Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“ ‘Father,11:2 Some manuscripts Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.11:2 Some manuscripts come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.11:4 Greek everyone who is indebted to us
And lead us not into temptation.11:4 Some manuscripts temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’ ”
5Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity11:8 Or yet to preserve his good name he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
9“So I say to 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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for11:11 Some manuscripts for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you 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!”
Jesus and Beelzebul
14Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers 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.
21“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
The Sign of Jonah
29As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
The Lamp of the Body
33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous. your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy. your body also is full of darkness. 35See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law
37When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50Therefore this generation will be held responsible 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, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
53When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54waiting to catch him in something he might say.
Yesu Afundisha Wanafunzi Wake Kuomba
(Mathayo 6:9-13; 7:7-11)
111:1 Lk 3:21; Yn 13:13Siku moja, Yesu alikuwa mahali fulani akiomba. Alipomaliza kuomba, mmoja wa wanafunzi wake akamwambia, “Bwana, tufundishe kuomba, kama vile Yohana alivyowafundisha wanafunzi wake.”
211:2 Mt 3:211:2 Mt 6:9-13Akawaambia, “Mnapoomba, semeni:
“ ‘Baba yetu (uliye mbinguni),
jina lako litukuzwe,
ufalme wako uje.
(Mapenzi yako yafanyike
hapa duniani kama huko mbinguni.)
3Utupatie kila siku riziki yetu.
411:4 Mt 18:35; Mk 11:25; Mt 26:41; Yak 1:13Utusamehe dhambi zetu,
kwa kuwa na sisi huwasamehe wote wanaotukosea.
Wala usitutie majaribuni
(bali utuokoe kutoka kwa yule mwovu).’ ”
5Kisha akawaambia, “Ni nani miongoni mwenu mwenye rafiki yake, naye akamwendea usiku wa manane na kumwambia, ‘Rafiki, nikopeshe mikate mitatu. 6Kwa sababu rafiki yangu amekuja kutoka safarini, nami sina kitu cha kumpa.’
711:7 Mt 26:10“Kisha yule aliyeko ndani amjibu, ‘Usinisumbue. Mlango umefungwa, nami na watoto wangu tumelala. Siwezi kuamka nikupe chochote.’ 811:8 Lk 18:1-6Nawaambia, ingawa huyo mtu hataamka na kumpa hiyo mikate kwa sababu ni rafiki yake, lakini kwa sababu ya kuendelea kwake kuomba, ataamka na kumpa kiasi anachohitaji.
911:9 Mt 7:711:9 Mt 7:7-11“Kwa hiyo nawaambia: Ombeni nanyi mtapewa; tafuteni nanyi mtapata; bisheni nanyi mtafunguliwa mlango. 10Kwa kuwa kila aombaye hupewa; naye kila atafutaye hupata; na kila abishaye hufunguliwa mlango.
11“Je, kuna yeyote miongoni mwenu ambaye mtoto wake akimwomba samaki, atampa nyoka badala yake? 12Au mtoto akimwomba yai atampa nge? 13Basi ikiwa ninyi mlio waovu, mnajua kuwapa watoto wenu vitu vizuri, si zaidi sana Baba yenu aliye mbinguni atawapa Roho Mtakatifu wale wamwombao!”
Yesu Na Beelzebuli
(Mathayo 12:22-30; Marko 3:20-27)
1411:14 Mt 9:32-3311:14 Mt 12:22Basi Yesu alikuwa anamtoa pepo mchafu kutoka kwa mtu aliyekuwa bubu. Yule pepo mchafu alipomtoka yule mtu aliyekuwa bubu, akaanza kuongea, nao umati wa watu ukashangaa. 1511:15 Mk 3:22; Mt 9:34Lakini wengine wakasema, “Anatoa pepo wachafu kwa uwezo wa Beelzebuli,11:15 Beelzebubu au Beelzebuli; ni mkuu wa pepo wachafu; pia 18, 19. yule mkuu wa pepo wachafu wote.” 1611:16 Mt 12:38Wengine ili kumjaribu wakataka awaonyeshe ishara kutoka mbinguni.
