CHAPTER 128.

Jesus goes at night to a mountain to pray. His disciples and the villagers find him and he teaches them for three days. Feeds four thousand people. The Christines go to Cæsarea-Philippi. They consider the personality of Christ. Peter is chosen as apostolic leader.

Now,in the night while the disciples slept, lo, Jesus rose and went alone into a mountain pass, six miles away, to pray.

2And in the morning when the twelve awoke they could not find the Lord, and all the people of the village sought, and when the sun had passed its highest point they found him in the mountain pass.

3And multitudes of people came and brought their sick, and Jesus taught and healed.

4And when the night came on the people would not go; they slept upon the ground that they might be a-near the Lord.

5Three days and nights the multitudes remained, and none had aught to eat.

6And Jesus had compassion and he said, If I should send the multitudes away they might not reach their homes, for they are faint, for some have journeyed many miles.

7And his disciples said, Where shall we get enough of food to feed them all? There are four thousand men, besides the women and the little ones.

8And Jesus said, How many loaves have you?

9They answered, Seven, and some little fish.

10And Jesus said, Go to, and seat the people as you seated them the other day when all the multitudes were fed, in companies of twelve.

11And when the people were sat down in companies of twelve the loaves and fish were brought.

12And Jesus looked to heaven and spoke the Word; and then he broke the seven loaves in little bits, and likewise cut the fish.

13And every bit of bread became a loaf, and every piece of fish became a fish.

14The twelve went forth and gave to every one; the people ate and they were filled; and all the fragments that were left were gathered up, and there were seven baskets full.

15And then the people went their ways, and Jesus and the twelve took boats and came to Dalmanatha by the sea.

16Here they remained for many days, and Jesus told the twelve about the inner light that cannot fail;

17About the kingdom of the Christ within the soul; about the power of faith; about the secret of the resurrection of the dead; about immortal life, and how the living may go forth and help the dead.

18And then they went into their boats, and came unto the northern coast of Galilee, and inChorazin where the kin of Thomas lived, they left their boats and journeyed on.

19They came to Merom, where the crystal waters seem to catch the images of heaven and to reflect the glory of the Lord of hosts.

20And here they tarried certain days in silent thought.

21And then they journeyed on, and came into the land of Cæsarea-Philippi.

22And as they walked and talked among themselves, the master said, What do the people say about the son of man? who do they think I am?

23And Matthew said, Some say that you are David come again; some say that you are Enoch, Solomon, or Seth.

24And Andrew said, I heard a ruler of the synagogue exclaim, This man is Jeremiah, for he speaks like Jeremiah wrote.

25Nathaniel said, The foreign masters who were with us for a time, declared that Jesus is Gautama come again.

26James said, I think that most the master Jews believe you are the reappearence of Elijah on the earth.

27And John spoke out and said, When we were in Jerusalem I heard a seer exclaim, This Jesus is none other than Melchizedek, the king of peace, who lived about two thousand years ago, and said that he would come again.

28And Thomas said, The Tetrarch Herod thinks that you are John arisen from the dead;

29But then his conscience troubles him; the spirit of the murdered John looms up before him in his dreams, and haunts him as a specter of the night.

30And Jesus asked, Who do you think I am?

31And Peter said, You are the Christ, the love of God made manifest to men.

32And Jesus said, Thrice blessed are you, Simon, Jonas’ son. You have declared a truth that God has given you.

33You are a rock, and you shall be a pillar in the temple of the Lord of hosts.

34And your confession is the cornerstone of faith, a rock of strength, and on this rock the Church of Christ is built.

35Against it all the powers of hades and of death cannot prevail.

36Behold, I give to you the keys to open up the doors of safety for the sons of men.

37The Holy Breath will come upon you and the ten, and in Jerusalem you shall stand before the nations of the earth, and there proclaim the covenant of God with men.

38And you shall speak the words of Holy Breath, and whatsoever God requires of men as earnest of their faith in Christ, you shall make known.

39Then turning to the twelve he said, What you have heard this day tell not to any man.

40Then Jesus and the twelve went up and were Susanna’s guests for many days.

Jesus teaches the people. He takes Peter, James and John and goes to a high mountain and is transfigured before them.

Thenews soon spread that Jesus and the twelve were come, and many people came to see.

2And Jesus said, Behold, you come to see, but that means naught. If you would have the benedictionsof the Christ, take up your cross and follow me.

3If you would give your life for selfish self, then you will lose your life.

4If you will give your life in service of your fellow men, then you will save your life.

5This life is but a span, a bauble of today. There is a life that passes not.

6Where is your profit if you gain the world and lose your soul? What would you take in payment for your soul?

7If you would find the spirit life, the life of man in God, then you must walk a narrow way and enter through a narrow gate.

8The way is Christ, the gate is Christ, and you must come up by the way of Christ. No man comes unto God but by the Christ.

9The kingdom of the Christ will come; yea, some of you who hear me now will not pass through the gates of death until you see the kingdom come in power.

10For seven days the master and the twelve remained in Cæsarea-Philippi.

11Then Jesus, taking Peter, James and John, went forth unto a mountain top to pray.

12And as he prayed a brilliant light appeared; his form became as radiant as a precious stone;

13His face shone like the sun; his garments seemed as white as snow; the son of man became the son of God.

14He was transfigured that the men of earth might see the possibilities of man.

15When first the glory came the three disciples were asleep; a master touched their eyes and said, Awake and see the glory of the Lord.

16And they awoke, and saw the glory of the Lord; and more, they saw the glory of the heavenly world, for they beheld two men from thence stand forth beside the Lord.

17And Peter asked the master who awakened them, Who are these men who stand beside the Lord?

18The master said, These men are Moses and Elijah, who are come that you may know that heaven and earth are one; that masters there and masters here are one.

19The veil that separates the worlds is but an ether veil. For those who purify their hearts by faith the veil is rolled aside, and they can see and know that death is an illusive thing.

20And Peter said, Praise God! And then he called to Jesus and he said, My master and my Lord, this is the gate of heaven, and it is well that we remain.

21May we go down and bring three tents; a tent for you, a tent for Moses, and for Elijah one? But Jesus answered not.

22And Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus on the mount. They talked about the coming trial of the Lord;

23About his death, his rest within the tomb; about the wonders of the resurrection morn; the transmutation of his flesh, and his ascension on the clouds of light;

24And all symbolic of the path that every man must tread; symbolic of the way the sons of men become the sons of God.

25The three disciples were amazed, and suddenly the ethers were surcharged with song, and forms as light as air, moved all about the mountain top.

26And then from out the gloryof the upper world they heard a voice that said,

27This is the son of man, my chosen one to manifest the Christ to men. Let all the earth hear him.

28When the disciples heard the voice they were afraid; they fell upon the ground and prayed.

29And Jesus came; he touched them and he said, Arise, fear not; lo, I am here.

30Then they arose, and as they looked about they saw no one; the men had gone. The master only stood with them.

31As Jesus and the three came from the mountain top they talked about the meaning of the scene, and Jesus told them all; and then he said,

32Till I have risen from the dead tell not to any one what you have seen.

33But the disciples could not comprehend the meaning of the words, Till I have risen from the dead.

34And Jesus told them once again about his death, and rising from the grave; about the kingdom of the soul that was to come in glory and in power.

35But Peter said, The scribes have taught that e’er the king shall come Elijah must appear.

36And Jesus said, Elijah has already come; but scribes and Pharisees received him not;

37And men reviled him, bound him, cast him in a prison cell, and shouted with a fiend’s delight to see him die.

38What men have done to him, that they will do to me.

39Then the disciples understood that Jesus spoke of John whom Herod slew.

Jesus and the three disciples return to Cæsarea-Philippi. The nine had failed to cure an epileptic child. Jesus heals it and rebukes his disciples for their lack of trust in God. The Christines return to Capernaum.

WhenJesus, Peter, James and John were come unto the city’s gates a multitude of people thronged the way.

2The nine apostles who went not with Jesus to the mount, had tried to heal an epileptic child who was obsessed, and they had failed; the people waited for the coming of the Lord.

3When Jesus came the father of the child knelt down before him and implored his help.

4He said, My master, I beseech that you will look in pity on my son, my only child; he is an epileptic child and suffers grievously.

5Sometimes he falls into the fire and is burned; again he falls into the water and is like to drown; and many times a day he falls, he grinds his teeth, the foam pours from his mouth.

6I took my child to your disciples, and they failed to give relief.

7And as he spoke a servant brought the child before the Lord (the child spoke not, for he was dumb), and instantly he fell upon the ground, he foamed, he writhed in agony.

8And Jesus said, How long has he been troubled thus?

9The father said, From infancy; and we have sought in many lands for help, but found it not; but I believe that you can speak the Word and heal my son.

10And Jesus said, Faith is the power of God. All things are possiblefor him who in his heart believes.

11The father cried, in tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

12And Jesus spoke the Word of power; the epileptic child lay in a swoon; he did not breathe, and all the people said, The child is dead.

13But Jesus took him by the hand and said: Arise; and he arose and spoke.

14The people were amazed, and many said, This surely is a man of God, for no such power was ever given to man.

15Then Jesus and the twelve went to the house, and after they had taken food and been refreshed, the nine disciples said,

16Lord, why could we not heal this child? We spoke the Word; but even that was powerless.

17And Jesus said, Your great success in all your former work has made you careless, and you forgot to recognize the power of God.

18Without the spirit of the Word, the Word is like an idle tale; and you forgot to pray.

19There is no faith without the prayer of faith. Faith is the wings of prayer; but wings alone fly not.

20By prayer and faith you can bring down the mountain peaks, and cast them in the sea; the little hills will skip about like lambs at your command.

21This failure may be well for you. The greatest lessons that are learned in life come through the failures that are made.

22As the disciples sat in thoughtful meditation Jesus said, Let these words sink into your hearts:

23The time has nearly come when you must bear your load alone; that is, without my presence in the flesh.

24For I will fall into the hands of wicked men, and they will slay me on a mount beyond Bezetha wall.

25And men will lay my body in a tomb where, by the sacred Word, it will be guarded and preserved three days; then I will rise again.

26The twelve were sad; they did not understand, and yet they feared to ask him to reveal the meaning of his word.

27Next day the Christine master and the twelve began their journey of return, and soon were in Capernaum.

Jesus and Peter pay the half-shekel tax. The disciples contend for the supremacy. Jesus rebukes them. Teaches them many practical lessons. The parable of the good shepherd.

AsJesus and the twelve were resting in the house, the tax collector came to Peter saying, Man, do Jesus and yourself pay this half-shekel tax?

2And Peter said, We pay whatever is assessed.

3And Jesus said, From whom do publicans collect this special tax? from strangers or from native sons?

4And Peter said, The strangers only are supposed to pay this tax.

5Then Jesus said, We all are native sons and we are free; but lest we cause contention we will pay the tax; but neither had the shekel wherewithal to pay.

6And Jesus said, Go to the sea; cast in a hook and catch a fish and you will find within its inner partsa shekel, which take up and pay the tax for you and me.

7And Peter did as Jesus said; he found the shekel and he paid the tax.

8Now Jesus heard the twelve dispute among themselves. The spirit of the carnal self was moving in their hearts, and they were questioning among themselves who was the greatest in the sight of God and man.

9And Jesus said, You men, for shame! the greatest is the servant of the rest. And then he called to him a little child; he took it in his arms and said,

10The greatest is the little child, and if you would be great at all you must become as is this child in innocence, in truth, in purity in life.

11Great men scorn not the little things of earth; he who regards and honors such a child, regards and honors me, and he who scorns a child, scorn me.

12If you would enter through the kingdom gate you must be humble as this little child.

13Hear me, you men, This child, as every other child, has one to plead its cause before the throne of God.

14You scorn it at your peril, men, for lo, I say, its counterpart beholds the face of God at every moment, every day.

15And hear me once again, He who shall cause a little one to stumble and to fall is marked, accursed; and it were better far if he had drowned himself.

16Behold, offenses everywhere! Men find occasions for to sin and fall, and they grow strong by rising when they fall;

17But woe to him who causes other men to stumble and to fall.

18Be on your guard, you men of God, lest you constrain another man to fall; beware lest you fall into sinful ways yourselves.

19Now, if your hands cause you to sin, you better cut them off; for it is better far to have no hands and not be guilty in the sight of God and men, than to be perfect in your form and lose your soul.

20And if your feet should cause offense, you better cut them off; for it is better far to enter into life without your feet than fall beneath the curse.

21And if your eyes, or ears, cause you to sin, you better lose them all than lose your soul.

22Your thoughts and words and deeds will all be tried by fire.

23Remember that you are the salt of earth; but if you lose the virtues of the salt, you are but refuse in the sight of God.

24Retain the virtues of the salt of life and be at peace among yourselves.

25The world is full of men who have not in themselves the salt of life, and they are lost. I come to seek and save the lost.

26How think you? if a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, will he not leave the ninety and the nine,

27And go out in the desert ways and mountain tops to seek the one that went astray?

28Yes, this you know; and if he finds the one that went astray, lo, he is glad, and he rejoices over it far more than over all the ninety and the nine that did not go astray.

29And so there is rejoicing in the courts of heaven when one of human birth who has gone forth into the ways of sin is found and brought back to the fold;

30Yea, there is joy, more joythan over all the righteous men who never went astray.

31And John said, Master, who may seek and save the lost? and who may heal the sick, and cast the demons out of those obsessed?

32When we were on the way we saw a man who was not one of us, cast demons out and heal the sick.

33He did it by the sacred Word and in the name of Christ; but we forbade him, for he did not walk with us.

34And Jesus said, You sons of men, do you imagine that you own the powers of God?

35And do you think that all the world must wait for you to do the works of God?

36God is not man that he should have a special care for any man, and give him special gifts.

37Forbid not any man to do the works of God.

38There is no man who can pronounce the sacred Word, and in the name of Christ restore the sick, and cast the unclean spirits out, who is not child of God.

39The man of whom you speak is one with us. Whoever gathers in the grain of heaven is one with us.

40Whoever gives a cup of water in the name of Christ is one with us; so God shall judge.

Jesus defends a man who has been convicted of stealing bread. The verdict is reversed. The man goes free, and the people supply the needs of his starving family.

Amultitude of people thronged the streets. The officers were on the way to court with one, a man accused of stealing bread.

2And in a little while the man was brought before the judge to answer to the charge.

3And Jesus and the twelve were there. The man showed in his face and hands the hard drawn lines of toil and want.

