Of Man's Fall, Sin and the Cause of Sin

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Matthew 12:33-50

33Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

35The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.

36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.

43When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order.

45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there; and the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.

47Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”

48But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

49Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.

50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Ephesians 2:1-22

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

2in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

3All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9not by works, so that no one can boast.

10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

11Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—

12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility

15by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace

16and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility.

17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,

20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

21In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

22And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

Romans 5:12

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Mark 3:29

29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”

1 John 5:16

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.

Matthew 10:14-42

14And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.

15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

17But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.

18On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

19But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.

20For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

22You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

26So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.

27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.

33But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

34Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;

38and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

40He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

41Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Matthew 11:1-30

1After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples

3to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

4Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:

5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

8Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.

9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

11Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.

13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

15He who has ears, let him hear.

16To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”

20Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

26Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

27All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Psalms 5:4-12

4For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.

5The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.

6You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

7But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.

8Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.

9For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.

10Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

11But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.

12For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

John 8:44

44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.