Jesus is traveling through towns and villages, teaching as he makes his way toward Jerusalem. Throughout his ministry, he has been performing healings and miracles while facing increasing opposition from religious leaders who question his authority and criticize his actions, particularly regarding Sabbath observance. The Pharisees and scribes have repeatedly challenged Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, viewing such work as a violation of the law. Jesus has consistently defended his actions by emphasizing the priority of mercy and human need over rigid interpretations of religious regulations. He has also been teaching about the kingdom of God through parables and direct instruction, often addressing crowds that include both followers and critics who scrutinize his every word and deed.
[10] Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. [11] And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. [12] But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” [13] And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
[14] But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”
[15] The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? [16] So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” [17] And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
[18] Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? [19] It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
[20] And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? [21] It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
While Apollos ministers in Corinth, Paul travels through the interior regions of Asia Minor and arrives at Ephesus, a major city in the Roman province of Asia. During his previous brief visit to Ephesus at the end of his second missionary journey, Paul had promised to return if God willed, and he left Priscilla and Aquila there to continue the work. Now, on his third missionary journey, Paul fulfills that promise and comes back to this strategic city, where he will establish one of the most significant Christian communities in the ancient world. Ephesus serves as a center of pagan worship, particularly devoted to the goddess Artemis, whose magnificent temple stands as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, making it a crucial location for Paul's mission to proclaim the gospel.
[1] And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples [2] he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
[3] And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
[4] Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
[5] When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [7] Now the men were about twelve in all.
[8] And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. [9] But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. [10] And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
[11] Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. [13] Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” [14] Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
[15] And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
[16] Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. [18] And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. [19] Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
The apostle John has been warning his readers about antichrists and deceivers who have left the Christian community, denying that Jesus is the Christ and thereby rejecting both the Father and the Son. He has just emphasized that those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father, while those who deny the Son lack the Father entirely. John contrasts these false teachers who departed from the faith with his readers who possess the anointing from the Holy One, giving them knowledge of the truth. He has encouraged them not to be led astray by those promoting lies about Christ's identity, reminding them that their anointing teaches them about all things and is true, not false. John now urges them to remain steadfast in what they heard from the beginning, assuring them of the promise of eternal life.
[24] Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. [25] And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
Jesus has been teaching in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, where he declared himself the light of the world and engaged in heated debates with the Pharisees about his identity and authority. The religious leaders challenged his testimony about himself, questioning whether he could be a valid witness on his own behalf. Jesus responded by explaining his unique relationship with the Father and warned them about their spiritual blindness. He emphasized that he speaks only what the Father has taught him and does nothing on his own authority. The tension escalated as the Pharisees demanded to know where his Father was, and Jesus told them they knew neither him nor his Father. Despite their growing hostility and desire to arrest him, no one seized him because his hour had not yet come. Jesus is addressing the Jewish religious leaders and crowds gathered in the temple treasury.
[21] Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
[22] So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
[23] And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. [24] Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
[25] Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. [26] I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
[27] They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
[28] Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. [29] And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” [30] As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
Jewish religious leaders from Jerusalem travel to Galilee to confront Jesus about His disciples' failure to observe traditional ceremonial hand-washing rituals before eating. This confrontation occurs after Jesus has performed numerous miracles in Galilee, including feeding the five thousand and walking on water, and has been drawing large crowds who seek His healing power. The Pharisees and scribes have been increasingly troubled by Jesus' growing influence and His apparent disregard for their oral traditions, which they consider as authoritative as the written Law of Moses. The Pharisees and scribes are addressing Jesus.
[1] Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, [2] “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
[3] He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? [4] For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ [5] But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God ”— [6] then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. [7] Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
[8] ‘Thesepeople draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
[9] And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
[10] When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: [11] Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
[12] Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
[13] But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. [14] Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
[15] Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
[16] So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? [17] Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? [18] But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. [19] For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. [20] These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Jesus has been ministering in the region of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile territories northwest of Galilee, where he encountered a Syrophoenician woman whose daughter he healed after she demonstrated remarkable faith. Following this interaction, Jesus departs from the coastal region and travels through Sidon, then journeys southeastward toward the Sea of Galilee, passing through the Decapolis, a predominantly Gentile region of ten cities east of the Jordan River. This circuitous route takes him through areas where Jewish people were a minority, continuing his pattern of extending his ministry beyond traditional Jewish boundaries. The journey reflects Jesus's willingness to minister among Gentiles while gradually making his way back toward more familiar Jewish territories around the Sea of Galilee.
[31] Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. [32] Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. [33] And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. [34] Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
[35] Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. [36] Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. [37] And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”