Matthew 9:14

For Herod had arrested John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

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.

They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’

Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.

After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized.

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.

As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee.

For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.

He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

“ ‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.

Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”

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

He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.

Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,

concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too.

God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”

You shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, your vows, your free will offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock there.

David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.

Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.

“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.

So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and Yahweh’s hand was strong on me.

“Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?

You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.”

But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,

Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”

Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom,

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”

They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)

but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.

Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law.

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body; but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?