27 May 2002
A Prayer of Jesus I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
JESUS ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD

The phrases "kingdom of God" (basileia tou theou) and "kingdom of (the) heaven(s)" (basileia tou ouranon) are synonymous in the Word, the latter being found only in Matthew, apparently to avoid use of the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) that would have been offensive to Jewish disciples.  On this page, we list all the texts where these phrases occur, together with the context, showing the synoptic texts in parallel columns for comparison.  Also shown are texts in which the single word "kingdom" occurs in contexts that clearly indicate the reference is to the kingdom of God. 

Parallel Passages from the Synoptic Gospels


Jesus Begins Preaching
Matt.4 Verses 12 to 17

[12] Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; 
[13] and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali, 
[14] that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 
[15] "The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali,
toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles --
[16] the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."
[17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

Mark.1 Verses 14 to 15

[14] Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, 
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preaching the gospel of God, 
[15] and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the
gospel." 

Luke.4 Verses 14 to 15

[14] And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, 
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and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 
[15] And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 

The Beatitudes

Matt.5 Verses 1 to 12

[1] Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 
[2] And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 
[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
[4] "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
[5] "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 
[6] "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 
[7] "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 
[8] "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 
[9] "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 
[10] "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 
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[12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

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Luke.6 Verses 20 to 23

[20] And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
 
 

"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 
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[21] "Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. 
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[22] "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! 
[23] Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 

On the Law and the Prophets

Matt.5 Verses 17 to 20

[17] "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 
[18] For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 
[19] Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven
[20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

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Instructions on Prayer

Matt.6 Verses 9 to 14

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[9] Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
[10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
[11] Give us this day our daily bread;
[12] And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors;
[13] And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
[14] For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 

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Luke 11

1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
2 And he said to them, When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
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3 Give us each day our daily bread;
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.

Seek First His Kingdom

Matt.6 Verses 31 to 34

[31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 
[32] For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
[33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 
[34] Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. 

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Luke.12 Verses 29 to 31

[29] And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. 
[30] For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. 
[31] Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.
 

[32] "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 
[33] Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 
[34] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

Qualification for the Kingdom

Matt.7 Verses 21 to 23

[21] "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 
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[22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 
[23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' 

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Luke.6 

[46] "Why do you call me `Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?

Luke.13 Verses 26 to 27

[26] Then you will begin to say, `We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 
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[27] But he will say, `I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!'

The Faith of a Centurion

Matt.8 Verses 5 to 13

[5] As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him 
[6] and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." 
[7] And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." 
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[8] But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 
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[9] For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." 
[10] When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. 
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[11] I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven
[12] while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." 
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[13] And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

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Luke.7 Verses 1 to 10

[1] After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Caper'na-um. 
[2] Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death. 
[3] When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave. 
[4] And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, 
[5] for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue." 
[6] And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; 
[7] therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 
[8] For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes; and to
another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." 
[9] When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." 

Luke.13 Verses 28 to 30

[28] There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. 
[29] And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom o God.
[30] And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." 
[10] And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well. 

Leave the Dead to Bury the Dead

Matt.8 Verses 19 to 22

[19] And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 
[20] And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 
[21] Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 
[22] But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." 

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Luke.9 Verses 57 to 62

[57] As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 
[58] And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 
[59] To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 
[60] But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 
[61] Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 
[62] Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Sending Out the Twelve 

Matt.10 Verses 5 to 8

[5] These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 
[6] but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 
[7] And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 
[8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.

Mark.6

[7] And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by
two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 
 

Luke.9 Verses 1 to 2

[1] And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 
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[2] and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.
 
 

 

Sending Out the Seventy

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Luke.10 Verses 1 to 12

[1] After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. 
[2] And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 
[3] Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
[4] Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.
[5] Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!' 
[6] And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. 
[7] And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house.
[8] Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you;
[9] heal the sick in it and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 
[10] But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 
[11] `Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' 
[12] I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 

On John

Matt.11 Verses 7 to 12

[7] As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? 
[8] Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. 
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[9] Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
[10] This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.'
[11] Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 
[12] From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. 

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Luke.7 Verses 24 to 28

[24] When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? 
[25] What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 
[26] What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 
[27] This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.'
[28] I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
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Luke.16[16] "The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently. 