1711:17 Mt 9:34Yesu akajua mawazo yao, naye akawaambia, “Kila ufalme ukigawanyika dhidi yake wenyewe huangamia. Nayo nyumba iliyogawanyika dhidi yake yenyewe itaanguka. 1811:18 Mt 4:10Kama Shetani amegawanyika mwenyewe, ufalme wake utasimamaje? Nawaambia haya kwa sababu ninyi mnadai ya kuwa mimi ninatoa pepo wachafu kwa uwezo wa Beelzebuli. 1911:19 Mk 11:24; Yn 15:7; Yak 1:6; Yn 3:32; Mt 7:7Kama mimi natoa pepo wachafu kwa nguvu za Beelzebuli, wafuasi wenu nao je, wao hutoa pepo wachafu kwa uwezo wa nani? Hivyo basi, wao ndio watakaowahukumu. 2011:20 Kut 8:19; Mt 3:2Lakini kama mimi ninatoa pepo wachafu kwa kidole cha Mungu, basi Ufalme wa Mungu umewajia.
2111:21 Mt 12:29; Mk 3:17“Mtu mwenye nguvu aliyejifunga silaha anapoilinda nyumba yake, mali yake iko salama. 2211:22 Isa 53:12; Kol 2:15Lakini mtu mwenye nguvu zaidi kumliko akimshambulia na kumshinda, yeye humnyangʼanya silaha zake zote alizozitegemea, na kuchukua nyara.
2311:23 Mt 12:30; Mk 9:40“Mtu asiyekuwa pamoja nami yu kinyume nami, na mtu ambaye hakusanyi pamoja nami, hutawanya.
Kurudi Kwa Pepo Mchafu
(Mathayo 12:43-45)
2411:24 Mt 12:43“Pepo mchafu amtokapo mtu, hutangatanga katika sehemu zisizo na maji akitafuta mahali pa kupumzika, lakini hapati. Ndipo husema, ‘Nitarudi kwenye nyumba yangu nilikotoka.’ 25Naye arudipo na kuikuta ile nyumba imefagiliwa na kupangwa vizuri, 2611:26 2Pet 2:20ndipo huenda na kuchukua pepo wachafu wengine saba wabaya kuliko yeye mwenyewe, nao huingia na kukaa humo. Nayo hali ya mwisho ya yule mtu huwa ni mbaya kuliko ile ya kwanza.”
2711:27 Lk 23:29Ikawa Yesu alipokuwa akisema hayo, mwanamke mmoja katikati ya ule umati wa watu akapaza sauti akasema, “Limebarikiwa tumbo lililokuzaa na matiti uliyonyonya!”
2811:28 Ebr 4:12; Mit 8:32; Yn 14:21Yesu akajibu, “Wamebarikiwa zaidi wale wanaolisikia neno la Mungu na kulitii.”
Ishara Ya Yona
(Mathayo 12:38-42)
2911:29 Mt 12:38; Yn 1:17; Mt 16:4Umati wa watu ulipokuwa unazidi kuongezeka, Yesu akaendelea kusema, “Hiki ni kizazi kiovu. Kinatafuta ishara, lakini hakitapewa ishara yoyote isipokuwa ile ya Yona. 3011:30 Yn 1:17; 2:10Kwa maana kama vile Yona alivyokuwa ishara kwa watu wa Ninawi, ndivyo Mwana wa Adamu atakavyokuwa ishara kwa kizazi hiki. 3111:31 1Fal 10:1; 2Nya 9:1Malkia wa Kusini atasimama wakati wa hukumu na kuwahukumu watu wa kizazi hiki. Kwa kuwa yeye alikuja kutoka miisho ya dunia ili kuisikiliza hekima ya Solomoni. Na hapa yupo aliye mkuu kuliko Solomoni. 3211:32 Yon 3:5Siku ya hukumu, watu wa Ninawi watasimama pamoja na kizazi hiki na kukihukumu; kwa maana wao walitubu waliposikia mahubiri ya Yona. Na tazama, hapa yupo yeye aliye mkuu kuliko Yona.
Taa Ya Mwili
(Mathayo 5:15; 6:22-23)
3311:33 Mt 5:15; Mk 4:21“Hakuna mtu yeyote awashaye taa na kuiweka mahali palipofichika au kuifunikia chini ya bakuli. Badala yake huiweka juu ya kinara chake, ili watu wote wanaoingia waone nuru. 3411:34 Mt 6:22; 2711:34 Mt 6:22; 23Jicho lako ni taa ya mwili wako. Kama jicho lako ni zima, mwili wako wote pia umejaa nuru. Lakini kama jicho ni bovu, mwili wako wote pia umejaa giza. 35Kwa hiyo, hakikisha kwamba nuru iliyoko ndani yako isiwe giza. 36Basi ikiwa mwili wako wote umejaa nuru, bila sehemu yake yoyote kuwa gizani, basi utakuwa na nuru kama vile taa ikuangazavyo kwa nuru yake.”
