Matthew

The lineage of Jesus Christ is traced from Abraham to Joseph, his earthly father, listing 42 generations. Jesus' mother Mary was found to be pregnant with him by the Holy Spirit while she was betrothed to Joseph. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to accept Mary as his wife and name the child Jesus, as he would save his people from their sins. Joseph obeyed the angel's instructions and accepted Mary as his wife, but did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus' birth.

Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem seeking the newborn king of the Jews, having seen his star in the east. King Herod, disturbed by the news, consulted with the leaders of the priests and scribes, who told him the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. The Magi found Jesus, adored him, and offered gifts, but were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. Herod, realizing he had been fooled, ordered the killing of all boys in Bethlehem under two years old, fulfilling a prophecy by Jeremiah. After Herod's death, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel, but he was warned in a dream to avoid Judea and instead settled in Nazareth.

John the Baptist preached in the desert of Judea, calling people to repent and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Many people, including Pharisees and Sadducees, came to be baptized by him, but he warned them to produce fruit worthy of repentance and not rely on their heritage. Jesus came to be baptized by John, who initially refused, but Jesus insisted, saying it was necessary to fulfill all justice. After Jesus' baptism, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended on him, and a voice from heaven declared him to be God's beloved Son.

Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, where he fasted for 40 days and nights before being tempted three times by Satan, each time resisting with scripture. After the devil left, angels ministered to Jesus, and he then withdrew to Galilee upon hearing of John's imprisonment. Jesus began preaching, calling people to repentance as the kingdom of heaven drew near, and recruited his first disciples, including Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who left their nets to follow him. Jesus then traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing the sick, drawing large crowds from surrounding regions.

Jesus teaches his disciples about the characteristics of those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven, including being poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and peacemakers. He also teaches that his followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and that they should let their good works shine for all to see. Jesus then explains that he has come to fulfill the law, not to loosen it, and that his followers must surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the kingdom of heaven. He goes on to reinterpret several commandments, including those against murder, adultery, and swearing oaths, and teaches that his followers should love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.

When performing righteous acts, do this in secret, without seeking recognition from others, so that God may reward you. When praying, do so in private and use simple words, as God already knows your needs. The Lord's Prayer is given as a model for prayer, emphasizing forgiveness and God's will. Fasting should also be done discreetly, without seeking to appear pious to others. One's heart is where their treasure is, and one cannot serve both God and wealth. Do not be anxious about material needs, as God will provide, and instead seek the kingdom of God and his justice.

Jesus teaches that one should not judge others, as they will be judged by the same standard, and that one should first correct their own faults before trying to correct others. He also teaches that one should ask, seek, and knock, and that God will provide good things to those who ask. Jesus emphasizes the importance of treating others with kindness and respect, and warns against false prophets who can be identified by their evil deeds. He also teaches that not everyone who claims to follow him will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of God. Jesus concludes by comparing those who hear and obey his teachings to a wise man who builds his house on a rock, while those who do not obey are like a foolish man who builds his house on sand.

Jesus healed a leper, instructing him to show himself to the priest as a testimony. A centurion asked Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant, and Jesus, impressed by the centurion's faith, healed the servant without visiting him. Jesus then healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others who were brought to him, fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah. He later calmed a storm on the sea, and upon arriving in the region of the Gerasenes, he cast out demons from two men, allowing them to enter a herd of swine that subsequently died in the sea.

Jesus healed a paralytic, forgiving his sins and demonstrating his authority to do so by telling the man to rise and walk. He then called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him and ate with tax collectors and sinners, explaining that he came to call sinners, not the just. Jesus also taught that his disciples would fast when he was taken away from them and that new teachings require new vessels. He healed a woman with a flow of blood and raised a ruler's daughter from the dead, and later healed two blind men and a mute man possessed by a demon. Jesus then traveled throughout the cities and towns, teaching, preaching, and healing, and instructed his disciples to pray for laborers to be sent out to the harvest.

Jesus gives his twelve apostles authority over unclean spirits and instructs them to preach that the kingdom of heaven has drawn near, curing the infirm, raising the dead, and casting out demons. He tells them not to take gold, silver, or provisions, but to rely on the kindness of those they meet, and to shake off the dust from their feet if they are not received. Jesus warns them that they will be persecuted, handed over to councils, and scourged, but that the Spirit of their Father will speak through them. He also teaches that whoever acknowledges him before men will be acknowledged before God, but whoever denies him will be denied.

Jesus finished instructing his disciples and went to preach in their cities, while John the Baptist, in prison, sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come. Jesus replied by pointing to the miracles he had performed and told them to report back to John. Jesus then spoke to the crowds about John, calling him the greatest of those born of women, but also saying that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. Jesus rebuked the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for not repenting despite the miracles performed there, saying they would be judged more harshly than Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. Jesus then praised his Father for revealing the truth to the humble and invited all who labor and are burdened to come to him for rest.

