走到耶稣跟前。
10:51 耶稣对他说：「你愿意我给你做什么﹖」瞎子说：「师傅!叫我看见!」
10:52 耶稣对他说：「去罢！你的信德救了你。」瞎子立刻看见了，就在路上跟着耶稣去了。
耶稣最后在耶路撒冷的事迹
第十一章(33)
荣进耶路撒冷
11:1 当他们将近耶路撒冷，到了贝特法革和伯达尼，在橄榄山那里时，耶稣就打发两个门徒，
11:2 对他们说：「你们往对面的村庄里去，一进村庄，立时会看见一匹拴着的驴驹，是从来没有人骑过的；把它解开牵来。
11:3 若有人对你们说：你们做什么﹖你们就说：主要用它，但是会立刻把它牵回这里来。」
11:4 他们去了，便见一匹驴驹，拴在门外街道上，就把它解开。
11:5 在那里站着的人，有人对他们说：「你们解开驴驹作什么﹖」
11:6 门徒就按照耶稣所吩咐的对他们说了;那些人遂容许了他们。
11:7 他们把驴驹牵到耶稣跟前，把自己的外衣搭在上面，耶稣就骑了上去。
11:8 有许多人把自己的外衣，另有些人把从田间砍来的绿树枝，铺在路上，
11:9 前行后随的人，都喊着说：「贺三纳!因上主之名而来的，应受赞颂!
11:10 那要来的我们祖先达味之国，应受赞颂!贺三纳于至高之天!」
11:11 耶稣进了耶路撒冷，到圣殿里，周围察看了一切，时辰已晚，遂同十二门徒出来，往伯达尼去了。
诅咒无花果树
11:12 第二天，他们从伯达尼出来，耶稣饿了。
11:13 他从远处望见了一棵茂盛的无花果树，就上前去，看是否在树上可以找到什么；及至走到那里，除了叶子外，什么也没有找着，因为还不是无花果的时节。
11:14 耶稣就开口对它说：「永远再没有人吃你的果子了!」他的门徒也都听见了。
驱逐商人
11:15 他们来到耶路撒冷。耶稣一进殿院，就开始把在殿院里的买卖人赶出去，把钱庄的桌子和卖鸽子的凳子推翻，
11:16 也不许人带着器皿由殿院里经过，
11:17 教训他们说：「经上不是记载：『我的殿宇将称为万民的祈祷之所』么﹖你们竟把它作成了贼窝!」
11:18 司祭长和经师听了，就设法要怎样除掉他，却又害怕他，因为全群众对他的教训都惊奇不已。
11:19 到了晚上，他们就出了城。
信德的力量
11:20 早晨，他们从那里经过时，看见那棵无花果树连根都枯干了。
11:21 伯多禄想起来，就对耶稣说：「师傅!看，你所咒骂的无花果树已枯干了。」
11:22 耶稣回答他们说：「你们对天主当有信德!
11:23 我实在告诉你们：无论谁对这座山说：起来，投到海里去!他心里若不怀疑，反相信他说的必成就，就必给他成就。
11:24 因此，我告诉你们：你们祈祷，不论求什么，只要你们相信必得，必给你们成就。
11:25 当你们立着祈祷时，若你们有什么怨人的事，就宽恕罢!
11:26 好叫你们在天之父，也宽恕你们的过犯。」
质问耶稣行事的权柄
11:27 他们又来到耶路撒冷。当耶稣在殿里徘徊时，司祭长、经师和长老来到他跟前，
11:28 对他说：「你凭什么权柄作这些事﹖或者，是谁给了你权柄作这些事﹖」
11:29 耶稣对他们说：「我也要问你们一句话，你们回答我，我就告诉你们：我凭什么权柄作这些事。
11:30 若翰的洗礼是从天上来的，还是从人来的﹖答复我罢!」
11:31 他们心中思量说：「若我们说：是从天上来的，他就要说：那么你们为什么不信他﹖
11:32 但我们怎敢说：是从人来的呢﹖」──他们是害怕民众，因为众人都以若翰实在是一位先知。
11:33 他们便回答耶稣说：「我们不知道。」耶稣也对他们说：「我也不告诉你们：我凭什么权柄作这些事。」
第十二章(44)
恶园户的比喻
12:1 耶稣开始用比喻对他们说：「有一个人培植了一个葡萄园，周围围上了篱笆，掘了一个榨酒池，筑了一座守望台，把它租给园户，就离开了本国。
12:2 到了时节，他便打发一个仆人到园户那里，向园户收取园中的果实；
12:3 园户却抓住他，打了他，放他空手回去。
12:4 主人又打发别的一个仆人到他们那里去；他们打伤了他的头，并且凌辱了他。
12:5 主人又打发另一个，他们把他杀了；后又打发好些仆人去：有的他们打了，有的他们杀了。
12:6 主人还有一个，即他的爱子；最后就打发他到他们那去，说：他们必会敬重我的儿子。
12:7 那些园户却彼此说：这是继承人，来!我们杀掉他，将来产业就归我们了。
12:8 于是，抓住他杀了，把他拋在葡萄园外。
12:9 那么，葡萄园的主人要怎样处置呢﹖他必来除灭这些园户，将葡萄园另租给别人。
12:10 你们没有读过这段经文吗﹖『匠人弃而不用的石头，反而成了屋角的基石：
12:11 那是上主的所作所为，在我们眼中神妙莫测。』
12:12 他们明白这比喻是指他们说的，就想逮住他；但害怕群众，于是，离开他走了。
纳税的问题
12:13 后来，他们派了几个法利塞人和黑落德党人到耶稣那里，要用言论来陷害他。
12:14 他们来对他说：「师傅！我们知道你是真诚的，不顾忌任何人，因为你不看人的情面，只按真理教授天主的道路。给凯撒纳丁税，可以不可以﹖我们该纳不该纳﹖」
12:15 耶稣识破了他们的虚伪，便对他们说：「你们为什么试探我﹖拿一个『德纳』来给我看看!」
12:16 他们拿了来。耶稣就问他们说：「这肖像和字号是谁的﹖」他们回答说：「凯撒的。」
12:17 耶稣就对他们说：「凯撒的就应归还凯撒，天主的就应归还天主。」他们对他非常惊异。
复活的问题
12:18 否认复活的撒杜塞人来到耶稣跟前，问他说：
12:19 「师傅!梅瑟曾给我们写说：如果一个人的哥哥死了，撇下妻子而没留下孩子，他的弟弟就应娶他的妻子，给他哥哥立嗣。
12:20 曾有兄弟七人，第一个娶了妻，没有留下子嗣就死了。
12:21 第二个娶了她，也没有留下子嗣就死了；第三个也是这样。
12:22 那七个都没有留下子嗣；末了，那妇人也死了。
12:23 在复活时，他们复活以后，她将是他们中那一个人的妻子﹖因为七个人都娶过她为妻。」
12:24 耶稣对他们说：「你们岂不是因为没有明了经书，也没有明了天主的能力，而错误了吗﹖
12:25 因为人从死者中复活后，也不娶，也不嫁，就像天上的天使一样。
12:26 关于死人复活的事，在梅瑟书上荆棘篇中，你们没有读过，天主怎样对他说的吗﹖他说：『我是亚巴郎的天主，依撒格的天主，和雅各伯的天主。』
12:27 他不是死人的，而是活人的天主，所以你们大错了！」
最大的诫命
12:28 有一个经师听见了他们辩论，觉得耶稣对他们回答的好，便上前来，问他说：「一切诫命中，那一条是第一条呢﹖」
12:29 耶稣回答说：「第一条是：『以色列!你要听!上主我们的天主是唯一的天主。
12:30 你应当全心、全灵、全意、全力爱上主，你的天主。』
12:31 第二条是：『你应当爱近人如你自己。』再没有别的诫命比这两条更大的了。」
12:32 那经师对耶稣说：「不错，师傅说的实在对：他是唯一的，除他以外，再没有别的：
12:33 应以全心、全意、全力爱他，并爱近人如自己，远超过一切全燔祭和牺牲。」
12:34 耶稣见他回答得明智，便对他说：「你离天主的国不远了。」从此，没有人敢再问他。
默西亚为达味之子的问题
12:35 耶稣在圣殿里教训人时，说道：「经师们怎么说默西亚是达味之子呢﹖
12:36 达味自己因着圣神的感动曾说过：『上主对吾主说：你坐在我右边，等我把你的仇人放在你的脚下。』
12:37 达味自己既称他为主，他怎么又是达味之子呢﹖」
指摘经师
12:大批群众都喜欢听他。
12:38 耶稣在教训中又说：「你们要谨防经师：他们喜欢穿上长袍游行，在街市上受人请安，
12:39 在会堂里坐上座，在筵席上坐首席；
12:40 他们吞没了寡妇的家产，而以长久的祈祷作掩饰：这些人必要遭受更严重的处罚。」
称赞穷寡妇
12:41 耶稣面对银库坐着，看众人怎样向银库里投钱，有许多富人投了很多。
12:42 那时，来了一个穷寡妇，投了两个小钱，即一文铜钱的四分之一。
12:43 耶稣便叫他的门徒过来，对他们说：「我实在告诉你们：这个穷寡妇比所有向银库里投钱的人，投得更多，
12:44 因为众人都拿他们所余的来投；但这寡妇却由自己的不足中，把所有的一切，全部的生活费，都投上了。」
第十三章(37)
预言圣殿的毁灭和未来的灾难
13:1 耶稣从圣殿里出来的时候，他的门徒中有一个对他说：「师傅!看，这是何等的石头!何等的建筑!」
13:2 耶稣对他说：「你看见这些伟大的建筑吗﹖将来这里决没有一块石头留在另一块石头上，而不被拆毁的。」
13:3 耶稣在橄榄山上，面对圣殿坐着的时候，伯多禄、雅各伯、若望和安德肋私下问他说：
13:4 「请告诉我们：什么时候发生这些事﹖这一切事要完成时，将有什么先兆﹖」
13:5 耶稣就开始对他们说：「你们要谨慎，免得有人欺骗了你们。
13:6 将有许多人假冒我的名字来说：我就是(默西亚)；并且要欺骗许多人。
13:7 当你们听到战争和战争的风声时，不要惊慌，因为这是必须发生的，但还不是结局。
13:8 因为民族要起来攻击民族，国家攻击国家；到处要有地震，要有饥荒；但这只是苦痛的开始。」
信徒必受迫害
13:9 你们自己要谨慎!人要把你们解送到公议会，你们在会堂里要受鞭打，并且也要为我的缘故，站在总督和君王面前，对他们作证。
13:10 但福音必须先传于万国。
13:11 人把你们拉去解送到法庭时，你们不要预先思虑该说什么；在那时刻赐给你们什么话，你们就说什么，因为说话的不是你们，而是圣神。
13:12 兄弟将把兄弟，父亲将把儿子置于死地；儿女将起来反对父母，把他们处死。
13:13 你们为了我的名字，将为众人所恼恨；但那坚持到底的，必要得救。」
在犹太所要发生的事
13:14 几时你们看见那『招致荒凉的可憎之物』立在不应在的地方──读者应明白；那时在犹太的，该逃往山中；
13:15 在屋顶上的，不要下来，也不要进去，从屋里取什么东西；
13:16 在田地里的，不要回来取自己的外衣。
13:17 在那些日子里，怀孕的和哺乳的是有祸的!
