Matthew 25
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet
the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their
lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the
bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all
those virgins arose 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 answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us
and you; but go rather to those who sell, 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 wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said,
‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and
delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to
each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received
the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had
received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid
his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered
to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done,
good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter
into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to
me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done,
good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping
where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and
went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I
have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my
money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take
the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not
have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the
throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand,
but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you 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 took Me in; 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, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or
thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe
You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and
say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you
did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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 take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick
and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or
naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I
say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And
these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to
Him. 2 Then 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 filled.
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 they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for
My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good
for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp
and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass
from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and
teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness
exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in
danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council.
But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the
altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree
with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the
judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you,
you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you
that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If
your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one
of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes
you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish,
than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32
But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to
commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform
your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall
you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’
and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Go the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to
resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone
wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to
go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do
not turn away.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to
you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He
makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if
you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And
if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
John 1
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the
beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness did not comprehend it.
John’s Witness: The True Light
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear
witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear
witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He
came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the
right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me
is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through
Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only
begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him,
“Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you
say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am
‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you
baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not
know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to
loose.”
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before
me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I
came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained
upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you
see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I
have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
The First Disciples
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he
said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them
following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him
that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He
first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the
Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.You shall be called Cephas”
(which is translated, A Stone).
Philip and Nathanael
43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him,
“We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son
of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
deceit!”
48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe?
You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter
you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
2 Peter 3
God’s Promise Is Not Slack
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,[a] 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.
The Day of the Lord
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a
great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be
burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness
dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without
spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved
brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and
unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own
steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet
the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their
lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the
bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all
those virgins arose 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 answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us
and you; but go rather to those who sell, 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 wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said,
‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and
delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to
each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received
the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had
received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid
his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered
to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done,
good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter
into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to
me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done,
good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping
where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and
went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I
have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my
money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take
the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not
have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the
throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand,
but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you 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 took Me in; 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, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or
thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe
You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and
say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you
did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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 take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick
and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or
naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I
say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And
these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to
Him. 2 Then 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 filled.
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 they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for
My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good
for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp
and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass
from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and
teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness
exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in
danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council.
But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the
altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree
with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the
judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you,
you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you
that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If
your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one
of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes
you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish,
than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32
But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to
commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform
your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall
you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’
and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Go the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to
resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone
wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to
go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do
not turn away.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to
you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He
makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if
you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And
if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
John 1
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the
beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness did not comprehend it.
John’s Witness: The True Light
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear
witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear
witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He
came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the
right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me
is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through
Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only
begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him,
“Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you
say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am
‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you
baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not
know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to
loose.”
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before
me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I
came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained
upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you
see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I
have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
The First Disciples
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he
said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them
following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him
that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He
first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the
Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.You shall be called Cephas”
(which is translated, A Stone).
Philip and Nathanael
43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him,
“We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son
of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
deceit!”
48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe?
You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter
you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
2 Peter 3
God’s Promise Is Not Slack
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,[a] 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.
The Day of the Lord
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a
great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be
burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness
dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without
spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved
brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and
unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own
steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
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