Yesu Awashutumu Mafarisayo Na Wanasheria
(Mathayo 23:1-36; Marko 12:38-40)
3711:37 Lk 7:36; 14:1Yesu alipomaliza kuzungumza, Farisayo mmoja alimwalika nyumbani mwake kwa chakula. Yesu akaingia na kuketi katika sehemu yake mezani. 3811:38 Mk 7:3-4Yule Farisayo akashangaa kwamba Yesu hakunawa kwanza kabla ya kula.
3911:39 Lk 7:13; Mt 23:25-26; Mk 7:20-23Ndipo Bwana akamwambia, “Sasa, enyi Mafarisayo, mnasafisha kikombe na sahani kwa nje, lakini ndani mmejaa unyangʼanyi na uovu. 4011:40 Lk 12:20; 1Kor 15:36Enyi wapumbavu! Hamjui kuwa yeye aliyetengeneza nje ndiye alitengeneza na ndani pia? 4111:41 Lk 12:33; Mdo 10:15Basi toeni sadaka ya vile mlivyo navyo, na tazama, vitu vyote vitakuwa safi kwenu.
4211:42 Lk 18:12; Kum 6:5; Mik 6:8; Mt 23:23“Lakini ole wenu, Mafarisayo, kwa maana mnampa Mungu zaka za mnanaa, mchicha na kila aina ya mboga, lakini mnapuuza haki na upendo wa Mungu. Iliwapasa kufanya haya ya pili bila kupuuza hayo ya kwanza.
4311:43 Mt 23:6-7; Mk 12:38-39“Ole wenu Mafarisayo, kwa sababu ninyi mnapenda kukalia viti vya mbele katika masinagogi, na kusalimiwa kwa heshima masokoni.
4411:44 Mt 23:27-35“Ole wenu, kwa sababu ninyi ni kama makaburi yasiyokuwa na alama, ambayo watu huyakanyaga pasipo kujua.”
4511:45 Mt 22:35Mtaalamu mmoja wa sheria akamjibu, akasema, “Mwalimu, unaposema mambo haya, unatutukana na sisi pia.”
4611:46 Mt 23:4Yesu akamjibu, “Nanyi wataalamu wa sheria, ole wenu, kwa sababu mnawatwika watu mizigo mizito ambayo hawawezi kubeba, wala ninyi wenyewe hamwinui hata kidole kimoja kuwasaidia.
4711:47 Mt 23:29“Ole wenu, kwa sababu ninyi mnajenga makaburi ya manabii waliouawa na baba zenu. 4811:48 Mt 23:29-32; Mdo 7:51-53Hivyo ninyi mwashuhudia na mnathibitisha kile baba zenu walichofanya. Wao waliwaua manabii, nanyi mnawajengea makaburi. 4911:49 1Kor 1:24; Kol 2:3Kwa sababu ya jambo hili, Mungu katika hekima yake alisema, ‘Tazama, nitatuma kwao manabii na mitume, nao watawaua baadhi yao na wengine watawatesa.’ 50Kwa hiyo kizazi hiki kitawajibika kwa ajili ya damu ya manabii iliyomwagwa tangu kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu, 5111:51 Mwa 4:8; 2Nya 24:20-21; Mt 23:35-36tangu damu ya Abeli mpaka damu ya Zekaria, aliyeuawa kati ya madhabahu na mahali patakatifu. Naam, nawaambia, kizazi hiki kitawajibika kwa haya yote.
5211:52 Mt 23:13“Ole wenu ninyi wataalamu wa sheria, kwa sababu mmeuondoa ufunguo wa maarifa. Ninyi wenyewe hamkuingia, na wale waliokuwa wanaingia mkawazuia.”
53Yesu alipoondoka huko, walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo wakaanza kumpinga vikali na kumsonga kwa maswali, 5411:54 Mt 12:10; Mk 12:13wakivizia kumkamata kwa kitu atakachosema ili wamshtaki.
