SQLite format 3@ -- }D~~+}i%!indexverses_indexversesCREATE UNIQUE INDEX verses_index on "verses" (book_number, chapter, verse)wItableversesversesCREATE TABLE "verses" ("book_number" NUMERIC, "chapter" NUMERIC, "verse" NUMERIC, "text" TEXT) tablebooks_allbooks_allCREATE TABLE "books_all" ("book_number" NUMERIC, "short_name" TEXT, "long_name" TEXT, "book_color" TEXT, "is_present" NUMERIC){UtablebooksbooksCREATE TABLE "books" ("book_color" TEXT, "book_number" NUMERIC, "short_name" TEXT, "long_name" TEXT)=_tableinfoinfoCREATE TABLE info (name TEXT, value TEXT) T{cT languageen)strong_numbersfalse'right_to_leftfalse/russian_numberingfalse)chapter_stringChapter7#_descriptionWilliam Baxter Godbey New Testament, 1902 }oN-~~~~~s~V~9~!~}}}}}}k}R};}!#ff7c80RevRevelation#00ff00JudJude#00ff003Jn3 John#00ff002Jn2 John#00ff001Jn1 John#00ff002Pet2 Peter#00ff001Pet1 Peter#00ff00JamJames#ffff00HebHebrews#ffff00PhlmPhilemon#ffff00vTitTitus#ffff00l2Tim2 Timothy#ffff00b1Tim1 Timothy!+#ffff00X2Ths2 Thessalonians! +#ffff00N1Ths1 Thessalonians !#ffff00DColColossians ##ffff00:PhilPhilippians #ffff000EphEphesians #ffff00&GalGalatians'#ffff002Cor2 Corinthians'#ffff001Cor1 Corinthians#ffff00RomRomans#00ffffActsActs#ff6600JohnJohn#ff6600LukLuke#ff6600MarMark#ff6600MatMatthew Bxy_E-~~~~~}~e~I~.~}}}}}}f}F}*}||||||y|`|D|&| {{{{{{o{V{<{zzzzzz\z8zyyyyyyvyZy@y&y xxB! 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When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: "Courage, Child! Your sins are forgiven."Tl # Afterwards Jesus got into a boat, and, crossing over, came to his own city. k"At the news the whole town went out to meet Jesus, and, when they saw him, they entreated him to go away from their neighborhood.#j?!At this the men who tended them ran away and went to the town, carrying the news of all that had occurred, and of what had happened to the possessed men. i9 "Go," he said. The spirits came out, and entered the pigs; and the whole drove rushed down the steep slope into the Sea, and died in the water.jhMAnd the foul spirits began begging Jesus: "If you drive us out, send us into the drove of pigs."Ag}A long way off, there was a drove of many pigs, feeding;fwSuddenly they shrieked out: "What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before our time?"NeAnd on getting to the other side--the country of the Gadarenes--Jesus met two men who were possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one was able to pass that way.sd_The men were amazed, and exclaimed: "What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"c7"Why are you so timid?" he said. "O men of little faith!" Then Jesus rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and a great calm followed.^b5And the disciples came and roused him. "Master," they cried, "save us; we are lost!"yakSuddenly so great a storm came on upon the Sea, that the waves broke right over the boat. But Jesus was asleep;>`wThen he got into the boat, followed by his disciples.X_)But Jesus answered: "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead."[^/"Master," said another, who was a disciple, "let me first go and bury my father."]"Foxes have holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."j\MAnd a Teacher of the Law came up to him, and said: "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."B[Seeing a crowd round him, Jesus gave orders to go across. Z In fulfillment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah--'He took our infirmities on himself, and bore the burden of our diseases.'Y3In the evening the people brought to Jesus many who were possessed by demons; and he drove out the spirits with a word, And cured all who were ill,^X5On his taking her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and began to wait upon him.bW=When Jesus went into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in- law prostrated with fever. V  Then Jesus said to the Captain: "Go now, and it shall be according to your faith." And the man was cured that very hour.U While the heirs to the Kingdom will be 'banished into the darkness' outside; there, there will be weeping and grinding of teeth."T Yes, and many will come in from East and West and take their places beside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven;$SA Jesus was surprised to hear this, and said to those who were following him: "Never I tell you, in any Israelite have I met with such faith as this!HR  For I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and, if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes, and to another 'Come,' he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' he does it."Q"Sir," the Captain went on, "I am unworthy to receive you under my roof; but only speak, and my manservant will be cured.;Pq"I will come and cure him," answered Jesus.yOk"Sir," he said, "my manservant is lying ill at my house with a stroke of paralysis, and is suffering terribly."mNSAfter Jesus had entered Capernaum, a Captain in the Roman army came up to him, entreating his help.?MwAnd then Jesus said to him: "Be careful not to say a word to any one, but go and show yourself to the Priest, and offer the gift directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."L3Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying as he did so: "I am willing; become clean." Instantly he was made clean from his leprosy;K+And he saw a leper who came up, and bowed to the ground before him, and said: "Master, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."KJ When Jesus had come down from the hill, great crowds followed him.`I9For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their Teachers of the Law.lHQBy the time that Jesus had finished speaking, the crowd was filled with amazement at his teaching.GThe rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck against that house, and it fell; and great was its downfall." F9And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.E3The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for its foundations were upon the rock.!D;Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.sC_And then I shall say to them plainly 'I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.'CBOn 'That Day' many will say to me 'Master, Master, was not it in your name that we taught, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many miracles?'A5Not every one who says to me 'Master! Master!