Jesus has been teaching in synagogues throughout Galilee, performing miracles and healing the sick, though he faced rejection in his hometown of Nazareth where people took offense at him despite witnessing his wisdom and mighty works. He continued teaching in surrounding villages, and now prepares to expand his ministry by commissioning his twelve disciples for their first independent mission. Jesus is addressing the twelve apostles, giving them authority and specific instructions for their journey.
[7] And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. [8] He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— [9] but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
[10] Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. [11] And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
[12] So they went out and preached that people should repent. [13] And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Jesus has just fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish near the Sea of Galilee, then walked on water to his disciples during a storm. The crowd follows him to Capernaum, seeking more miraculous bread, but Jesus redirects their focus from physical sustenance to himself as the bread of life sent from heaven. He declares that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will have eternal life, causing confusion and offense among many listeners. The Jewish leaders dispute among themselves about how Jesus could give them his flesh to eat, while Jesus continues to emphasize that his flesh is true food and his blood is true drink, and that he came down from heaven to do the Father's will. Jesus is addressing the crowd in the synagogue at Capernaum, including both skeptical Jews and his own disciples.
[39] This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. [40] And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
[41] The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” [42] And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
[43] Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. [44] No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. [45] It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. [46] Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. [47] Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. [48] I am the bread of life. [49] Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. [50] This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
[52] The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
[53] Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. [55] For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. [56] He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. [57] As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. [58] This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
[59] These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
[60] Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
[61] When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? [62] What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? [63] It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. [64] But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. [65] And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
[66] From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. [67] Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
[68] But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. [69] Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
[70] Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” [71] He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus has been traveling through various towns and villages, teaching and performing miracles. He recently sent out seventy-two disciples who returned rejoicing about their authority over demons, prompting Jesus to praise the Father for revealing truth to the humble rather than the wise. He then told the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer's question about eternal life, and afterward visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany, where he gently corrected Martha's anxiety about serving while commending Mary's choice to sit at his feet and listen to his teaching. Now, after finishing his own time of prayer in a certain place, his disciples approach him with a request. The disciples are addressing Jesus.
[1] Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
[2] So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
[3] Give us day by day our daily bread.
[4] And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
[5] And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; [6] for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; [7] and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? [8] I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
[9] “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. [11] If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [13] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
The Jerusalem Council has just concluded its deliberations regarding whether Gentile converts must follow Mosaic Law, particularly circumcision. The apostles and elders, guided by the Holy Spirit, decided that Gentiles need not be circumcised but should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. They composed a letter explaining this decision and appointed Judas called Barsabbas and Silas to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch to deliver it personally. These messengers carried the official decree that would settle the controversy troubling the Gentile churches and affirm that salvation comes through grace rather than adherence to the entire Jewish law.
[30] So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. [31] When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. [32] Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. [33] And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.
[34] However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. [35] Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
[36] Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” [37] Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. [38] But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. [39] Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; [40] but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. [41] And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
[1] Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. [2] He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. [3] Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. [4] And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. [5] So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Peter writes his second letter to the same Christian communities he addressed in his first epistle, reminding them of his previous correspondence and his purpose to stir up their sincere minds through reminders. He emphasizes that both the Old Testament prophets and the apostles of Jesus Christ have spoken God's truth, warning believers to remember these teachings. Peter specifically alerts them to expect scoffers in the last days who will mock the promise of Christ's return, questioning why everything continues as it has since creation. He explains that these mockers willfully ignore that God created the heavens and earth by His word and previously judged the world through the flood. Peter clarifies God's perspective on time, explaining that one day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and emphasizes that God's apparent delay in fulfilling His promise reflects His patience and desire that none should perish but all should come to repentance.
[1] Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), [2] that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, [3] knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, [4] and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” [5] For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, [6] by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. [7] But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
[8] But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Jesus continues teaching the crowds gathered by the Sea of Galilee using parables, a method he has adopted to reveal spiritual truths to those with receptive hearts while concealing them from those who refuse to understand. After explaining the parable of the sower to his disciples privately, Jesus returns to addressing the multitudes with additional parables about the kingdom of heaven. He has been ministering throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and performing miraculous healings that have drawn large crowds. The religious leaders have already begun opposing him, attributing his power to demonic forces, which prompts Jesus to teach more extensively through parables. His disciples remain close, observing his teaching methods and receiving private explanations that others do not hear. Jesus is addressing the crowds gathered along the shore.
[24] Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; [25] but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. [26] But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. [27] So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ [28] He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ [29] But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
[31] Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, [32] which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
[33] Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
[34] All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, [35] that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”