Matthew 10:29-39, 11:28-30, 12:15-23, 16:24-26, 23:4

• Matthew 10:29-39
  29. Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
  30. Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.
  31. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
  32. “Whoever, then, acknowledges me before people, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
  33. But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.
  34. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.
  35. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,
  36. and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
  37. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
  38. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
  39. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
• Matthew 11:28-30
  28. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
  29. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
  30. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
• Matthew 12:15-23
  15. Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all.
  16. But he sternly warned them not to make him known.
  17. This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:
  18. “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
      the one I love, in whom I take great delight.
      I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
  19. He will not quarrel or cry out,
      nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
  20. He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
      until he brings justice to victory.
  21. And in his name the nations will hope.”
  22. Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see.
  23. All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”
• Matthew 16:24-26
  24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
  25. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
  26. For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?
• Matthew 23:4
  4. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.