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.U@#Hence it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such men._?7Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.a>;A sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a worthless tree bear good fruit.d=ASo, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while a worthless tree bears bad fruit.<}By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?|;qBeware of false Teachers--men who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves.p:YFor small is the gate, and narrow the road, that leads to Life, and those that find it are few.9  Go in by the small gate. Broad and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and those that go in by it are many;8 Do to others whatever you would wish them to do to you; for that is the teaching of both the Law and the Prophets.<7q If you, then, wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those that ask him!B6 Or when he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?X5) Who among you, when his son asks him for a loaf, will give him a stone,t4aFor he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened.3wAsk, and your prayer shall be granted; search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.)2KDo not give what is sacred to dogs; nor yet throw your pearls before pigs, lest they should trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you.1Hypocrite! Take out the beam from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the straw from your brother's. 0How will you say to your brother 'Let me take out the straw from your eye,' when all the time there is a beam in your own?/yAnd why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in yours?.For, just as you judge others, you will yourselves be judged, and the measure that you mete will be meted out to you.8- mDo not judge, that you may not be judged.,"Therefore do not be anxious about to-morrow, for to-morrow will bring its own anxieties. Every day has trouble enough of its own.+!But first seek his Kingdom and the righteousness that he requires, and then all these things shall be added for you.* All these are the things for which the nations are seeking, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.){Do not then ask anxiously 'What can we get to eat?' or 'What can we get to drink?' or 'What can we get to wear?';(oIf God so clothes even the grass of the field, which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, will not he much more clothe you, O men of little faith?f'EYet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.y&kAnd why be anxious about clothing? Study the wild lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin;Z%-But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a single moment?-$SLook at the wild birds--they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them! And are not you more precious than they?d#AThat is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about your life here--what you can get to eat or drink; nor yet about your body-- what you can get to wear. Is not life more than food, and the body than its clothing?@"yNo one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.!)But, if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be darkened. And, if the inner light is darkness, how intense must that darkness be!k OThe lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is unclouded, your whole body will be lit up;KFor where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.But store up treasures for yourselves in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.$AThat he may not be seen by men to be fasting, but by his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.X)But, when one of your fasts, let him anoint his head and wash his face,:mAnd, when you fast, do not put on gloomy looks, as hypocrites do who disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. That, I tell you, is their reward!s_But, if you do not forgive others their offences, not even your Father will forgive your offences.gGFor, if you forgive others their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;L And take us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.'`9 And forgive us our wrong-doings, as we have forgiven those who have wronged us;<s Give us to-day the bread that we shall need;L Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done--on earth, as in Heaven.mS You, therefore, should pray thus--'Our Father, who art in Heaven, May thy name be held holy,c?Do not imitate them; for God, your Father, knows what you need before you ask him.+OWhen praying, do not repeat the same words over and over again, as is done by the Gentiles, who think that by using many words they will obtain a hearing.DBut, when one of you prays, let him go into his own room, shut the door, and pray to his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.^5And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the Synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!veSo that your charity may be secret; and your Father, who sees what is in secret, will recompense you.p YBut, when you do acts of charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,d ATherefore, when you do acts of charity, do not have a trumpet blown in front of you, as hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. There, I tell you, is their reward!&  GTake care not to perform your religious duties in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in Heaven has no reward for you.T !0You, then, must become perfect--as your heavenly Father is perfect. {/And, if you show courtesy to your brothers only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do this!uc.For, if you love only those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax-gatherers do this!