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Matthew 23

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ This is the one of whom it is written [by the prophet Malachi], 'Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.'

² I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater [in privilege] than he."

³ All the people and the tax collectors who heard Jesus, acknowledged [the validity of] God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

⁴ But the Pharisees and the lawyers [who were experts in the Mosaic Law] annulled and set aside God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.

⁵ "To what then shall I compare the people of this generation [who set aside God's plan], and what are they like?

⁶ They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, and saying, 'We played the flute for you [pretending to be at a wedding], and you did not dance; we sang a dirge [pretending to be at a funeral], and you did not weep [so nothing we did appealed to you].'

⁷ For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'

⁸ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a man who is a glutton and a [heavy] wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews].'

⁹ Yet wisdom is vindicated and shown to be right by all her children [by the lifestyle, moral character, and good deeds of her followers]."

¹⁰ One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house [in the region of Galilee] and reclined at the table.

¹¹ Now there was a woman in the city who was [known as] a[5] sinner; and[6] when she found out that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume;

¹² and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began wetting His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and [respectfully] kissed His feet [as an act signifying both affection and submission] and[7] anointed them with the perfume.

¹³ Now when [Simon] the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a [notorious] sinner [an outcast, devoted to sin]."

¹⁴ Jesus, answering, said to the Pharisee, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Teacher, say it."

¹⁵ "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed him five hundred[8] denarii, and the other fifty.

¹⁶ When they had no means of repaying [the debts], he freely forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"

¹⁷ Simon answered, "The one, I take it, for whom he forgave more." Jesus said to him, "You have decided correctly."

¹⁸ Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house [but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest]; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair [demonstrating her love].

¹⁹ You gave Me no [welcoming] kiss, but from the moment I came in, she has not ceased to kiss My feet.

²⁰ You did not [even] anoint My head with [ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly and rare] perfume.

²¹ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

²² Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

²³ Those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

²⁴ Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith [in Me] has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin]."

²⁵ Soon afterward, Jesus began going around from one city and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve [disciples] were with Him,

²⁶ and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, called Magdalene [from the city of Magdala in Galilee], from whom seven demons had come out,

²⁷ and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means [as was the custom for a rabbi's disciples].

²⁸ When a large crowd was gathering together, and people from city after city were coming to Him, He spoke [to them] using a parable:

²⁹ "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up.

³⁰ And some seed fell on [shallow soil covering] the rocks, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

³¹ Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

³² And some fell into good soil, and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words."

³³ Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant.

³⁴ And He said, "To you [who have been chosen] it has been granted to know and recognize the[1] mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that though seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

³⁵ "Now [the meaning of] the parable is this: The seed is the word of God [concerning eternal salvation].

³⁶ Those beside the road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and takes the message [of God] away from their hearts, so that they will not believe [in Me as the Messiah] and be saved.

³⁷ Those on the rocky soil are the people who, when they hear, receive and welcome the word with joy; but these have no firmly grounded root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation they fall away [from Me and abandon their faith].

³⁸ The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.

³⁹ But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.

#	AMP
1	This is the one of whom it is written [by the prophet Malachi], 'Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.'
2	I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater [in privilege] than he."
3	All the people and the tax collectors who heard Jesus, acknowledged [the validity of] God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
4	But the Pharisees and the lawyers [who were experts in the Mosaic Law] annulled and set aside God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
5	"To what then shall I compare the people of this generation [who set aside God's plan], and what are they like?
6	They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, and saying, 'We played the flute for you [pretending to be at a wedding], and you did not dance; we sang a dirge [pretending to be at a funeral], and you did not weep [so nothing we did appealed to you].'
7	For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'
8	The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a man who is a glutton and a [heavy] wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews].'
9	Yet wisdom is vindicated and shown to be right by all her children [by the lifestyle, moral character, and good deeds of her followers]."
10	One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house [in the region of Galilee] and reclined at the table.
11	Now there was a woman in the city who was [known as] a[5] sinner; and[6] when she found out that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume;
12	and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began wetting His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and [respectfully] kissed His feet [as an act signifying both affection and submission] and[7] anointed them with the perfume.
13	Now when [Simon] the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a [notorious] sinner [an outcast, devoted to sin]."
14	Jesus, answering, said to the Pharisee, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Teacher, say it."
15	"A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed him five hundred[8] denarii, and the other fifty.
16	When they had no means of repaying [the debts], he freely forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
17	Simon answered, "The one, I take it, for whom he forgave more." Jesus said to him, "You have decided correctly."
18	Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house [but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest]; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair [demonstrating her love].
19	You gave Me no [welcoming] kiss, but from the moment I came in, she has not ceased to kiss My feet.
20	You did not [even] anoint My head with [ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly and rare] perfume.
21	Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
22	Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
23	Those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
24	Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith [in Me] has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin]."
25	Soon afterward, Jesus began going around from one city and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve [disciples] were with Him,
26	and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, called Magdalene [from the city of Magdala in Galilee], from whom seven demons had come out,
27	and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means [as was the custom for a rabbi's disciples].
28	When a large crowd was gathering together, and people from city after city were coming to Him, He spoke [to them] using a parable:
29	"The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up.
30	And some seed fell on [shallow soil covering] the rocks, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
31	Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.
32	And some fell into good soil, and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words."
33	Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant.
34	And He said, "To you [who have been chosen] it has been granted to know and recognize the[1] mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that though seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
35	"Now [the meaning of] the parable is this: The seed is the word of God [concerning eternal salvation].
36	Those beside the road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and takes the message [of God] away from their hearts, so that they will not believe [in Me as the Messiah] and be saved.
37	Those on the rocky soil are the people who, when they hear, receive and welcome the word with joy; but these have no firmly grounded root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation they fall away [from Me and abandon their faith].
38	The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.
39	But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.

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