Study Desk

"When anyone listens to you my followers, they are really listening to me. But when anyone refuses to accept you, they are really refusing to accept me. And when anyone refuses to accept me, they are refusing to accept the one who sent me."

He is the enemy, but know that I have given you more power than he has. I have given you power to crush his snakes and scorpions under your feet. Nothing will hurt you.

Yes, even the spirits obey you. And you can be happy, not because you have this power, but because your names are written in heaven."

Then the Holy Spirit made Jesus feel very happy. Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children. Yes, Father, you did this because it's what you really wanted to do.

I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you now see, but they could not. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they could not."

But the man wanted to show that the way he was living was right. So he said to Jesus, "But who is my neighbor?"

Next, a Levite came near. He saw the hurt man, but he went around him. He would not stop to help him either. He just walked away.

But her sister Martha was busy doing all the work that had to be done. Martha went in and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are getting worried and upset about too many things.

Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you went to your friend's house very late at night and said to him, ‘A friend of mine has come into town to visit me. But I have nothing for him to eat. Please give me three loaves of bread.'

I tell you, maybe friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you the bread. But he will surely get up to give you what you need if you continue to ask.

But some of the people said, "He uses the power of Satan to force demons out of people. Satan is the ruler of demons."

But he knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, "Every kingdom that fights against itself will be destroyed. And a family that fights against itself will break apart.

But if I use Satan's power to force out demons, then what power do your people use when they force out demons? So your own people will prove that you are wrong.

But I use the power of God to force out demons. This shows that God's kingdom has now come to you.

But suppose a stronger man comes and defeats him. The stronger man will take away the weapons that the first man trusted to keep his house safe. Then the stronger man will do what he wants with the other man's things.

"When an evil spirit comes out of someone, it travels through dry places, looking for a place to rest. But it finds no place to rest. So it says, ‘I will go back to the home I left.'

But Jesus said, "The people who hear the teaching of God and obey it—they are the ones who have God's blessing."

The crowd grew larger and larger. Jesus said, "The people who live today are evil. They ask for a miracle as a sign from God. But no miracle will be done to prove anything to them. The only sign will be the miracle that happened to Jonah.

"On the judgment day, you people who live now will be compared with the queen of the South, and she will be a witness who shows how guilty you are. Why do I say this? Because she traveled from far, far away to listen to Solomon's wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is right here, but you won't listen!