012:015 Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great numberof people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
012:016 But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
012:017 that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
012:018 "This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.
012:019 He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voicebe heard in the broadways.
012:020 A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quenchthe still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory.
012:021 And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
012:022 At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb;and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
012:023 And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said,"Can this be the Son of David?"
012:024 The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demonsby the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
012:025 Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house in which there is internal strife will be brought low.
012:026 And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
012:027 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons,by whose power do your disciples expel them? They thereforeshall be your judges.
012:028 But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expelthe demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God hascome upon you.
012:029 Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carryoff his goods, unless first of all he masters and securesthe strong man: then he will ransack his house.
012:030 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
012:031 This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for everyother sin and impious word, but that for impious speakingagainst the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.
012:032 And whoever shall speak against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness;but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in thisnor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness."
012:033 "Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome,or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the treeis known by its fruit.
012:034 O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil?For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.
012:035 A good man from his good store produces good things, and a badman from his bad store produces bad things.
012:036 But I tell you that for every careless word that men shallspeak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
012:037 For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his wordsshall be condemned."
012:038 Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Phariseeswho said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."
012:039 "Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
012:040 For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.
012:041 There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgementtogether with the present generation, and will condemn it;because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark!there is One greater than Jonah here.
012:042 The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement togetherwith the present generation, and will condemn it; because shecame from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.
012:043 "No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man,then he roams about in places where there is no water,seeking rest but finding none.
012:044 Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;'and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean,and in good order.
012:045 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."
012:046 While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him.
012:047 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
012:048 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
012:049 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my motherand my brothers.
012:050 To obey my Father who is in Heaven—that is to be my brotherand my sister and my mother."
013:001 That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting onthe shore of the Lake,
013:002 when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore.
013:003 He then spoke many things to them in figurative language."The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.
013:004 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birdscome and peck it up.
013:005 Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth;
013:006 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat,and through having no root it withers up.
013:007 Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring upand stifle it.
013:008 But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return,some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.
013:009 Listen, every one who has ears!"
013:010 (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speakto them in figurative language?"
013:011 "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to knowthe secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not.
013:012 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shallhave abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he hasshall be taken away.
013:013 I speak to them in figurative language for this reason,that while looking they do not see, and while hearing theyneither hear nor understand.
013:014 And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receivingsignal fulfilment: "`You will hear and hear and by nomeans understand, and you will look and look and by no means see.
013:015 For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'
013:016 "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
013:017 For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.
013:018 "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower.
013:019 When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.
013:020 He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.
013:021 It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.
013:022 He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.
013:023 But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hearsand understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield onea hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")
013:024 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom ofthe Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sowngood seed in his field,
013:025 but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seedhe sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.
013:026 But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed,then appears the darnel also.
013:027 "So the farmer's men come and ask him, "`Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'
013:028 "`Some enemy has done this,' he said. "`Shall we go,and collect it?' the men inquire.
013:029 "`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the darnelyou should at the same time root up the wheat with it.
013:030 Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"
013:031 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom ofthe Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a mantakes and sows in his ground.
013:032 It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown itis larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the birdscome and build in its branches."
013:033 Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."
013:034 All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,
013:035 in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will openmy mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kepthidden since the creation of all things."
013:036 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house,His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to usthe parable of the darnel sown in the field."
013:037 "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man;
013:038 the field is the world; the good seed—these are the sonsof the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.
013:039 The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvestis the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.
013:040 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire,so will it be at the Close of the Age.
013:041 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gatherout of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;
013:042 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace.There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.
013:043 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in theirFather's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!
013:044 "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.
013:045 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchantwho is in quest of choice pearls.
013:046 He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though itcosts all he has, he buys it.
013:047 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net letdown into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts.
013:048 When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collectthe good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away.
013:049 So will it be at the Close of the Age. The angels will goforth and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
013:050 and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will bethe weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth."
013:051 "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.
013:052 "Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."
013:053 Jesus concluded this series of parables and then departed.
013:054 And He came into His own country and proceeded to teach in their synagogue, so that they were filled with astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom, and these wondrous powers?
013:055 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?And are not his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah?
013:056 And his sisters—are they not all living here among us?Where then did he get all this?"
013:057 So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family."
013:058 And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their want of faith.
014:001 About that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
014:002 and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist:he has come back to life—and that is why these miraculousPowers are working in him."
014:003 For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains,and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias hisbrother Philip's wife,
014:004 because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawfulfor you to have her."