4A woman richly clad, the accuser of the man, stood forth and said, I caught this man myself; I know him well, for yesterday he came to beg for bread,

5And when I drove him from my door, he should have known that I would harbor not a man like him; and then today he came and took the bread.

6He is a thief and I demand that he be sent to jail.

7The servants also testified against the man; he was adjudged a thief, and officers were leading him away.

8But Jesus standing forth exclaimed, You officers and judge, be not in haste to lead this man away.

9Is this a land of justice and of right? can you accuse and sentence men to punishment for any crime until they testify themselves?

10The Roman law will not permit such travesty on right, and I demand that you permit this man to speak.

11And then the judge recalled the man and said, If you have any tale to tell, say on.

12In tears the man stood forth and said, I have a wife and little ones and they are perishing for bread, and I have told my story oft, and begged for bread; but none would hear.

13This morning when I left our cheerless hut in search of work my children cried for bread, and I resolved to feed them or to die.

14I took the bread, and I appeal to God, Was it a crime?

15This woman snatched the loaf away and threw it to the dogs, and called the officers and I am here.

16Good people, do with me whate’er you will, but save my wife and little ones from death.

17Then Jesus said, Who is the culprit in this case?

18I charge this woman as a felon in the sight of God.

19I charge this judge as criminal before the bar of human rights.

20I charge these servants and these officers as parties to the crime.

21I charge the people of Capernaum with cruelty and theft, because they heeded not the cries of poverty and want, and have withheld from helpless ones that which is theirs by every law of right;

22And I appeal unto these people here, and ask, Are not my charges based on righteousness and truth?

23And every man said, Yes.

24The accusing woman blushed for shame; the judge shrank back in fear; the officers threw off the shackles from the man and ran away.

25Then Jesus said, Give this man what he needs and let him go and feed his wife and little ones.

26The people gave abundantly; the man went on his way.

27And Jesus said, There is no standard law to judge of crime. The facts must all be stated e’er a judgment can be rendered in a case.

28You men with hearts; go forth and stand where stood this man and answer me, What would you do?

29The thief thinks every other man a thief and judges him accordingly.

30The man who judges harshly is the man whose heart is full of crime.

31The courtesan who keeps her wickedness concealed by what she calls respectability, has not a word of pity for the honest courtesan who claims to be just what she is.

32I tell you, men, if you would censure not till you are free from sin, the world would soon forget the meaning of the word, accused.

The twelve go to the feast in Jerusalem, but Jesus remains in Capernaum. He selects seventy disciples, and sends them out to teach and heal. He goes alone to the feast and on his way he heals ten lepers. He teaches in the temple.

Theharvest feast drew near; the twelve went to Jerusalem, but Jesus did not go with them; he tarried in Capernaum.

2Among the multitudes that followed him were many who went not up to the feast; they were not Jews.

3And Jesus called three-score-and-ten of these disciples unto him and said, The kingdom of the Christ is not for Jews alone; it is for every man.

4Lo, I have chosen twelve to preach the gospel, first unto the Jews; and they are Jews.

5Twelve is the number of the Jew and seven the number of the all, including every man.

6God is the ten, the holy Jod.

7When God and man are multiplied we have three-score-and-ten, the number of the brotherhood of man.

8And now I send you forth by twos and twos; not to the Jews alone, but unto every nation under heaven; to Greek and to Assyrian; to theSamaritan; to those beyond the seas; to every man.

9You need not go afar, for men of every land are here and in Samaria.

10Arise and go your way; but go in faith; and take no gold nor silver in your purse; no extra coat or shoes.

11Go in the sacred name; trust God and you will never come to want.

12And let this be your salutation everywhere, Peace be to all; good will to all.

13And if the son of peace be in the house, the door will open wide and you will enter in; and then the holy peace will rest upon that house.

14The seventy in twos went forth; they went into Samaria, and as they went they said, Peace be to all; good will to all!

15Repent and turn from sin, and set your house in order, for a son of man who bears the image of the Christ, will come, and you may see his face.

16They entered every village of Samaria; they preached in Tyre and in Sidon by the sea. Some went to Crete, and others into Greece, and others went to Gilead and taught.

17And Jesus, all alone, went to the feast by the Samaria way; and as he went through Sychar on the way, the lepers saw him and a company of ten called from afar and said,

18Lord Jesus, stay and speak the Word for us that we may be made clean.

19And Jesus said, Go forth and show yourselves unto the priests.

20They went, and as they went their leprosy was healed. One of the ten, a native of Samaria, returned to thank the master and to praise the Lord.

21And Jesus said to him, Lo, ten were cleansed; where are the nine? Arise, and go your way; your faith has made you whole.

22You have revealed your heart and shown that you are worthy of the power; behold the nine will find again their leprous hands and feet.

23And Jesus went his way, and while the feast was on he came into Jerusalem, and went into the temple courts.

24And he rebuked the scribes and Pharisees, the priests and doctors of the law for their hypocrisy and selfishness.

25The common people were amazed; they said, From whence has come the wisdom of this man? he speaks as speaks a sage.

26And Jesus said, I did not learn the wisdom of the Holy One within the schools of men; my teaching is not mine; I speak the words of him who sent me here to do his will.

27If any man would know whereof I speak, lo, he must do the will of God. No man can know except he enters into life and does the will of God.

28Now, Moses gave the law; but none of you have kept the law; how can you judge the worthiness of any man?

29Once in these courts I healed a man upon a Sabbath day, and in a rage you sought to take my life; and now because I tell the truth you seek again to take my life.

30A scribe spoke out and said, You foolish man, you are obsessed; who wants to take your life?

31The common people said, Is this not Jesus whom the rulers long have sought to kill? and nowhe comes and teaches in the temple courts.

32If he is guilty of such monstrous crimes, why do they not take him away in chains?

33And Jesus said, You all know me, and know from whence I came; but you know not the God who sent me here, whose words I speak.

34The multitudes again stood forth in his defense; they said, If this is not the Christ whom God has promised to reveal to men, will he do greater works when he shall come than does this man?

35The Pharisees and ruling priests were angered and they sent their officers to take him e’er he went away. The officers were filled with fear; they seized him not.

36And Jesus said, Lo, I am here but for a little time and then I go my way to him who sent me here to do his will.

37You seek me now and you can find me now; the time will come when you will seek and will not find, for where I go you cannot come.

38The people said, Where will he go that men can find him not? Will he go forth to Greece and teach the Greeks? or will he go to Egypt or Assyria to teach?

39But Jesus answered not; unnoticed by the multitudes he left the temple courts and went his way.

Jesus teaches in the temple. His words enrage the rulers. Nicodemus defends him. He spends the night in prayer on Mount Olives. Next day he again teaches in the temple. An adultress is brought before him for judgment.

Now,on the last day of the feast when multitudes were in the courtways, Jesus said,

2Whoever is athirst may come to me and drink.

3He who believes in me and in the Christ whom God has sent, may drink the cup of life, and from his inner parts shall streams of living waters flow.

4The Holy Breath will overshadow him, and he will breathe the Breath, and speak the words, and live the life.

5The people were divided in their views concerning him. Some said, This man is prophet of the living God.

6And others said, He is Messiah whom our prophets said would come.

7And others said, He cannot be the Christ, for he came down from Galilee; the Christ must come from Bethlehem where David lived.

8Again the priests and Pharisees sent officers to bring him into court to answer for his life; but when the officers returned and brought him not,

9The rulers were enraged and said, Why did you not arrest this man and hale him into court?

10The officers replied, We never heard a man speak like this man speaks.

11In rage the Pharisees stood forth and said, Have you gone mad? Have you been led astray? Are you disciples of this man?

12Have any of the rulers, or the Pharisees believed on him? The common people! yes, they may believe; they are accursed; they know not anything.

13But Nicodemus came before the rulers and he said, Can Jewish judges judge a man and sentence him until they hear his plea? Let Jesus stand before this bar and testify himself.

14The rulers said, This Jesus is a wily man, and if we suffer him to speak, he will rebuke us face to face, and then the multitudes will laugh and stand in his defense.

15And then you know, as well as we, that prophets do not come from Galilee.

16The rulers felt the force of what the officers and Nicodemus said, and they said nothing more.

17And then the people went their way, each to his home; but Jesus went unto Mount Olives where he spent the night in prayer.

18But in the morning when the sun had scarcely risen, Jesus came again, and many people came to see him in the temple courts, and he sat down and taught the multitudes.

19The Pharisees and scribes were still alert to find a cause whereby they might condemn him by the words he spoke.

20The officers had taken in the very act of crime, a courtesan. As Jesus taught, they brought this woman in and set her in the midst and said,

21Rabboni, this vile woman has been taken in adultery. The law of Moses says that such as she shall die, be stoned to death; what do you say should be her punishment?

22And Jesus stooped and made a figure on the ground and in it placed the number of a soul, and then he sat in silent thought.

23And when the priests demanded that he speak, he said, Let him who has no sin stand forth and be the first to cast a stone at her.

24And then he closed his eyes, and not a word was said. When he arose and saw the woman all alone he said,

25Where are the men who brought you here? they who accused?

26The woman said, They all are gone; no one was here who could condemn.

27And Jesus said, And I condemn you not; go on your way in peace, and sin no more.

Jesus teaches in the temple. He reveals some of the deeper meanings of the Christine ministry. The rulers are greatly enraged and attempt to stone him, but he disappears.

Thefeast was done and Jesus, Peter, James and John were sitting in the temple treasury.

2The nine had gone back to Capernaum.

3The people thronged the temple courts and Jesus said,

4I am the lamp; Christ is the oil of life; the Holy Breath the fire. Behold the light! and he who follows me shall not walk in the dark, but he shall have the light of life.

