Bilingual reading

When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’

and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’?

I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.

But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.

If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

“When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.

“He who is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.

The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’

When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order.

Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”

But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will also be to this generation.

The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and will condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light.

The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.

Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness.

If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light.”

Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in and sat at the table.

When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.

The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also?

But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”

One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you insult us also.”

He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs.

Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”

As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him,

lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

وكانَ يُصلِّي في بَعضِ الأَماكِن، فلَمَّا فَرَغَ قالَ لَه أَحَدُ تَلاميذِه: «يا ربّ، عَلِّمنا أَن نُصَلِّيَ كَما عَلَّمَ يوحنَّا تَلاميذَه»

فقالَ لَهم: «إِذا صَلَّيتُم فَقولوا: أَيُّها الآب لِيُقَدَّسِ ٱسمُكَ لِيأتِ مَلَكوتُكَ

أُرزُقْنا خُبزَنا كَفافَ يَومِنا

وأَعْفِنا مِن خَطايانا فإِنَّنا نُعْفي نَحنُ أَيضًا كُلَّ مَن لنا عليه ولا تَترُكْنا نَتَعَرَّضُ لِلتَّجرِبَة»

وقالَ لَهم: «مَن مِنكم يَكونُ لَه صَديقٌ فيَمْضي إِلَيه عِندَ نِصفِ اللَّيل، ويَقولُ له: يا أَخي، أَقرِضني ثَلاثَةَ أَرغِفَة

فقَد قَدِمَ عَلَيَّ صَديقٌ مِن سَفَر، ولَيسَ عِندي ما أُقَدِّمُ لَه

فيُجيبُ ذاك مِنَ الدَّاخِل: لا تُزعِجْني، فالبابُ مُقفَلٌ وأَولادي معي في الفِراش، فلا يُمكِنُني أَن أَقومَ فَأُعطِيَكَ

أَقولُ لَكم: وإِن لم يَقُمْ ويُعطِهِ لِكونِهِ صَديقَه، فإِنَّه يَنهَضُ لِلَجاجَتِه، ويُعطيهِ كُلَّ ما يَحتاجُ إِلَيه

«وإِنِّي أَقولُ لَكم: إِسأَلوا تُعطَوا، ٱطلُبوا تَجِدوا، اِقرَعوا يُفتَحْ لَكم

لأَنَّ كُلَّ مَن يَسأَلُ ينال، ومَن يَطلُبُ يَجِد، ومَن يَقرَعُ يُفتَحُ له

فأَيُّ أَبٍ مِنكُم إِذا سأَلَه ٱبنُه سَمَكَةً أَعطاهُ بَدَلَ السَّمَكَةِ حَيَّة؟

أَو سَأَلَهُ بَيضَةً أَعطاهُ عَقرَبًا؟

فإِذا كُنتُم أَنتُمُ الأَشرارَ تَعرِفونَ أَن تُعطوا العَطايا الصَّالِحَةَ لِأَبنائِكم، فما أَولى أَباكُمُ السَّماوِيَّ بِأَن يَهَبَ الرُّوحَ القُدُسَ لِلَّذينَ يسأَلونَه»

وكانَ يَطرُدُ شَيطانًا أَخرَس. فلَمَّا خَرَجَ الشَّيطانُ تَكَلَّمَ الأَخرَسُ فأُعجِبَ الجُموع

على أَنَّ أُناسًا مِنهم قالوا: «إِنَّه بِبَعلَ زَبولَ سَيِّدِ الشَّياطينِ يَطرُدُ الشَّياطين»

وطَلَبَ مِنه آخَرونَ آيةً مِنَ السَّماءِ لِيُحرِجوه

فعَرَفَ قَصْدَهُم فقالَ لَهم: «كُلُّ مَملَكَةٍ تَنقَسِمُ على نَفْسِها تَخرَبُ وتَنهارُ بُيوتُها بَعضُها على بَعض

وإِذا ٱنقَسَمَ الشَّيطانُ أَيضًا على نَفْسِه فكَيفَ تَثبُتُ مَملَكَتُه؟ فإِنَّكم تَقولونَ إِنِّي بِبَعلَ زَبولَ أَطرُدُ الشَّياطين

