"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me
receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of
a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward: and he that receiveth a
righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous
man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these
little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward."

And they departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the
gospel, and healing everywhere.

And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were
sick, and healed them.

And Jesus departed thence to teach and preach. And wheresoever he
entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid
the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch
if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him
were made whole.

At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,
and said unto his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen
from the dead; and therefore do these powers work in him."

But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet,
even as one of the prophets."

But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, "John, whom I beheaded, he is
risen."

And he sought to see him.

THE CRISIS IN CAPERNAUM

THE FIVE THOUSAND FED.

And the apostles, when they were returned unto Jesus, told him all
things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught.

Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. And he saith
unto them, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a
while." For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure
so much as to eat.

And they went away in the boat to a desert place apart. And the people
saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on
foot from all the cities, and outwent them.

And he came forth and saw a great multitude. And he welcomed them, and
spake to them of the kingdom of God, and them that had need of healing
he cured. And he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep
not having a shepherd.

And the day began to wear away; and the twelve came, and said unto
him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and
country round about, and lodge, and get provisions: for we are here in
a desert place."

But Jesus said unto them, "They have no need to go away: give ye them
to eat."

Philip answered him, "Two hundred shillings' worth of bread is not
sufficient for them, that every one may take a little."

Jesus saith unto them, "How many loaves have ye? go and see."

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
"There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but
what are these among so many?"

And Jesus said, "Bring them hither to me."

And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the
green grass. Now there was much grass in the place. And they sat down
in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And he took the five loaves and
the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake the
loaves; and he gave to the disciples to set before them; and the two
fishes divided he among them all. And they all ate, and were filled.
And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the
fishes. And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men.

When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, "This
is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world."

Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him
by force, to make him king, constrained the disciples to enter into
the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should
send the multitudes away.

And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the
mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone.

JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER.

And his disciples were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was
now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. And the sea was rising
by reason of a great wind that blew. And in the fourth watch of the
night, when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs,
they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled,
saying, "It is a ghost;" and they cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it
is I; be not afraid."

And Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come
unto thee upon the waters."

And he said, "Come."

And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters, to come
to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to
sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me."

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him,
and saith unto him, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt?"

And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased: and they
were sore amazed in themselves; for they understood not concerning the
loaves, but their heart was hardened.

And when they had crossed over, they came to the land unto Gennesaret,
and moored to the shore. And when they were come out of the boat,
straightway the people knew him, and ran round about that whole
region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick,
where they heard he was.

THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

On the morrow the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea
saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus
entered not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples
went away alone (howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the
place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks): when
the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his
disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum,
seeking Jesus.

And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto
him, "Rabbi, when camest thou hither?"

Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek
me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and
were filled. Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food
which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto
you; for him the Father, even God, hath sealed."

They said therefore unto him, "What must we do, that we may work the
works of God?"

Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that ye
believe on him whom he hath sent."

They said therefore unto him, "What then doest thou for a sign, that
we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou? Our fathers ate the
manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of
heaven to eat.'"

Jesus therefore said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, It
was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father
giveth you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that
which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world."

They said therefore unto him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But
I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not. All that
which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to
me I will in no wise cast out. For I am come down from heaven, not to
do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the
will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I
should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. For this
is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and
believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at
the last day."

The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the
bread which came down out of heaven." And they said, "Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he
now say 'I am come down out of heaven'?"

Jesus answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No
man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I
will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And
they shall all be taught of God.' Every one that hath heard from the
Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen
the Father, save he that is from God, he hath seen the Father. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. I am the
bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they
died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man
may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down
out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the
world."

The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, "How can this man
give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus therefore said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have
not life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood
hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my
flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my
flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. As the living
Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth
me, he also shall live because of me. This is the bread which came
down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth
this bread shall live for ever."

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is
a hard saying; who can hear it?"

But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said
unto them, "Doth this cause you to stumble? What then if ye should
behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit
that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have
spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you
that believe not."

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and
who it was that should betray him. And he said, "For this cause have I
said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto
him of the Father."

Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with
him. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, "Would ye also go away?"

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the
Holy One of God."

Jesus answered them, "Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you
is a devil?"

Now he spake of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that
should betray him, being one of the twelve.

REJECTION OF THE TRADITION OF THE ELDERS.

And there are gathered together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of
the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of
his disciples ate their bread with defiled, that is, unwashen, hands.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands
diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; and when
they come from the market-place, except they bathe themselves, they
eat not; and many other things there are, which they have received to
hold, washings of cups, and pots, and brasen vessels.) And the
Pharisees and the scribes ask him, "Why walk not thy disciples
according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with
defiled hands?"

And he said unto them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as
it is written,

    'This people honoreth me with their lips,
    But their heart is far from me.
    But in vain do they worship me,
    Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.'

"Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

And he said unto them, "Full well do ye reject the commandment of God,
that ye may keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor thy father and
thy mother;' and, 'He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him
die the death;' but ye say, 'If a man shall say to his father or his
mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is
Corban,' that is to say, Given to God; ye no longer suffer him to do
aught for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by
your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye
do."

And he called to him the multitude again, and said unto them, "Hear me
all of you, and understand: there is nothing from without the man,
that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out
of the man are those that defile the man."

Then came the disciples, and said unto him, "Knowest thou that the
Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"

But he answered and said, "Every plant which my heavenly Father
planted not, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are blind
guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit."

And when he was entered into the house from the multitude, his
disciples asked of him the parable.

And he saith unto them, "Are ye also even yet without understanding?
Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it
cannot defile him; because it goeth not into his heart, but into his
belly, and goeth out into the draught?"

This he said, making all meats clean. And he said, "That which
proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out
of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts,
murders, adulteries, covetings, wickedness, deceit, false witness,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these
evil things proceed from within, and defile the man; but to eat with
unwashen hands defileth not the man."

THE PLOT OF THE PHARISEES.

And it came to pass on a sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue
and taught: and there was a man there, and his right hand was
withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he
would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.

But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man that had his hand
withered, "Rise up, and stand forth in the midst."

And he arose and stood forth. And Jesus said unto them, "I ask you, Is
it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm? to save a life or
to destroy it? What man shall there be of you, that shall have one
sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay
hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man of more value than
a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day."

But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them
with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith
unto the man, "Stretch forth thy hand."

And he stretched it forth; and his hand was restored whole, as the
other.

But they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what
they might do to Jesus.

And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took
counsel against him, how they might destroy him.

