Now ¹  Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, ²  and the crowd was pressing around him ³  to hear the word of God.

Immediately ¹  he stood up before them, picked ²  up the stretcher ³  he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying ⁴  God.

Then ¹  astonishment ²  seized them all, and they glorified ³  God. They were filled with awe, ⁴  saying, “We have seen incredible ⁵  things ⁶  today.” ⁷ 

Now ¹  it was during this time that Jesus ²  went out to the mountain ³  to pray, and he spent all night ⁴  in prayer to God. ⁵ 

Then ¹  he looked up ²  at his disciples and said: “Blessed ³  are you who are poor, ⁴  for the kingdom of God belongs ⁵  to you.

I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater ¹  than John. ²  Yet the one who is least ³  in the kingdom of God ⁴  is greater than he is.”

Some time ¹  afterward ²  he went on through towns ³  and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news ⁴  of the kingdom of God. ⁵  The ⁶  twelve were with him,

But he replied ¹  to them, “My mother and my brothers are those ²  who hear the word of God and do it.” ³ 

Then ¹  he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter ²  answered, ³  “The Christ ⁴  of God.”

But I tell you most certainly, ¹  there are some standing here who will not ²  experience ³  death before they see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ 

Then ¹  they were all astonished at the mighty power ²  of God.But while the entire crowd ³  was amazed at everything Jesus ⁴  was doing, he said to his disciples,

But Jesus ¹  said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, ²  but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ³ 

For this reason also the wisdom ¹  of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life ¹  will be demanded back from ²  you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ³ 

And if ¹  this is how God clothes the wild grass, ²  which is here ³  today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, ⁴  how much more ⁵  will he clothe you, you people of little faith!

When ¹  one of those at the meal with Jesus ²  heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone ³  who will feast ⁴  in the kingdom of God!” ⁵ 

“The law and the prophets were in force ¹  until John; ²  since then, ³  the good news of the kingdom of God ⁴  has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. ⁵ 

For ¹  a while he refused, but later on ²  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ³ 

Won’t ¹  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ²  to him day and night? ³  Will he delay ⁴  long to help them?

I tell you the truth, ¹  whoever does not receive ²  the kingdom of God like a child ³  will never ⁴  enter it.”