| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." | 1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." |
| 2So he said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come. | 2He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. |
| 3Give us each day our daily bread, | 3Give us each day our daily bread. |
| 4and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation." | 4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'" |
| 5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, | 5Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; |
| 6because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' | 6a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' |
| 7Then he will reply from inside, 'Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.' | 7And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' |
| 8I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man's sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. | 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. |
| 9"So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. | 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. |
| 10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. | 10For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. |
| 11What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? | 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? |
| 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? | 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? |
| 13If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" | 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" |
| 14Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed. | 14Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. |
| 15But some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, he casts out demons." | 15But some of them said, "By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." |
| 16Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven. | 16Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. |
| 17But Jesus, realizing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls. | 17Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. |
| 18So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. | 18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. |
| 19Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. | 19Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. |
| 20But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. | 20But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. |
| 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. | 21"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. |
| 22But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man's armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder. | 22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. |
| 23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. | 23"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. |
| 24"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' | 24"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' |
| 25When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. | 25When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. |
| 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first." | 26Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first." |
| 27As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!" | 27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." |
| 28But he replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!" | 28He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." |
| 29As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. | 29As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. |
| 30For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation. | 30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. |
| 31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon--and now, something greater than Solomon is here! | 31The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. |
| 32The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them--and now, something greater than Jonah is here! | 32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here. |
| 33"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. | 33"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. |
| 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased, your body is full of darkness. | 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. |
| 35Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness. | 35See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. |
| 36If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you." | 36Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you." |
| 37As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. | 37When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. |
| 38The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal. | 38But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. |
| 39But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. | 39Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. |
| 40You fools! Didn't the one who made the outside make the inside as well? | 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? |
| 41But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you. | 41But now as for what is inside you--be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. |
| 42"But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and every herb, yet you neglect justice and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others. | 42"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. |
| 43Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces! | 43"Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. |
| 44Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it!" | 44"Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it." |
| 45One of the experts in religious law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too." | 45One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also." |
| 46But Jesus replied, "Woe to you experts in religious law as well! You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers! | 46Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. |
| 47Woe to you! You build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. | 47"Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. |
| 48So you testify that you approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed the prophets and you build their tombs! | 48So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. |
| 49For this reason also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' | 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' |
| 50so that this generation may be held accountable for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, | 50Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, |
| 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. | 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. |
| 52Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in." | 52"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." |
| 53When he went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, and to ask him hostile questions about many things, | 53When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, |
| 54plotting against him, to catch him in something he might say. | 54waiting to catch him in something he might say. |
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