| Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. | Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. |
| And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. | If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. |
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| He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. | If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. |
| Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. | Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” |
| Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. | Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. |
| How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. | And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. |
| Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. | So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. |
| And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. | Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. |
| But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. | And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. |
| He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. | The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. |
| He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. | Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” |
| And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. | Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. |
| And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. | And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. |
| For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. | If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. |
| For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? | And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? |