=HIS WITHDRAWAL WITH THE TWELVE=

THE MINISTRY BEYOND GALILEE

THE PHOENICIAN RETIREMENT AND THE GENTILE CURE.

And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and
Sidon.

And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it; and he
could not be hid. But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had
an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his
feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race.

And she cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David;
my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon."

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought
him, saying, "Send her away, for she crieth after us."

But he answered and said, "I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of
the house of Israel."

But she came and worshipped him, saying, "Lord help me."

And he said unto her, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not
meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs."

But she answered and saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; even the dogs under
the table eat of the children's crumbs."

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, "O woman, great is thy faith:
be it done unto thee as thou wilt. Go thy way; the demon is gone out
of thy daughter."

And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the
bed, and the demon gone out.

MIRACLES AND MULTITUDES AGAIN.

And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon
unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of
Decapolis.

And he went up into the mountain, and sat there. And there came unto
him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed,
and many others, and they cast them down at his feet; and he healed
them; insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb
speaking, the maimed whole, and the lame walking, and the blind
seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in
his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. And he took
him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his
ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven,
he sighed, and saith unto him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."

And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and
he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man; but
the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published
it. And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, "He hath done all
things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

THE FOUR THOUSAND FED.

In those days, when there was again a great multitude, and they had
nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto
them, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with
me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away
fasting to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them
are come from far."

And his disciples answered him, "Whence shall one be able to fill
these men with bread here in a desert place?"

And he asked them, "How many loaves have ye?"

And they said, "Seven."

And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took
the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his
disciples, to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded
to set these also before them. And they ate and were filled: and they
took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven baskets. And they
were about four thousand men, besides women and children.

And he sent away the multitudes, and entered into the boat, and came
into the borders of Magadan.

THE PHARISEES AND SADUCCEES DEMAND A SIGN.

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came forth, and began to question with
him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him.

But he answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say, 'It
will be fair weather,' for the heaven is red. And in the morning, 'It
will be foul weather to-day,' for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye
know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the
signs of the times."

And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith. "Why doth this
generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be
given unto this generation."

And he left them, and again entering into the boat departed to the
other side.

And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them
more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

And they reasoned one with another, saying, "We have no bread."

And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, "O ye of little faith, why
reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread? Do ye not yet
perceive, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened? Having
eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not
remember? When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how
many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up?"

They say unto him, "Twelve."

"And when the seven among the four thousand, how many basketfuls of
broken pieces took ye up?"

And they say unto him, "Seven."

And he said unto them, "How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake
not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and Sadducees."

Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of
bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

THE BLIND MAN HEALED.

And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and
beseech him to touch him. And he took hold of the blind man by the
hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his
eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Seest thou aught?"

And he looked up, and said, "I see men; for I behold them as trees,
walking."

Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly,
and was restored, and saw all things clearly. And he sent him away to
his home, saying, "Do not even enter into the village."

JESUS THE MESSIAH

PETER'S CONFESSION.

And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Cæsarea
Philippi.

And it came to pass, as he was praying apart, the disciples were with
him: and he asked them, saying, "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"

And they answering, said, "Some say John the Baptist; some Elijah; and
others, Jeremiah; and others, that one of the old prophets is risen
again."

And he said unto them, "But who say ye that I am?"

And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God."

And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father who is in heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of
the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven."

Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was
the Christ.

THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION FORETOLD.

From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things and be rejected by the elders,
and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three
days rise again. And he spake the saying openly.

And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from
thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee."

But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and
saith, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me:
for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men."

And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto
them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life
shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the
gospel's shall save it. For what doth it profit a man to gain the
whole world, and forfeit his life? For what should a man give in
exchange for his life? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also
shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in his own glory, and the
glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a
truth, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise
taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power."

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, that he took
with him Peter and John and James, and went up into the mountain to
pray. And as he was praying he was transfigured before them; and his
face did shine as the sun, and his garments became glistering, white
as the light, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.

And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah;
who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was about to
accomplish at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep; but when
they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood
with him. And it came to pass, as they were parting from him, Peter
said unto Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us
make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for
Elijah:" not knowing what he said.

While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

And behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were
sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and be
not afraid."

And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus
only with themselves.

And as they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that
they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son
of man should have risen again from the dead.

And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising
again from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, "How is
it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come?"

And he said unto them, "Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all
things: and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should
suffer many things and be set at nought? But I say unto you, that
Elijah is come, and they have also done unto him whatsoever they would
even as it is written of them."

Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the
Baptist.

THE EPILEPTIC BOY.

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about
them, and scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the
multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him
saluted him. And he asked them, "What question ye with them?"

And one of the multitude came to him kneeling, and saying, "Teacher, I
beseech thee to look upon my son: for he is mine only child: and
behold, he hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever it taketh him, it
dasheth him down: and he foameth, and grindeth his teeth, and pineth
away: for he is epileptic, and suffereth grievously; for oft-times he
falleth into the fire, and oft-times into the water. And I brought him
to thy disciples, and they could not cure him."

And Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how
long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? Bring hither
thy son."

And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the
spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed
foaming.

And he asked his father, "How long time is it since this hath come
unto him?"

And he said, "From a child. And oft-times it hath cast him both into
the fire and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do
anything, have compassion on us, and help us."

And Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst! All things are possible to
him that believeth."

Straightway the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe;
help thou mine unbelief."

And when Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked
the unclean spirit, saying unto him, "Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I
command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him."

And having cried out, and torn him much, he came out: and the boy
became as one dead; insomuch that the more part said, "He is dead."

But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose, and
Jesus gave him back to his father. And they were all astonished at the
majesty of God.

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, "How is it that we could not cast it out?"

And he said unto them, "This kind can come out by nothing, save by
prayer. Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Remove hence to yonder place,'
and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

THE TRAINING OF THE TWELVE

THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION AGAIN FORETOLD.

And they went forth from thence, and passed through Galilee; and he
would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples,
and said unto them, "Let these words sink into your ears: for the Son
of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men, and they shall
kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he shall rise
again."

But they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

THE GREATEST DISCIPLE.

And they came to Capernaum: and when he was in the house he asked
them, "What were ye reasoning on the way?"

But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another on
the way, who was the greatest.

And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he said unto them, "If any
man would be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all."

And he took a little child, and set him in the midst of them: and
taking him in his arms, he said unto them, "Verily I say unto you,
Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him
that sent me."

John said unto him, "Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy
name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us."