13:18 但你们当祈祷,不要叫这事逢到冬天。」
人子来临
13:19 因为在那些日子里，必有灾难，这是从天主创造开始，直到如今从未有过的，将来也不会再有。
13:20 若不是上主缩短了那些时日，凡有血肉的人都不会得救;但为了他所拣选的被选者，他缩短了那些时日。
13:21 那时，若有人对你们说：看，默西亚在这里!看，在那里!你们不要相信!
13:22 因为将有假默西亚和假先知兴起，行异迹和奇事，如果可能的话，他们连被选者都要欺骗。
13:23 所以，你们要谨慎!看，凡事我都预先告诉了你们!
13:24 但是，在那些日子里，在那灾难以后，太阳将要昏暗，月亮不再发光；
13:25 星辰要从天上坠下，天上的万象也要动摇。
13:26 那时，人要看见人子带着大威能和光荣乘云降来。
13:27 那时，他要派遣天使，由四方，从地极到天边，聚集他的被选者。」
无花果树比喻
13:28 你们应由无花果树取个比喻：几时它的枝条已经发嫩，生出叶子，你们就知道夏天近了。
13:29 同样，你们几时看见这些事发生了，就该知道：他已近在门口了。
13:30 我实在告诉你们：非到这一切发生了，这一世代决不会过去。
13:31 天地要过去，但是我的话决不会过去。
13:32 至于那日子和那时刻，除了父以外，谁也不知道，连天上的天使和子都不知道。」
应醒寤不寐
13:33 你们要当心，要醒寤，因为你们不知道那日期什么时候来到。
13:34 正如一个远行的人，离开自己的家时，把权柄交给自己的仆人，每人有每人的工作；又嘱咐看门的须要醒寤。
13:35 所以，你们要醒寤，因为你们不知道，家主什么时候回来：或许傍晚，或许夜半，或许鸡叫，或许清晨；
13:36 免得他忽然来到，遇见你们正在睡觉。
13:37 我对你们说的，我也对众人说：你们要醒寤!」
耶稣受难史
第十四章(75)
公议会的阴谋
14:1 两天后就是逾越节和无酵节，司祭长和经师设法要怎样用诡计捉拿耶稣，而把他杀害，
14:2 因为他们说：「不要在节庆内，怕民间发生暴动。」
女人以香液傅抹耶稣
14:3 当耶稣在伯达尼癞病人西满家里，正坐席的时候，来了一个女人，拿着一玉瓶珍贵的纯「纳尔多」香液。她打破玉瓶，就倒在耶稣头上。
14:4 有些人颇不满意，就彼此说：「为什么要这样浪费香液﹖
14:5 这香液原可以卖三百多块银钱，施舍给穷人!」他们对那女人很生气。
14:6 耶稣却说：「由她罢!你们为什么叫她难受﹖她在我身上做了一件善事，
14:7 因为你们常有穷人同你们在一起，你们几时愿意，就能给他们行善；但是我，你们却不常有。
14:8 她已做了她能做的：提前傅抹了我的身体，是为安葬之事。
14:9 我实在告诉你们：将来福音无论传到全世界什么地方，必要述说她所作的事，来纪念她。」
14:10 于是，那十二人中之一，犹达斯依斯加略，去见司祭长，要把耶稣交与他们。
14:11 他们听了以后，不胜欣喜，许下给他银钱；他就找寻良机，将耶稣交出。
最后晚餐
14:12 无酵节的第一天，即宰杀逾越节羔羊的那一天，门徒对耶稣说：「你愿我们往那里去，给你预备吃逾越节晚餐﹖」
14:13 耶稣就打发两个门徒，对他们说：「你们往城里去，必有一个拿着水罐的人迎面而来，你们就跟着他去；
14:14 他无论进入那里，你们就对那家主说：师傅问：我同我的门徒吃逾越节晚餐的客厅在那里﹖
14:15 他必指给你们一间铺设好了的宽大楼厅，你们就在那里为我们预备罢!」
14:16 门徒去了，来到城里，所遇见的，正如耶稣给他们所说的；他们就预备了逾越节晚餐。
14:17 到了晚上，耶稣同那十二人来了。
14:18 他们坐席吃饭时，耶稣说：「我实在告诉你们：你们中有一个与我同食的要负卖我。」
14:19 他们就都忧闷起来，一个一个地问他说：「难道是我吗﹖」
14:20 耶稣对他们说：「是十二人中的一个，同我一起在盘子里蘸的那一个。
14:21 人子固然要按照指着他所记载的而去，但是负卖人子的那人是有祸的!那人若没有生，为他更好。」
建立圣体圣事
14:22 他们正吃的时候，耶稣拿起饼来，祝福了，擘开，递给他们说：「你们拿去吃罢!这是我的身体。」
14:23 又拿起杯来，祝谢了，递给他们，他们都从杯中喝了。
14:24 耶稣对他们说：「这是我的血，新约的血，为大众流出来的。
14:25 我实在告诉你们：我决不再喝这葡萄汁了，直到我在天主的国里喝新酒的那天。」
预言门徒逃散和伯多禄背主
14:26 他们唱完圣咏，就出来，往橄榄山去了。
14:27 耶稣对他们说：「你们都要跌倒，因为有记载说：『我要打击牧人，羊群就要四散。』
14:28 但我复活后，要在你们以先，到加里肋亚去。」
14:29 伯多禄对他说：「即便众人都要跌倒，我却不然。」
14:30 耶稣就向他说：「我实在告诉你：就在今天，这一夜里，鸡叫两遍以前，你要三次不认我。」
14:31 伯多禄更加激烈地说：「即便我该同你一起死，我也决不会不认你。」众人也都这样说了。
山园祈祷
14:32 他们来到一个名叫革责玛尼的庄园里；耶稣对门徒说：「你们坐在这里，等我去祈祷。」
14:33 遂带着伯多禄、雅各伯和若望与他同去；他开始惊惧恐怖，
14:34 便对他们说：「我的心灵悲伤得要死；你们留在这里，且要醒寤。」
14:35 耶稣往前走了不远，俯伏在地祈求，如果可能，使这时辰离他而去，
14:36 说：「阿爸!父啊!一切为你都可能：请给我免去这杯罢!但是，不要照我所愿意的，而要照你所愿意的。」
14:37 耶稣回来，见他们睡着了，就对伯多禄说：「西满!你睡觉吗﹖你不能醒寤一个时辰吗﹖
14:38 你们醒寤祈祷罢!免陷于诱惑。心神固然切愿，但肉体却软弱。」
14:39 耶稣又去祈祷，说了同样的话。
14:40 他又回来，见他们仍是睡着，因为他们的眼睛沉重，也不知道要回答他什么。
14:41 他第三次回来，对他们说：「你们还睡下去吗﹖还安息吗﹖够了!时辰到了，看，人子就要被交付在罪人手中了。
14:42 起来!我们去罢!看，那负卖我的来近了。」
耶稣被捕宗徒逃散
14:43 耶稣还说话的时候，那十二人中之一的犹达斯，遂即到了，同他一起的，还有带着刀剑棍棒的群众，是由司祭长、经师和长老那里派来的。
14:44 那出卖耶稣的人曾给他们一个暗号说：「我口亲谁，谁就是；你们拿住他，小心带去。」
14:45 犹达斯一来，便立刻到耶稣跟前说：「辣彼!」遂口亲了他。
14:46 他们就向耶稣下手，拿住了他。
14:47 站在旁边的人中，有一个拔出剑来，砍了大司祭的仆人一剑，削下了他的一个耳朵。
14:48 耶稣开口对他们说：「你们带着刀剑棍棒出来拿我，如同对付强盗一样；
14:49 我天天在你们当中，在圣殿里施教，你们没有拿我；但这是为应验经上的话。」
14:50 门徒都撇下他逃跑了。
14:51 那时，有一个少年人，赤身披着一块麻布，跟随耶稣，人们也抓住了他；
14:52 但他撇下麻布，赤着身子逃走了。
耶稣在大司祭前被判死罪
14:53 他们把耶稣带到大司祭那里，所有的司祭长、长老和经师也都聚集在那里。
14:54 伯多禄远远地跟着耶稣，直到大司祭的庭院里面，同差役们坐在一起，烤火取暖。
14:55 司祭长和全体公议会，寻找证据反对耶稣，为把他处死，却没有找着。
14:56 原来有许多人造假证据告他，但那些证据各不相符。
14:57 有几个人站起来，作假见证告他说：
14:58 「我们曾听他说过：我要拆毁这座用手建造的圣殿，三天内要另建一座不用手建造的。」
14:59 连他们的这证据也不相符合。
14:60 于是，大司祭起来，站在中间，问耶稣说：「这些人作证反对你的事，你什么也不回答吗﹖」
14:61 耶稣却不作声，什么也不回答。大司祭又问他说：「你是默西亚，那应受赞颂者的儿子吗﹖」
14:62 耶稣说：「我是，并且你们要看见人子，坐在大能者的右边，乘着天上的云彩降来。」
14:63 大司祭遂撕裂自己的衣服说：「何必还需要见证呢﹖
14:64 你们都听见亵渎的话了，你们看着该怎样﹖」众人都判定他该死。
14:65 有些人就开始向他吐唾沫，蒙起他的脸来，用拳头打他，对他说：「你作先知罢!」差役且用巴掌打他。
伯多禄三次背主
14:66 伯多禄在下边庭院里时，来了一个大司祭的使女，
14:67 看见伯多禄烤火，就注视他说：「你也是和那个纳匝肋人耶稣一起的。」
14:68 伯多禄却否认说：「我不知道，也不明白你说什么。」他遂走出去，到了门廊，鸡就叫了。
14:69 那使女看见他，就又给站在旁边的人说：「这也是他们中间的人。」
14:70 伯多禄又否认了。过了一会儿，站在旁边的人又再对伯多禄说：「你确是他们中间的，因为你也是个加里肋亚人。」
14:71 伯多禄就开始诅咒，并发誓说：「我不认得你们说的这个人。」
14:72 立时鸡叫了第二遍。伯多禄遂想起耶稣给他所说的话：「鸡叫二遍以前，你要三次不认我。」就放声大哭起来。
第十五章(47)
耶稣在比拉多前
15:1 一到清晨，司祭长、长老及经师和全体公议会商讨完毕，就把耶稣捆绑了，解送给比拉多。
15:2 比拉多问他说：「你是犹太人的君王吗﹖」耶稣回答说：「你说的是。」
15:3 司祭长控告他许多事；
15:4 比拉多又问他说：「你看，他们控告你这么多的事，你什么都不回答吗﹖」
15:5 耶稣仍没有回答什么，以致比拉多大为惊异。
15:6 每逢节日，总督惯常给民众释放一个他们所要求的囚犯。
15:7 当时有一个名叫巴辣巴的，他是与那些在暴动中杀人的暴徒一同被囚的。
15:8 群众上去，要求照常给他们办理。
15:9 比拉多回答他们说：「你们愿意我给你们释放犹太人的君王吗﹖」
15:10 他原知道司祭长是由于嫉妒才把耶稣解送来的。
15:11 但是，司祭长却煽动群众，宁要给他们释放巴辣巴。
15:12 比拉多又向他们说：「那么，对你们所称的犹太人君王，我可怎么办呢﹖」
15:13 他们又喊说：「钉他在十字架上!」
15:14 比拉多对他们说：「他作了什么恶事﹖」他们越发喊说：「钉他在十字架上!」
15:15 比拉多愿意满足群众，就给他们释放了巴辣巴，把耶稣鞭打后，交给他们，钉在十字架上。
头戴茨冠受人戏弄
15:16 兵士把耶稣带到庭院里面，即总督府内，把全队叫齐，
15:17 给耶稣穿上紫红袍，编了一个茨冠给他戴上，
15:18 开始向他致敬说：「犹太人的君王，万岁!」
15:19 然后用一根芦苇敲他的头，向他吐唾沫，屈膝朝拜他。
上加尔瓦略山
15:20 他们戏弄了耶稣之后，就给他脱去紫红袍，给他穿上他自己的衣服，然后带他出去，把他钉在十字架上。
