The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”

The First Disciples

As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.

leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.

Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“Lord,” another of his disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.”

These are the names of the twelve apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’”

Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

So the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

“Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water.

“Yes,” he said. When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes? From their sons or from strangers?”

“But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you.”

If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’

So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each.

“So the last will be first, and the first last.”

and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

The Parable of the Two Sons

“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go work in the vineyard today.’