But Jesus said, "Forbid him not: for there is no man who shall do a
mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For
he that is not against us is for us. For whosoever shall give you a
cup of water to drink, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you,
he shall in no wise lose his reward. But whoso shall cause one of
these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for
him that a great mill-stone should be hanged about his neck, and that
he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.

"Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must
needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the
occasion cometh! And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble,
cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into
life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be
cast into the eternal fire. And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble,
pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into
life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the
hell of fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire. Salt is good; but
if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have
salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.

"See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you,
that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who
is in heaven. How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one
of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go
unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray? And if so be
that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than
over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. Even so it is
not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little
ones should perish.

FORGIVENESS.

"And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between
thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But
if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth
of two witnesses or three every word may be established. And if he
refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear
the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.
Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, that if two of you
shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I, in the midst of
them."

Then came Peter and said to him, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?"

Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but,
Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened
unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants. And
when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him
ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay,
his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all
that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down
and worshipped him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will
pay thee all.' And the lord of that servant, being moved with
compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant
went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred
shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat,
saying, 'Pay what thou owest.' So his fellow-servant fell down and
besought him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.'
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should
pay that which was due. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done,
they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that
was done. Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, 'Thou
wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest
me: shouldst not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even
as I had mercy on thee?' And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to
the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my
heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother
from your hearts."

THE SHEKEL FOR THE TEMPLE.

And they that received the half-shekel came to Peter, and said "Doth
not your teacher pay the half-shekel?"

He saith, "Yea."

And when he came into the house, Jesus spake first to him, saying,
"What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth, from whom do they
receive toll or tribute? from their sons, or from strangers?"

And when he said, "From strangers," Jesus said unto him, "Therefore,
the sons are free. But, lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the
sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and
when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a shekel: that take,
and give unto them for me and thee."

=HIS FACE TOWARD JERUSALEM=

THE FINAL DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His
brethren therefore said unto him, "Depart hence, and go into Judæa,
that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no
man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly.
If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world." For even
his brethren did not believe on him.

Jesus therefore saith unto them, "My time is not yet come; but your
time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the
feast; I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not yet
fulfilled." And having said these things unto them, he abode still in
Galilee.

And it came to pass, when the days were well-nigh come that he should
be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and
sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a
village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not
receive him, because his face was as though he were going to
Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said,
"Lord, wilt thou that we bid fire to come down from heaven, and
consume them?"

But he turned, and rebuked them. And they went to another village.

THE GRATEFUL SAMARITAN LEPER.

And it came to pass, as they were on the way to Jerusalem, that he was
passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered
into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who
stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us."

And when he saw them, he said unto them, "Go and show yourselves unto
the priests."

And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of
them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice
glorifying God; and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him
thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

And Jesus answering said, "Were not the ten cleansed? but where are
the nine? Were there none found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger?"

And he said unto him, "Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee
whole."

NEW DISCIPLES.

And as they went on the way, a certain scribe said unto him, "I will
follow thee whithersoever thou goest."

And Jesus said unto him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the
heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

And he said unto another, "Follow me."

But he said, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father."

But he said unto him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but go
thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God."

And another also said, "I will follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me
to bid farewell to them that are at my house."

But Jesus said unto him, "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

IN JERUSALEM--THE ATTEMPT TO STONE HIM

JESUS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.

Then went he up unto the feast, not publicly, but as it were in
secret. The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, "Where
is he?" And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning
him: some said, "He is a good man;" others said, "Not so, but he
leadeth the multitude astray." Yet no man spake openly of him for fear
of the Jews.

But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the
temple, and taught. The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, "How knoweth
this man letters, having never learned?"

Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not mine, but
his that sent me. If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of
the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself. He
that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh
the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no
unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet
none of you doeth the law? Why seek ye to kill me?"

The multitude answered, "Thou hast a demon: who seeketh to kill thee?"

Jesus answered and said unto them, "I did one work, and ye all marvel
because thereof. Moses hath given you circumcision (not that it is of
Moses, but of the fathers); and on the sabbath ye circumcise a man. If
a man receiveth circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may
not be broken; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit
whole on the sabbath? Judge not according to appearance, but judge
righteous judgment."

Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, "Is not this he whom they
seek to kill? And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto
him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?
Howbeit we know this man whence he is; but when the Christ cometh, no
one knoweth whence he is."

Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, "Ye both
know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he
that sent me is true, whom ye know not. I know him: because I am from
him, and he sent me."

They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him,
because his hour was not yet come. But of the multitude many believed
on him; and they said, "When the Christ shall come, will he do more
signs than those which this man hath done?"

The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning
him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to take
him.

Jesus therefore said, "Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto
him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I
am, ye can not come."

The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Whither will this man go
that we shall not find him? will he go unto the Dispersion among the
Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What is this word that he said, 'Ye
shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, ye cannot
come'?"

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He
that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him
shall flow rivers of living water."

But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were
to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not
yet glorified.

Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said,
"This is of a truth the prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ."
But some said, "What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not
the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and
from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. And some of
them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and
they said unto them, "Why did ye not bring him?"

The officers answered, "Never man so spake."

The Pharisees therefore answered them, "Are ye also led astray? Hath
any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees? But this
multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed."

Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came to him before, being one of
them), "Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself
and know what he doeth?"

They answered and said unto him, "Art thou also of Galilee? Search,
and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet."

JESUS AND THE ACCUSED WOMAN.

And they went every man unto his own house: but Jesus went unto the
mount of Olives.

And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the
people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the
scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery; and having
set her in the midst, they say unto him, "Teacher, this woman hath
been taken in adultery, in the very act. Now in the law Moses
commanded us to stone such: what then sayest thou of her?" And this
they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him.

But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. But
when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto
them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at
her."

And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
And they, when they heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the
eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman,
where she was, in the midst. And Jesus lifted up himself, and said
unto her, "Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee?"

And she said, "No man, Lord."

And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from
henceforth sin no more."

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, "I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall
have the light of life."

The Pharisees therefore said unto him, "Thou bearest witness of
thyself; thy witness is not true."

Jesus answered and said unto them, "Even if I bear witness of myself,
my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye
know not whence I come, or whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I
judge no man. Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not
alone, but I and the Father that sent me. Yea and in your law it is
written, that the witness of two men is true. I am he that beareth
witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."

They said therefore unto him, "Where is thy Father?"

Jesus answered, "Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye
would know my Father also."

These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and
no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.

He said therefore again unto them, "I go away, and ye shall seek me,
and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come."

