The First Will Be Last

Gospel of Matthew 19

At the conclusion of this teaching, Jesus withdrew from Galilee, and went into that district of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan. 2 Great crowds followed him, and he cured them there. 3 Presently some Pharisees came up to him, and, to test him, said: “Has a man the right to divorce his wife for every cause?”

4 “Have not you read,” replied Jesus, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 And said: ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife, and the man and his wife shall become one’? 6 So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate.”

7 “Why, then,” they said, “did Moses direct that a man should ‘serve his wife with a notice of separation and divorce her’?” 8 “Moses, owing to the hardness of your hearts,” answered Jesus, “permitted you to divorce your wives, but that was not so at the beginning. 9 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the grounds of her unchastity, and marries another woman, is guilty of adultery.”

10 “If that,” said the disciples, “is the position of a man with regard to his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 “It is not everyone,” replied Jesus, “who can accept this teaching, but only those who have been enabled to do so. 12 Some men, it is true, have from birth been disabled for marriage, while others have been disabled by their fellow men, and others again have disabled themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let those accept it that can.”

13 Then some little children were brought to Jesus, for him to place his hands on them, and pray; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them. 14 Jesus, however, said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 So he placed his hands on them, and then went on his way.

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16 And a man came up to Jesus, and said: “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain immortal life?” 17 “Why ask me about goodness?” answered Jesus. “There is but one who is good. If you want to enter the life, keep the commandments.” 18 “What commandments?” asked the man. “These,” answered Jesus: ‘Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not say what is false about others. 19 Honor thy father and thy mother.’ And ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.’”

20 “I have observed all these,” said the young man. “What is still wanting in me?” 21 “If you wish to be perfect,” answered Jesus, “go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in heaven; then come and follow me.” 22 On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions. 23 At this, Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you that the rich will find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 I say again, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

25 On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment: “Who then can possibly be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them, and said: “With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible.” Then Peter turned and said to Jesus: 27 “But we…we left everything, and followed you; what then shall we have?” 28 “I tell you,” answered Jesus, “that at the new creation, ‘when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,’ you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.”

29 “Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or fathers, or mothers, or children, or land, on account of my name, will receive many times as much, and will ‘gain Immortal Life.’ 30 But many of the first will be last, and those who are last will be first.”

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To read the Chapter 20 of the Gospel of Matthew, please go to: The Parable of the Vineyard Workers.

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Browse the entire Gospel of Matthew here: Gospel of Matthew

Why Do You Call Me Good?

Gospel of Mark 10

On leaving that place, Jesus went into the district of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Crowds gathered about him again; and again, as usual, he began teaching them. 2 Presently some Pharisees came up and, to test him, asked: “Has a husband the right to divorce his wife?” 3 “What direction did Moses give you?” replied Jesus. 4 “Moses,” they said, “permitted a man to ‘draw up in writing a notice of separation and divorce his wife.’”

5 “It was owing to the hardness of your hearts,” said Jesus, “that Moses gave you this direction; 6 But, at the beginning of the Creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 And the man and his wife shall become one;’ so that they are no longer two, but one. 9 What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate.”

10 When they were indoors, the disciples asked him again about this, 11 And he said: “Any one who divorces his wife and marries another woman is guilty of adultery against his wife; 12 And, if the woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she is guilty of adultery.”

13 Some of the people were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them. 14 When, however, Jesus saw this, he was indignant. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the kingdom of God belongs. 15 I tell you, unless you receive the kingdom of God like a child, you will not enter it at all.” 16 Then he folded the children in his arms, and, placing his hands on them, gave them his blessing.

17 And, as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to gain immortal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” answered Jesus. “No one is good but God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not say what is false about others. Do not cheat. Honor thy father and thy mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he replied, “I have observed all these from my childhood.”

21 Jesus looked at the man, and his heart went out to him, and he said: “There is still one thing wanting in you; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall heave wealth in heaven; then come and follow me.” 22 But the man’s face clouded at these words, and he went away distressed, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus looked round, and said to his disciples: “How hard it will be for men of wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again: “My children, how hard a thing it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to get through a eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 “Then who can be saved?” they exclaimed in the greatest astonishment. 27 Jesus looked at them, and answered: “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for everything is possible with God.”

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To continue reading Chapter 11 of the Gospel of Mark, please click on page 2 below.

John – Gospel 8 – Jesus Judges No One

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he went again to the temple courts, and all the people gathered around him; and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman who had committed adultery; and when they set her before him, 4 They said to the Master: “This woman was taken in the very act of adultery. 5 Now, the law of Moses says that we must stone her. What do you say?”