=s-That you may become Sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for he causes his sun to rise upon bad and good alike, and sends rain upon the righteous and upon the unrighteous.a;,I, however, say to you--Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,dA+You have heard that it was said--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.'kO*Give to him who asks of you; and, from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.S)And, if any one compels you to go one mile, go two miles with him.s_(And, when any one wants to go to law with you, to take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;'I, however, say to you that you must not resist wrong; but, if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also;^5&You have heard that it was said--'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'gG%Let your words be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from what is wrong.n~U$Nor should you swear by your head, since you cannot make a single hair either white or black.y}k#Or by the earth, since that is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the Great King.u|c"I, however, say to you that you must not swear at all, either by Heaven, since that is God's throne,${A!Again, you have heard that to our ancestors it was said--'Thou shalt not break an oath, but thou shall keep thine oaths as a debt due to the Lord.'\z1 I, however, say to you that any one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of her unchastity, leads to her committing adultery; while any one who marries her after her divorce is guilty of adultery.mySIt was also said--'Let any one who divorces his wife serve her with a notice of separation.'ExAnd, if your right hand is a snare to you, cut it off and throw it away. It would be best for you to lose one part of your body, and not to have the whole of it go down to the Pit.Aw{If your right eye is a snare to you, take it out and throw it away. It would be best for you to lose one part of your body, and not to have the whole of it thrown into the Pit.v)I, however, say to you that any one who looks at a woman with an impure intention has already committed adultery with her in his heart.SuYou have heard that it was said--'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'Vt%I tell you, you will not come out until you have paid the last penny.fsEBe ready to make friends with your opponent, even when you meet him on your way to the court; for fear that he should hand you over to the judge, and the judge to his officer, and you should be thrown into prison.rLeave your gift there, before the altar, go and be reconciled to your brother, first, then come and present your gift.qTherefore, when presenting your gift at the altar, if even there you remember that your brother has some grievance against you,Ip I, however, say to you that any one who cherishes anger against his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the Court; and whoever pours contempt upon his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the High Council, while whoever calls down curses upon him shall be liable to answer for it in the fiery Pit..oUYou have heard that to our ancestors it was said--'Thou shalt not commit murder,' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to answer for it to the Court.'"n=Indeed I tell you that, unless your religion is above that of the Teachers of the Law, and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.m'Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these commandments, even the least of them, and teaches others to do so, will be the least- esteemed in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever keeps them, and teaches others to do so, will be esteemed great in the Kingdom of Heaven.5lcFor I tell you, until the heavens and the earth disappear, not even the smallest letter, nor one stroke of a letter, shall disappear from the Law until all is done.kDo not think that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to do away with them, but to complete them.j-Let your light so shine before the eyes of your fellow men, that, seeing your good actions, they may praise your Father who is in Heaven.iMen do not light a lamp and put it under the corn-measure, but on the lamp-stand, where it gives light to every one in the house.ihKIt is you who are the Light of the world. A town that stands on a hill cannot be hidden._g7 It is you who are the Salt of the earth; but, if the salt should lose its strength, what will you use to restore its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown away, and trampled underfoot. f Be glad and rejoice, because your reward in Heaven will be great; for so men persecuted the Prophets who lived before you. e  Blessed are you when people taunt you, and persecute you, and say everything evil about you--untruly, and on my account.dw Blessed are those who have been persecuted in the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.Sc Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of God.GbBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.EaBlessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.h`IBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.J_ Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.G^Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.V]%"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven./\YAnd he began to teach them as follows:[ yOn seeing the crowds of People, Jesus went up the hill; and, when he had taken his seat, his disciples came up to him;Z And he was followed by large crowds from Galilee, the district of the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.fYEAnd his fame spread all through Syria. They brought to him all who were ill with any form of disease, or who were suffering pain--any who were either possessed by demons, or were lunatic, or paralyzed; and he cured them.CXAnd Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people;NWAnd they at once left their boat and their father, and followed him.=VsGoing further on, he saw two other men who were also brothers, James, Zebediah's son, and his brother John, in their boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them,>UwThe two men left their nets at once and followed him._T7"Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men."CSAs Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew--casting a net into the Sea; for they were fishermen.gRGAt that time Jesus began to proclaim-- "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."Q3The people who were dwelling in darkness Have seen a great Light, And, for those who were dwelling in the shadow-land of Death, A Light has risen!'P'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, The land of the Road by the Sea, and beyond the Jordan, With Galilee of the Gentiles-->OwIn fulfillment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah--N% Afterwards, leaving Nazareth, he went and settled at Capernaum, which is by the side of the Sea, within