Jesus and his disciples were criticized by the Pharisees for picking grain on the Sabbath, but Jesus defended their actions by referencing David's actions and stating that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus then healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, further angering the Pharisees. He also healed a blind and mute man possessed by a demon, but the Pharisees accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus responded by saying that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand and that he casts out demons by the Spirit of God. He warned that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven and that people will be judged by their words. The Pharisees asked for a sign, but Jesus said that the only sign they would receive is the sign of Jonah, referring to his future resurrection. Jesus also taught that an unclean spirit can return to a person if they are not filled with good, and he redefined his family as those who do the will of his Father in heaven.

Jesus sat by the sea and spoke to a large crowd in parables, including the parable of the sower, where seed falls on different types of soil, representing how people respond to God's message. He explained the parable to his disciples, saying that those who hear and understand the message will produce fruit, while those who do not will lose what they have. Jesus also told parables about the kingdom of heaven being like a field with weeds, a mustard seed, and leaven, and explained the parable of the weeds to his disciples, saying that the Son of man will separate the good from the bad at the end of the age. He also told parables about a treasure, a pearl, and a net, illustrating the value of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus' teachings were met with amazement and offense in his hometown, where people questioned his authority and wisdom.

Herod the Tetrarch believed Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, as he had previously imprisoned and beheaded John for speaking out against his marriage to his brother's wife. Jesus heard about John's death and withdrew to a deserted place, where he fed a multitude of 5,000 men, plus women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fish. After dismissing the crowds, Jesus compelled his disciples to cross the sea, and he followed them, walking on the water, where he rescued Peter from sinking and calmed the wind. The disciples then adored Jesus as the Son of God, and upon arriving in the land of Genesaret, Jesus healed many who touched the hem of his garment.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for prioritizing tradition over God's commandments, citing their practice of dedicating wealth to God as a way to avoid supporting their parents. He then taught the crowds that true defilement comes from the heart, not from external actions like eating without washing hands. Jesus encountered a Canaanite woman who begged him to heal her demon-possessed daughter, and after testing her faith, he granted her request. Later, Jesus fed a crowd of 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish, leaving seven baskets of leftovers.

Jesus was asked by Pharisees and Sadducees for a sign from heaven, but he refused, saying they could read the signs of nature but not the signs of the times, and that the only sign they would receive was the sign of Jonah. Jesus then warned his disciples to beware of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees, using the metaphor of leaven. He asked his disciples who people thought he was, and Peter identified him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, prompting Jesus to declare that he would build his Church on Peter. Jesus then began to teach his disciples that he would have to suffer and die in Jerusalem, but Peter rebuked him, leading Jesus to rebuke Peter in turn and teach that true followers must deny themselves and take up their cross.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain where he was transfigured before them, and Moses and Elijah appeared, speaking with him. A voice from a cloud declared Jesus as the beloved Son, and the disciples fell to the ground in fear. Jesus touched them and told them not to be afraid, and they saw no one but Jesus. He instructed them not to tell anyone about the vision until he had risen from the dead. Jesus then healed a boy with epilepsy after his disciples were unable to do so, telling them that they needed faith and prayer to cast out the demon. He also predicted his own death and resurrection, which saddened the disciples. In Capernaum, Jesus paid the half shekel tax by instructing Peter to catch a fish with a shekel in its mouth.

Jesus teaches that to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must become like a child, humble and trusting. Whoever accepts a child in Jesus' name accepts him, but leading a child astray will result in severe punishment. Jesus also teaches that it is better to lose a limb or an eye than to sin and be sent to eternal fire. He emphasizes the importance of not despising or losing any of his followers, using the parable of a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find one that has gone astray. Jesus then teaches about correcting a brother who has sinned, and the importance of forgiveness, illustrating this with the parable of a servant who is forgiven a large debt but refuses to forgive a fellow servant a smaller debt.

Jesus left Galilee and entered Judea, where he healed many and was approached by Pharisees who questioned him about divorce, citing Moses' law. Jesus replied that Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of their hearts, but from the beginning, God intended for marriage to be a lifelong union between one man and one woman. He also taught that whoever divorces and remarries, except in cases of adultery, commits adultery. Jesus then blessed children, saying the kingdom of heaven belongs to those like them. A young man asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life, and Jesus told him to keep the commandments and sell his possessions to follow him, but the young man went away sad because he was wealthy. Jesus then told his disciples that it is difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven, but with God, all things are possible.