فإِن كُنتُ أَنا بِبَعلَ زَبولَ أَطرُدُ الشَّياطين، فبِمَن يَطرُدُهُم أَبناؤكُم؟ لِذٰلِكَ هُمُ الَّذينَ سَيَحْكُمونَ علَيكم

وأَمَّا إِذا كُنتُ بِإِصبَعِ اللهِ أَطرُدُ الشَّياطين، فقَد وافاكُم مَلَكوتُ الله

إِذا كانَ القَوِيُّ المُتَسَلِّحُ يَحرُسُ دارَه، فإِنَّ أَموالَه في أَمان

ولٰكِن إِذا فاجَأَهُ مَن هُوَ أَقْوى مِنهُ وغَلَبَه، يَنتَزِعُ ما كانَ يَعتَمِدُ علَيه مِن سِلاح، ويُوَزِّعُ أَسْلابَه

«مَن لم يَكُنْ مَعي كانَ علَيَّ، ومَن لم يَجمَعْ مَعي كانَ مُبَدِّدًا

«إِنَّ الرُّوحَ النَّجِس، إِذا خَرَجَ مِنَ الإِنسان، هامَ في القِفارِ يَطلُبُ الرَّاحَةَ فلا يَجِدُها فيَقول: أَرجِعُ إِلى بَيتيَ الَّذي مِنهُ خَرَجْتُ

فيَأتي فَيَجِدُه مَكْنوسًا مُزَيَّنًا

فيَذْهَبُ ويَستَصحِبُ سَبعَةَ أَرواحٍ أَخبَثَ مِنه، فيَدخُلونَ ويُقيمونَ فيه، فتَكونَ حَالَةُ ذٰلكَ الإِنسانِ الأَخيرة أَسوأَ مِن حالَتِه الأُولى»

وبَينما هو يَقولُ ذٰلك، إِذا ٱمرَأَةٌ رَفَعَت صَوتَها مِنَ الجَمعِ فقالَت لَه: «طوبى لِلبَطنِ الَّذي حَمَلَكَ، ولِلثَّدْيَيْنِ اللَّذَينِ رَضِعتَهما!»

فقال: «بل طوبى لِمَن يَسمَعُ كَلِمَةَ اللهِ ويَحفَظُها!»

وٱحتَشَدَتِ الجُموعُ فأَخَذَ يقول: «إِنَّ هٰذا الجِيلَ جيلٌ فاسِدٌ يَطلُبُ آية، ولَن يُعْطى سِوى آيةِ يُونان

فكما كانَ يونانُ آيةً لِأَهلِ نِينَوى، فكذٰلِكَ يَكونُ ٱبنُ الإِنسانِ آيَةً لِهٰذا الجيل

مَلِكَةُ التَّيمَنِ تَقومُ يَومَ الدَّينونَةِ مَعَ رِجالِ هٰذا الجيلِ وتَحكُمُ علَيهِم، لِأَنَّها جاءَت مِن أَقاصي الأَرضِ لِتَسمَعَ حِكمَةَ سُلَيمان، وهٰهُنا أَعظَمُ مِن سُلَيمان

رِجالُ نِينَوى يَقومونَ يَومَ الدَّينونَةِ مع هٰذا الجيلِ ويَحكُمونَ علَيه، لِأَنَّهم تابوا بإِنذارِ يُونان، وهٰهُنا أَعظمُ مِن يُونان

«ما مِن أَحَدٍ يوقِدُ سِراجًا ويضَعُه في مَخْبَأ أَو تَحْتَ المِكْيال، بل على المَنارَة، لِيَستَضيءَ بِه الدَّاخِلون

سِراجُ جَسَدِكَ هُو عَينُكَ. فإِذا كانَت عَينُكَ سَليمة، كانَ جَسدُكَ كُلُّه نَيِّرًا. وأَمَّا إِذا كانَت مَريضة، فجَسَدُكَ كُلُّه يَكونُ مُظلِمًا

فٱنظُرْ هلِ النُّورُ الَّذي فيكَ هو ظَلام

فإِن كانَ جَسَدُكَ كُلُّه نَيِّرًا ولَيسَ فيهِ جانِبٌ مُظلِم، كانَ بِأَجمَعِهِ نَيِّرًا كَما لو أَنارَ لَكَ السِّراجُ بِضَوئِه»