the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali;YM+ When Jesus heard that John had been committed to prison, he retired to Galilee.OL Then the Devil left him alone, and angels came and ministered to him.K Then Jesus said to him: "Begone, Satan! for Scripture says-- 'Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God, and worship him only.'"WJ' "All these I will give you, if you will fall at my feet and do homage to me."I'The third time, the Devil took Jesus to a very high mountain, and, showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, said to him:hHI"Scripture also says," answered Jesus, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'"]G3"If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, for Scripture says- -'He will give his angels commands about thee, And on their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"oFWThen the Devil took him to the Holy City, and, placing him on the parapet of the temple, said to him:E-But Jesus answered: "Scripture says--'It is not on bread alone that man is to live, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"uDcAnd the Tempter came to him, and said: "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to become loaves of bread."UC#And, after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he became hungry.\B 3Then Jesus was led up into the Wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the Devil.oAWAnd from the heavens there came a voice which said: "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight.".@UAfter the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him,(?I"Let it be so for the present," Jesus answered, "since it is fitting for us thus to satisfy every claim of religion." Upon this, John consented.z>mBut John tried to prevent him. "It is I," he said, "who need to be baptized by you; why then do you come to me?"U=# Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.+<O His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire."[;/ I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but He who is Coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.:- Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.29] And do not think that you can say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!48cLet your life, then, prove your repentance;I7 When, however, John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?N6And were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.m5SAt that time Jerusalem, and all Judea, as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went out to him4John wore clothing made of camels' hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.:3mThis is he who was spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah, where he says--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."'82k"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."a1 =About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the Wilderness of Judea:0And there he settled in the town of Nazareth, in fulfillment of these words in the Prophets--'He will be called a Nazarene.'N/But, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as King of Judea, he was afraid to go back there; and having been warned in a dream, he went into the part of the country called Galilee.Z.-And he awoke, and taking the child and his mother, went into the Land of Israel. - "Awake, take the child and his mother, and go into the Land of Israel, for those who sought to take the child's life are dead."l,QBut, on the death of Herod, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said:+'A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and much lamentation; Rachel, weeping for her children, Refused all comfort because they were not.'Y*+Then were fulfilled these words spoken in the Prophet Jeremiah, where he says--)+When Herod found that he had been trifled with by the Astrologers, he was very angry. He sent and put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and the whole of that neighborhood, who were two years old or under, guided by the date which he had ascertained from the Astrologers.(/And there he stayed until Herod's death; in fulfillment of these words of the Lord in the Prophet, where he says--'Out of Egypt I called my Son.'V'%Joseph awoke, and taking the child and his mother by night, went into Egypt,& After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said: "Awake, take the child and his mother, and seek refuge in Egypt; and stay there until I bid you return, for Herod is about to search for the child, to put him to death."% But afterwards, having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another road.[$/ Entering the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and fell at his feet and did homage to him. Then they unpacked their treasures, and offered to the child presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.<#s At the sight of the star they were filled with joy.V"% The Astrologers heard what the King had to say, and then continued their journey. And the star which they had seen in the east led them on, until it reached, and stood over, the place where the child was.@!yAnd, sending them to Bethlehem, he said: "Go and make careful inquiries about the child, and, as soon as you have found him, bring me word, that I, too, may go and do homage to him."y kThen Herod secretly sent for the Astrologers, and ascertained from them the date of the appearance of the star;7g'And thou, Bethlehem in Judah's land, Art in no way least among the chief cities of Judah; For out of thee will come a Chieftain- - One who will shepherd my people Israel.'"U#"At Bethlehem in Judea," was their answer; "for it is said in the Prophet--!He called together all the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law in the nation, and questioned them as to where the Christ was to be born.^5When King Herod heard of this, he was much troubled, and so, too, was all Jerusalem.wg"Where is the new-born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and have come to do homage to him." After the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in Judea, in the reign of King Herod, some Astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking: He made Mary his wife, but did not live with her as her husband until after the birth of her son; and to this son he gave the name Jesus.