Study Desk

"Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye?

Good people bring good things out of the good they stored in their hearts. But evil people bring evil things out of the evil they stored in their hearts. People speak the things that are in their hearts.

"Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,' but do not do what I say?

That person is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the floods came, the water tried to wash the house away, but it could not shake it, because the house was built well.

But the one who hears my words and does not obey is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. When the floods came, the house quickly fell and was completely destroyed."

That is why I did not come to you myself. But you only need to command it, and my servant will be healed.

But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet.

I tell you, John is greater than any other person ever born, but even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John."

But the Pharisees and experts on the law refused to accept God's plan for themselves; they did not let John baptize them.)

They are like children sitting in the marketplace, calling to one another and saying, ‘We played music for you, but you did not dance; we sang a sad song, but you did not cry.'

But wisdom is proved to be right by what it does."

They had no money to pay what they owed, but the banker told both of them they did not have to pay him. Which person will love the banker more?"

Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

You gave me no kiss of greeting, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in.

You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet.

I tell you that her many sins are forgiven, so she showed great love. But the person who is forgiven only a little will love only a little."

Some seed fell among thorny weeds, but the weeds grew up with it and choked the good plants.

Jesus said, "You have been chosen to know the secrets about the kingdom of God. But I use stories to speak to other people so that: ‘They will look, but they may not see. They will listen, but they may not understand.' Isaiah 6:9

The seed that fell beside the road is like the people who hear God's teaching, but the devil comes and takes it away from them so they cannot believe it and be saved.

The seed that fell on rock is like those who hear God's teaching and accept it gladly, but they don't allow the teaching to go deep into their lives. They believe for a while, but when trouble comes, they give up.