He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff ¹  – no bread, no bag, ²  no money in their belts –

Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, ¹  no sign will be given to this generation.”

It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

After he sat down, he called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved. But because of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut them ¹  short.

“But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son ¹  – except the Father.

Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.

Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, ¹  put it on a stick, ²  and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down!”

The devil said to him, “If ¹  you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” ² 

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, ¹  yet ²  none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” ³ 

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?”

“If ¹  you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners ²  love those who love them. ³ 

Then ¹  he said to them all, ²  “If anyone wants to become my follower, ³  he must deny ⁴  himself, take up his cross daily, ⁵  and follow me.

And if a peace-loving person ¹  is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you. ² 

So ¹  if ²  Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because ³  you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons ¹  cast them ²  out? Therefore they will be your judges.

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!

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down ¹  first and compute the cost ²  to see if he has enough money to complete it?

He ¹  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ²  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ³