Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath
6 1 One Sabbath, Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples were plucking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 Some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"
3 Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he and those with him were hungry 4 —how he entered the house of our Father, took the bread of the Presence, and ate it, and gave some to those with him, though it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat it?" 5 Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
6 On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and stand here." So the man got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 After looking around at them all, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and began discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.
The Twelve Apostles Chosen
12 In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to our Father. 13 When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
The Father's Power Heals the Crowds
17 Then he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a vast multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those troubled by unclean spirits were cured. 19 And the whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.
20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of our Father. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for your reward is great in heaven; for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies
27 But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other also; and if someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and from one who takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those you expect to pay you back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Do Not Judge
37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure — pressed down, shaken together, running over — will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
39 He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' while you yourself do not see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Known by Your Fruit
43 For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs from thornbushes, nor pick grapes from a bramble. 45 The good person brings good out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil person brings evil out of his evil treasure; for the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart.
Build on the Rock
46 Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and acts on them — I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When a flood came, the torrent burst against that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not act on them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the torrent burst against it, it collapsed at once, and the ruin of that house was great."