A father of a family hired workers for his vineyard at different hours of the day, but paid them all the same wage, one denarius, regardless of the time they worked. The workers who were hired first complained, feeling they deserved more, but the father explained that he was being generous to the later workers and had fulfilled his agreement with the earlier ones. Jesus then told his disciples that he would be handed over to the leaders of the priests and scribes, condemned to death, and crucified, but would rise again on the third day. The mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus to grant her sons seats at his right and left hands in his kingdom, but Jesus explained that this was not his to give and that true greatness comes from serving others. Jesus then healed two blind men who cried out to him for pity as he was departing from Jericho.

Jesus sent two disciples to retrieve a donkey and a colt, which they did, and Jesus rode into Jerusalem on them, fulfilling a prophecy. The crowds welcomed him, crying out "Hosanna to the Son of David," but the leaders of the priests and scribes became indignant. Jesus then entered the temple, cast out those selling and buying, and healed the blind and lame. He also cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit and taught his disciples about faith and prayer. The leaders of the priests and elders questioned Jesus' authority, but he responded with a question about the baptism of John, which they could not answer. Jesus then told two parables, one about two sons and another about a vineyard owner whose son was killed by the farmers, to illustrate the leaders' rejection of God's message.

Jesus spoke in parables, comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king's wedding feast, where those initially invited refused to come, and the king's servants gathered others to fill the wedding. However, one guest was cast out for not wearing a wedding garment. The Pharisees then attempted to trap Jesus with questions about paying taxes to Caesar, but he replied that one should render to Caesar what is his and to God what is God's. The Sadducees questioned Jesus about the resurrection, citing a hypothetical scenario about a woman with seven husbands, but Jesus replied that in the resurrection, people will be like angels and not marry. A Pharisee asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, and Jesus replied that it is to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. Finally, Jesus questioned the Pharisees about the Christ, pointing out that if David called him Lord, he could not be his son, leaving them unable to respond.

Jesus denounces the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, saying they preach but do not practice, and they burden others with rules they do not follow themselves. He warns against seeking titles and recognition, and instead emphasizes humility and service. Jesus then condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their corrupt practices, including exploiting widows, making false converts, and prioritizing minor details over justice and mercy. He also criticizes their outward appearance of righteousness while being inwardly corrupt, and warns that they will face judgment for their actions. Jesus laments over Jerusalem's rejection of God's messengers and predicts its downfall.

Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple and warns his disciples of false prophets and the end times. He tells them that before the end, there will be wars, famines, and earthquakes, but these are just the beginning of the sorrows. Many will be led astray, and there will be great tribulation, but those who persevere will be saved. Jesus warns his disciples to be vigilant and prepared for his return, which will be unexpected, like a thief in the night. He uses the parable of the faithful and evil servants to illustrate the importance of being prepared and faithful in the face of his return.

The kingdom of heaven is compared to ten virgins, five of whom were prepared with oil for their lamps and five who were not, resulting in the unprepared being shut out of the wedding. A master gives his servants talents to use while he is away, and upon his return, he rewards those who have used their talents wisely and punishes the one who did not. When the Son of man returns in his majesty, he will separate the nations, rewarding those who have helped the least of his brothers and punishing those who have not.

Jesus told his disciples that he would be handed over to be crucified after the Passover, and the leaders of the priests and elders plotted to capture and kill him. A woman anointed Jesus with precious ointment, which he said was preparation for his burial. Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus and his disciples observed the Passover, during which Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, saying that the bread and wine represented his body and blood. Jesus predicted that one of his disciples would betray him and that they would all fall away from him. He was then arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and his disciples fled. Jesus was taken to the high priest Caiaphas, where he was falsely accused and sentenced to death. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, as Jesus had predicted.

The leaders of the priests and elders took counsel against Jesus and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, who questioned him about being the King of the Jews. Jesus was then accused by the leaders of the priests and elders, but he responded nothing. Pilate offered to release either Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner, and the crowd chose Barabbas. Jesus was then scourged and handed over to be crucified. He was mocked by the soldiers, and as he was led away, he was forced to carry his cross, with the help of Simon of Cyrene. Jesus was crucified between two robbers, and as he hung on the cross, he was mocked by the leaders of the priests and the people. After his death, the veil of the temple was torn, and the earth was shaken. Jesus' body was then taken by Joseph of Arimathea and placed in a new tomb. The leaders of the priests and Pharisees later asked Pilate to have the sepulcher guarded to prevent Jesus' disciples from stealing his body and claiming he had risen from the dead.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visited Jesus' tomb on the first Sabbath, where an angel appeared, rolled back the stone, and announced Jesus' resurrection. The angel instructed the women to tell Jesus' disciples that he had risen and would meet them in Galilee. The women encountered Jesus on their way and worshipped him, and he repeated the angel's instructions. The guards at the tomb were bribed by the leaders of the priests to spread a false story that Jesus' disciples had stolen his body. Jesus later met with the eleven disciples in Galilee, where he gave them authority to teach and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.