\ 3When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him. 9'Behold! the virgin shall be with child and shall give birth to a son, And they will give him the name Immanuel'--a word which means 'God is with us.'d CAll this happened in fulfillment of these words of the Lord in the Prophet, where he says--  She shall give birth to a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."v gHe had been dwelling upon this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her child has been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. 'Her husband, Joseph, was a religious man and, being unwilling to expose her to contempt, resolved to put an end to their betrothal privately.L The birth of Jesus Christ took place as follows:--His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but, before the marriage took place, she found herself to be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit.1 ]So the whole number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen; from David to the Exile to Babylon fourteen; and from the Exile to Babylon to the Christ fourteen.c AJacob of Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus, who is called 'Christ'.? {Eliud of Eleazar, Eleazar of Matthan, Matthan of Jacob,6 iAzor of Zadok, Zadok of Achim, Achim of Eliud,?  { Zerubbabel of Abiud, Abiud of Eliakim, Eliakim of Azor,c  A After the Exile to Babylon--Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel of Zerubbabel,R   Josiah of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the Exile to Babylon.A   Hezekiah of Manasseh, Manasseh of Ammon, Ammon of Josiah,;  s Uzziah of Jotham, Jotham of Ahaz, Ahaz of Hezekiah,G  Asa of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat of Jehoram, Jehoram of Uzziah,? {Solomon of Rehoboam, Rehoboam of Abijah, Abijah of Asa,b ?Jesse of David the King. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother was Uriah's widow,d CSalmon of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed of Jesse,@ }Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,Z /Judah of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez of Hezron, Hezron of Ram,Z /Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac of Jacob, Jacob of Judah and his brothers,G A genealogy of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David and Abraham. _~~$}}|{{.zUyty+xxHww"vvAuukttZss~s rWqq-pp$onnDmmlllDkkYjjKjihh\gg;ffeddtccdbaaj``)__^^i]]L\\g\[[ ZDYYXX@WWVVjUUTsSS!RRMR Q{QPOO>NqMM LKKkJJ4IIjHHBGGFF'EEKEDQCC(BBJAAAL@@2??`>>L=<0>///L..`. --,,2++l***O))(j'&c& %0$$#}""!% 4LN o~)aEZN i  H T S <E;RGl_But, when they saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they exclaimed, and cried out for fear.f^EThree hours after midnight, however, Jesus came towards the disciples, walking on the water.o]WThe boat was by this time some miles from shore, laboring in the waves, for the wind was against her.z\mAfter dismissing the crowds, he went up the hill by himself to pray; and, when evening fell, he was there alone. [ Immediately afterwards Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and cross over in advance of him, while he dismissed the crowds.bZ=The men who ate were about five thousand in number, without counting women and children.YyEvery one had sufficient to eat, and they picked up enough of the broken pieces that were left to fill twelve baskets.XJesus ordered the people to take their seats on the grass; and, taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing, and, after he had broken the loaves, gave them to his disciples; and they gave them to the crowds.7Wi"Bring them here to me," was his reply.QV"We have nothing here," they said, "except five loaves and two fishes."fUEBut Jesus said: "They need not go away, it is for you to give them something to eat."KTIn the evening the disciples came up to him, and said: "This is a lonely spot, and the day is now far advanced; send the crowds away, that they may go to the villages, and buy themselves food."SOn getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them; and he cured all the sick among them..RU When Jesus heard of it, he retired privately in a boat to a lonely spot. The people, however, heard of his going, and followed him in crowds from the towns on foot.eQC Then John's disciples came, and took the body away, and buried it; and went and told Jesus.bP= And his head was brought on a dish and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother.1O] He sent and beheaded John in the prison;N The king was distressed at this; yet, on account of his oath and of the guests at his table, he ordered it to be given her.hMIPrompted by her mother, the girl said 'Give me here, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.'GLThat he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.sK_But, when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before his guests, and so pleased Herod,~JuYet, though Herod wanted to put him to death, he was afraid of the people, because they looked on John as a Prophet.MIFor John had said to him 'You have no right to be living with her.' HFor Herod had arrested John, put him in chains, and shut him up in prison, to please Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother Philip.!G;And said to his attendants: "This must be John the Baptist; he must be risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him."=F wAt that time Prince Herod heard of the fame of Jesus,RE :And he did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.3D_ 9These things proved a hindrance to their believing in him; whereupon Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house."cC? 8And his sisters, too--are not they all living among us? Where, then did he get all this?"B{ 7Is not he the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?GA 6Going to his own part of the country, he taught the people in their Synagogue in such a manner that they were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this wisdom?" they said, "and the miracles?N@ 5When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place.D? 4Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."R> 3Have you understood all this?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they answered.q=[ 2And 'will throw them into the fiery furnace,' where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.z<m 1So will it be at the close of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous,;+ 0When it was full, they hauled it up on the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless ones away.y:k /Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.d9A .Finding one of great value, he went and sold everything that he had, and bought it.