Some of the people who were there said to Jesus,“ John’s disciples often pray and go without eating. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But yours go on eating and drinking.”

他们说：“约翰的门徒屡次禁食祈祷，法利赛人的门徒也是这样；惟独你的门徒又吃又喝。”

他们对耶稣说：“约翰的门徒常常禁食祈祷，法利赛人的门徒也是这样，惟独跟你在一起的又吃又喝。”

他们对耶稣说：“约翰的门徒常常禁食祈祷，法利赛人的门徒也是这样，惟独跟你在一起的又吃又喝。”

他们说：“约翰的门徒常常禁食祷告，法利赛人的门徒也是一样，可是你的门徒却又吃又喝。”

他们说：“约翰的门徒常常禁食、祈祷，法利赛人的门徒也是这样，而你的门徒却又吃又喝。”

他们对耶稣说：“约翰的门徒们经常禁食、祈祷，法利赛人的门徒们也是如此，而你的门徒们却又吃又喝。”

他們說：「約翰的門徒屢次禁食祈禱，法利賽人的門徒也是這樣；惟獨你的門徒又吃又喝。」

他們對耶穌說：「約翰的門徒常常禁食祈禱，法利賽人的門徒也是這樣，惟獨跟你在一起的又吃又喝。」

他們對耶穌說：「約翰的門徒常常禁食祈禱，法利賽人的門徒也是這樣，惟獨跟你在一起的又吃又喝。」

他們說：「約翰的門徒常常禁食禱告，法利賽人的門徒也是一樣，可是你的門徒卻又吃又喝。」

他們說：“約翰的門徒常常禁食、祈禱，法利賽人的門徒也是這樣，而你的門徒卻又吃又喝。”

有人對耶穌說：『約翰的門徒常常禁食，作祈求上帝的事；法利賽人的門徒也是這樣；惟獨你的門徒也喫也喝！』

他們對耶穌說：「約翰的門徒們經常禁食、祈禱，法利賽人的門徒們也是如此，而你的門徒們卻又吃又喝。」

眾謂之曰、約翰之徒屢禁食祈禱、法利賽之徒亦然、惟爾徒式食式飲焉、

眾曰、約翰之徒、屢禁食祈禱、𠵽唎㘔徒亦然、惟爾門徒飲食、何歟、

彼眾問曰、約翰之門徒、往往禁食、且祈禱、法利賽門徒亦然、惟爾門徒飲食、何歟、

若輩又問曰：『如望門徒頻齋久禱、法利塞人亦然、惟爾門徒亦飲亦食何也？』

They said to him,“ John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

And they said to him,“ The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.”

One day some people said to Jesus,“ John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”

Then they said to him,“ John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but yours eat and drink.”

And they said to Him,“ The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

Then they said to Him,“ Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.

Then they said to Him,“ John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise[ the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Then they said to him,“ John’s disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink.”

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?”

I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all I get.’

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were going without eating. Some people came to Jesus. They said to him,“ John’s disciples are fasting. The disciples of the Pharisees are also fasting. But your disciples are not. Why aren’t they?”Jesus answered,“ How can the guests of the groom go without eating while he is with them? They will not fast as long as he is with them.But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. On that day they will go without eating.“ No one sews a patch of new cloth on old clothes. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse.No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins. Then the wine and the wineskins will both be destroyed. No, people pour new wine into new wineskins.”

One day John’s disciples came. They said to Jesus,“ We and the Pharisees often go without eating. Why don’t your disciples go without eating?”Jesus answered,“ How can the guests of the groom be sad while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.“ People don’t sew a patch of new cloth on old clothes. The new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse.People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst. The wine will run out, and the wineskins will be destroyed. No, people pour new wine into new wineskins. Then both are saved.”

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples spoke to him.“ Lord,” he said,“ teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people“ clean.”

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I do not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I am not listening to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.

‘ We have gone without food,’ they say.‘ Why haven’t you noticed it? We have made ourselves suffer. Why haven’t you paid any attention to us?’“ On the day when you fast, you do as you please. You take advantage of all your workers.When you fast, it ends in arguing and fighting. You hit one another with your fists. That is an evil thing to do. The way you are now fasting keeps your prayers from being heard in heaven.Do you think that is the way I want you to fast? Is it only a time for people to make themselves suffer? Is it only for people to bow their heads like tall grass bent by the wind? Is it only for people to lie down in ashes and clothes of mourning? Is that what you call a fast? Do you think I can accept that?“ Here is the way I want you to fast.“ Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.

But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say,‘ This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”

If you don’t pay attention to my instruction, even your prayers are hated.

They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish these men very much.”

They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish these men very much.”

And when you were eating and drinking, weren’t you just enjoying good food for yourselves?

The Lord told him,“ Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.

“ How terrible it will be for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter. And you will not let those enter who are trying to.

I can tell you for certain that they really want to serve God. But how they are trying to do it is not based on knowledge.They didn’t know that God’s power makes people right with himself. They tried to get right with God in their own way. They didn’t do it in God’s way.

“ When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can’t be seen. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.