3 (The Pharisees, like all other Jewish people, don't eat unless they have properly washed their hands. They follow the traditions of their ancestors. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they don't eat unless they have washed first. They have been taught to follow many other rules. For example, they must also wash their cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.b) 5 The Pharisees and the experts in Moses' Teachings asked Yeshua, "Why don't your disciples follow the traditions taught by our ancestors? They are unclean because they don't wash their hands before they eat!"

6 Yeshua told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites in Scripture: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

7 Their worship of me is pointless, because their teachings are rules made by humans.'

8 "You abandon the commandments of God to follow human traditions." 9 He added, "You have no trouble rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep your own traditions! 10 For example, Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother' and 'Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.' 11 But you say, 'If a person tells his father or mother that whatever he might have used to help them is corban (that is, an offering to God), 12 he no longer has to do anything for his father or mother.' 13 Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God's word. And you do many other things like that."

14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand! 15 Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It's what comes out of a person that makes him unclean. 16 Let the person who has ears listen!"a 17 When he had left the people and gone home, his disciples asked him about this illustration.

18 Yeshua said to them, "Don't you understand? Don't you know that whatever goes into a person from the outside can't make him unclean? 19 It doesn't go into his thoughts but into his stomach and then into a toilet." (By saying this, Yeshua declared all foods acceptable.) 20 He continued, "It's what comes out of a person that makes him unclean. 21 Evil thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, cursing, arrogance, and foolishness come from within a person. 23 All these evils come from within and make a person unclean."

The Faith of a Greek Woman-Matthew 15:21-31 24 Yeshua left that place and went to the territory of Tyre. He didn't want anyone to know that he was staying in a house there. However, it couldn't be kept a secret.

25 A woman whose little daughter had an evil spirit heard about Yeshua. She went to him and bowed down. 26 The woman happened to be Greek, born in Phoenicia in Syria. She asked him to force the demon out of her daughter.

27 Yeshua said to her, "First, let the children eat all they want. It's not right to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs."

28 She answered him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat some of the children's scraps."

29 Yeshua said to her, "Because you have said this, go! The demon has left your daughter."

30 The woman went home and found the little child lying on her bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus Cures a Deaf Man 31 Yeshua then left the neighborhood of Tyre. He went through Sidon and the territory of the Ten Citiesb to the Sea of Galilee.

32 Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and who also had a speech defect. They begged Yeshua to lay his hand on him. 33 Yeshua took him away from the crowd to be alone with him. He put his fingers into the man's ears, and after spitting, he touched the man's tongue. 34 Then he looked up to heaven, sighed, and said to the man, "Ephphatha!" which means, "Be opened!" 35 At once the man could hear and talk normally.

36 Yeshua ordered the people not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them, the more they spread the news. 37 Yeshua completely amazed the people. They said, "He has done everything well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute talk."

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand-Matthew 15:32-39 8 1 About that time there was once again a large crowd with nothing to eat. Yeshua called his disciples and said to them, 2 "I feel sorry for the people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home before they've eaten, they will become exhausted on the road. Some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples asked him, "Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people in this place where no one lives?"

5 Yeshua asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?"

They answered, "Seven."

6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to serve to the people. 7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish should also be served to the people. 8 The people ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets. 9 About four thousand people were there. Then he sent the people on their way.

10 After that, Yeshua and his disciples got into a boat and went into the region of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees Ask for a Sign from Heaven-Matthew 16:1-4 11 The Pharisees went to Yeshua and began to argue with him. They tested him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven.

12 With a deep sigh he asked, "Why do these people demand a sign? I can guarantee this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different than what they want!"

13 Then he left them there.

The Yeast of the Pharisees-Matthew 16:5-12 He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 14 The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

15 Yeshua warned them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!"

16 They had been discussing with one another that they didn't have any bread.

17 Yeshua knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand yet? Don't you catch on? Are your minds closed? 18 Are you blind and deaf? Don't you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?"

They told him, "Twelve."

20 "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?"

They answered him, "Seven."

