(The ripe fruit you greatly desired has gone from you, and all your luxury and splendor have gone from you – they will never ever be found again!)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.

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

And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan River.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

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

Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’

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

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

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,

“Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.

And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

No one was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.

Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.

So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.

For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Now when Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable.