It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.”

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give the pay starting with the last hired until the first.’

Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.

“But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.

“Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?

Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

The herdsmen ran off, went into the town, and told everything that had happened to the demon-possessed men.

Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question:

Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.