5A lawyer said, You witness for yourself, your witness is not true.

6And Jesus said, If I do witness for myself I speak that which is true, for I know whence I came and where I go.

7And no one else in flesh can testify for me, for none know whence I came, nor where I go.

8My works bear witness to the truth I speak. As man I could not speak the words I speak; they are the words of Holy Breath; and then my Father testifies for me.

9The lawyer said, Where does your father live?

10And Jesus said, You know me not or you would know my Father, and if you knew the Fatheryou would know the son, because the Father and the son are one.

11I go my way and you shall find me not; for where I go you cannot come, because you do not know the way.

12You cannot find the way because your hearts are gross, your ears are dull, your eyes are closed.

13The light of life cannot shine through the murky veil that you have drawn about your hearts.

14You do not know the Christ and if the Christ be not within the heart there is no light.

15I come to manifest the Christ to men and you receive me not, and you will dwell in darkness and in the shadow of the grave till you believe the words I speak.

16But you will vilify the son of man, and lift him up and laugh to see him die.

17But then a little light will come and you will know that I am what I am.

18The people did not comprehend the meaning of the words he spoke.

19And then he spoke unto the people who believed in him and said, If you abide in Christ, and Christ abide in you, and if you keep my words within your heart,

20You are the way, you are disciples in the way, and you shall know what is the truth, and truth shall make you free.

21And still the people did not understand; they said, We are the seed of Abraham and are already free; we never were the slaves of any man; why do you say, We shall be free?

22And Jesus said, Do you not know that every one committing sin is slave of sin? abides in bondage unto sin?

23If you sin not then you are free; but if you sin in thought, or word, or deed, then you are slaves, and naught but truth can set you free; if you are free through Christ, then you are free indeed.

24You are the seed of Abraham, and yet you seek to kill me just because I speak the truth of Abraham.

25You are the children of the flesh of Abraham; but, lo, I say, There is a spiritual Abraham whom you know not.

26In spirit you are children of your father, and your father is Diabolus; you hang upon his words and do his will.

27He was a murderer from the first; he cannot tell the truth, and when he tells a lie he speaks his own; he is himself a lie, and he is father of himself.

28If you were children of my Father-God, then you could hear the words of God; I speak the words of God, but you can hear them not.

29A Pharisee stood forth and said, This fellow is not one of us; he is a curst Samaritan and is obsessed.

30But Jesus heeded not the words of Pharisee or scribe; he knew that all the people knew he was a Jew.

31And then he said, Whoever keeps my words shall never die.

32A lawyer said, And now we know he is obsessed. Our father Abraham is dead; the prophets all are dead, and yet this fellow says, Whoever keeps my words shall never die.

33Is this man greater than our father Abraham? Is he above the prophets? and all of them are dead.

34And Jesus said, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.

35The lawyer said, You simpleman; you are not fifty years of age; have you seen Abraham?

36And Jesus said, Before the days of Abraham I am.

37Again the scribes and Pharisees were in a rage; they took up stones to cast at him, but, like a phantom of the night, he disappeared; the people knew not where he went.

Jesus teaches in the temple. Relates the parable of the good Samaritan. Goes to Bethany. Teaches in Lazarus’ home. Rebukes Martha for her anxiety about the things of this life.

AndJesus stood again within the temple courts and taught.

2A master of the law was sent to question him that he might find a cause to censure and accuse him of a crime.

3He said, Lord, tell me what to do that I may have eternal life?

4And Jesus said, You know the law; what does it say?

5The lawyer answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

6And Jesus said, Lo, you have answered well; this do and you shall live.

7The lawyer said, My neighbor, who is he?

8And Jesus said, A man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho, and lo, he met with robbers on the way, who beat him, robbed him of his goods, and left him bleeding by the way.

9A Pharisee was going down that way; he saw the wounded man; but then he had no time to lose; he passed by on the other side.

10A Levite came and saw the man; but he was loath to soil his sacerdotal robes, and he passed by.

11A lawyer on his way to Jericho observed the dying man, and then he said, If I could make a shekel I might help the man; but he has nothing left to give, I have no time for charity; and he passed on.

12And then a stranger from Samaria came that way; he saw the wounded man; his heart was touched with pity and he stopped, dismounted from his horse,

13Revived the man, and placed him on his horse and took him to an inn and charged the keeper of the inn to nurse him back to strength.

14He gave the keeper all the money that he had and said, Your charges may be more than this, but care for this unfortunate, and when I come again I will pay all; and then he went his way.

15Now, master of the law, which of these four was neighbor unto him who fell among the thieves?

16The lawyer said, The man who showed him mercy; he who cared for him.

17And Jesus said, Go on your way and likewise do, and you shall live.

18Now, Jesus, Peter, James and John went out to Bethany where Lazarus lived.

19And Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and heard him speak the words of life while Martha served.

20And Martha called, but Mary would not leave the Lord to help her serve.