6 They asked this to tempt Jesus, so that later they may have something to accuse him with. But Jesus only stooped down and with his finger wrote on the ground. 7 When they continued asking, he stood up and said: “He that among you is without sin, let him cast the first stone at her.” 8 And again he stopped down and wrote on the ground. 9 And those which heard it, being stricken by their own conscience, left one by one, beginning with the eldest unto the last. Jesus was thus left alone with the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus lifted himself up and saw no one but the woman, he said to her: “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?” 11 She said: “No man, Lord.” And Jesus replied: “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke again to the people, saying: “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 13 “You are bearing testimony to yourself!” exclaimed the Pharisees, “your testimony is not trustworthy.”

14 “Even if I bear testimony to myself,” answered Jesus, “my testimony is trustworthy; for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from, nor where I am going. 15 You judge by appearances; I judge no one. 16 Yet, even if I were to judge, my judgment would be trustworthy; because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.”

17 “Why, in your own law it is said that the testimony of two persons is trustworthy. 18 I, who bear testimony to myself, am one, and the Father who sent me also bears testimony to me.” 19 “Where is your father, then?” they asked. “You know neither me nor my Father,” replied Jesus. “If you had known me, you would have also known my Father.”

20 These statements Jesus made in the treasury, while teaching in the temple courts. Yet no one arrested him, for his time had not then come.

21 Jesus again spoke to the people. “I am going away,” he said, “and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin; you cannot come where I am going.” 22 “Is he going to kill himself,” the Jews exclaimed, “that he says: ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

23 “You,” added Jesus, “are from below, I am from above; you are of this present world, I am not; 24 And so I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am what I am, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?” said Jesus. 26 “I have still much that concerns you to speak of and to pass judgment on; yet he who sent me may be trusted, and I speak to the world only of the things which I have heard from him.”

27 They did not understand that he meant the Father. 28 So Jesus added: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will understand that I am what I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but that I say just what the Father has taught me. 29 Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him.”

30 While he was speaking in this way, many came to believe in him. 31 So Jesus went on to say to those Jews who had believed him: “If you remain constant to my message, you are truly my disciples; 32 And you find out the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” was their answer, “and have never yet been in slavery to anyone. What do you mean by saying ‘you will be set free’?” 34 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 And a slave does not remain in the home always; but a son remains always. 36 If, then, the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”
37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you are seeking to put me to death, because my message finds no place in your hearts. 38 I tell you what I have myself seen in the presence of my Father; and you, in the same way, do what you have learned from your father.” 39 “Our father is Abraham,” was their answer.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” replied Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But, as it is, you are seeking to put me to death—a man who has told you the truth as he heard it from God. Abraham did not act in that way. 41 You are doing what your own father does.”

“We are not bastards,” they said, “We have one Father—God himself.” 42 “If God were your Father,” Jesus replied, “you would have loved me, for I came out from God, and now am here; and I have not come of myself, but he sent me as his messenger. 43 How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message?”

44 “As for you, you are children of your father the devil, and you are determined to do what your father loves to do. He was a murderer from the first, and did not stand by the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he does what is natural to him; because he is a liar, and the father of lying.”

45 “But, as for me, it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe me. 46 Which of you can convict me of sin? Why then do not you believe me, if I am speaking truth? 47 He who comes from God listens to God’s teaching; the reason why you do not listen is because you do not come from God.” 48 “Are not we right, after all,” replied the Jews, “in saying that you are a Samaritan, and are possessed by a demon?”

49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” Jesus answered, “but I am showing reverence for my Father; and yet you have no reverence for me. 50 Not that I am seeking honor for myself; there is one who is seeking my honor, and he decides. 51 In truth I tell you, if anyone lays my message to heart, they will never really die.”

52 “Now we are sure that you are possessed by a demon,” the Jews replied. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets; and yet you say: ‘If anyone lays my message to heart, they will never know death.’ 53 Are you greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? And the prophets who died too. Whom do you make yourself out to be?”

54 “If I do honor to myself,” answered Jesus, “such honor counts for nothing. It is my Father who does me honor—and you say that he is your God; 55 And yet you have not learned to know him; but I know him; and, if I were to say that I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him, and I lay his message to heart. 56 Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; and he did see it, and was glad.”

57 “You are not fifty years old yet,” the Jews exclaimed, “and have you seen Abraham?” 58 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “before Abraham was, I am.” 59 At this they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and left the temple courts.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 9.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

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