Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.

My Christian friends, who also have been called by God! Think of Jesus, whom God sent to be the High Priest of the faith we profess.

Obey the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Remember the great things he has done for you.

Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will enable you to understand it all.

Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from death, who was a descendant of David, as is taught in the Good News I preach.

"No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master.

So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!

When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and everyone said, 'Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!' God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results."

When the Pharisees heard this, they replied, "He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebul gives him power to do so."

"Why is it that your disciples disobey the teaching handed down by our ancestors? They don't wash their hands in the proper way before they eat!"

The chief priests and the teachers of the Law became angry when they saw the wonderful things he was doing and the children shouting in the Temple, "Praise to David's Son!"

So they asked Jesus, "Do you hear what they are saying?" "Indeed I do," answered Jesus. "Haven't you ever read this scripture? 'You have trained children and babies to offer perfect praise.' "

Jesus came back to the Temple; and as he taught, the chief priests and the elders came to him and asked, "What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?"

so they tried to arrest him. But they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.

The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions.

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, "This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger.

They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff,

The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who speaks such blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"

but some of the people said, "It is Beelzebul, the chief of the demons, who gives him the power to drive them out."

Others wanted to trap Jesus, so they asked him to perform a miracle to show that God approved of him.

When Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to criticize him bitterly and ask him questions about many things,

trying to lay traps for him and catch him saying something wrong.

He placed his hands on her, and at once she straightened herself up and praised God.

The official of the synagogue was angry that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, so he spoke up and said to the people, "There are six days in which we should work; so come during those days and be healed, but not on the Sabbath!"

One Sabbath Jesus went to eat a meal at the home of one of the leading Pharisees; and people were watching Jesus closely.

the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, "This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!"

When the Pharisees heard all this, they made fun of Jesus, because they loved money.

Then some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "command your disciples to be quiet!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting."

So they began to persecute Jesus, because he had done this healing on a Sabbath.

There was much whispering about him in the crowd. "He is a good man," some people said. "No," others said, "he fools the people."

The Pharisees said to him, "Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing."

They asked Jesus, "Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?"

"I have no demon," Jesus answered. "I honor my Father, but you dishonor me.

They said to him, "Now we know for sure that you have a demon! Abraham died, and the prophets died, yet you say that whoever obeys your teaching will never die.

Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

Some Pharisees who were there with him heard him say this and asked him, "Surely you don't mean that we are blind, too?"

Many of them were saying, "He has a demon! He is crazy! Why do you listen to him?"

Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him.

They answered, "We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!"

We know that what the scripture says is true forever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given.

Do not believe me, then, if I am not doing the things my Father wants me to do.

Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands.

A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death.

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too,

"If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first.

Remember what I told you: 'Slaves are not greater than their master.' If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too.

They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not come and spoken to them; as it is, they no longer have any excuse for their sin.

They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not done among them the things that no one else ever did; as it is, they have seen what I did, and they hate both me and my Father.

When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, "How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!"

Have you forgotten the encouraging words which God speaks to you as his children? "My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you.

'Men of Israel, listen! Today you are going into battle. Do not be afraid of your enemies or lose courage or panic.

If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.

Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted.

But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.

The Sovereign LORD has taught me what to say, so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what he is going to teach me.

So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.

God in his mercy has given us this work to do, and so we do not become discouraged.

For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day.

So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.

But you, friends, must not become tired of doing good.