15:21 有一个基勒乃人西满，是亚历山大和鲁富的父亲，他从田间来，正路过那里，他们就强迫他背耶稣的十字架。
15:22 他们将耶稣带到哥耳哥达地方，解说「髑髅」的地方，
15:23 就拿没药调和的酒给他喝，耶稣却没有接受。
15:24 他们就将他钉在十字架上，并把他的衣服分开，拈阄，看谁得什么。
15:25 他们把耶稣钉在十字架上时，正是第三时辰。
15:26 他的罪状牌上写的是：「犹太人的君王。」
15:27 与他一起还钉了两个强盗：一个在他右边，一个在他左边。
15:28 【这就应验了经上所说的：『他被列于叛逆之中。』】
悬在十字架上
15:29 路过的人都侮辱他，摇着头说：「哇!你这拆毁圣殿，三天内重建起来的，
15:30 你从十字架上下来，救你自己罢!」
15:31 同样，司祭长与经师也讥笑他，彼此说：「他救了别人，却救不了自己!
15:32 默西亚，以色列的君王!现在从十字架上下来罢，叫我们看了好相信!」连与他一起钉在十字架上的人也辱骂他。
15:33 到了第六时辰，遍地昏黑，直到第九时辰。
15:34 在第九时辰，耶稣大声呼号说：「厄罗依，厄罗依，肋玛，撒巴黑塔尼﹖」意思是：「我的天主，我的天主，你为什么舍弃了我﹖」
15:35 旁边站着的人中有的听见了，就说：「看，他呼唤厄里亚呢!」
15:36 有一个人就跑过去，把海绵浸满了醋，绑在芦苇上，递给他喝，说：「等一等，我们看，是否厄里亚来将他卸下。」
断气而死
15:37 耶稣大喊一声，就断了气。
15:38 圣所里的帐幔，从上到下，分裂为二。
15:39 对面站着的百夫长，看见耶稣这样断了气，就说：「这人真是天主子!」
15:40 还有些妇女从远处观望，其中有玛利亚玛达肋纳，次雅各伯和若瑟的母亲玛利亚及撒罗默。
15:41 她们当耶稣在加里肋亚时，就跟随了他，服事他；还有许多别的与耶稣同上耶路撒冷来的妇女。
卸下遗体安葬
15:42 到了傍晚，因为是预备日，就是安息日的前一天，
15:43 来了一个阿黎玛特雅人若瑟，他是一位显贵的议员，也是期待天国的人。他大胆地进见比拉多，要求耶稣的遗体。
15:44 比拉多惊异耶稣已经死了，遂叫百夫长来，问他耶稣是否已死。
15:45 既从百夫长口中得知了实情，就把尸体赐给了若瑟。
15:46 若瑟买了殓布，把耶稣卸下来，用殓布裹好，把他安放在岩石中凿成的坟墓里；然后把一块石头滚到坟墓门口。
15:47 那时，玛利亚玛达肋纳和若瑟的母亲玛利亚，留心观看安放耶稣的地方。
耶稣复活升天
第十六章(20)
16:1 安息日一过，玛利亚玛达肋纳、雅各伯的母亲玛利亚和撒罗默买了香料，要去傅抹耶稣。
16:2 一周的第一天，大清早，她们来到坟墓那里；那时，太阳刚升起，
16:3 她们彼此说：「谁给我们从坟墓门口滚开那块石头呢﹖」
16:4 但举目一望，看见那块很大的石头已经滚开了。
16:5 她们进了坟墓，看见一个少年人，坐在右边，穿著白衣，就非常惊恐。
16:6 那少年人向她们说：「不要惊惶!你们寻找那被钉在十字架上的纳匝肋人耶稣，他已经复活了，不在这里了；请看安放过他的地方!
16:7 但是你们去，告诉他的门徒和伯多禄说：他在你们以先往加里肋亚去，在那里你们要看见他，就如他所告诉你们的。」
16:8 她们一出来，就从坟墓那里逃跑了，因为战慄栗和恐惧攫住了她们，她们什么也没有给人说，因为她们害怕。
复活后的显现
16:9 一周的第一天，清早，耶稣复活后，首先显现给玛利亚玛达肋纳：耶稣曾从她身上逐出过七个魔鬼。
16:10 她去报告那些一向同耶稣在一起的人，那时，他们正在哀号哭涕。
16:11 他们听说耶稣活了，并显现于她，他们却不相信。
16:12 此后，他们中有两个人往乡下去；走路的时候，耶稣借了另一个形状显现给他们。
16:13 他们就去报告其余的人，但那些人对他们也不相信。
16:14 最后，当他们十一人坐席的时候，耶稣显现给他们，责斥他们的无信和心硬，因为他们不信那些在他由死者中复活后，见了他的人。
在加里肋亚山上派遣宗徒往训万民
16:15 然后耶稣对他们说：「你们往普天下去，向一切受造物宣传福音，
16:16 信而受洗的必要得救；但不信的必被判罪。
16:17 信的人必有这些奇迹随着他们：因我的名驱逐魔鬼说新语言，
16:18 手拿毒蛇，甚或喝了什么致死的毒物，也决不受害；按手在病人身上，可使人痊愈。」
耶稣升天
16:19 主耶稣给他们说了这些话以后，就被接升天，坐在天主的右边。
16:20 他们出去，到处宣讲，主与他们合作，并以奇迹相随，证实所传的道理。
BOOK ENDS. Seraphim, April 2009.
JB MARK Chapter 1
I. PRELUDE TO THE
PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS
The preaching of
John the Baptist
1:1 The beginning of the Good
News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
1:2 It is written in the book
of the prophet Isaiah: Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he
will prepare your way.
1:3 A voice cries in the
wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.[*a]
1:4 and so it was that John
the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins.
1:5 All Judaea and all the
people of Jerusalem made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in
the river Jordan they confessed their sins.
1:6 John wore a garment of
camel-skin, and he lived on locusts and wild honey.
1:7 In the course of his
preaching he said, 'Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than
I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals.
1:8 I have baptised you with
water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.'
Jesus is baptised
1:9 It was at this time that
Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John.
1:10 No sooner had he come up
out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a
dove, descending on him.
1:11 And a voice came from
heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.
Temptation in the
wilderness
1:12 Immediately afterwards
the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness
1:13 and he remained there for
forty days, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the
angels looked after him.
II. THE GALILEAN
MINISTRY
Jesus begins to
preach
1:14 After John had been
arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God.
1:15 'The time has come' he
said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good
News.'
The first four
disciples are called
1:16 As he was walking along
by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the
lake - for they were fishermen.
1:17 And Jesus said to them,
'Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men'.
1:18 And at once they left
their nets and followed him.
1:19 Going on a little
further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in
their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once
1:20 and, leaving their father
Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
Jesus teaches in
Capernaum and cures a demoniac
1:21 They went as far as
Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began
to teach.