The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You

Matt.12 Verses 25 to 29

[25] Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand; 
[26] and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 
[27] And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 
[28] But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 
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[29] Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 

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Luke.11 Verses 17 to 22

[17] But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 
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[18] And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul. 
[19] And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 
[20] But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 
[21] When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; 
[22] but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. 

The Reason for Parables

Matt.13 Verses 10 to 13

[10]Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 
[11] And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 
[12] For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 
[13] This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 

Mark.4 Verses 10 to 12

[10] And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables. 
[11] And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God,
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but for those outside everything is in parables; 
[12] so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven." 

Luke.8 Verses 9 to 10

[9] And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 
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[10] he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; 
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but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 
 

The Parable of the Sower Expalined

Matt.13 Verses 18 to 23

[18] "Hear then the parable of the sower. 
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[19] When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path.
[20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 
.[21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 
[22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 
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[23] As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." 

Mark.4 Verses 13 to 20

[13] And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 
[14] The sower sows the word. 
[15] And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. 
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[16] And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 
[17] and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 
[18] And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, 
[19] but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 
[20] But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." 

Luke.8 Verses 11 to 15

[11] Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 
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[12] The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 
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[13] And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; .
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but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 
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[14] And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 
[15] And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

The Parable of the Growing Grain

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Mark.4 Verses 26 to 29

[26] And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, 
[27] and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. 
[28] The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 
[29] But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." 

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The Parable of the Weeds 

Matt.13 Verses 24 to 30

[24] Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; 
[25] but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 
[26] So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 
[27] And the servants of the householder came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' 
[28] He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 
[29] But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 
[30] Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" 

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The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matt.13 Verses 31 to 32

[31] Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 
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[32] it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, 
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so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." 

Mark.4 Verses 30 to 32

[30] And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 
[31] It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 
[32] yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

Luke.13 Verses 18 to 19

[18] He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 

[19] It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; 
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and it grew and became a tree, 

and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." 

The Parable of the Leaven

Matt.13
[33] He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened." 
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Luke.13 Verses 20 to 21
[20] And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God
[21] It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened." 

The Parable of the Weeds Explained 

Matt.13 Verses 36 to 43

[36] Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 
[37] He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; 
[38] the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, 
[39] and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 
[40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 
[41] The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 
[42] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
[43] Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 

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The Hid Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price

Matt.13 Verses 44 to 46

[44] "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 
[45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 
[46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 

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The Parable of the Net 

Matt.13 Verses 47 to 50

[47] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 
[48] when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 
[49] So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous,
[50] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 

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The Householders Treasure 

Matt.13 Verses 51 to 52

[51] "Have you understood all this?  They said to him, "Yes."
[52] And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

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The Confession of Peter 

Matt.16 Verses 13 to 20

[13] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"
[14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 
[15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 
[16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 
[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 
[18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 
[19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 

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The Way of the Cross

Matt.16 Verses 24 to 28

[24] Then Jesus told his disciples, 
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"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 
[25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 
[26] For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 
[27] For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. 
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[28] Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 

Mark.8 Verses 34 to 38

[34] And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 
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[35] For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 
[36] For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
[37] For what can a man give in return for his life? 
[38] For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." 
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Mark.9[1] And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power." 

Luke.9 Verses 23 to 27

[23] And he said to all, 
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"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 
[24] For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. 
[25] For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 
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[26] For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 
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[27] But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." 

The Lesson of the Child

Matt.18 Verses 1 to 5

[1] At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
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[2] And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 
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[3] and said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven
[4] Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 
[5] Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me;

Mark.9 Verses 33 to 37

[33] And they came to Caper'na-um; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" 
[34] But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. 
[35] And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." 
[36] And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 
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Mark.10[15] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 
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Mark 9[37] "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me." 

Luke.9 Verses 46 to 48

[46] And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 
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.[47] But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, 
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Luke.18:[17] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 
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Luke 9[48] and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great." 

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Matt.18 Verses 23 to 35

[23] "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 
[24] When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 
[25] and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 
[26] So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 
[27] And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 
[28] But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.' 
[29] So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 
[30] He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 
[31] When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 
[32] Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that deb because you besought me; 
[33] and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 
[34] And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 
[35] So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." 

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On the Coming of the Kingdom

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Luke.17 Verses 20 to 21

[20] Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 
[21] nor will they say, `Lo, here it is!' or `There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." 