The Jews therefore said, "Will he kill himself, that he saith,
'Whither I go, ye cannot come?'"

And he said unto them, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are
of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that
ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye
shall die in your sins."

They said therefore unto him, "Who art thou?"

Jesus said unto them, "Even that which I have also spoken unto you
from the beginning I have many things to speak and to judge concerning
you; howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard
from him, these speak I unto the world."

They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father.

Jesus therefore said, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then
shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as
the Father taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is
with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that
are pleasing to him."

As he spake these things, many believed on him.

THE FREEDOM OF THE SOUL.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, "If ye abide
in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free."

They answered unto him, "We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet
been in bondage to any man; how sayest thou, 'Ye shall be made free'?"

Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that
committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant abideth
not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. If therefore the
Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are
Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free
course in you. I speak the things which I have seen with my Father:
and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father."

They answered and said unto him, "Our father is Abraham."

Jesus saith unto them, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the
works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you
the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the
works of your father."

They said unto him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one
Father, even God."

Jesus said unto them, "If God were your Father, ye would love me: for
I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself,
but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye
cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth
in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father thereof. But because I say the truth, ye believe
me not. Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye
not believe me? He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this
cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God."

The Jews answered and said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a
Samaritan, and hast a demon?"

Jesus answered, "I have not a demon: but I honor my Father, and ye
dishonor me. But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh
and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he
shall never see death."

The Jews said unto him, "Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham
died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, 'If a man keep my word, he
shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham,
who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself?"

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my
Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; and ye
have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, 'I know him
not,' I shall be like unto you, a liar; but I know him, and keep his
word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and
was glad."

The Jews therefore said unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham?"

Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you. Before Abraham
was born, I am."

They took up stones therefore to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself,
and went out of the temple.

THE MINISTRY IN PEREA

THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY.

And he arose and cometh into the borders of Judæa and beyond the
Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

And the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two
before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was
about to come. And he said unto them, "The harvest indeed is
plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways;
behold, I send you forth as lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no
purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. And into
whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'
And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if
not, it shall turn to you again. And in that same house remain, eating
and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of
his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye
enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, 'The kingdom of
God is come nigh unto you.' But into whatsoever city ye shall enter,
and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say,
'Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off
against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come
nigh.' I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for
Sodom, than for that city. He that heareth you heareth me; and he
that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth
him that sent me."

THE RETURN OF THE SEVENTY.

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are
subject unto us in thy name."

And he said unto them, "I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from
heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in
any wise hurt you. Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits
are subject unto you: but rejoice that your names are written in
heaven."

THE MEEK AND LOWLY.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these
things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto
babes; yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. All
things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth
who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son,
and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him."

And turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes
which see the things that ye see: for I say unto you, that many
prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw
them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light."

THE UNREPENTANT CITIES.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works
were done, because they repented not. "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe
unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre
and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. And thou,
Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto
Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done
in thee, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you
that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of
judgment, than for thee."

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying,
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And he said unto him, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?"

And he answering said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

And he said unto him, "Thou hast answered right: this do and thou
shalt live."

But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?"

Jesus made answer and said, "A certain man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him
and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a
certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed
by on the other side. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came
to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he
was moved with compassion, and came to him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow he took
out two shillings, and gave them to the host, and said, 'Take care of
him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again,
will repay thee.' Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor
unto him that fell among the robbers?"

And he said, "He that showed mercy on him."

And Jesus said unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise."

IN JERUSALEM--THE ATTEMPT TO ARREST HIM.

THE FRIENDS AT BETHANY.

Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and
a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and
heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him,
and said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to
serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me."

But the Lord answered and said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou art
anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for
Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from
her."

A MIRACLE IN JERUSALEM.

And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his
disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his
parents, that he should be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that
the works of God should be made manifest in him. We must work the
works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no
man can work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground, and made clay of the
spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said unto him, "Go,
wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is by interpretation, Sent).

He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was
a beggar, said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?"

Others said, "It is he:" others said, "No, but he is like him."

He said, "I am he."

They said therefore unto him, "How then were thine eyes opened?"

He answered, "The man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine
eyes, and said unto me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash:' so I went away and
washed, and I received sight."

And they said unto him, "Where is he?"

He saith, "I know not."

They bring to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. Now it was
the sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his
sight.

And he said unto them, "He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and
I see."

Some therefore of the Pharisees said. "This man is not from God,
because he keepeth not the sabbath."

But others said, "How can a man that is a sinner do such signs?"

And there was a division among them.

They say therefore unto the blind man again, "What sayest thou of him,
in that he opened thine eyes?"

And he said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been
blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of
him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying, "Is this your
son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?"

His parents answered and said, "We know that this is our son, and that
he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened
his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for
himself."

These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews; for the
Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess him to be
Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his
parents, "He is of age; ask him."

So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto
him, "Give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner."

He therefore answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing
I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."

They said therefore unto him, "What did he to thee? how opened he
thine eyes."

He answered them, "I told you even now, and ye did not hear; wherefore
would ye hear it again? would ye also become his disciples?"

And they reviled him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are
disciples of Moses. We know that God hath spoken unto Moses: but as
for this man, we know not whence he is."

The man answered and said unto them. "Why, herein is the marvel, that
ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes. We know that
God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do
his will, him he heareth. Since the world began it was never heard
that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not
from God, he could do nothing."

They answered and said unto him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins,
and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and finding him, he said,
"Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

He answered and said, "And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on
him?"

Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that
speaketh with thee."

And he said, "Lord, I believe."

And he worshipped him.

And Jesus said, "For judgment came I into this world, that they that
see not may see; and that they that see may become blind."

Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said
unto him, "Are we also blind?"

Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now
ye say, 'We see:' your sin remaineth."

THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into
the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear
his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they
not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers."

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what
things they were which he spake unto them.

Jesus therefore said unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, I am the door of the sheep. All that came before me are thieves
and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and
shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and
kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it
abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his
life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose
own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the
sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them;
he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am
the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as
the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life
for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall
become one flock, one shepherd. Therefore doth the Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it
away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I
from my Father."

There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words.
And many of them said, "He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?"

Others said, "These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon.
Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

JESUS AT THE FEAST OF DEDICATION.

And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem; it was winter;
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch. The Jews
therefore came round about him, and said unto him, "How long dost thou
hold us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and ye believe not; the works that I
do in my Father's name, these bear witness of me. But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My
Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one
is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are
one."

The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I showed you from the
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?"

The Jews answered him, "For a good work we stone thee not, but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, Ye are
gods?' If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the
scripture cannot be broken), say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified
and sent into the world, 'Thou blasphemest;' because I said, 'I am the
Son of God?' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But
if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may
know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand.

RENEWED MINISTRY IN PEREA

JESUS AND THE PHARISEES.

And he went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was
at the first baptizing; and there he abode. And many came unto him;
and they said, "John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever
John spake of this man were true." And many believed on him there.

Now a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat
down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had
not first bathed himself before dinner.

And the Lord said unto him, "Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside
of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of
extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the
outside make the inside also? But give for alms those things which are
within; and behold, all things are clean unto you."

And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees
began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of
many things; laying wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth.

In the meantime, when the many thousands of the multitude were
gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began
to say unto his disciples first of all, "Beware ye of the leaven of
the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up,
that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."

WARNING AGAINST COVETOUSNESS.

And one out of the multitude said unto him, "Teacher, bid my brother
divide the inheritance with me."

But he said unto him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over
you?"

And he said unto them, "Take heed and keep yourselves from all
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth."

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, "The ground of a certain
rich man brought forth plentifully; and he reasoned within himself,
saying, 'What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my
fruits?' And he said, 'This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and
build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. And
I will say to my soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry."' But God said unto him,
'Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee: and the
things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?' So is he that
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

THE FALL OF THE TOWER.

Now there were some present at that very season who told him of the
Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And
he answered and said unto them, "Think ye that these Galilæans were
sinners above all the Galilæans, because they have suffered these
things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like
manner perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,
and killed them, think ye that they were offenders above all the men
that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish."

And he spake this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And
he said unto the vinedresser, 'Behold, these three years I come
seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth
it also cumber the ground.' And he answering saith unto him, 'Lord,
let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it
down.'"

THE USES OF THE SABBATH.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath day. And
behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she
was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up. And when
Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, "Woman, thou art loosed
from thine infirmity."

And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight,
and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because
Jesus had healed on the sabbath, answered and said to the multitude,
"There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come
and be healed, and not on the day of the sabbath."

But the Lord answered him and said, "Ye hypocrites, doth not each one
of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead
him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of
Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been
loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath?"

And as he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame:
and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were
done by him.

A QUESTION OF SALVATION.

And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and
journeying on unto Jerusalem. And one said unto him, "Lord, are they
few that are saved?"

And he said unto them, "Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for
many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the
door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying,
'Lord, open to us,' and he shall answer and say to you, 'I know you
not whence ye are'; then shall ye begin to say, 'We did eat and drink
in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets'; and he shall
say, 'I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye
workers of iniquity.' There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of
teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without.
And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and
south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are
last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last."

A MESSAGE TO HEROD.

In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, "Get
thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee."

And he said unto them, "Go and say to that fox, 'Behold, I cast out
demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am
perfected.' Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and
the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of
Jerusalem."

THE OX IN THE PIT.

And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers
of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching
him. And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the
dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees,
saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?"

But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let
him go.

And he said unto them, "Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen
into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?"
And they could not answer again unto these things.

THE CHIEF PLACES AT THE FEAST.

And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how
they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, "When thou art
bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat;
lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he
that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, 'Give this man
place'; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that
when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, 'Friend, go
up higher'; then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit
at meat with thee. For every one that exalteth himself shall be
humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

And he said to him also that had bidden him, "When thou makest a
dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy
kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and
a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because
they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

THE SLIGHTED INVITATION.

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he
said unto him, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of
God."

But he said unto him, "A certain man made a great supper; and he bade
many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that
were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.' And they all with
one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, 'I have
bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have
me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I
go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I
have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' And the servant
came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house,
being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and
lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind
and lame.' And the servant said, 'Lord, what thou didst command is
done, and yet there is room.' And the lord said unto the servant, 'Go
out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that
my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men
that were bidden shall taste of my supper.'"

COUNTING THE COST.

Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto
them, "If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and
his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whosoever doth not bear
his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of
you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the
cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he
hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold
begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able
to finish.' Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in
war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an
ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So therefore whosoever he
be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my
disciple. Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its
savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the land
nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear."

THE NINETY AND NINE.

Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear
him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This
man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

And he spake unto them this parable, saying, "What man of you, having
a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the
ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost,
until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his
shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his
friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, 'Rejoice with me, for I
have found my sheep which was lost.' I say unto you, that even so
there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than
over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

THE LOST COIN.

"Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece,
doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until
she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth together her
friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the
piece which I had lost.' Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

THE PRODIGAL SON.

And he said, "A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said
to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of thy substance that
falleth to me.' And he divided unto them his living. And not many days
after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into
a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that
country; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to
one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields
to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks
that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. But when he came to
himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread
enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and
go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired servants.' And he arose, and came to his
father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was
moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son.' But the
father said to his servants, 'Bring forth quickly the best robe, and
put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and
bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is
found.' And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the
field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and
dancing. And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what
these things might be. And he said unto him, 'Thy brother is come; and
thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him
safe and sound.' But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father
came out, and entreated him. But he answered and said to his father,
'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a
commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might
make merry with my friends; but when this thy son came, who hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted
calf.' And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art ever with me, and all that
is mine is thine. But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this
thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is
found.'"

THE UNJUST STEWARD.

And he said also unto the disciples, "There was a certain rich man,
who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was
wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, 'What is this
that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou
canst be no longer steward' And the steward said within himself, 'What
shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I
have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to
do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me
into their houses.' And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors,
he said to the first, 'How much owest thou unto my lord?' And he said,
'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said unto him, 'Take thy bond, and
sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then said he to another, 'And how
much owest thou?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He saith
unto him, 'Take thy bond, and write fourscore.' And his lord commended
the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of
this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the
light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the
mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive
you into the eternal tabernacles. He that is faithful in a very little
is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little
is unrighteous also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in
the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will
give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold
to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

A PARABLE TO THE LOVERS OF MONEY.

And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things;
and they scoffed at him.

And he said unto them, "Ye are they that justify yourselves in the
sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted
among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

"Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and
fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named
Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed
with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; yea, even the
dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
and the rich man also died, and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus
in his bosom. And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on
me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,
and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham
said, 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is
comforted, and thou art in anguish. And besides all this, between us
and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from
hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence
to us.' And he said, 'I pray thee therefore, father, that thou
wouldest send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that
he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of
torment.' But Abraham saith, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them.' And he said, 'Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to
them from the dead, they will repent.' And he said unto him, 'If they
hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if
one rise from the dead.'"