21 He asked them, "Don't you catch on yet?"

Jesus Gives Sight to a Blind Man 22 As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Yeshua. They begged Yeshua to touch him. 23 Yeshua took the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. He spit into the man's eyes and placed his hands on him. Yeshua asked him, "Can you see anything?"

24 The man looked up and said, "I see people. They look like trees walking around."

25 Then Yeshua placed his hands on the man's eyes a second time, and the man saw clearly. His sight was normal again. He could see everything clearly even at a distance. 26 Yeshua told him when he sent him home, "Don't go into the village."

Peter Declares His Belief about Jesus-Matthew 16:13-20; Luke 9:18-21 27 Then Yeshua and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?"

28 They answered him, "Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets."

29 He asked them, "But who do you say I am?"

Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah!"

30 He ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life-Matthew 16:21-23; Luke 9:22 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the experts in Moses' Teachings. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life. 32 He told them very clearly what he meant.

Peter took him aside and objected to this. 33 Yeshua turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Yeshua said, "Get out of my way, Satan! You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think."

What It Means to Follow Jesus-Matthew 16:24-28; Luke 9:23-27 34 Then Yeshua called the crowd to himself along with his disciples. He said to them, "Those who want to follow me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. 35 Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me and for the Good News will save them. 36 What good does it do for people to win the whole world yet lose their lives? 37 Or what should a person give in exchange for life? 38 If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

9 1 He said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the kingdom of God arrive with power."

Moses and Elijah Appear with Jesus-Matthew 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36 2 After six days Yeshua took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.

Yeshua's appearance changed in front of them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. 4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Yeshua.

5 Peter said to Yeshua, "Rabbi, it's good that we're here. Let's put up three tents-one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 (Peter didn't know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.) 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

8 Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Yeshua.

9 On their way down the mountain, Yeshua ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They were to wait until the Son of Man had come back to life. 10 They kept in mind what he said but argued among themselves what he meant by "come back to life." 11 So they asked him, "Don't the experts in Moses' Teachings say that Elijah must come first?"

12 Yeshua said to them, "Elijah is coming first and will put everything in order again. But in what sense was it written that the Son of Man must suffer a lot and be treated shamefully? 13 Indeed, I can guarantee that Elijah has come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased, as Scripture says about him."

Jesus Cures a Demon-Possessed Boy-Matthew 17:14-20; Luke 9:37-43a 14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. Some experts in Moses' Teachings were arguing with them. 15 All the people were very surprised to see Yeshua and ran to welcome him.

16 Yeshua asked the experts in Moses' Teachings, "What are you arguing about with them?"

17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son. He is possessed by a spirit that won't let him talk. 18 Whenever the spirit brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples to force the spirit out, but they didn't have the power to do it."

19 Yeshua said to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!"

20 They brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Yeshua, it threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth.

21 Yeshua asked his father, "How long has he been like this?"

The father replied, "He has been this way since he was a child. 22 The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him. If it's possible for you, put yourself in our place, and help us!"

23 Yeshua said to him, "As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes."

24 The child's father cried out at once, "I believe! Help my lack of faith."

25 When Yeshua saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he gave an order to the evil spirit. He said, "You spirit that won't let him talk, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again."

26 The evil spirit screamed, shook the child violently, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and everyone said, "He's dead!"

27 Yeshua took his hand and helped him to stand up.

28 When Yeshua went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we force the spirit out of the boy?"

29 He told them, "This kind of spirit can be forced out only by prayer."a Jesus Again Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life-Matthew 17:22-23; Luke 9:43b-45 30 They left that place and were passing through Galilee. Yeshua did not want anyone to know where he was 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He taught them, "The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people. They will kill him, but on the third day he will come back to life."

32 The disciples didn't understand what he meant and were afraid to askhim.

Greatness in the Kingdom-Matthew 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48 33 Then they came to Capernaum. While Yeshua was at home, he asked the disciples, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 They were silent. On the road they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 He sat down and called the twelve apostles. He told them, "Whoever wants to be the most important person must take the last place and be a servant to everyone else." 36 Then he took a little child and had him stand among them. He put his arms around the child and said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Using the Name of Jesus-Luke 9:49-50 38 John said to Yeshua, "Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us."

