Luke — Chapter 11

1One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

3Give us each day our daily bread.

4And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

5Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’

7And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Do not bother me. My door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’

8I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?

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 your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

14One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,

15but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

16And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.

17Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.

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

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

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

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.

22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.

23He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

24When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

25On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.”

27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!”

28But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

29As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

31The Queen of the South will rise 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 now One greater than Solomon is here.

32The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

33No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a basket. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light.

34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness.

35Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

36So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.”

37As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.

38But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

39Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

40You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well?

41But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

42Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.

44Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”

45One of the experts in the law told Him, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us as well.”

46“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.

47Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them.

48So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

49Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’

50As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,

51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

52Woe to you experts in the law! For you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

53As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,

54waiting to catch Him in something He might say.

1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3Give us day by day our daily bread.

4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

14And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

15But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

16And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

18If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

19And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

20But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

29And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

31The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

33No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

34The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

36If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

37And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

38And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

39And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

40Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

42But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

43Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

45Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

46And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

47Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

50That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

51From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

54Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

1And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples.

2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.

3Give us day by day our daily bread.

4And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation.

5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;

7and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee?

8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth.

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent?

12Or [if] he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

14And he was casting out a demon [that was] dumb. And it came to pass, when the demon was gone out, the dumb man spake; and the multitudes marvelled.

15But some of them said, By Beelzebub the prince of the demons casteth he out demons.

16And others, trying [him], sought of him a sign from heaven.

17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth.

18And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

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

21When the strong [man] fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in peace:

22but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him his whole armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

24The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house whence I came out.

25And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26Then goeth he, and taketh [to him] seven other spirits more evil than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first.

27And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck.

28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

29And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

30For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

31The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

33No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light.

34The lamp of thy body is thine eye: when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when it is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

35Look therefore whether the light that is in thee be not darkness.

36If therefore thy whole body be full of light, having no part dark, it shall be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining doth give thee light.

37Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

38And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first bathed himself before dinner.

39And the Lord said unto him, Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

40Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also?

41But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.

42But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

43Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces.

44Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over [them] know it not.

45And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Teacher, in saying this thou reproachest us also.

46And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

47Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48So ye are witnesses and consent unto the works of your fathers: for they killed them, and ye build [their tombs].

49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and [some] of them they shall kill and persecute;

50that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

51from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary: yea, I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation.

52Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

53And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press upon [him] vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things;

54laying wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth.

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

2So he said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come.

3Give us each day our daily bread,

4and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation.’”

5Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’

7Then he will reply from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.’

8I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9“So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

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

11What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?

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

13If you then, although you 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!”

14Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.

15But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, he casts out demons!”

16Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.

17But Jesus, realizing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls.

18So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

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

20But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.

22But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.

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

24“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’

25When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

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

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

29As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

30For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now, something greater than Solomon is here!

32The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them—and now, something greater than Jonah is here!

33“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can 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 is diseased, your body is full of darkness.

35Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness.

36If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

37As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table.

38The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal.

39But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

40You fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well?

41But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you.

42“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and every herb, yet you neglect justice and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.

43Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces!

44Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it!”

45One of the experts in religious law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.”

46But Jesus replied, “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers!

47Woe to you! You build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

48So you testify that you approve of the deeds of your ancestors because they killed the prophets and you build their tombs!

49For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

50so that this generation may be held accountable for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,

51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation.

52Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in.”

53When he went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly and to ask him hostile questions about many things,

54plotting against him to catch him in something he might say.

1When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

2He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

3Give us day by day our daily bread.

4Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

5He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’

7and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’?

8I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

9“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

10For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

12Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he?

13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

14He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

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

16Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.

17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.

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

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

20But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

21“When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

22But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.

23“He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.

24The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’

25When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order.

26Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

27It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”

28But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

29When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.

30For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation.

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

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

33“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light.

34The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.

35Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness.

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

37Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table.

38When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.

39The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

40You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also?

41But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

42But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

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

44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”

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

46He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs.

49Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

50that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

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

52Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”

53As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;

54lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.