"INCREASE OUR FAITH."

And the apostles said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith."

And the Lord said. "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye
would say unto this sycamine tree, 'Be thou rooted up, and be thou
planted in the sea'; and it would obey you. But who is there of you,
having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him,
when he is come in from the field. 'Come straightway and sit down to
meat'; and will not rather say unto him, 'Make ready wherewith I may
sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken;
and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?' Doth he thank the servant
because he did the things that were commanded? Even so ye also, when
ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, 'We are
unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to
do.'"

NEAR JERUSALEM--THE PLOT TO KILL HIM.

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary
and her sister Martha. And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with
ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was
sick.

The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom
thou lovest is sick."

But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not unto death,
but for the glory of God, that the son of God may be glorified
thereby."

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore he
heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place
where he was.

Then after this he saith to the disciples, "Let us go into Judæa
again."

The disciples say unto him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to
stone thee: and goest thou thither again?"

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk
in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this
world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light
is not in him."

These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them. "Our friend
Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of
sleep."

The disciples therefore said unto him, "Lord, if he is fallen asleep,
he will recover."

Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of
taking rest in sleep.

Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I
am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may
believe; nevertheless let us go unto him."

Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his
fellow-disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days
already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off; and
many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them
concerning their brother.

Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met
him: but Mary still sat in the house. Martha therefore said unto
Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. And
even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give
thee."

Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again."

Martha saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise again in the
resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever
liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord. I have believed that thou art the
Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world."

And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister
secretly, saying, "The Teacher is here, and calleth thee."

And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him. (Now
Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place
where Martha met him.) The Jews then who were with her in the house,
and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly
and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb
to weep there.

Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down
at his feet, saying unto him. "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died."

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who
came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said,
"Where have ye laid him?"

They say unto him, "Lord, come and see."

Jesus wept.

The Jews therefore said, "Behold how he loved him!" But some of them
said, "Could not this man, who has opened the eyes of him that was
blind, have caused that this man also should not die?"

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it
was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus saith, "Take ye away the
stone."

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, "Lord, by
this time the body decayeth; for he hath been dead four days."

Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst,
thou shouldest see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said,
"Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou
hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I
said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me."

And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus,
come forth."

He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes;
and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them,
"Loose him, and let him go."

Many therefore of the Jews, who came to Mary and beheld that which he
did, believed on him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and
told them the things which Jesus had done.

THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL.

The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and
said, "What do we? for this man doeth many signs. If we let him thus
alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take
away both our place and our nation."

But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said
unto them, "Ye know nothing at all, nor do ye take account that it is
expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the
whole nation perish not."

Now this he said not of himself: but being high priest that year, he
prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; and not for the
nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the
children of God that are scattered abroad.

So from that day forth they took counsel that they might put him to
death.

HIS WITHDRAWAL TO EPHRAIM

THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed
thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called
Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples.

And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he
answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation: neither shall they say, 'Lo, here!' or, 'There!' for lo,
the kingdom of God is within you."

And he said unto the disciples, "The days will come, when ye shall
desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see
it. And they shall say to you, 'Lo, there!' 'Lo, here!' go not away,
nor follow after them; for as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of
the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under
heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day. But first must he
suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.

"And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also
in the days of the Son of man. They ate, they drank, they married,
they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the
ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise even as it
came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded; but in the day that Lot went
out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed
them all: after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of
man is revealed. In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and
his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away; and let
him that is in the field likewise not return back. Remember Lot's
wife. Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it."

THE UNJUST JUDGE.

And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to
pray, and not to faint; saying, "There was in a city a judge, who
feared not God, and regarded not man: and there was a widow in that
city: and she came oft unto him, saying, 'Avenge me of mine
adversary.' And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within
himself, 'Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this
widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her
continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous
judge saith. And shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day
and night, and yet he is longsuffering over them? I say unto you, that
he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man
cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.

And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: "Two men went
up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I
thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week; I give
tithes of all that I get.' But the publican, standing afar off, would
not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast,
saying, 'God, be thou merciful to me a sinner.' I say unto you, This
man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every
one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted."

CONCERNING DIVORCE.

And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, "Is it
lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?"

And he answered and said, "Have ye not read, that he who made them
from the beginning made them, male and female, and said, 'For this
cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his
wife; and the two shall become one flesh?' So that they are no more
two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder."

They say unto him, "Why then did Moses command to give a bill of
divorcement, and to put her away?"

He saith unto them, "Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to
put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. And I
say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for
fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that
marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery."

The disciples say unto him, "If the case of the man is so with his
wife, it is not expedient to marry."

But he said unto them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but they
to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs, that were so born from
their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by
men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the
kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him
receive it."

JESUS AND THE CHILDREN.

And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch
them: and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was
moved with indignation, and said unto them, "Suffer the little
children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the
kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein."

And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon
them.

THE RICH YOUNG RULER.

And behold, as he was going forth into the way, a certain ruler ran to
him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what good thing
shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

And he said unto him, "Why askest thou me concerning that which is
good? None is good, save one, even God: but if thou wouldest enter
into life, keep the commandments."

He saith unto him, "Which?"

And Jesus said, "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy
father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The young ruler saith unto him, "All these things have I observed from
my youth up; what lack I yet?"

And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and said unto him, "One thing
thou lackest yet: if thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which
thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in
heaven: and come, follow me."

But when the young man heard the saying, his countenance fell, and he
went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions.

And Jesus said unto his disciples, "Verily I say unto you, It is hard
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." And the disciples
were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again and said unto them,
"Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into
the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's
eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly,
saying, "Who then can be saved?"

And Jesus looking upon them said to them, "With men this is
impossible: but with God all things are possible."

Then answered Peter and said unto him, "Lo, we have left all, and
followed thee; what then shall we have?"

And Jesus said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, that ye who have
followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the
throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath left houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for
my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions, and in the world to come shall inherit eternal life. But
many shall be last that are first; and first that are last.

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder,
who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he
sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and
saw others standing in the market-place idle; and to them he said, 'Go
ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.'
And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the
ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out,
and found others standing; and he saith unto them, 'Why stand ye here
all the day idle?' They say unto him, 'Because no man hath hired us.'
He saith unto them, 'Go ye also into the vineyard.' And when even was
come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, 'Call the
laborers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the
first.' And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour,
they received every man a shilling. And when the first came, they
supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received
every man a shilling. And when they received it, they murmured against
the householder, saying, 'These last have spent but one hour, and thou
hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and
the scorching heat.' But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend,
I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? Take
up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto
this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I
will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good?' So the
last shall be first, and the first last."