1:22 And his teaching made a
deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with
authority
1:23 In their synagogue just
then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted,
1:24 'What do you want with
us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy
One of God.'
1:25 But Jesus said sharply,
'Be quiet! Come out of him!'
1:26 And the unclean spirit
threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him.
1:27 The people were so astonished
that they started asking each other what it all meant. 'Here is a teaching that
is new' they said 'and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to
unclean spirits and they obey him.'
1:28 And his reputation
rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
Cure of Simon's
mother-in-law
1:29 On leaving the synagogue,
he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew.
1:30 Now Simon's mother-in-law
had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway.
1:31 He went to her, took her
by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on
them.
A number of cures
1:32 That evening, after
sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by
devils.
1:33 The whole town came
crowding round the door,
1:34 and he cured many who
were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many
devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.[*b]
Jesus quietly
leaves Capernaum and travels through Galilee
1:35 In the morning, long
before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and
prayed there.
1:36 Simon and his companions
set out in search of him,
1:37 and when they found him
they said, 'Everybody is looking for you'.
1:38 He answered, 'Let us go
elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too,
because that is why I came'.
1:39 And he went all through
Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
Cure of a leper
1:40 A leper came to him and
pleaded on his knees: 'If you want to' he said 'you can cure me'.
1:41 Feeling sorry for him,
Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. 'Of course I want to!' he said.
'Be cured!'
1:42 And the leprosy left him
at once and he was cured.
1:43 Jesus immediately sent
him away and sternly ordered him,
1:44 'Mind you say nothing to
anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your
healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery'.
1:45 The man went away, but
then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that
Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in
places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
JB MARK Chapter 2
Cure of a paralytic
2:1 When he returned to
Capernaum some time later, word went round that he was back;
2:2 and so many people
collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching
the word to them
2:3 when some people came
bringing him a paralytic carried by four men,
2:4 but as the crowd made it
impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where
Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on
which the paralytic lay.
2:5 Seeing their faith, Jesus
said to the paralytic, 'My child, your sins are forgiven'.
2:6 Now some scribes were
sitting there, and they thought to themselves,
2:7 'How can this man talk
like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?'
2:8 Jesus, inwardly aware that
this was what they were thinking, said to them, 'Why do you have these thoughts
in your hearts?
2:9 Which of these is easier:
to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven" or to say,
"Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk"?
2:10 But to prove to you that
the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' -
2:11 he said to the paralytic
- I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.'
2:12 And the man got up,
picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that
they were all astounded and praised God saying, 'We have never seen anything
like this'.
The call of Levi
2:13 He went out again to the
shore of the lake;[*a] and all the people came to him, and he taught them.
2:14 As he was walking on he
saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him,
'Follow me'. And he got up and followed him.
Eating with sinners
2:15 When Jesus was at dinner
in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the
table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his
followers.
2:16 When the scribes of the
Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his
disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?'
2:17 When Jesus heard this he
said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did
not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.'
A discussion on
fasting
2:18 One day when John's
disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came and said to him,
'Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but
your disciples do not?'
2:19 Jesus replied, 'Surely
the bridegroom's attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom
is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could
not think of fasting.
2:20 But the time will come
for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will
fast.
2:21 No one sews a piece of
unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the
new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
2:22 And nobody puts new wine
into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is
lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!'
Picking corn on the
sabbath
2:23 One sabbath day he
happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to
pick ears of corn as they went along.
2:24 And the Pharisees said to
him, 'Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?'
2:25 And he replied, 'Did you
never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were
hungry -
2:26 how he went into the
house of God when Abiathar[*b] was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering
which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men
with him?'
2:27 And he said to them, 'The
sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;
2:28 the Son of Man is master
even of the sabbath'.
JB MARK Chapter 3
Cure of the man
with a withered hand
3:1 He went again into a
synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand.
3:2 And they were watching him
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use
against him.
3:3 He said to the man with
the withered hand, 'Stand up out in the middle!'
3:4 Then he said to them, 'Is
it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life,
or to kill?' But they said nothing.
3:5 Then, grieved to find them
so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, 'Stretch
out your hand'. He stretched it out and his hand was better.
3:6 The Pharisees went out and
at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy
him.
The crowds follow
Jesus
3:7 Jesus withdrew with his
disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From
Judaea,
3:8 Jerusalem, Idumaea,
Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of
all he was doing came to him.
3:9 And he asked his disciples
to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being
crushed.
3:10 For he had cured so many
that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him.
3:11 And the unclean spirits,
whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, 'You are the Son
of God!'
3:12 But he warned them
strongly not to make him known.
The appointment of
the Twelve
3:13 He now went up into the hills
and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him
3:14 and he appointed twelve;
they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach,
3:15 with power to cast out
devils.
3:16 And so he appointed the
Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter,
3:17 James the son of Zebedee
and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or 'Sons of
Thunder';
3:18 then Andrew, Philip,
Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the
Zealot
3:19 and Judas Iscariot, the
man who was to betray him.
His relatives are
concerned about Jesus
3:20 He went home again, and
once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal.
3:21 When his relatives heard
of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.
Allegations of the
scribes
3:22 The scribes who had come
down from Jerusalem were saying, 'Beelzebul is in him' and, 'It is through the
prince of devils that he casts devils out'.
3:23 So he called them to him
and spoke to them in parables, 'How can Satan cast out Satan?
3:24 If a kingdom is divided
against itself, that kingdom cannot last.
3:25 And if a household is
divided against itself, that household can never stand.
3:26 Now if Satan has rebelled
against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either - it is the end of him.
3:27 But no one can make his
way into a strong man's house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the
strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house.
3:28 'I tell you solemnly, all
men's sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies;
3:29 but let anyone blaspheme
against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an
eternal sin.'
3:30 This was because they
were saying, 'An unclean spirit is in him'.
The true kinsmen of
Jesus
3:31 His mother and brothers
now arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him.
3:32 A crowd was sitting round
him at the time the message was passed to him, 'Your mother and brothers and
sisters are outside asking for you'.
3:33 He replied, 'Who are my
mother and my brothers?'
3:34 And looking round at
those sitting in a circle about him, he said, 'Here are my mother and my
brothers.
3:35 Anyone who does the will
of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.'
JB MARK Chapter 4
Parable of the
sower
4:1 Again he began to teach by
the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat
on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water's
edge.
4:2 He taught them many things
in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them,
4:3 'Listen!, Imagine a sower
going out to sow.
4:4 Now it happened that, as
he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and
ate it up.
4:5 Some seed fell on rocky
ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was
no depth of earth;
4:6 and when the sun came up
it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away.
4:7 Some seed fell into
thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop.
4:8 And some seeds fell into
rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty,
sixty, even a hundredfold.'
4:9 And he said, 'Listen,
anyone who has ears to hear!'
Why Jesus speaks in
parables
4:10 When he was alone, the
Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the
parables meant.
4:11 He told them, 'The secret
of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything
comes in parables,
4:12 so that they may see and
see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand;
otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven'.[*a]
The parable of the
sower explained
4:13 He said to them, 'Do you
not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
4:14 What the sower is sowing
is the word.
4:15 Those on the edge of the
path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan
comes and carries away the word that was sown in them.
4:16 Similarly, those who
receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the
word, welcome it at once with joy.
4:17 But they have no root in
them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account
of the word, they fall away at once.
4:18 Then there are others who
receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word,
4:19 but the worries of this
world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word,
and so it produces nothing.
4:20 And there are those who
have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield
a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.'
Parable of the lamp
4:21 He also said to them,
'Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you
will put it on the lamp-stand?
4:22 For there is nothing
hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to
light.
4:23 If anyone has ears to
hear, let him listen to this.'
Parable of the
measure
4:24 He also said to them,
'Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount
you will be given - and more besides;
4:25 for the man who has will
be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.'
Parable of the seed
growing by itself
4:26 He also said, 'This is
what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land.
4:27 Night and day, while he
sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not
know.
4:28 Of its own accord the
land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
4:29 And when the crop is
ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.'
Parable of the
mustard seed
4:30 He also said, 'What can
we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it?
4:31 It is like a mustard seed
which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on
earth;
4:32 yet once it is sown it
grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the
birds of the air can shelter in its shade.'
The use of parables
4:33 Using many parables like
these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding
it.
4:34 He would not speak to them
except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were
alone.
The calming of the
storm
4:35 With the coming of
evening that same day, he said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side'.
4:36 And leaving the crowd behind
they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with
him.
4:37 Then it began to blow a
gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.
4:38 But he was in the stern,
his head on the cushion, asleep.
4:39 They woke him and said to
him, 'Master, do you not care? We are going down!' And he woke up and rebuked
the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and
all was calm again.
4:40 Then he said to them,
'Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?'
4:41 They were filled with awe
and said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'
JB MARK Chapter 5
The Gerasene
demoniac
5:1 They reached the country
of the Gerasenes[*a] on the other side of the lake,
5:2 and no sooner had he left
the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him.
5:3 The man lived in the tombs
and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain;
5:4 because he had often been
secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the
fetters, and no one had the strength to control him.
5:5 All night and all day,
among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with
stones.
5:6 Catching sight of Jesus
from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet
5:7 and shouted at the top of
his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by
God you will not torture me!'
5:8 - For Jesus had been
saying to him, 'Come out of the man, unclean spirit'.
5:9 'What is your name?' Jesus
asked. 'My name is legion,' he answered 'for there are many of us.'
5:10 And he begged him
earnestly not to send them out of the district.
5:11 Now there was there on
the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding,
5:12 and the unclean spirits
begged him, 'Send us to the pigs, let us go into them'.
5:13 So he gave them leave.
With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of
about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they
were drowned.
5:14 The swineherds ran off
and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people
came to see what had really happened.
5:15 They came to Jesus and
saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses - the very man
who had had the legion in him before - and they were afraid.
5:16 And those who had
witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of
the pigs.
5:17 Then they began to
implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood.
5:18 As he was getting into
the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him.
5:19 Jesus would not let him
but said to him, 'Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his
mercy has done for you'.
