Day 276: Matthew 10 - 12
Bible in a year reading for day 276.
Matthew 10
- 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
- 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
- 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
- 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
- 26 So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
- 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
- 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
- 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
- 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- 32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
- 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
- 34 Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
- 35 For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
- 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
- 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- 38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
- 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- 40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
- 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
- 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
Matthew 11
- 1 After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
- 2 Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples
- 3 to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
- 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
- 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
- 6 Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
- 7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
- 8 Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.
- 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- 10 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
- 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
- 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.
- 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
- 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
- 15 He who has ears, let him hear.
- 16 To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
- 17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
- 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’
- 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
- 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
- 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
- 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
- 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
- 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- 26 Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
- 27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
- 28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 12
- 1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
- 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
- 3 Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
- 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.
- 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?
- 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
- 7 If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
- 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
- 9 Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,
- 10 and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
- 11 He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
- 12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
- 13 Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.
- 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
- 15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,
- 16 warning them not to make Him known.
- 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
- 18 “Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.
- 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.
- 20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.
- 21 In His name the nations will put their hope.”
- 22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.
- 23 The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”
- 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
- 25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
- 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
- 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
- 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- 29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
- 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
- 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.