21And Martha said to Jesus, Do you not care that Mary makes me bear the burdens of the servingall the day? I beg that you will bid her help.

22And Jesus said, You are too anxious, Martha, for your guests; you need not trouble so about the things of life.

23You grow a-weary by your care for little things and slight the one thing needed most of all.

24Your sister here has chosen far the better part, a part that none can take away.

Jesus and his disciples go into a retired place to pray. Jesus teaches Lazarus how to pray. The model prayer. The value of importunate prayer. Parable of the importunate housewife.

Now,in the evening Jesus, Peter, James and John, with Lazarus, went out beyond the village gates to pray. And Lazarus said, Teach me to pray.

2And Jesus said, The prayer I taught the twelve to pray while we were up in Galilee is one acceptable to God; and when you pray just say,

3Our Father-God who art in heaven; holy is thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven;

4Give us this day our needed bread;

5Help us forget the debts that other people owe to us, that all our debts may be discharged;

6And shield us from the tempter’s snares that are too great for us to bear;

7And when they come give us the strength to overcome.

8And Jesus said, The answer to your prayer may not appear in fulness in a little time.

9Be not discouraged; pray again and then again, for God will hear.

10And then he spoke a parable; he said, A housewife was alone at night and, lo, some guests arrived, and they were hungry, having had no food for all the day.

11The housewife had no bread, and so at midnight she went forth and called a friend and said, Loan me three loaves of bread, for guests have come, and I have naught for them to eat.

12The friend replied, Why do you trouble me at midnight hour? My door is shut; my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise to give you bread; tomorrow you can be supplied.

13The housewife asked again, and then again, and then because she plead, and would not be refused, the friend arose and gave her bread.

14Behold, I say to you, Ask firmly and you shall receive; seek trustingly and you shall find; knock earnestly, the door will open up.

15All things are yours, and when you ask, not as a begging man would ask, but as a child, you shall be satisfied.

16A son may ask his father for a loaf of bread; the father will not give to him a stone;

17Or he may ask him for a fish; he will not give a crab; or he may ask him for an egg; the father will not give a pebble from the brook.

18Behold, if men of flesh know how to give abundantly to children of the flesh, will not your heavenly Father give abundantly to you when you shall pray?

The Christines in Jerusalem. They meet a man blind from birth. Jesus teaches a lesson on the cause of disease and disasters. He heals the blind man.

TheLord with Peter, James and John were in Jerusalem; it was the Sabbath day.

2And as they walked along the way they saw a man who could not see; he had been blind from birth.

3And Peter said, Lord, if disease and imperfections all are caused by sin, who was the sinner in this case? the parents or the man himself?

4And Jesus said, Afflictions all are partial payments on a debt, or debts, that have been made.

5There is a law of recompense that never fails, and it is summarized in that true rule of life:

6Whatsoever man shall do to any other man some other man will do to him.

7In this we find the meaning of the Jewish law, expressed concisely in the words, Tooth for a tooth; life for a life.

8He who shall injure any one in thought, or word, or deed, is judged a debtor to the law, and some one else shall, likewise, injure him in thought, or word or deed.

9And he who sheds the blood of any man will come upon the time when his blood shall be shed by man.

10Affliction is a prison cell in which a man must stay until he pays his debts unless a master sets him free that he may have a better chance to pay his debts.

11Affliction is a certain sign that one has debts to pay.

12Behold this man! Once in another life he was a cruel man, and in a cruel way destroyed the eyes of one, a fellow man.

13The parents of this man once turned their faces on a blind and helpless man, and drove him from their door.

14Then Peter asked, Do we pay off the debts of other men when by the Word we heal them, drive the unclean spirits out, or rescue them from any form of sore distress?

15And Jesus said, We cannot pay the debts of any man, but by the Word we may release a man from his afflictions and distress,

16And make him free, that he may pay the debts he owes, by giving up his life in willing sacrifice for men, or other living things.

17Behold, we may make free this man that he may better serve the race and pay his debts.

18Then Jesus called the man and said, Would you be free? would you receive your sight?

19The man replied, All that I have would I most freely give if I could see.

20And Jesus took saliva and a bit of clay and made a salve, and put it on the blind man’s eyes.

21He spoke the Word and then he said, Go to Siloam and wash, and as you wash say,Jahhevahe. This do for seven times and you shall see.

22The man was led unto Siloam; he washed his eyes and spoke the word, and instantly his eyes were opened and he saw.

23The people who had seen the man for many years sit by the way and beg, were much surprised to see him see.

24They said, Is not this man the Job that was born blind, who sat beside the way and begged?

25He heard them talk among themselves; he said, Yes, I am he.

26The people asked, How were you healed? who opened up your eyes?

27He said, A man whom men call Jesus, made a salve of clay and put it on my eyes, and bade me say a word and wash in Siloam seven times; I did as he commanded me, and now I see.