On Divorce and Remarriage

Matt.19 Verses 9 to 12

[9] And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."(a)
[10] The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." 
[11] But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 
[12] For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

(a) Other ancient authorities read: except on the ground of unchastity, makes her committ adultery.

Mark.10 Verses 10 to 12

[10] And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 
[11] And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 
[12] and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." 

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Let the Children Come to Me
Matt.19 Verses 13 to 15

[13] Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 
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[14] but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
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[15] And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Mark.10 Verses 13 to 16

[13] And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. 
[14] But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
[15] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 
[16] And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. 

Luke.18 Verses 15 to 17

[15] Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 
[16] But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God
[17] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

It is Hard to Enter the Kingdom of God
Matt.19 Verses 16 to 26

[16] And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 
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[17] And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 
[18] He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 
[19] Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 
[20] The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 
[21] Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 
[22] When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
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[23] And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 
[24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
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[25] When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 
[26] But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 
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[27] Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" 
[28] Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
[29] And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 
[30] But many that are first will be last, and the last first. 

Mark 10 Verses 17 to 29

[17] And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 
[18] And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 
[19] You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 
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[20] And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." 
[21] And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 
[22] At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. 
[23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 
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[24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
[25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
[26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" 
[27] Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
[28] Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you." 
[29] Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 
[30] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 
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[31] But many that are first will be last, and the last first." 

Luke.18 Verses 18 to 27

[18] And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 
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[19] And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 
[20] You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 
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21] And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." 
[22] And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 
[23] But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 
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[24] Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
[25] For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
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[26] Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" 
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[27] But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 

[28] And Peter said, "Lo, we have left our homes and followed you." 
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[29] And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God
[30] who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life." 

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

Matt.20 Verses 1 to 16

[1] For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 
[2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 
[3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 
[4] and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 
[5] Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 
[6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?' 
[7] They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.' 
[8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' 
[9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.
[10] Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 
[11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, 
[12] saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 
[13] But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 
[14] Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you.
[15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' 
[16] So the last will be first, and the first last." 

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A Mother's Request

Matt.20 Verses 20 to 28

[20] Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 
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[21] And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.
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[22] But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" 
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They said to him, "We are able."
[23] He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 
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[24] And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 
[25] But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 
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[26] It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 
[27] and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; 
[28] even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

Mark.10 Verses 35 to 45

[35] And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 
[36] And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 
[37] And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 
[38] But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 
[39] And they said to him, "We are able."And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
[40] but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 
[41] And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 
[42] And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 
[43] But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 
[44] and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 
[45] For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

Luke.22 Verses 24 to 30

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[24] A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 
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[25] And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 
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[26] But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 
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[27] For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.
[28] "You are those who have continued with me in my trials; 
[29] and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom
[30] that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

The Parable of the Two Sons and the Vineyard

Matt.21 Verses 28 to 32

[28] "What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'
[29] And he answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went. 
[30] And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go. 
[31] Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first."Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 
[32] For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him. 

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The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Matt.21 Verses 33 to 46

[33] "Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. 
[34] When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; 
[35] and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 
[36] Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. 
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[37] Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' 
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[38] But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' 
[39] And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 
[40] When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 
[41] They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." 
[42] Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
[43] Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it." 
[45] When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 
[46] But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet. 

Mark.12 Verses 1 to 12

[1] And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. 
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[2] When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 
[3] And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 
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[4] Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 
[5] And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. 
[6] He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' 
[7] But those tenants said to one another, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 
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[8] And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 
[9] What will the owner of the vineyard do? 
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He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others. 
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[10] Have you not read this scripture: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;
[11] this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
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[12] And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and went away. 

Luke.20 Verses 9 to 19

[9] And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country for a long while. 
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[10] When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 
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[11] And he sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 
[12] And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and cast out. 
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[13] Then the owner of the vineyard said, `What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect him.' 
[14] But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' 
[15] And they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 
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[16] He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "God forbid!" 
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[17] But he looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner'?
[18] Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will crush him." 
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[19] The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he had told this parable against them. 

The Parable of the Marriage Feast (The Wedding Garment)

Matt.22 Verses 1 to 14

[1] And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 
[2] "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, 
[3] and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. 
[4] Again he sent other servants, saying, `Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' 
[5] But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 
[6] while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 
[7] The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
[8] Then he said to his servants, `The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 
[9] Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' 
[10] And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 
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[11] "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; 
[12] and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. 
[13] Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' 
[14] For many are called, but few are chosen." 

