and sent them to Jesus<n id="1" /> to ask,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Are you the one who is to come,<n id="3" /> or should we look for another?&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">One<n id="1" /> day Jesus<n id="2" /> got into a boat<n id="3" /> with his disciples and said to them, &#8220;Let&#8217;s go across to the other side of the lake.&#8221; So<n id="4" /> they set out,

Then<n id="1" /> all the people of the Gerasenes<n id="2" /> and the surrounding region<n id="3" /> asked Jesus<n id="4" /> to leave them alone,<n id="5" /> for they were seized with great fear.<n id="6" /> So<n id="7" /> he got into the boat and left.<n id="8" />

saying, &#8220;The Son of Man must suffer<n id="1" /> many things and be rejected by the elders,<n id="2" /> chief priests, and experts in the law,<n id="3" /> and be killed, and on the third day be raised.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

For whoever is ashamed<n id="1" /> of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person<n id="2" /> when he comes in his glory and in the glory<n id="3" /> of the Father and of the holy angels.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> Jesus<n id="2" /> was praying in a certain place. When<n id="3" /> he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, &#8220;Lord, teach us to pray, just as John<n id="4" /> taught<n id="5" /> his disciples.&#8221;

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so<n id="1" /> the last state of that person<n id="2" /> is worse than the first.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">As<n id="1" /> the crowds were increasing, Jesus<n id="2" /> began to say, &#8220;This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign,<n id="3" /> but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.<n id="4" />

But Jesus<n id="1" /> replied,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Woe to you experts in religious law as well!<n id="3" /> You load people<n id="4" /> down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch<n id="5" /> the burdens with even one of your fingers!

So then<n id="1" /> whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered<n id="2" /> in private rooms<n id="3" /> will be proclaimed from the housetops.<n id="4" />p>

Then<n id="1" /> he said to them, &#8220;Watch out and guard yourself from<n id="2" /> all types of greed,<n id="3" /> because one&#8217;s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.&#8221;

Consider the ravens:<n id="1" /> They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds<n id="2" /> them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two,<n id="1" /> and assign him a place with the unfaithful.<n id="2" />

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth<n id="1" /> when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,<n id="2" /> and all the prophets in the kingdom of God<n id="3" /> but you yourselves thrown out.<n id="4" />

But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host<n id="1" /> approaches he will say to you, &#8216;Friend, move up here to a better place.&#8217;<n id="2" /> Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.

Then<n id="1" /> his son said to him, &#8216;Father, I have sinned against heaven<n id="2" /> and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.&#8217;<n id="3" />

but he answered<n id="1" /> his father, &#8216;Look! These many years I have worked like a slave<n id="2" /> for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet<n id="3" /> you never gave me even a goat<n id="4" /> so that I could celebrate with my friends!

But<n id="1" /> Jesus<n id="2" /> said to them, &#8220;You are the ones who justify yourselves in men&#8217;s eyes,<n id="3" /> but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized<n id="4" /> among men is utterly detestable<n id="5" /> in God&#8217;s sight.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now at one point<n id="1" /> the Pharisees<n id="2" /> asked Jesus<n id="3" /> when the kingdom of God<n id="4" /> was coming, so he answered, &#8220;The kingdom of God is not coming with signs<n id="5" /> to be observed,

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this:<n id="1" /> &#8216;God, I thank<n id="2" /> you that I am not like other people:<n id="3" /> extortionists,<n id="4" /> unrighteous people,<n id="5" /> adulterers &#8211; or even like this tax collector.<n id="6" />