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English Standard Version

1Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

2So he told them, "Whenever you pray you are to say, 'Father, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come.

2And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

3Keep giving us every day our daily bread,

3Give us each day our daily bread,

4and forgive us our sins, as we forgive everyone who sins against us. And never bring us into temptation.'"

4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

5Then he told them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.

5And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

6A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don't have anything to serve him.'

6for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

7Suppose he answers from inside, 'Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom. I can't get up and give you anything!'

7and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?

8I tell you, even though that man doesn't want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

9So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you,

9And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened.

10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

11What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish?

11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;

12Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion?

12or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!"

13If you then, who 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!”

14Jesus was driving a demon out of a man who was unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.

14Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.

15But some of them said, "He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons."

15But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,”

16Others, wanting to test Jesus, kept asking him for a sign from heaven.

16while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.

17Since he knew what they were thinking, he told them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is devastated, and a divided household collapses.

17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.

18Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.

18And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

19If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers drive them out? That is why they will be your judges!

19And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20But if I drive out demons by the power of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

20But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe.

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;

22But when a stronger man than he attacks and defeats him, the stronger man strips off that man's armor in which he trusted and then divides his plunder.

22but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.

23"The person who isn't with me is against me, and the person who doesn't gather with me scatters."

23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

24"Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest but doesn't find any. So it says, 'I will go back to my home that I left.'

24“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’

25When it gets back home, it finds it swept clean and put in order.

25And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.

26Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person is worse than the first."

26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

27As Jesus was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and told him, "How blessed is the womb that gave birth to you and the breasts that nursed you!"

27As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

28But he said, "Instead, how blessed are those who hear God's word and obey it!"

28But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

29Now as the crowds continued to throng around Jesus, he went on to say, "This people living today are an evil generation. It craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah,

29When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

30because 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 became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

31The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, something greater than Solomon is here!

31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, something greater than Jonah is here!"

32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

33"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hiding place or under a basket, but on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see its light.

33“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter 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's evil, your body is full of darkness.

34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.

35Therefore, be careful that the light in you isn't darkness.

35Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.

36Now if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays."

36If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

37After Jesus had said this, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. So Jesus went and took his place at the table.

37While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table.

38The Pharisee was surprised to see that he didn't first wash before the meal.

38The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.

39But the Lord told him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but on the inside you are full of greed and evil.

39And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

40You fools! The one who made the outside made the inside, too, didn't he?

40You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?

41So give what is inside to the poor, and then everything will be clean for you.

41But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

42"How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, spices, and every kind of herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.

42“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

43How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You love to have the places of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplaces.

43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44How terrible it will be for you! You are like unmarked graves—people walk on them without realizing it."

44Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

45Then one of the experts in the Law told him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us, too."

45One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.”

46Jesus said, "How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law, too! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you don't even lift a finger to ease those burdens.

46And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

47How terrible it will be for you! You build monuments for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them!

47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

48So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed those for whom you are building monuments.

48So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.

49That is why the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles. They will kill some of them and persecute others,'

49Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

50so those living today will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that was shed since the foundation of the world,

50so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation,

51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who died 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 perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

52How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in."

52Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53As Jesus was leaving, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely, interrogating him about many things.

53As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things,

54They watched him closely in an effort to trap him in something he might say.

54lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.