THE LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS.

And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going
before them: and they were amazed; and they that followed were afraid.
And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them the things that
were to happen unto him, saying, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and
all the things that are written by the prophets shall be accomplished
unto the Son of man; and he shall be delivered unto the chief priests
and the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall
deliver him unto the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall spit
upon him, and shall scourge him, and shall kill him; and after three
days he shall rise again."

And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from
them: and they perceived not the things that were said.

THE SONS OF THUNDER.

Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons James
and John, worshipping him, and asking a certain thing of him.

And he said unto her, "What wouldest thou?"

She saith unto him, "Command that these my two sons may sit, one on
thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy kingdom."

But Jesus answered and said, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to
drink the cup that I am about to drink? or to be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with?"

And they said unto him, "We are able."

And Jesus said unto them, "The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and
with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but
to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give; but it
is for them for whom it hath been prepared of my Father."

And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation
concerning James and John.

And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, "Ye know that they
who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and
their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among
you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your
minister; and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of
all. Even as the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO.

And they come to Jericho: and as they went out from Jericho, with his
disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timæus, Bartimæus, a blind
beggar, was sitting by the wayside, begging. And hearing the multitude
going by, he inquired what this meant, and they told him that Jesus of
Nazareth passeth by. And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene,
he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on
me."

And Jesus stood still, and said, "Call ye him."

And they call the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good cheer: rise,
he calleth thee." And he, casting away his garment, sprang up, and
came to Jesus.

And Jesus answered him, and said, "What wilt thou that I should do
unto thee?"

And the blind man said unto him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my
sight."

And Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee
whole."

And straightway he received his sight, and followed him in the way,
glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto
God.

THE VISIT TO ZACCHÆUS.

And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man
called by name Zacchæus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich.
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd,
because he was little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up
into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him,
"Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy
house."

And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He is gone in to
lodge with a man that is a sinner."

And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of
my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of
any man, I restore fourfold."

And Jesus said unto him, "To-day is salvation come to this house,
forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to
seek and to save that which was lost."

THE PARABLE OF THE POUNDS.

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because
he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom
of God was immediately to appear. He said therefore, "A certain
nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom,
and to return. And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten
pounds, and said unto them, 'Trade ye herewith till I come.' But his
citizens hated him, and sent an ambassage after him, saying, 'We will
not that this man reign over us.'

"And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the
kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the
money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by
trading. And the first came before him, saying, 'Lord, thy pound hath
made ten pounds more.' And he said unto him, 'Well done, thou good
servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou
authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Thy pound,
Lord, hath made five pounds.' And he said unto him also, 'Be thou also
over five cities.' And another came, saying, 'Lord, behold, here is
thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee,
because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou
layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow.' He saith
unto him, 'Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked
servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I
laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; then wherefore
gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have
required it with interest?' And he said unto them that stood by, 'Take
away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten
pounds.' And they said unto him, 'Lord, he hath ten pounds.' 'I say
unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him
that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.
But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them,
bring hither, and slay them before me.'"

And when he had thus spoken, he went on before, going up to Jerusalem.

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM.

Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to
Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify
themselves. They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with
another, as they stood in the temple, "What think ye? That he will not
come to the feast?"

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that,
if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take
him.

THE FEAST AT BETHANY.

Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a
supper there in the house of Simon the leper; and Martha served: but
Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took
a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet
of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled
with the odor of the ointment.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should betray him,
saith, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings,
and given to the poor?"

Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he
was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.

Jesus therefore said, "Suffer her to keep it against the day of my
burying. For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not
always. She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body
beforehand for the burying. And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever
the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also
which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there: and
they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus
also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests took
counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by
reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

=HIS LAST WEEK=

PALM SUNDAY--THE DAY OF TRIUMPH

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY.

On the morrow when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and
Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, and
saith unto them, "Go your way into the village that is over against
you: and straightway as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied,
whereon no man ever yet sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any one
say unto you, 'Why do ye this?' say ye, 'The Lord hath need of him';
and straightway he will send him back hither."

Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken
through the prophet, saying,

    "Tell ye the daughter of Zion,
    Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,
    Meek, and riding upon an ass,
    And upon a colt the foal of an ass."

And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door without in the
open street: and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there
said unto them, "What do ye, loosing the colt?" And they said unto
them even as Jesus had said: and they let them go. And they bring the
colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments; and he sat upon him.

And the most part of the multitude spread their garments upon the way;
and others branches, which they had cut from the fields. And as he was
drawing nigh, even at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole
multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud
voice for all the mighty works which they had seen. And they that went
before, and they that followed, cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Blessed is the
kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David: Hosanna in the
highest."

These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus
was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of
him, and that they had done these things unto him.

The multitude, therefore, that was with him when he called Lazarus out
of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness. For this
cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he
had done this sign.

And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, "Teacher,
rebuke thy disciples."

And he answered and said, "I tell you that, if these shall hold their
peace, the stones will cry out."

And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If
thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto
peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come
upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash
thee to the ground, and thy children within thee: and they shall not
leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the
time of thy visitation."

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying,
"Who is this?"

And the multitudes said, "This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of
Galilee."

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Behold, how ye prevail
nothing; lo, the world is gone after him."

And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked
round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto
Bethany with the twelve.

MONDAY--THE DAY OF AUTHORITY

THE CURSING OF THE FIG TREE.

And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered.
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he
might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing
but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. And he answered and
said unto it, "No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever."

And his disciples heard it.

THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE.

And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began
to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that
sold the doves: and he would not suffer that any man should carry a
vessel through the temple. And he taught, and said unto them, "Is it
not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the
nations?' but ye have made it a den of robbers?"

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed
them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful
things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple
and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David": they were moved with
indignation, and said unto him, "Hearest thou what these are saying?"

And Jesus saith unto them, "Yea: did ye never read, 'Out of the mouth
of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise'?"

And the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the
people sought to destroy him: and they could not find what they might
do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.

And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and
lodged there.

TUESDAY--THE DAY OF CONTROVERSY

THE LESSON FROM THE WITHERED FIG TREE.

And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered
away from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him,
"Rabbi, behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away."

