Now ¹  one of the experts in the law ²  came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus ³  answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law ¹  were trying to find a way ²  to arrest Jesus ³  by stealth and kill him.

Now ¹  on the first day of the feast of ²  Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, ³  Jesus’ ⁴  disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ⁵ 

Right away, while Jesus ¹  was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. ²  With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law ³  and elders.

Immediately a rooster ¹  crowed a second time. Then ²  Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. ³ 

Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law ¹  and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² 

Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, ¹  who was himself looking forward to ²  the kingdom of God, ³  went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴ 

But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. ¹  He has been raised! ²  He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.

So ¹  Simeon, ²  directed by the Spirit, ³  came into the temple courts, ⁴  and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, ⁵ 

Now ¹  Jesus ²  came to Nazareth, ³  where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue ⁴  on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. ⁵  He ⁶  stood up to read, ⁷ 

Jesus ¹  said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ ²  and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, ³  do here in your hometown too.’”

As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives ¹  sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. ²  He placed ³  his hands on every one of them and healed them.

The next morning ¹  Jesus ²  departed and went to a deserted place. Yet ³  the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.

But Jesus ¹  said to them, “I must ²  proclaim the good news of the kingdom ³  of God to the other towns ⁴  too, for that is what I was sent ⁵  to do.” ⁶ 

He got into ¹  one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then ²  Jesus ³  sat down ⁴  and taught the crowds from the boat.

and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. ¹  Then ²  Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on ³  you will be catching people.” ⁴ 

But ¹  since they found ²  no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof ³  and let him down on the stretcher ⁴  through the roof tiles ⁵  right ⁶  in front of Jesus. ⁷ 

The experts in the law ¹  and the Pharisees ²  watched ³  Jesus ⁴  closely to see if ⁵  he would heal on the Sabbath, ⁶  so that they could find a reason to accuse him.

Then ¹  Jesus said to them, “I ask you, ²  is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”