وبَينَما هو يَقولُ ذٰلك، دَعاه أَحَدُ الفِرِّيسيِّينَ إِلى الغَداءِ عِندَهُ. فدَخَلَ بَيتَه وجلَسَ لِلطَّعام

ورَأَى الفِرِّيسِيُّ ذٰلك فعَجِبَ مِن أَنَّه لَم يَغتَسِلْ أَوَّلًا قَبلَ الغَداء

فقالَ لَه الرَّبّ: «أَيُّها الفِرِّيسِيُّون، أَنتُمُ الآن تُطَهِّرونَ ظاهِرَ الكَأسِ والصَّحفَة، وباطِنُكم مُمتَلِئٌ نَهْبًا وخُبْثًا

أَيُّها الأَغبِياء، أَلَيسَ الَّذي صَنَعَ الظَّاهِرَ قد صَنَعَ الباطِنَ أَيضًا؟

فتَصَدَّقوا بِما فيهِما، يَكُنْ كُلُّ شَيءٍ لكُم طاهِرًا

ولٰكِنِ الوَيلُ لَكم أَيُّها الفِرِّيسِيُّونَ، فإِنَّكم تُؤَدُّونَ عُشْرَ النَّعنَعِ والسَّذابِ وسائِرِ البُقول، وتُهمِلونَ العَدلَ ومحبَّةَ الله. فهٰذا ما كانَ يَجِبُ أَن تَعمَلوا بِه مِن دونِ أَن تُهمِلوا ذاك

الوَيلُ لَكم أَيُّها الفِرِّيسِيُّون، فإِنَّكم تُحِبُّونَ صَدرَ المَجلِسِ في المَجامِع وتَلَقِّيَ التَّحِيَّاتِ في السَّاحات

الوَيلُ لَكُم، أَنتُم أَشبَهُ بِالقُبورِ الَّتي لا عَلامَةَ علَيها، يَمْشي النَّاسُ علَيها وهُم لا يَعلَمون»

فأَجابَه أَحَدُ عُلَماءِ الشَّريعَة: «يا مُعَلِّم، بِقَولِكَ هٰذا تَشتُمُنا نَحنُ أَيضًا»

فقال: «الوَيلُ لَكُم أَنتُم أَيضًا يا عُلَماءَ الشَّريعَة، فإِنَّكم تُحَمِّلونَ النَّاسَ أَحمالًا ثَقيلة، وأَنتُم لا تَمَسُّونَ هٰذِهِ الأَحمالَ بإِحْدى أَصابِعِكم

الويلُ لَكُم، فإِنَّكُم تَبْنونَ قُبورَ الأَنبِياء، وآباؤكُم هُمُ الَّذينَ قَتَلوهم

فأَنتُم تَشهَدونَ على أَنَّكم تُوافِقونَ على أَعمالِ آبائِكُم: هُم قَتَلوهُم وأَنتُم تَبْنونَ قُبورَهم

«ولِذٰلِك قالَت حِكمَةُ الله: سأُرسِلُ إِليهِمِ الأَنبِياءَ والرُّسُل، وسيقتُلونَ مِنهُم ويَضطَهِدون

حتَّى يُطالَبَ هٰذا الجيلُ بِدَمِ جَميعِ الأَنبياءِ الَّذي سُفِكَ مُنذُ إِنشاءِ العالَم

مِن دَمِ هابيلَ إِلى دَمِ زَكَرِيَّا الَّذي هَلَكَ بَينَ المَذبَحِ والهَيكَل. أَقولُ لَكُم: أَجَل، إِنَّه سَيُطالَبُ بِه هٰذا الجيل

«الوَيلُ لَكُم يا عُلَماءَ الشَّريعَة، قَدِ ٱستَولَيتُم على مِفتاحِ المَعرِفة، فلم تَدخُلوا أَنتُم، والَّذينَ أَرادوا الدُّخولَ مَنَعتُموهم»

فلمَّا خَرَجَ مِن هُناك، بَلَغَ حِقْدُ الكَتَبَةِ والفِرِّيسيِّينَ عَليهِ مَبلغًا شَديدًا، فجعَلوا يَستَدرِجونَه إِلى الكَلامِ على أُمورٍ كَثيرة

وهُم يَنصُبونَ المَكايِدَ لِيَصطادوا مِن فَمِهِ كَلِمَة