5:20 So the man went off and
proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him.
And everyone was amazed.
Cure of the woman
with a haemorrhage. The daughter of Jairus raised to life
5:21 When Jesus had crossed
again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he
stayed by the lakeside.
5:22 Then one of the synagogue
officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet
5:23 and pleaded with him
earnestly, saying, 'My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay
your hands on her to make her better and save her life.'
5:24 Jesus went with him and a
large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.
5:25 Now there was a woman who
had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years;
5:26 after long and painful
treatment under various doctors, she spent all she had without being any the
better for it, in fact, she was getting worse.
5:27 She had heard about
Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak.
5:28 'If I can touch even his
clothes,' she had told herself 'I shall be well again.'
5:29 And the source of the
bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her
complaint.
5:30 Immediately aware that
power had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, 'Who
touched my clothes?'
5:31 His disciples said to
him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, "Who
touched me?"'
5:32 But he continued to look
all round to see who had done it.
5:33 Then the woman came
forward, frightened and trembling[*b] because she knew what had happened to
her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth.
5:34 'My daughter,' he said
'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.'
5:35 While he was still
speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say,
'Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?'
5:36 But Jesus had overheard
this remark of theirs and he said to the official, 'Do not be afraid; only have
faith'.
5:37 And he allowed no one to
go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
5:38 So they came to the
official's house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and
wailing unrestrainedly.
5:39 He went in and said to
them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.'
5:40 But they laughed at him.
So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother
and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay.
5:41 And taking the child by
the hand he said to her, 'Talitha, kum!' which means, 'Little girl, I tell you
to get up'.
5:42 The little girl got up at
once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were
overcome with astonishment,
5:43 and he ordered them
strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something
to eat.
JB MARK Chapter 6
A visit to Nazareth
6:1 Going from that district, he
went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him.
6:2 With the coming of the
sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished
when they heard him. They said, 'Where did the man get all this? What is this
wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through
him?
6:3 This is the carpenter,
surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His
sisters, too, are they not here with us?' And they would not accept him.
6:4 And Jesus said to them, 'A
prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his
own house';
6:5 and he could work no
miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
6:6 He was amazed at their
lack of faith.
The mission of the
Twelve
He made a tour round the
villages, teaching.
6:7 Then he summoned the
Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the
unclean spirits.
6:8 And he instructed them to
take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no haversack, no
coppers for their purses.
6:9 They were to wear sandals
but, he added, 'Do not take a spare tunic'.
6:10 And he said to them, 'If
you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district.
6:11 And if any place does not
welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the
dust from under your feet as a sign to them.'
6:12 So they set off to preach
repentance;
6:13 and they cast out many
devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
Herod and Jesus
6:14 Meanwhile King Herod had
heard about him, since by now his name was well-known. Some were saying, 'John
the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at
work in him'.
6:15 Others said, 'He is
Elijah'; others again, 'He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have'.
6:16 But when Herod heard this
he said, 'It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead'.
John the Baptist
beheaded
6:17 Now it was this same
Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison
because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married.
6:18 For John had told Herod,
'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife'.
6:19 As for Herodias, she was
furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to,
6:20 because Herod was afraid
of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection.
When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to
listen to him.
6:21 An opportunity came on
Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his
army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee.
6:22 When the daughter of this
same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the
king said to the girl, 'Ask me anything you like and I will give it you'.
6:23 And he swore her an oath,
'I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom'.
6:24 She went out and said to
her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist'
6:25 The girl hurried straight
back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to give me John the
Baptist's head, here and now, on a dish'.
6:26 The king was deeply
distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was
reluctant to break his word to her.
6:27 So the king at once sent
one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head.
6:28 The man went off and
beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the
girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
6:29 When John's disciples
heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
First miracle of
the loaves
6:30 The apostles rejoined
Jesus and told him all they had done and taught.
6:31 Then he said to them,
'You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a
while'; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time
even to eat.
6:32 So they went off in a
boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves.
6:33 But people saw them
going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the
place on foot and reached it before them.
6:34 So as he stepped ashore
he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep
without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.
6:35 By now it was getting
very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, 'This is a lonely place
and it is getting very late,
6:36 So send them away, and
they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something
to eat'.
6:37 He replied, 'Give them
something to eat yourselves'. They answered, 'Are we to go and spend two
hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?'
6:38 How many loaves have
you?' he asked 'Go and see.' And when they had found out they said, 'Five, and
two fish'.
6:39 Then he ordered them to
get all the people together in groups on the green grass,
6:40 and they sat down on the
ground in squares of hundreds and fifties.
6:41 Then he took the five
loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then
he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the
people. He also shared out the two fish among them all.
6:42 They all ate as much as
they wanted.
6:43 They collected twelve
basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish.
6:44 Those who had eaten the
loaves numbered five thousand men.
Jesus walks on the
water
6:45 Directly after this he made
his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself
sent the crowd away.
6:46 After saying good-bye to
them he went off into the hills to pray.
6:47 When evening came, the
boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land.
6:48 He could see they were
worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch
of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass
them by,
6:49 but when they saw him
walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out;
6:50 for they had all seen him
and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, 'Courage! It is I!
Do not be afraid.'
6:51 Then he got into the boat
with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded,
6:52 because they had not seen
what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
Cures at Gennesaret
6:53 Having made the crossing,
they came to land at Gennesaret and tied up.
6:54 No sooner had they
stepped out of the boat than people recognised him,
6:55 and started hurrying all
through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they
heard he was.
6:56 And wherever he went, to
village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging
him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched
him were cured.
JB MARK Chapter 7
The traditions of
the Pharisees
7:1 The Pharisees and some of
the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round him,
7:2 and they noticed that some
of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.
7:3 For the Pharisees, and the
Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without
washing their arms as far as the elbow;
7:4 and on returning from the
market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also
many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the
washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes.
7:5 So these Pharisees and
scribes asked him, 'Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the
elders but eat their food with unclean hands?'
7:6 He answered, 'It was of
you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:
This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from
me.
7:7 The worship they offer me
is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.[*a]
7:8 You put aside the
commandment of God to cling to human traditions.'
7:9 And he said to them, 'How
ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own
tradition!
7:10 For Moses said: Do your
duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother
must be put to death.
7:11 But you say, "If a man
says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help
you is Corban[*b] (that is, dedicated to God),
7:12 then he is forbidden from
that moment to do anything for his father or mother".
7:13 In this way you make
God's word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed
down. And you do many other things like this.'
On clean and
unclean
7:14 He called the people to
him again and said, 'Listen to me, all of you, and understand.
7:15 Nothing that goes into a
man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man
that make him unclean.
7:16 If anyone has ears to
hear, let him listen to this.'
7:17 When he had gone back
into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the
parable.
7:18 He said to them, 'Do you
not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from
outside cannot make him unclean,
7:19 because it does not go
into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?' (Thus he
pronounced all foods clean.)
7:20 And he went on, 'It is
what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.
7:21 For it is from within,
from men's hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder,
adultery,
7:22 avarice, malice, deceit,
indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly.
7:23 All these evil things
come from within and make a man unclean.'
III. JOURNEYS
OUTSIDE GALILEE
The daughter of the
Syrophoenician woman healed
7:24 He left that place and
set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want
anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognised.
7:25 A woman whose little
daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway and came and fell
at his feet.
7:26 Now the woman was a
pagan, by birth a Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of
her daughter.
7:27 And he said to her, 'The
children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children's
food and throw it to the house-dogs'.
7:28 But she spoke up: 'Ah
yes, sir,' she replied 'but the house-dogs under the table can eat the
children's scraps'.
7:29 And he said to her, 'For
saying this, you may go home happy: the devil has gone out of your daughter'.
7:30 So she went off to her
home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone.
Healing of the deaf
man
7:31 Returning from the
district of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right
through the Decapolis region.
7:32 And they brought him a deaf
man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on
him.
7:33 He took him aside in
private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched
his tongue with spittle.
7:34 Then looking up to heaven
he sighed; and he said to him, 'Ephphatha', that is, 'Be opened'.
7:35 And his ears were opened,
and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly.
7:36 And Jesus ordered them to
tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published
it.
7:37 Their admiration was
unbounded. 'He has done all things well,' they said 'he makes the deaf hear and
the dumb speak.'
JB MARK Chapter 8
Second miracle of
the loaves
8:1 And now once again a great
crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So he called his disciples to
him and said to them,
8:2 'I feel sorry for all
these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to
eat.
8:3 If I send them off home
hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance.'
8:4 His disciples replied,
'Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like
this?'
8:5 He asked them, 'How many
loaves have you?' 'Seven' they said.
8:6 Then he instructed the
crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving
thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they
distributed them among the crowd.
8:7 They had a few small fish
as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed
also.
8:8 They ate as much as they
wanted, and they collected seven basketfuls of the scraps left over.
8:9 Now there had been about
four thousand people. He sent them away
8:10 and immediately, getting
into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.
The Pharisees ask
for a sign from heaven
8:11 The Pharisees came up and
started a discussion with him; they demanded of him a sign from heaven, to test
him.
8:12 And with a sigh that came
straight from the heart he said, 'Why does this generation demand a sign? I
tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.'
8:13 And leaving them again
and re-embarking he went away to the opposite shore.
The yeast of the
Pharisees and of Herod
8:14 The disciples had
forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
8:15 Then he gave them this
warning, 'Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the
Pharisees and the yeast of Herod'.
8:16 And they said to one another,
'It is because we have no bread'.
8:17 And Jesus knew it, and he
said to them, 'Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet
understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed?
8:18 Have you eyes that do not
see, ears that do not hear?[*a] Or do you not remember?
8:19 When I broke the five
loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you
collect?' They answered, 'Twelve'.
8:20 And when I broke the
seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you
collect?' And they answered, 'Seven'.
8:21 Then he said to them,
'Are you still without perception?'
Cure of a blind man
at Bethsaida
8:22 They came to Bethsaida,
and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch.
8:23 He took the blind man by
the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and
laying his hands on him, he asked, 'Can you see anything?'
8:24 The man, who was
beginning to see, replied, 'I can see people; they look like trees to me, but
they are walking about'.
8:25 Then he laid his hands on
the man's eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see
everything plainly and distinctly.
8:26 And Jesus sent him home,
saying, 'Do not even go into the village'.
Peter's profession
of faith
8:27 Jesus and his disciples
left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question
to his disciples, 'Who do people say I am?'
8:28 And they told him. 'John
the Baptist,' they said 'others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.'
8:29 'But you,' he asked 'who
do you say I am?' Peter spoke up and said to him, 'You are the Christ'.
8:30 And he gave them strict
orders not to tell anyone about him.
First prophecy of
the Passion
8:31 And he began to teach
them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by
the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and
after three days to rise again;
8:32 and he said all this
quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him.
8:33 But, turning and seeing
his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, 'Get behind me, Satan! Because
the way you think is not God's way but man's.'
The condition of
following Christ
8:34 He called the people and
his disciples to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let
him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.
8:35 For anyone who wants to
save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the
sake of the gospel, will save it.
8:36 What gain, then, is it
for a man to win the whole world and ruin his life?
8:37 And indeed what can a man
offer in exchange for his life?
8:38 For if anyone in this
adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of
Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels.'
JB MARK Chapter 9
9:1 And he said to them, 'I
tell you solemnly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before
they see the kingdom of God come with power'.
The transfiguration
9:2 Six days later, Jesus took
with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they
could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured:
9:3 his clothes became
dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them.
9:4 Elijah appeared to them
with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
9:5 Then Peter spoke to Jesus:
'Rabbi,' he said 'it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three
tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah'.
9:6 He did not know what to
say; they were so frightened.
9:7 And a cloud came, covering
them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, 'This is my Son, the
Beloved. Listen to him.'
9:8 Then suddenly, when they
looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
The question about
Elijah
9:9 As they came down from the
mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son
of Man had risen from the dead.
9:10 They observed the warning
faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what 'rising from the dead'
could mean.
9:11 And they put this
question to him, 'Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?'
9:12 'True,' he said 'Elijah
is to come first and to see that everything is as it should be; yet how is it
that the scriptures say about the Son of Man that he is to suffer grievously
and be treated with contempt?
9:13 However, I tell you that
Elijah has come and they have treated him as they pleased, just as the
scriptures say about him.'
The epileptic
demoniac
9:14 When they rejoined the
disciples they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them.
9:15 The moment they saw him
the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him.
9:16 'What are you arguing
about with them?' he asked.
9:17 A man answered him from
the crowd, 'Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness
in him,
9:18 and when it takes hold of
him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth
and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable
to.'
9:19 'You faithless
generation' he said to them in reply. 'How much longer must I be with you? How
much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.'
9:20 They brought the boy to
him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and
he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth.
9:21 Jesus asked the father,
'How long has this been happening to him?' 'From childhood,' he replied
9:22 'and it has often thrown
him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can
do anything, have pity on us and help us.'
9:23 'If you can?' retorted
Jesus. 'Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.'
9:24 Immediately the father of
the boy cried out, 'I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!'
9:25 And when Jesus saw how
many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. 'Deaf and
dumb spirit,' he said 'I command you: come out of him and never enter him
again.'
9:26 Then throwing the boy
into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a
corpse that most of them said, 'He is dead'.
9:27 But Jesus took him by the
hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand.
9:28 When he had gone indoors
his disciples asked him privately, 'Why were we unable to cast it out?'
9:29 'This is the kind' he
answered 'that can only be driven out by prayer.'
Second prophecy of
the Passion
9:30 After leaving that place
they made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know,
9:31 because he was
instructing his disciples; he was telling them, 'The Son of Man will be
delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days
after he has been put to death he will rise again'.
9:32 But they did not
understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.
Who is the
greatest?
9:33 They came to Capernaum,
and when he was in the house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the
road?'
9:34 They said nothing because
they had been arguing which of them was the greatest.
9:35 So he sat down, called
the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself
last of all and servant of all'.
9:36 He then took a little
child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them,
9:37 'Anyone who welcomes one
of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me
welcomes not me but the one who sent me'.
On using the name
of Jesus
9:38 John said to him,
'Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and
because he was not one of us we tried to stop him'.
9:39 But Jesus said, 'You must
not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of
me.
9:40 Anyone who is not against
us is for us.
Charity shown to
Christ's disciples
9:41 'If anyone gives you a cup
of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly,
he will most certainly not lose his reward.'
On leading others
astray
9:42 'But anyone who is an
obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better
thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck.
9:43 And if your hand should
cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled,
than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out.
9:45 And if your foot should
cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame,
than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
9:47 And if your eye should
cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom
of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell
9:48 where their worm does not
die nor their fire go out[*a].
9:49 For everyone will be
salted with fire.
9:50 Salt is a good thing, but
if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in
yourselves and be at peace with one another.'
JB MARK Chapter 10
The question about
divorce
10:1 Leaving there, he came to
the district of Judaea and the far side of the Jordan. And again crowds
gathered round him, and again he taught them, as his custom was.
10:2 Some Pharisees approached
him and asked, 'Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?' They were
testing him.
10:3 He answered them, 'What
did Moses command you?'
10:4 'Moses allowed us' they
said 'to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.'
10:5 Then Jesus said to them,
'It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you.
10:6 But from the beginning of
creation God made them male and female.
10:7 This is why a man must
leave father and mother,
10:8 and the two become one
body.[*a] They are no longer two, therefore, but one body.
10:9 So then, what God has
united, man must not divide.'
10:10 Back in the house the
disciples questioned him again about this,
10:11 and he said to them,
'The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery
against her.
10:12 And if a woman divorces
her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.'
Jesus and the
children
10:13 People were bringing little
children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away,
10:14 but when Jesus saw this
he was indignant and said to them, 'Let the little children come to me; do not
stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.
10:15 I tell you solemnly,
anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never
enter it.'
10:16 Then he put his arms
round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
The rich young man
10:17 He was setting out on a
journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good
master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
10:18 Jesus said to him, 'Why
do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
10:19 You know the
commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not
steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your
father and mother.'
10:20 And he said to him,
'Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days'.
10:21 Jesus looked steadily at
him and loved him, and he said, 'There is one thing you lack. Go and sell
everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure
in heaven; then come, follow me.'
10:22 But his face fell at
these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
The danger of
riches
10:23 Jesus looked round and
said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the
kingdom of God!'
10:24 The disciples were
astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them
'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
10:25 It is easier for a camel
to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God.'
10:26 They were more
astonished than ever. 'In that case' they said to one another 'who can be
saved?'
10:27 Jesus gazed at them.
'For men' he said 'it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is
possible for God.'
The reward of
renunciation
10:28 Peter took this up.
'What about us?' he asked him. 'We have left everything and followed you.'
10:29 Jesus said, 'I tell you
solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father,
children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
10:30 who will not be repaid a
hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land - not
without persecutions - now in this present time and, in the world to come,
eternal life
10:31 'Many who are first will
be last, and the last first.'
Third prophecy of
the Passion
10:32 They were on the road, going
up to Jerusalem; Jesus was walking on ahead of them; they were in a daze, and
those who followed were apprehensive. Once more taking the Twelve aside he
began to tell them what was going to happen to him:
10:33 'Now we are going up to
Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the
pagans,
10:34 who will mock him and
spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise
again.'
The sons of Zebedee
make their request
10:35 James and John, the sons
of Zebedee, approached him. 'Master,' they said to him 'we want you to do us a
favour.'
10:36 He said to them, 'What
is it you want me to do for you?'
10:37 They said to him, 'Allow
us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory'.
10:38 'You do not know what
you are asking' Jesus said to them. 'Can you drink the cup that I must drink,
or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?'
10:39 They replied, 'We can'.
Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I must drink you shall drink, and with the
baptism with which I must be baptised you shall be baptised,
10:40 but as for seats at my
right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to
whom they have been allotted'.
Leadership with
service
10:41 When the other ten heard
this they began to feel indignant with James and John,
10:42 so Jesus called them to
him and said to them, 'You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers
lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt.
10:43 This is not to happen
among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
10:44 and anyone who wants to
be first among you must be slave to all.
10:45 For the Son of Man
himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many.'
The blind man of
Jericho
10:46 They reached Jericho;
and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that
is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road.
10:47 When he heard that it
was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, 'Son of David, Jesus, have
pity on me'.
10:48 And many of them scolded
him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of
David, have pity on me'.
10:49 Jesus stopped and said,
'Call him here'. So they called the blind man. 'Courage,' they said 'get up; he
is calling you.'
10:50 So throwing off his so
cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.
10:51 Then Jesus spoke, 'What
do you want me to do for you?' 'Rabbuni,'[*b] the blind man said to him
'Master, let me see again.'
10:52 Jesus said to him, 'Go;
your faith has saved you'. And immediately his sight returned and he followed him
along the road.
JB MARK Chapter 11
IV. THE JERUSALEM
MINISTRY
The Messiah enters
Jerusalem
11:1 When they were
approaching Jerusalem, in sight of Bethphage and Bethany, close by the Mount of
Olives, he sent two of his disciples
11:2 and said to them, 'Go off
to the village facing you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered
colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
11:3 If anyone says to you,
"What are you doing?" say, "The Master needs it and will send it
back here directly".'
11:4 They went off and found a
colt tethered near a door in the open street. As they untied it,
11:5 some men standing there
said, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?'
11:6 They gave the answer
Jesus had told them, and the men let them go.
11:7 Then they took the colt
to Jesus and threw their cloaks on its back, and he sat on it.
11:8 Many people spread their
cloaks on the road, others greenery which they had cut in the fields.
11:9 And those who went in
front and those who followed were all shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessings on him who
comes in the name of the Lord ![*a]
11:10 Blessings on the coming
kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heavens!'
11:11 He entered Jerusalem and
went into the Temple. He looked all round him, but as it was now late, he went
out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The barren fig tree
11:12 Next day as they were
leaving Bethany, he felt hungry.
11:13 Seeing a fig tree in
leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but
when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season
for figs.
11:14 And he addressed the fig
tree. 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again' he said. And his disciples
heard him say this.
The expulsion of
the dealers from the Temple
11:15 So they reached
Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were
selling and buying there; he upset the tables of the money changers and the
chairs of those who were selling pigeons.
11:16 Nor would he allow
anyone to carry anything through the Temple.
11:17 And he taught them and
said, 'Does not scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for
all the peoples?[*b] But you have turned it into a robbers' den.'[*c]
11:18 This came to the ears of
the chief priests and the scribes, and they tried to find some way of doing
away with him; they were afraid of him because the people were carried away by
his teaching.
11:19 And when evening came he
went out of the city.
The fig tree
withered. Faith and prayer
11:20 Next morning, as they
passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to the roots.
11:21 Peter remembered. 'Look,
Rabbi,' he said to Jesus 'the fig tree you cursed has withered away.'
11:22 Jesus answered, 'Have
faith in God.
11:23 I tell you solemnly, if
anyone says to this mountain, "Get up and throw yourself into the
sea", with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will
happen, it will be done for him.
11:24 I tell you therefore:
everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will
be yours.
11:25 And when you stand in
prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in
heaven may forgive your failings too.'
The authority of
Jesus is questioned
11:27 They came to Jerusalem
again, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the
scribes and the elders came to him,
11:28 and they said to him,
'What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do
these things?'
11:29 Jesus said to them, 'I
will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority
for acting like this.
11:30 John's baptism: did it
come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.'
11:31 And they argued it out
this way among themselves: 'If we say from heaven, he will say, "Then why
did you refuse to believe him?"
11:32 But dare we say from
man?' - they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real
prophet.
11:33 So their reply to Jesus
was, 'We do not know'. And Jesus said to them, 'Nor will I tell you my
authority for acting like this'.
JB MARK Chapter 12
Parable of the
wicked husbandmen
12:1 He went on to speak to
them in parables, 'A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a
trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and
went abroad.
12:2 When the time came, he
sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce
from the vineyard.
12:3 But they seized the man,
thrashed him and sent him away empty-handed.
12:4 Next he sent another
servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully.
12:5 And he sent another and
him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the
rest.
12:6 He had still someone
left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. "They will respect
my son" he said.
12:7 But those tenants said to
each other, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the
inheritance will be ours."
12:8 So they seized him and
killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.
12:9 Now what will the owner
of the vineyard do? He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the
vineyard to others.
12:10 Have you not read this
text of scripture: It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the
keystone.
12:11 This was the Lord's
doing and it is wonderful to see?[*a]
12:12 And they would have
liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them,
but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.
On tribute to
Caesar
12:13 Next they sent to him
some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said.
12:14 These came and said to
him, 'Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone,
because a man's rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in
all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay,
yes or no?'
12:15 Seeing through their
hypocrisy he said to them, 'Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a denarius
and let me see it.'
12:16 They handed him one and
he said, 'Whose head is this? Whose name?' 'Caesar's' they told him.
12:17 Jesus said to them,
'Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God'.
This reply took them completely by surprise.
The resurrection of
the dead
12:18 Then some Sadducees -
who deny that there is a resurrection - came to him and they put this question
to him,
12:19 'Master, we have it from
Moses in writing, if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man
must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother.
12:20 Now there were seven
brothers. The first married a wife and then died leaving no children.
12:21 The second married the
widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same,
12:22 and none of the seven
left any children. Last of all the woman herself died.
12:23 Now at the resurrection,
when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all
seven?'
12:24 Jesus said to them, 'Is
not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor
the power of God?
12:25 For when they rise from
the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven.
12:26 Now about the dead
rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about
the Bush, how God spoke to him and said: I am the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob?[*b]
12:27 He is God, not of the
dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.'
The greatest
commandment of all
12:28 One of the scribes who
had listened to them debating and had observed how well Jesus had answered
them, now came up and put a question to him, 'Which is the first of all the
commandments?'
12:29 Jesus replied, 'This is the
first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord,
12:30 and you must love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and
with all your strength.[*c]
12:31 The second is this: You
must love your neighbour as yourself.[*d] There is no commandment greater than
these.'
12:32 The scribe said to him,
'Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is
no other.
12:33 To love him with all
your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your
neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or
sacrifice.'
12:34 Jesus, seeing how wisely
he had spoken, said, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God'. And after that
no one dared to question him any more.
Christ not only son
but also Lord of David
12:35 Later, while teaching in
the Temple, Jesus said, 'How can the scribes maintain that the Christ is the
son of David?
12:36 David himself, moved by
the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand and I
will put your enemies under your feet.[*e]
12:37 David himself calls him
Lord, in what way then can he be his son?' And the great majority of the people
heard this with delight.
The scribes
condemned by Jesus
12:38 In his teaching he said,
'Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted
obsequiously in the market squares,
12:39 to take the front seats
in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets;
12:40 these are the men who
swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The
more severe will be the sentence they receive.'
The widow's mite
12:41 He sat down opposite the
treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of
the rich put in a great deal.
12:42 A poor widow came and
put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny.
12:43 Then he called his
disciples and said to them, 'I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more
in than all who have contributed to the treasury;
12:44 for they have all put in
money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she
possessed, all she had to live on'.
JB MARK Chapter 13
The eschatological
discourse: introduction
13:1 As he was leaving the
Temple one of his disciples said to him, 'Look at the size of those stones,
Master! Look at the size of those buildings!'
13:2 And Jesus said to him,
'You see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left on another:
everything will be destroyed.'
13:3 And while he was sitting
facing the Temple, on the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John and Andrew
questioned him privately,
13:4 'Tell us, when is this
going to happen, and what sign will there be that all this is about to be
fulfilled?'
The beginning of
sorrows
13:5 Then Jesus began to tell them,
'Take care that no one deceives you.
13:6 Many will come using my
name and saying, "I am he", and they will deceive many.
13:7 When you hear of wars and
rumours of wars, do not be alarmed, this is something that must happen, but the
end will not be yet.
13:8 For nation will fight
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes here and
there; there will be famines. This is the beginning of the birthpangs.
13:9 'Be on your guard: they
will hand you over to sanhedrins; you will be beaten in synagogues; and you
will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them,
13:10 since the Good News must
first be proclaimed to all the nations.
13:11 'And when they lead you
away to hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say; no, say
whatever is given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be
speaking: it will be the Holy Spirit.
13:12 Brother will betray
brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their
parents and have them put to death.
13:13 You will be hated by all
men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be
saved.
The great
tribulation of Jerusalem
13:14 'When you see the
disastrous abomination[*a] set up where it ought not to be (let the reader
understand), then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains;
13:15 if a man is on the
housetop, he must not come down to go into the house to collect any of his
belongings;
13:16 if a man is in the
fields, he must not turn back to fetch his cloak.
13:17 Alas for those with
child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!
13:18 Pray that this may not
be in winter.
13:19 For in those days there
will be such distress as, until now, has not been[*b] equalled since the
beginning when God created the world, nor ever will be again.
13:20 And if the Lord had not
shortened that time, no one would have survived; but he did shorten the time,
for the sake of the elect whom he chose.
13:21 'And if anyone says to
you then, "Look, here is the Christ" or, "Look, he is
there", do not believe it;
13:22 for false Christs and
false prophets will arise and produce signs and portents to deceive the elect,
if that were possible.
13:23 You therefore must be on
your guard. I have forewarned you of everything.
The coming of the
Son of Man
13:24 'But in those days,
after that time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its
brightness,
13:25 the stars will come
falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
13:26 And then they will see
the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory;
13:27 then too he will send
the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world
to the ends of heaven.
The time of this
coming
13:28 'Take the fig tree as a
parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know
that summer is near.
13:29 So with you when you see
these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates.
13:30 I tell you solemnly,
before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place.
13:31 Heaven and earth will
pass away, but my words will not pass away.
13:32 'But as for that day or
hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but
the Father.
Be on the alert
13:33 'Be on your guard, stay
awake, because you never know when the time will come.
13:34 It is like a man
travelling abroad: he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each
with his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake.
13:35 So stay awake, because
you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening, midnight,
cockcrow, dawn;
13:36 if he comes
unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep.
13:37 And what I say to you I
say to all: Stay awake!'
JB MARK Chapter 14
V. PASSION AND
RESURRECTION
The conspiracy
against Jesus
14:1 It was two days before
the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the
scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by some trick and have him put
to death.
14:2 For they said, 'It must
not be during the festivities, or there will be a disturbance among the
people'.
The anointing at
Bethany
14:3 Jesus was at Bethany in
the house of Simon the leper; he was at dinner when a woman came in with an
alabaster jar of very costly ointment, pure nard. She broke the jar and poured
the ointment on his head.
14:4 Some who were there said
to one another indignantly, 'Why this waste of ointment?
14:5 Ointment like this could
have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor';
and they were angry with her.
14:6 But Jesus said, 'Leave
her alone. Why are you upsetting her? What she has done for me is one of the
good works.
14:7 You have the poor with you
always, and you can be kind to them whenever you wish, but you will not always
have me.
14:8 She has done what was in
her power to do: she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.
14:9 I tell you solemnly,
wherever throughout all the world the Good News is proclaimed, what she has
done will be told also, in remembrance of her.'
Judas betrays Jesus
14:10 Judas Iscariot, one of
the Twelve, approached the chief priests with an offer to hand Jesus over to
them.
14:11 They were delighted to
hear it, and promised to give him money; and he looked for a way of betraying
him when the opportunity should occur.
Preparations for
the Passover supper
14:12 On the first day of
Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to
him, 'Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the
passover?'
14:13 So he sent two of his
disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a
pitcher of water. Follow him,
14:14 and say to the owner of
the house which he enters, "The Master says: Where is my dining room in
which I can eat the passover with my disciples?"
14:15 He will show you a large
upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us
there,'
14:16 The disciples set out
and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the
Passover.
The treachery of
Judas foretold
14:17 When evening came he
arrived with the Twelve.
14:18 And while they were at
table eating, Jesus said, 'I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray
me, one of you eating with me'.