39 Yeshua said, "Don't stop him! No one who works a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me. 40 Whoever isn't against us is for us. 41 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

Causing Others to Lose Faith-Matthew 18:6-10; Luke 17:1-4 42 "These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be thrown into the sea with a large stone hung around his neck.

43 "So if your hand causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life disabled than to have two hands and go to hell, to the fire that cannot be put out.a 45 If your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48 In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt within you, and live in peace with one another."

A Discussion about Divorce-Matthew 19:1-12 10 1 Yeshua left there and went into the territory of Judea along the other side of the Jordan River. Crowds gathered around him again, and he taught them as he usually did.

2 Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, "Can a husband divorce his wife?"

3 Yeshua answered them, "What command did Moses give you?"

4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her."

5 Yeshua said to them, "He wrote this command for you because you're heartless. 6 But God made them male and female in the beginning, at creation. 7 That's why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, 8 and the two will be one. So they are no longer two but one. 9 Therefore, don't let anyone separate what God has joined together."

10 When they were in a house, the disciples asked him about this. 11 He answered them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery. 12 If a wife divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."

Jesus Blesses Children-Matthew 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17 13 Some people brought little children to Yeshua to have him hold them. But the disciples told the people not to do that.

14 When Yeshua saw this, he became irritated. He told them, "Don't stop the children from coming to me. Children like these are part of the kingdom of God. 15 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn't receive the kingdom of God as a little child receives it will never enter it."

16 Yeshua put his arms around the children and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

Eternal Life in the Kingdom-Matthew 19:16-30; Luke 18:18-30 17 As Yeshua was coming out to the road, a man came running to him and knelt in front of him. He asked Yeshua, "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"

18 Yeshua said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Never murder. Never commit adultery. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Never cheat. Honor your father and mother."

20 The man replied, "Teacher, I've obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy."

21 Yeshua looked at him and loved him. He told him, "You're still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!"

22 When the man heard that, he looked unhappy and went away sad, because he owned a lot of property.

23 Yeshua looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for rich people to enter the kingdom of God!"

24 The disciples were stunned by his words. But Yeshua said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

26 This amazed his disciples more than ever. They asked each other, "Who, then, can be saved?"

27 Yeshua looked at them and said, "It's impossible for people to save themselves, but it's not impossible for God to save them. Everything is possible for God."

28 Then Peter spoke up, "We've given up everything to follow you."

29 Yeshua said, "I can guarantee this truth: Anyone who gave up his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields because of me and the Good News 30 will certainly receive a hundred times as much here in this life. They will certainly receive homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields, along with persecutions. But in the world to come they will receive eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

For the Third Time Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life-Matthew 20:17-19; Luke 18:31-34 32 Yeshua and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. Yeshua was walking ahead of them. His disciples were shocked that he was going to Jerusalem. The others who followed were afraid. Once again he took the twelve apostles aside. He began to tell them what was going to happen to him. 33 "We're going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the experts in Moses' Teachings. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to foreigners. 34 They will make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But after three days he will come back to life."

James and John Make a Request-Matthew 20:20-28 35 James and John, sons of Zebedee, went to Yeshua. They said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do us a favor."

36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked them.

37 They said to him, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

38 Yeshua said, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink the cup that I'm going to drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I'm going to receive?" 39 "We can," they told him.

Yeshua told them, "You will drink the cup that I'm going to drink. You will be baptized with the baptism that I'm going to receive. 40 But I don't have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. Those positions have already been prepared for certain people."

41 When the other ten apostles heard about it, they were irritated with James and John. 42 Yeshua called the apostles and said, "You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. 43 But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone. 45 It's the same way with the Son of Man. He didn't come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

Jesus Gives Sight to Bartimaeus-Matthew 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43 46 Then they came to Jericho. As Yeshua, his disciples, and many people were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that Yeshua from Nazareth was passing by, he began to shout, "Yeshua, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

48 The people told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"