014:005 And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraidof the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.
014:006 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias dancedbefore all the company, and so pleased Herod
014:007 that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she asked.
014:008 So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dishthe head of John the Baptist."
014:009 The king was deeply vexed, yet because of his repeated oathand of the guests at his table he ordered it to be given her,
014:010 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
014:011 The head was brought on a dish and given to the young girl,and she took it to her mother.
014:012 Then John's disciples went and removed the body and buried it,and came and informed Jesus.
014:013 Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat to an uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard of it and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.
014:014 So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.
014:015 But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat."
014:016 "They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves mustgive them something to eat."
014:017 "We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and acouple of fish."
014:018 "Bring them here to me," He said,
014:019 and He told all the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after looking up to heaven and blessing them, He broke up the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed them to the people.
014:020 So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The broken portionsthat remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets.
014:021 Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without reckoningwomen and children.
014:022 Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on board the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him to dismiss the people.
014:023 When He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in solitude.Night came on, and he was there alone.
014:024 Meanwhile the boat was far out on the Lake, buffeted and tossedby the waves, the wind being adverse.
014:025 But towards daybreak He went to them, walking over the waves.
014:026 When the disciples saw Him walking on the waves, they were greatly alarmed. "It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they cried out with terror.
014:027 But instantly Jesus spoke to them, and said, "There is no danger;it is I; do not be afraid."
014:028 "Master," answered Peter, "if it is you, bid me come to youupon the water."
014:029 "Come," said Jesus. Then Peter climbed down from the boatand walked upon the water to go to Him.
014:030 But when he felt the wind he grew frightened, and beginningto sink he cried out, "Master, save me."
014:031 Instantly Jesus stretched out His hand and caught hold of him,saying to him, "O little faith, why did you doubt?"
014:032 So they climbed into the boat, and the wind lulled;
014:033 and the men on board fell down before him and said, "You are indeed God's Son."
014:034 When they had quite crossed over, they put ashore at Gennesaret;
014:035 and the men of the place, recognizing Him, sent word into all the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him,
014:036 and they entreated Him that they might but touch the tassel of His outer garment; and all who did so were restored to perfect health.
015:001 Then there came to Jesus a party of Pharisees and Scribesfrom Jerusalem, who inquired,
015:002 "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the Eldersby not washing their hands before meals?"
015:003 "Why do you, too," He retorted, "transgress God's commandsfor the sake of your tradition?
015:004 For God said, `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Let himwho reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';
015:005 but you—this is what you say: `If a man says to his father or mother, That is consecrated, whatever it is, which otherwise you should have received from me—
015:006 he shall be absolved from honouring his father'; and so you have abrogated God's Word for the sake of your tradition.
015:007 Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy of you,
015:008 "`This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while theirheart is far away from Me;
015:009 but it is in vain they worship Me, while they lay down preceptswhich are mere human rules.'"
015:010 Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said,"Hear and understand.
015:011 It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him;but it is what comes out of his mouth—that* defiles a man."
015:012 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that thePharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?"
015:013 "Every plant," He replied, "which my Heavenly Father has notplanted will be rooted up.
015:014 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind; and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into some pit."
015:015 "Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.
015:016 "Are even you," He answered, "still without intellingence?
015:017 Do you not understand that whatever enters the mouth passesinto the stomach and is afterwards ejected from the body?
015:018 But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart,and it is these that defile the man.
015:019 For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murder, adultery,fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech.
015:020 These are the things which defile the man; but eating withunwashed hands does not defile."
015:021 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew into the vicinity ofTyre and Sidon.
015:022 Here a Canaanitish woman of the district came out and persistentlycried out, "Sir, Son of David, pity me; my daughter is cruellyharassed by a demon."
015:023 But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed,and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keepscrying behind us."
015:024 "I have only been sent to the lost sheep of the houseof Israel," He replied.
015:025 Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him."O Sir, help me," she said.
015:026 "It is not right," He said, "to take the children's breadand throw it to the dogs."
015:027 "Be it so, Sir," she said, "for even the dogs eat the scrapswhich fall from their masters' tables."
015:028 "O woman," replied Jesus, "great is your faith: be it done to you as you desire." And from that moment her daughter was restored to health.
015:029 Again, moving thence, Jesus went along by the Lake of Galilee; and ascending the hill, He sat down there.
