Study Desk

"How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you don't obey the really important teachings of the law—justice, mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things.

You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel!

"How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, but inside they are full of things you got by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine, but inside, they are full of the bones of dead people and all kinds of unclean things.

It is the same with you. People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil.

But you give proof that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone to death those who are sent to you. Many times I wanted to gather your people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you did not let me.

You will hear about wars and stories of wars that are coming, but don't be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes.

But those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.

God has decided to make that terrible time short. Otherwise, no one would go on living. But God will make that time short to help the people he has chosen.

At that time, someone might say to you, ‘Look, there is the Christ!' Or another person might say, ‘There he is!' But don't believe them.

Earth and sky will be destroyed, but the words I have said will never be destroyed.

But suppose that evil servant thinks to himself, ‘My master will not come back soon,'

The five foolish bridesmaids took their lamps, but they did not take more oil for the lamps to burn.

But the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

But the bridegroom answered, ‘I tell you the truth, I don't want to know you.'

But the servant who got one bag went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money.

Those who have much will get more, and they will have much more than they need. But those who do not have much will have everything taken away from them.'

"These people will go off to be punished forever, but the good people will go to live forever."

But they said, "We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot."