Jesus

Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”

But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer.”

Going on from there, they passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know,

because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.”

But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone else driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me.

Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.

Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.

“What did Moses command you?” He replied.

But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.

When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.

So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.

Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”