015:030 Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb, and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He cured them,
015:031 so that the people were amazed to see the dumb speaking, the maimed with their hands perfect, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.
015:032 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with me and they have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should faint on the road."
015:033 "Where can we," asked the disciples, "get bread enough in thisremote place to satisfy so vast a multitude?"
015:034 "How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they said,"and a few small fish."
015:035 So He bade all the people sit down on the ground,
015:036 and He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks He broke them up and then distributed them to the disciples, and they to the people.
015:037 And they all ate and were satisfied. The broken portionsthat remained over they took up—seven full hampers.
015:038 Those who ate were 4,000 adult men, without reckoningwomen and children.
015:039 He then dismissed the people, went on board the boat,and came into the district of Magadan.
016:001 Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; and, to maketrial of Him, they asked Him to show them a sign in the sky.
016:002 He replied, "In the evening you say, `It will be fine weather,for the sky is red;'
016:003 and in the morning, `It will be rough weather to-day, for the skyis red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the aspectof the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot.
016:004 A wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign;but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah."and He left them and went away.
016:005 When the disciples arrived at the other side of the Lake,they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread;
016:006 and when Jesus said to them, "See to it: beware of the yeastof the Pharisees and Sadducees,"
016:007 they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because wehave not brought any bread."
016:008 Jesus perceived this and said, "Why are you reasoning among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you have no bread?
016:009 Do you not yet understand? nor even remember the 5,000 andthe five loaves, and how many basketfuls you carried away,
016:010 nor the 4,000 and the seven loaves, and how many hampersyou carried away?
016:011 How is it you do not understand that it was not about bread that I spoke to you? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
016:012 Then they perceived that He had not warned them against bread-yeast, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
016:013 When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus questioned His disciples. "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" He asked.
016:014 "Some say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets."
016:015 "But you, who do you say that I am?" He asked again.
016:016 "You," replied Simon Peter, "are the Christ, the Son ofthe ever-living God."
016:017 "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah," said Jesus; "for mere humannature has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven.
016:018 And I declare to you that you are Peter, and that upon thisRock I will build my Church, and the might of Hades shallnot triumph over it.
016:019 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens;and whatever you bind on earth shall remain bound in Heaven,and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in Heaven."
016:020 Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.
016:021 From this time Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer much cruelty from the Elders and the High Priests and the Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised to life again.
016:022 Then Peter took Him aside and began taking Him to task. "Master," he said, "God forbid; this will not be your lot."
016:023 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Adversary;you are a hindrance to me, because your thoughts are notGod's thoughts, but men's."
016:024 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any one desiresto follow me, let him renounce self and take up his cross,and so be my follower.
016:025 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it.
016:026 Why, what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the wholeworld but forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give to buyback his life?
016:027 For the Son of Man is soon to come in the glory of the Fatherwith His angels, and then will He requite every man accordingto his actions.
016:028 I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing herewill certainly not taste death till they have seen the Sonof Man coming in His Kingdom."
017:001 Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothersJames and John, and brought them up a high mountain toa solitary place.
017:002 There in their presence His form underwent a change;His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as whiteas the light.
017:003 And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them conversing with Him.
017:004 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we are thankful to you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
017:005 He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."
017:006 On hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their facesand were filled with terror.
017:007 But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselvesand have no fear."
017:008 So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.
017:009 As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."
017:010 "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the Scribes say that Elijahmust first come?"
017:011 "Elijah was indeed to come," He replied, "and wouldreform everything.
017:012 But I tell you that he has already come, and they did not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way."
017:013 Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptistabout whom He had spoken to them.
017:014 When they had returned to the people, there came to Him a manwho fell on his knees before Him and besought Him.
017:015 "Sir," he said, "have pity on my son, for he is an epileptic and is very ill. Often he falls into the fire and often into the water.
017:016 I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been able to cure him."
017:017 "O unbelieving and perverse generation!" replied Jesus; "how long shall I be with you? how long shall I endure you? Bring him to me."
017:018 Then Jesus reprimanded the demon, and it came out and left him;and the boy was cured from that moment.
017:019 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him, "Why couldnot we expel the demon?"
017:020 "Because your faith is so small," He replied; "for I solemnly declare to you that if you have faith like a mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain, `Remove from this place to that,' and it will remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
017:021 But an evil spirit of this kind is only driven out byprayer and fasting."
017:022 As they were travelling about in Galilee, Jesus said to them,"The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men;
017:023 they will put Him to death, but on the third day He will beraised to life again." And they were exceedingly distressed.