14:19 They were distressed and
asked him, one after another, 'Not I, surely?'
14:20 He said to them, 'It is
one of the Twelve, one who is dipping into the same dish with me.
14:21 Yes, the Son of Man is
going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom
the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!'
The institution of
the Eucharist
14:22 And as they were eating
he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it
to them. 'Take it,' he said 'this is my body.'
14:23 Then he took a cup, and
when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it,
14:24 and he said to them,
'This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for
many.
14:25 I tell you solemnly, I
shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom
of God.'
Peter's denial
foretold
14:26 After psalms had been sung
they left for the Mount of Olives.
14:27 And Jesus said to them,
'You will all lose faith, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd
and the sheep will be scattered,[*a]
14:28 however after my
resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee'.
14:29 Peter said, 'Even if all
lose faith, I will not'.
14:30 And Jesus said to him,
'I tell you solemnly, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice,
you will have disowned me three times'.
14:31 But he repeated still
more earnestly, 'If I have to die with you, I will never disown you'. And they
all said the same.
Gethsemane
14:32 They came to a small
estate called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, 'Stay here while I
pray'.
14:33 Then he took Peter and
James and John with him. And a sudden fear came over him, and great distress.
14:34 And he said to them, 'My
soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here, and keep awake.'
14:35 And going on a little
further he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, this
hour might pass him by.
14:36 'Abba (Father)!' he said
'Everything is possible for you. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as
you, not I, would have it.'
14:37 He came back and found
them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'Simon, are you asleep? Had you not the
strength to keep awake one hour?
14:38 You should be awake, and
praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is
weak.'
14:39 Again he went away and
prayed, saying the same words.
14:40 And once more he came
back and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy; and they could find no
answer for him.
14:41 He came back a third
time and said to them, 'You can sleep on now and take your rest. It is all
over. The hour has come. Now the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of
sinners.
14:42 Get up! Let us go! My
betrayer is close at hand already.'
The arrest
14:43 Even while he was still
speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up with a number of men armed with
swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
14:44 Now the traitor had
arranged a signal with them. 'The one I kiss,' he had said 'he is the man. Take
him in charge, and see he is well guarded when you lead him away.'
14:45 So when the traitor
came, he went straight up to Jesus and said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him.
14:46 The others seized him
and took him in charge.
14:47 Then one of the
bystanders drew his sword and struck out at the high priest's servant, and cut
off his ear.
14:48 Then Jesus spoke. 'Am I a
brigand' he said 'that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs?
14:49 I was among you teaching
in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me. But this is to
fulfil the scriptures.'
14:50 And they all deserted
him and ran away.
14:51 A young man who followed
him had nothing on but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him,
14:52 but he left the cloth in
their hands and ran away naked.
Jesus before the
Sanhedrin
14:53 They led Jesus off to
the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes
assembled there.
14:54 Peter had followed him
at a distance, right into the high priest's palace, and was sitting with the
attendants warming himself at the fire.
14:55 The chief priests and
the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus on which they might
pass the death-sentence. But they could not find any.
14:56 Several, indeed, brought
false evidence against him, but their evidence was conflicting.
14:57 Some stood up and
submitted this false evidence against him,
14:58 'We heard him say,
"I am going to destroy this Temple made by human hands, and in three days
build another, not made by human hands"'.
14:59 But even on this point
their evidence was conflicting.
14:60 The high priest then
stood up before the whole assembly and put this question to Jesus, 'Have you no
answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?'
14:61 But he was silent and
made no answer at all. The high priest put a second question to him, 'Are you
the Christ,' he said 'the Son of the Blessed One?'
14:62 'I am,' said Jesus 'and
you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming
with the clouds of heaven.'[*b]
14:63 The high priest tore his
robes, 'What need of witnesses have we now?' he said.
14:64 'You heard the
blasphemy. What is your finding?' And they all gave their verdict: he deserved
to die.
14:65 Some of them started
spitting at him and, blindfolding him, began hitting him with their fists and
shouting, 'Play the prophet!' And the attendants rained blows on him.
Peter's denials
14:66 While Peter was down
below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's servant-girls came up.
14:67 She saw Peter warming
himself there, stared at him and said, 'You too were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth'.
14:68 But he denied it. 'I do
not know, I do not understand, what you are talking about' he said. And he went
out into the forecourt.
14:69 The servant-girl saw him
and again started telling the bystanders, 'This fellow is one of them'.
14:70 But again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders themselves said to Peter, 'You are one of them
for sure! Why, you are a Galilean.'
14:71 But he started calling
down curses on himself and swearing, 'I do not know the man you speak of'.
14:72 At that moment the cock
crew for the second time, and Peter recalled how Jesus had said to him, 'Before
the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times'. And he burst into
tears.
JB MARK Chapter 15
Jesus before Pilate
15:1 First thing in the
morning, the chief priests together with the elders and scribes, in short the
whole Sanhedrin, had their plan ready. They had Jesus bound and took him away
and handed him over to Pilate.
15:2 Pilate questioned him,
'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'It is you who say it' he answered.
15:3 And the chief priests
brought many accusations against him.
15:4 Pilate questioned him
again, 'Have you no reply at all? See how many accusations they are bringing
against you!'
15:5 But, to Pilate's
amazement, Jesus made no further reply.
15:6 At festival time Pilate
used to release a prisoner for them, anyone they asked for.
15:7 Now a man called Barabbas
was then in prison with the rioters who had committed murder during the
uprising.
15:8 When the crowd went up
and began to ask Pilate the customary favour,
15:9 Pilate answered them, 'Do
you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?'
15:10 For he realised it was
out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.
15:11 The chief priests,
however, had incited the crowd to demand that he should release Barabbas for
them instead.
15:12 Then Pilate spoke again.
'But in that case,' he said to them 'what am I to do with the man you call king
of the Jews?'
15:13 They shouted back,
'Crucify him!'
15:14 'Why?' Pilate asked them
'What harm has he done?' But they shouted all the louder, 'Crucify him!'
15:15 So Pilate, anxious to
placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and, having ordered Jesus to be
scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
Jesus crowned with
thorns
15:16 The soldiers led him
away to the inner part of the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and called the
whole cohort together.
15:17 They dressed him up in
purple, twisted some thorns into a crown and put it on him.
15:18 And they began saluting
him, 'Hail, king of the Jews!'
15:19 They struck his head
with a reed and spat on him; and they went down on their knees to do him
homage.
15:20 And when they had
finished making fun of him, they took off the purple and dressed him in his own
clothes.
The way of the
cross
They led him out to crucify
him.
15:21 They enlisted a
passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus,[*a] who was coming
in from the country, to carry his cross.
15:22 They brought Jesus to the
place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.
The crucifixion
15:23 They offered him wine
mixed with myrrh, but he refused it.
15:24 Then they crucified him,
and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get.
15:25 It was the third
hour[*b] when they crucified him.
15:26 The inscription giving
the charge against him read: 'The King of the Jews'.
15:27 And they crucified two
robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The crucified
Christ is mocked
15:29 The passers-by jeered at
him; they shook their heads and said, 'Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and
rebuild it in three days!
15:30 Then save yourself: come
down from the cross!'
15:31 The chief priests and
the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way. 'He saved others,'
they said 'he cannot save himself.
15:32 Let the Christ, the king
of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe.' Even
those who were crucified with him taunted him.
The death of Jesus
15:33 When the sixth hour came
there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
15:34 And at the ninth hour
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which means,
'My God, my God, why have you deserted me?'[*c]
15:35 When some of those who
stood by heard this, they said, 'Listen, he is calling on Elijah'.
15:36 Someone ran and soaked a
sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink saying; 'Wait
and see if Elijah will come to take him down'.
15:37 But Jesus gave a loud
cry and breathed his last.
15:38 And the veil of the
Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
15:39 The centurion, who was
standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, 'In truth this
man was a son of God'.
The women on
Calvary
15:40 There were some women
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary who was the
mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome.
15:41 These used to follow him
and look after him when he was in Galilee. And there were many other women
there who had come up to Jerusalem with him.
The burial
15:42 It was now evening, and
since it was Preparation Day (that is, the vigil of the sabbath),
15:43 there came Joseph of Arimathaea,
a prominent member of the Council, who himself lived in the hope of seeing the
kingdom of God, and he boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
15:44 Pilate, astonished that
he should have died so soon, summoned the centurion and enquired if he was
already dead.
15:45 Having been assured of
this by the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph
15:46 who bought a shroud,
took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the shroud and laid him in a
tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the
entrance to the tomb.
15:47 Mary of Magdala and Mary
the mother of Joset were watching and took note of where he was laid.
JB MARK Chapter 16
The empty tomb. The
angel's message
16:1 When the sabbath was
over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with
which to go and anoint him.
16:2 And very early in the
morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was
rising.
16:3 They had been saying to
one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the
tomb?'
16:4 But when they looked they
could see that the stone - which was very big - had already been rolled back.
16:5 On entering the tomb they
saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were
struck with amazement.
16:6 But he said to them,
'There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid
him.
16:7 But you must go and tell
his disciples and Peter, "He is going before you to Galilee; it is there
you will see him, just as he told you".'
16:8 And the women came out
and ran away from the tomb because they were frightened out of their wits; and
they said nothing to a soul, for they were afraid...
Appearances of the
risen Christ[*a]
16:9 Having risen in the
morning on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala from
whom he had cast out seven devils.
16:10 She then went to those
who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them.
16:11 But they did not believe
her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.
16:12 After this, he showed
himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the
country.
16:13 These went back and told
the others, who did not believe them either.
16:14 Lastly, he showed
himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them
for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those
who had seen him after he had risen.
16:15 And he said to them, 'Go
out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.
16:16 He who believes and is
baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.
16:17 These are the signs that
will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they
will have the gift of tongues;
16:18 they will pick up snakes
in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay
their hands on the sick, who will recover.'
16:19 And so the Lord Jesus,
after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand
of God he took his place,
16:20 while they, going out,
preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the
signs that accompanied it.
END OF JB MARK [16
Chapters].