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Luke.14 Verses 16 to 24

[16] But he said to him,
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"A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; 
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[17] and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.' 
[18] But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' 
[19] And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' 
[20] And another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 
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[21] So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' 
[22] And the servant said, `Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' 
[23] And the master said to the servant, `Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 
[24] For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" 

The Discourse on the Pharisees

Matt.23 Verses 1 to 13

[1] Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 
[2] "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 
[3] so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. 
[4] They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 
[5] They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 
[6] and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, 
[7] and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. 
[8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 
[9] And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 
[10] Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 
[11] He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 
[12] whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 
[13] "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 

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Which Commandment is First?

Matt.22 Verses 34 to 40

[34] But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad'ducees, they came together. 
[35] And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 
[36] "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 
[37] And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 
[38] This is the great and first commandment. 
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[39] And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 
[40] On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets." 

Mark.12 Verses 28 to 34

[28] And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, 
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"Which commandment is the first of all?" 
[29] Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 
[30] and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
[31] The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 
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[32] And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he;
[33] and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 
[34] And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question. 

Luke.10 Verses 25 to 38

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[25] And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 
[26] He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" 
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[27] And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 
[28] And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live."
 

Until the End Comes

Matt.24 Verses 4 to 14

[4] And Jesus answered them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. 
[5] For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. 
[6] And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 
[7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 
[8] all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. 
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[9] "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 

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[10] And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. 
[11] And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 
[12] And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold. 
[13] But he who endures to the end will be saved. 
[14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. 

Mark.13 Verses 5 to 13

[5] And Jesus began to say to them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. 
[6] Many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 
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[7] And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. 
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[8] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. 
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[9] "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. 
[10] And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 
[11] And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 
[12] And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 
[13] and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. 
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But he who endures to the end will be saved. 

Luke.21 Verses 6 to 19

[8] And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 
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[9] And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 
[10] Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 
[11] there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 
[12] But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 
[13] This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 
[14] Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 
[15] for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 
[16] You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 
[17] you will be hated by all for my name's sake. 
[18] But not a hair of your head will perish. 
[19] By your endurance you will gain your lives. 

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Matt.24 Verses 32 to 33

[32] "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 
 

[33] So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 

Mark.13 Verses 28 to 29

[28] "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 
 

[29] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 

Luke.21 Verses 29 to 31

[29] And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; 
[30] as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 
[31] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 

The Parable of the Ten Maidens

Matt.25 Verses 1 to 13

[1] "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 
[2] Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 
[3] For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 
[4]but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
[5]As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 
[6] But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 
[7] Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. 
[8] And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 
[9] But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' 
[10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 
[11] Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.' 
[12] But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 
[13] Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. 

M L

The Last Judgment

Matt.25 Verses 31 to 46

[31] "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 
[32] Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 
[33] and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 
[34] Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 
[35] for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 
[36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 
[37] Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 
[38] And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 
[39] And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 
[40] And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' 
[41] Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 
[42] for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 
[43] I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 
[44] Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' 
[45] Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 
[46] And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

M L

The Blood of the Covenant

Matt.26 Verses 26 to 29

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[26] Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 
[27] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; 
[28] for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 
[29] I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Mark.14 Verses 22 to 25

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[22] And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said,  "Take; this is my body." 
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[23] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 
[24] And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 
[25] Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." 

Luke.22 Verses 15 to 20

15] And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 
[16] for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
[19] And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 
[17] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among  yourselves; 
[20] And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
[18] for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 

Selections from the Fourth Gospel

On Seeing and Entering the Kingdom

John.3 Verses 1 to 8

[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode'mus, a ruler of the Jews. 
[2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him." 
[3] Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is begotten  from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
[4] Nicode'mus said to him, "How can a man be begotten  from above when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be begotten?" 
[5] Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is begotten of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God
[6] That which is begotten of the flesh is flesh, and that which is begotten of the Spirit is spirit. 
[7] Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be begotten from above.' 
[8] The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it goes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is begotten of the Spirit." 


My Kingdom is Not of This World

John.18 Verses 33 to 38

[33] Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 
[34] Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 
[35] Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?" 
[36] Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." 
[37] Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." 
[38] Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I find no crime in him. 

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