And Jesus answering saith unto them, "Have faith in God. Verily I say
unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou taken up
and cast into the sea'; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. Therefore
I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe
that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And whensoever ye stand
praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father
also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

THE CHALLENGE OF CHRIST'S AUTHORITY.

And they came again to Jerusalem. And all the people came early in the
morning to him in the temple to hear him. And as he was teaching the
people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him
the chief priests and the scribes with the elders; and they spake,
saying unto him, "Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things?
or who is he that gave thee this authority?"

And Jesus answered, and said unto them, "I also will ask you one
question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what
authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from
heaven or from men?"

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From
heaven'; he will say unto us, 'Why did ye not believe him?' But if we
shall say, 'From men'; all the people will stone us: for they are
persuaded that John was a prophet."

And they answered Jesus, and said, "We know not."

And Jesus said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do
these things."

THREE WARNING PARABLES.

THE TWO SONS.

"But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and
said, 'Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.' And he answered and said,
'I will not': but afterward he repented himself, and went. And he came
to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go,
sir': and went not. Which of the two did the will of his father?"

They say, "The first."

Jesus saith unto them, "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and
the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto
you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the
publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did
not even repent yourselves afterward that ye might believe him."

THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN.

"Hear another parable: There was a man who was a householder, who
planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress
in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into
another country. And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent
his servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits. And the
husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and
stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and
they did unto them in like manner. But afterward he sent unto them his
son, saying, 'They will reverence my son.' But the husbandmen, when
they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let
us kill him, and take his inheritance.' And they took him, and cast
him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the lord
of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen?"

They say unto him, "He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and
will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him
the fruits in their seasons."

Jesus saith unto them, "Did ye never read in the scriptures,

    'The stone which the builders rejected,
    The same was made the head of the corner;
    This was from the Lord,
    And it is marvellous in our eyes'?

"Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from
you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust."

And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they
perceived that he spake of them. And when they sought to lay hold on
him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.

THE MARRIAGE OF THE KING'S SON.

And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, "The
kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage
feast for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were
bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. Again he sent
forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, 'Behold, I
have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all
things are ready; come to the marriage feast.' But they made light of
it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his
merchandise; and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them
shamefully, and killed them. But the king was wroth; and he sent his
armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then
saith he to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but they that were
bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore unto the partings of the
highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.'
And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together
all as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was
filled with guests. But when the king came in to behold the guests, he
saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment: and he saith unto
him, 'Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having a
wedding-garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the
servants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him out into the outer
darkness'; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. For
many are called, but few chosen."

THREE HOSTILE QUESTIONS ASKED OF JESUS.

TRIBUTE TO CÆSAR.

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him
in his talk so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority
of the governor. And they send to him their disciples, with the
Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest
the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou
regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest
thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?"

But Jesus perceived their craftiness, and said, "Why make ye trial of
me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money."

And they brought unto him a denarius. And he saith unto them, "Whose
is this image and superscription?"

They say unto him, "Cæsar's."

Then he saith unto them, "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things that
are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.

THE QUESTION OF THE RESURRECTION.

And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they that say that
there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, "Teacher, Moses
wrote unto us, that if a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be
childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto
his brother. There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a
wife, and died childless; and the second; and the third took her; and
likewise the seven also left no children, and died. Afterward the
woman also died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them
shall she be? for the seven had her to wife."

And Jesus said unto them, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor
the power of God. The sons of this world marry, and are given in
marriage: but they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world,
and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in
marriage: for neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto
the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But
that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning
the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of
the living: for all live unto him."

And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his
teaching.

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT.

And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and
knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "What commandment
is the first of all?"

Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the
Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength.' The second is this, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.' There is none other commandment greater than these."

And the scribe said unto him, "Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well
said that he is one: and there is none other but he: and to love him
with all the heart, and with all the understanding and with all the
strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all
whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices."

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,
"Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

THE UNANSWERABLE QUESTION OF JESUS.

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together Jesus asked them a
question, saying, "What think ye of the Christ? whose son is he?"

They say unto him, "The son of David."

He saith unto them, "How then doth David in the Spirit call him Lord,
saying,

    'The Lord said unto my Lord,
    Sit thou on my right hand,
    Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet'?

If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?"

And no one was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from
that day forth ask him any more questions.

And the common people heard him gladly.

DISCOURSE OF JESUS AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES.

Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying, "The
scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: all things therefore
whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after
their works; for they say, and do not. Yea, they bind heavy burdens
and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them with their finger. But all their works
they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and
enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the chief place at
feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in
the marketplaces, and to be called of men, 'Rabbi.' But be not ye
called 'Rabbi,' for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And
call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he
who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your
master, even the Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be
your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and
whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut
the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves,
neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea
and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him
twofold more a son of hell than yourselves.

"Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, 'Whosoever shall swear by
the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of
the temple, he is a debtor.' Ye fools and blind: for which is greater,
the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold? And, 'Whosoever
shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by
the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor.' Ye blind: for which is
greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? He
therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all
things thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it,
and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by the heaven,
sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint
and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of
the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have
done, and not to have left the other undone. Ye blind guides that
strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the
outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from
extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of
the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean
also.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto
whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are
full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also
outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of
hypocrisy and iniquity.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the
sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous,
and say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not
have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Wherefore
ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the
prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye
offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and
scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them
shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from
the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of
Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar. Verily I
say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them
that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say
unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.'"

THE WIDOW'S TWO MITES.

And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the
multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast
in much. And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which
make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto
them, "Verily, I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all
they that are casting into the treasury: for they all did cast in of
their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had,
even all her living."

THE GENTILES SEEK JESUS.

Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at
the feast: these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we would see Jesus."

Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they
tell Jesus.

And Jesus answereth them, saying, "The hour is come, that the Son of
man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a
grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself
alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life
loseth it: and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it
unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me: and where I
am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the
Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father,
save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour.
Father, glorify thy name."

There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, "I have both
glorified it, and will glorify it again."

The multitude, therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it
had thundered: others said, "An angel hath spoken to him."

Jesus answered and said, "This voice hath not come for my sake, but
for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto myself."

But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.

The multitude therefore answered him, "We have heard out of the law
that the Christ abideth forever; and how sayest thou, 'The Son of man
must be lifted up'? who is this Son of man?"

Jesus therefore said unto them, "Yet a little while is the light among
you. Walk while ye have the light, that darkness overtake you not; and
he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye
have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of
light."

These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them.

THE JEWS REJECT JESUS.