Study Desk

"Woe to you when all the people speak well of you and praise you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

"But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you,

bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

"If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

"If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

"But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

"Do not judge [others self-righteously], and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change].

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return."

"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.

"For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit. For figs are not picked from thorn bushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a briar bush.

"The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.

When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly [to come], saying, "He is worthy for You to do this for him,

And Jesus went with them. But when He was near the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof.

"For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When the Lord saw her, He felt [great] compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep."

Fear and profound awe gripped them all, and they began glorifying and honoring and praising God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people [to help and care for and provide for them]!"

John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?"

So the men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, 'Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?'"

"But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing [entirely unsuited for the harsh wilderness]? Those who wear splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces!

But the Pharisees and the lawyers [who were experts in the Mosaic Law] annulled and set aside God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.