After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him,

And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the Synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!

Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their Teachers of the Law.

And, as soon as the demon had been driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were astonished at this, and exclaimed: "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

But, when he saw the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and harassed, 'like sheep without a shepherd';

Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.

It is enough for a scholar to be treated like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, how much more the members of his household!

But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--

At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!

Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.

Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

There his appearance was transformed before their eyes; his face shown like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

"I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.

Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards.

The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'

and like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth.

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

And, in their terror of him, the men on guard trembled violently and became like dead men.

And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent apart, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him,

The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the Teachers of the Law.

"Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?"

The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: "We have never seen anything like this!"

Jesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,

Jesus also said: "To what can we liken the Kingdom of God?

Others again said--"He is Elijah," and others--"He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets."

And when his daughter--that is, the daughter of Herodias--came in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were dining with him. 'Ask me for whatever you like,' the King said to the girl, 'and I will give it to you';

The King was much distressed; yet, on account of his oath and of the guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her.

On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were 'like sheep without a shepherd'; and he began to teach them many things.

The man looked up, and said: "I see the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees."

"How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father.

With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

"Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and any one who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his Messenger."

I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."

For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again.

It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge--each having his special duty--and orders the porter to watch.

Some of those who were present said to one another indignantly: "Why has the perfume been wasted like this?

His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

And the Holy Spirit descended, in a visible form, like a dove, upon him, and from the heavens came a voice--"Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight."

A scholar is not above his teacher; yet every finished scholar shall be like his teacher.

"To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like?

They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!'

Now, go. Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like lambs among wolves.

And Jesus replied: "I have had visions of Satan, fallen, like lightning from the heavens.

Alas for you! You are like unsuspected graves, over which men walk unawares."

Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.

So Jesus said: "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what can I liken it?

It is like a mustard-seed which a man took and put in his garden. The seed grew and became a tree, and 'the wild birds roosted in its branches.'"

And again Jesus said: "To what can I liken the Kingdom of God?

It is like some yeast which a woman took and covered in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

But the Master said: "If your faith were only like a mustard- seed, you could say to this mulberry tree 'Be up-rooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way--'O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-- thieves, rogues, adulterers--or even like this tax-gatherer.

I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."

He tried to see what Jesus was like; but, being short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd.

Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons.

"Be on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and like to be greeted in the streets with respect, and to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner.

Be on your guard lest your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest 'That Day' should come suddenly upon you, like a snare.

But with you it must not be so. No, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who leads like him who serves.

Simon! Simon! listen. Satan demanded leave to sift you all like wheat,

And, as his anguish became intense, he prayed still more earnestly, while his sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground.]

"How is it," replied the Samaritan woman, "that you who are a Jew ask for water from a Samaritan woman like me?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).

And yet you have not learned to know him; but I know him; and, if I were to say that I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him, and I lay his Message to heart.

"Yes," some said, "it is"; while others said: "No, but he is like him." The man himself said: "I am he."

"The man cannot be from God," said some of the Pharisees, "for he does not keep the Sabbath." "How is it possible," retorted others, "for a bad man to give signs like this?"

When Jesus said this, one of the police-officers, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. "Do you answer the High Priest like that?" he exclaimed.

When suddenly there came from the heavens a noise like that of a strong wind rushing by; it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.

They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?"

The eyes of all the members of the Council were riveted upon Stephen, and they saw his face looking like the face of an angel.

The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this--'Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.

And saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth.

Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so: "Stand up, I am only a man like yourself."

"I was in the town of Jaffa," he said, "and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me.

And the crowd, seeing what Paul had done, called out in the Lycaonian language: "The Gods have made themselves like men and have come down to us."

"We are only men like yourselves, and we have come with the Good News that you should turn away from these follies to a living God, 'who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.'

For you are bringing some strange things to our notice, and we should like to know what they mean."

He came to see us, and, taking Paul's girdle, and binding his own feet and hands with it, said: "This is what the Holy Spirit says--'The man to whom this girdle belongs will be bound like this at Jerusalem by the Jews, and they will give him up to the Gentiles'."

It was then that Paul made the reply: "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart like this? For my part, I am ready not only to be bound, but even to suffer death at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus."

Up to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out: "Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!"

"I should like to hear this man myself," Agrippa said to Festus. "You shall hear him to-morrow," Festus answered.

But, if my falsehood redounds to the glory of God, by making his truthfulness more apparent, why am I like others, still condemned as a sinner?

'Their throats are like opened graves; they deceive with their tongues.' 'The venom of serpents lies behind their lips,'

I might rather ask 'Who are you who are arguing with God?' Does a thing which a man has molded say to him who has molded it 'Why did you make me like this?'

And Isaiah cries aloud over Israel-'Though the Sons of Israel are like the sand of the sea in number, only a remnant of them shall escape!

It is as Isaiah foretold-'Had not the Lord of Hosts spared some few of our race to us, we should have become like Sodom and been made to resemble Gomorrah.'

When one says 'I follow Paul,' and another 'I follow Apollos,' are not you like other men?

In fulfillment of the charge which God had entrusted to me, I laid the foundation like a skillful master-builder; but another man is now building upon it. Let every one take care how he builds;

It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.

Get rid entirely of the old leaven, so that you may be like new dough-free from leaven, as in truth you are. For our Passover Lamb is already sacrificed-Christ himself;

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews. To those who are subject to Law I became like a man subject to Law-though I was not myself subject to Law-to win those who are subject to Law.