017:024 After their arrival at Capernaum the collectors of the half-shekelcame and asked Peter, "Does not your Teacher pay the half-shekel?"
017:025 "Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But before he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax? from their own children, or from others?"
017:026 "From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus.
017:027 "However, lest we cause them to sin, go and throw a hook into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it: bring that coin and give it to them for yourself and me."
018:001 Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who rankshigher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"
018:002 So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him standin the midst of them,
018:003 said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.
018:004 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child,he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens.
018:005 And whoever for my sake receives one young child suchas this, receives me.
018:006 But whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
018:007 "Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!
018:008 If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall into sin, cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter into Life crippled in hand or foot than to remain in possession of two sound hands or feet but be thrown into the fire of the Ages.
018:009 And if your eye is causing you to fall into sin, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you to enter into Life with only one eye, than to remain in possession of two eyes but be thrown into the Gehenna of fire.
018:010 "Beware of ever despising one of these little ones, for I tell you that in Heaven their angels have continual access to my Father who is in Heaven.
018:011 []
018:012 What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred sheepand one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nineon the hills and go and look for the one that is straying?
018:013 And if he succeeds in finding it, in solemn truth I tell youthat he rejoices over it more than he does over the ninety-ninethat have not gone astray.
018:014 Just so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
018:015 "If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go and pointout his fault to him when only you and he are there.If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
018:016 But if he will not listen to you, go again, and ask one ortwo to go with you, that every word spoken may be attestedby two or three witnesses.
018:017 If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and ifhe refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as youregard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
018:018 I solemnly tell you that whatever you as a Church bind on earthwill in Heaven be held as bound, and whatever you looseon earth will in Heaven be held to be loosed.
018:019 I also solemnly tell you that if two of you here on earth agreetogether concerning anything whatever that they shall ask,the boon will come to them from my Father who is in Heaven.
018:020 For where there are two or three assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
018:021 At this point Peter came to Him with the question, "Master, how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and I forgive him? seven times?"
018:022 "I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven times.
018:023 "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.
018:024 But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,
018:025 and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and hiswife and children and everything that he had should be sold,and payment be made.
018:026 The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself athis feet and entreated him. "`Only give me time,' he said,`and I will pay you the whole.'
018:027 "Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free and forgave him the debt.
018:028 But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "`Pay me all you owe.'
018:029 "His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him,"`Only give me time,' he said, `and I will pay you.'
018:030 "He would not, however, but went and threw him into prisonuntil he should pay what was due.
018:031 His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened, were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master without reserve all that had happened.
018:032 At once his master called him and said, "`Wicked servant,I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:
018:033 ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant,just as I had pity on you?'
018:034 "So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the jailersuntil he should pay all he owed him.
018:035 "In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if youdo not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."
019:001 When Jesus had finished these discourses, He removed from Galileeand came into that part of Judaea which lay beyond the Jordan.
019:002 And a vast multitude followed him, and He cured them there.
019:003 Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to the proof by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his wife whenever he chooses?"
019:004 "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them `made them'from the beginning `male and female,
019:005 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and motherand be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?
019:006 Thus they are no longer two, but `one'! What therefore Godhas joined together, let not man separate."
019:007 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to giveher `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"
019:008 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.
019:009 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason excepther unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."
019:010 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife,"said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."
019:011 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching,but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed.
019:012 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
019:013 Then young children were brought to Him for Him to put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples interfered.
019:014 Jesus however said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs."
019:015 So He laid His hands upon them and went away.
019:016 "Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, "what that is good shall I do in order to win the Life of the Ages?"
019:017 "Why do you ask me," He replied, "about what is good?There is only One who is truly good. But if you desireto enter into Life, keep the Commandments."
019:018 "Which Commandments?" he asked. Jesus answered, "`Thou shaltnot kill;' `Thou shalt not commit adultery;' `Thou shalt not steal;'`Thou shalt not lie in giving evidence;'
019:019 `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Thou shalt love thyfellow man as much as thyself.'"
019:020 "All of these," said the young man, "I have carefully kept.What do I still lack?"
019:021 "If you desire to be perfect," replied Jesus, "go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; and come, follow me."
019:022 On hearing those words the young man went away much cast down; for he had much property.
019:023 So Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly tell you that it is with difficulty that a rich man will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens.
019:024 Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eyeof a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."
019:025 These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked,"Who then can be saved?"
019:026 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible,but with God everything is possible."
019:027 Then Peter said to Jesus, "See, *we* have forsaken everythingand followed you; what then will be *our* reward?"
019:028 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that in the New Creation,when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne,all of you who have followed me shall also sit on twelvethrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
019:029 And whoever has forsaken houses, or brothers or sisters,or father or mother, or children or lands, for my sake,shall receive many times as much and shall have as hisinheritance the Life of the Ages.
019:030 "But many who are now first will be last, and many who arenow last will be first.
020:001 "For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an employer who wentout early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,
020:002 and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day,sent them into his vineyard.
020:003 About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loiteringin the market-place.
020:004 To these also he said, "`You also, go into the vineyard,and whatever is right I will give you.'
020:005 "So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock,he went out and did the same.
020:006 And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "`Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'
020:007 "`Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "`You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.
020:008 "When evening came, the master said to his steward, "`Call the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.'
020:009 "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they receiveda shilling apiece;
020:010 and when the first came, they expected to get more, but theyalso each got the shilling.
020:011 So when they had received it, they grumbled againstthe employer, saying,
020:012 "`These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'
020:013 "`My friend,' he answered to one of them, `I am doing youno injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?
020:014 Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comerjust as much as I give you.
020:015 Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property?Or are you envious because I am generous?'
020:016 "So the last shall be first, and the first last."
020:017 Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,
020:018 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to death,
020:019 and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourgedand crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life."
020:020 Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons,and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.
020:021 "What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied,"that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and oneat your left in your Kingdom."
020:022 "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus;"can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?""We can," they replied.
020:023 "You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
020:024 The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers.
020:025 But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.
020:026 Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,
020:027 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;
020:028 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as the redemption-price for many."
020:029 As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,
020:030 two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesuswho was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."
020:031 The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried allthe louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.
020:032 So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I dofor you?" He asked.
020:033 "Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.
020:034 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
021:001 When they were come near Jerusalem and had arrived at Bethphageand the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the discipleson in front,
021:002 saying to them, "Go to the village you see facing you, and as youenter it you will find a she-ass tied up and a foal with her.Untie her and bring them to me.
021:003 And if any one says anything to you, say, `The Master needs them,'and he will at once send them."
021:004 This took place in order that the Prophet's predictionmight be fulfilled:
021:005 "Tell the Daughter of Zion, `See, thy King is coming to thee, gentle, and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt the foal of a beast of burden.'"
021:006 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:
021:007 they brought the she-ass and the foal, and threw their outer garments on them. So He sat on them;
021:008 and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and carpeted the road with them,
021:009 and the multitudes—some of the people preceding Him and some following—sang aloud, "God save the Son of David! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name! God in the highest Heavens save Him!"
021:010 When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was throwninto commotion, every one inquiring, "Who is this?"
021:011 "This is Jesus, the Prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee,"replied the crowds.
021:012 Entering the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there, and overturned the money-changers' tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers.
021:013 "It is written," He said, "`My House shall be called the Houseof Prayer', but you are making it a robbers' cave."
021:014 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple,and He cured them.
021:015 But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the wonderfulthings that He had done and the children who were cryingaloud in the Temple, "God save the Son of David," they werefilled with indignation.
021:016 "Do you hear," they asked Him, "what these children are saying?""Yes," He replied; "have you never read, `Out of the mouthsof infants and of babes at the breast Thou hast brought forththe praise which is due'?"
021:017 So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and passedthe night there.
021:018 Early in the morning as He was on His way to return to the cityHe was hungry,
021:019 and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree withered away.
021:020 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment, "How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!"
021:021 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done;
021:022 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."
021:023 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked Him, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you this authority?"
021:024 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus, "and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things.
021:025 John's Baptism, whence was it?—had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'
021:026 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear,for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."
021:027 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you,"He replied, "by what authority I do these things."
021:028 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.'
021:029 "`I will not,' he replied. "But afterwards he was sorry, and went.
021:030 He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His answer was, "`I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.
021:031 Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said."I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherersand the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of Godin front of you.
021:032 For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you putno faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners didput faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you,were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.
021:033 "Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planteda vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it,and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers,and went abroad.
021:034 When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to thevine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;
021:035 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one theycruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.
021:036 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first;and these they treated in the same manner.
021:037 Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "`They willrespect my son.'
021:038 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "`Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'
021:039 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard,and killed him.