28A certain scribe was passing, and he saw the man and heard him say that Jesus, by the Word, had opened up his eyes.

29He therefore took the man up to the synagogue, and told the story to the priests, who asked the man about the miracle.

30The man replied, I never saw the light until today, for I was blind from birth.

31This morning as I sat beside Siloam, a man I never knew put on my eyes a salve that people say he made of clay; he bade me say a word and bathe my eyes in water seven times; I did as he commanded and I saw.

32A lawyer asked the man, Who was it opened up your eyes?

33The man replied, Some people say, His name is Jesus and that he came from Galilee; but others say, He is the son of God.

34A Pharisee came up and said, This is the Sabbath day; a man who does a work like this, regarding not the Sabbath day, is not from God.

35Some of the priests were much amazed and said, A wicked man could never do a miracle like this; he must possess the power of God. And so they strove among themselves.

36They asked the man, What do you think about this man from Galilee?

37He said, He is a prophet sent from God.

38Now, many of the Jews did not believe the man was blind from birth; they said, There is no power to open up the eyes of one born blind.

39And then they brought the parents of the man before the Pharisees that they might testify.

40They said, This is our son who was born blind; we do not know how he received his sight; he is of age and he can tell; ask him.

41They were afraid to say what they believed, that Jesus is the Christ who came to manifest the power of God, lest they offend the priests and be cast from the synagogue.

42Again the rulers said, This Jesus is a wicked man. The man who had been healed stood forth again and said,

43This Jesus may be sinner or be saint, I do not know; but this one thing I know; I once was blind, but now I see.

44And then the scribes and Pharisees reviled the man and said, You are a follower of this man from Galilee. We follow Moses, but this man, we know him not, and know not whence he is.

45The man replied, It is a marvel that you know not whence he is, and yet he opened up my eyes.

46You know that nothing but the power of God can do such things.

47God hears not sinners pray, and you must know that he is not a wicked man who can employ the power of God.

48The Pharisees replied, You wretch! you were begotten and were born in sin, and now you try to teach the law to us. And then they cast him from the synagogue.

Jesus meets and instructs the man who was blind. Unfolds the mysteries of the kingdom. The sheepfold. Declares himself the shepherd. Goes to the home of Massalian, where he abides certain days.

WhenJesus heard what had been done and how the priests had cast the man whom hehad healed, out of the synagogue, he found the man and said to him,

2Do you believe in God and in the son of God?

3The man replied, I do believe in God; but who is he, the son of God, of whom you speak?

4And Jesus said, The son of God is he who speaks to you.

5The man inquired then, Why do you say, The son of God? Is there but one?

6And Jesus said, All men are sons of God by birth; God is the Father of the race; but all are not the sons of God by faith.

7He who attains the victory over self is son of God by faith, and he who speaks to you has overcome, and he is called the son of God, because he is the pattern for the sons of men.

8He who believes and does the will of God is son of God by faith.

9The man in joy exclaimed, Lord, I believe in God, and in the son of God.

10And Jesus said, I came to open prison doors, to make the blind to see; but, lo, the Pharisees are blind from birth.

11And when I put the salve of truth upon their eyes, and bid them go and wash, and speak the sacred Word they will not go; they love the dark.

12A multitude of people pressed about the Lord, and he stood forth and said,

13You men of Israel, I say to you, The fold of God is large; its walls are strong, it has a gateway in the east, and he who does not enter by the gate into the fold, but climbs into the fold some other way, is thief and comes to rob.

14The shepherd of the sheep stands by the gate; he gives the secret sign; he knocks; the watchman opens up the gate.

15And then the shepherd calls his sheep by name; they hear his voice and follow him; they enter through the gate into the fold.

16The sheep know not a stranger’s voice; they will not follow him; they flee away.

17The people did not understand the parable that Jesus spoke; and then he said,

18Christ is the gateway of the fold; I am the shepherd of the sheep, and he who follows me through Christ shall come into the fold where living waters flow, and where rich pastures are.

19False prophets come and go; they claim to be the shepherds of the sheep; they claim to know the way, but they know not the word of power; the watchman opens not the gate; the sheep heed not their call.

20The shepherd of the sheep will give his life to save the sheep.

21A hireling flees to save his life when wolves infest the fold; and then the tender lambs are snatched away, the sheep are scattered everywhere.

22I am the shepherd of the sheep; I know the sheep of God; they know my voice, as God knows me and I know him.

23The Father loves me with a deathless love, because I lay my life down for the sheep.

24I lay my life down when I will, but I may take it up again; for every son of God by faith has power to lay his mortal flesh aside and take it up again. These words I have received from God.

25Again the people strove among themselves; they were divided in their views concerningChrist. They could not comprehend the words that Jesus spoke.

26Some said again, He is obsessed, or he is mad; why listen to his words?

27And others said, His words are not the words of one obsessed. Can unclean spirits open up the eyes of one born blind?

28Then Jesus left Jerusalem and with Massalian he tarried certain days.

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