\81 -Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.D7 ,The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.y6k +Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear.q5[ *And 'will throw them into the fiery furnace,' where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.4 )The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin,f3E (And, just as the tares are gathered and burnt, so it will be at the close of the age.2{ 'And the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest-time is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.w1g &The field is the world. By the good seed is meant the People of the Kingdom. The tares are the wicked,P0 %And he answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man.#/? $Then Jesus left the crowd, and went into the house. Presently his disciples came to him, and said: "Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field.".5 #in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet--'I will speak to them in parables; I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world.'|-q "Of all this Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; indeed to them he used never to speak at all except in parables,?,w !This was another parable which Jesus related--"The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."@+y This seed is smaller than all other seeds, but, when it has grown up, it is larger than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that 'the wild birds come and roost in its branches.'"*# Another parable which he told them was this--"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.L) Let both grow side by side till harvest; and then I shall say to the reapers, Gather the tares together first, and tie them in bundles for burning; but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"x(i 'No,' said he, 'for fear that, while you are gathering the tares, you should root up the wheat as well.'y 'An enemy has done this,' was his answer. 'Do you wish us, then,' they asked,' to go and gather them together?'#&? On this the owner's servants came to him, and said 'Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the tares in it come from?'n%U So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the tares made their appearance also.u$c But, while every one was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then went away.# Another parable which Jesus told them was this--"The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.Y"+ But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold."P! By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.# ? But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once. By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully;^5 When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path.F Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the Sower.U# For I tell you that many Prophets and good men have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them.W' But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear;1[ For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, And with their ears they should hear, And in their mind they should understand, and should turn--And I should heal them.'N And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says--'You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, And, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving,%C That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand.!; For, to all who have, more will be given, and they shall have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. "To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those.a; Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said: "Why do you speak to them in parables?"+Q Let him who has ears hear." Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.]3 Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it.c? As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away.xi Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once.c? As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.pY Then he told them many truths in parables. "The sower," he began, "went out to sow; and, } such great crowds gathered round him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood upon the beach.Q   That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the Sea,r ] 2For any one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother."t a 1Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said: "Here are my mother and my brothers!< s 0"Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?"2_ /Someone told him this, and Jesus replied:{o .While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.|q -Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their home there; and the last state of that man proves to be worse than the first. So, too, will it be with this wicked generation." ,Then it says 'I will go back to the home which I left'; but, on coming there, it finds it unoccupied, and swept, and put in order.- +No sooner does a foul spirit leave a man, than it passes through places where there is no water, in search of rest, and does not find it.lQ *At the Judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the present generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!;o )At the Judgment, the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!/W (For, just as 'Jonah was inside the sea-monster three days and three nights,' so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.3_ '"It is a wicked and unfaithful generation," answered Jesus, "that is asking for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the Prophet Jonah. &At this point, some Teachers of the Law and Pharisees interposed. "Teacher," they said, " we want to see some sign from you."s~_ %For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned."r}] $I tell you that for every careless thing that men say, they must answer on the 'Day of Judgment.'| #A good man, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil man, from his evil stores, produces evil things.{ "You brood of vipers! how can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.&zE !You must assume either that both tree and fruit are good, or that both tree and fruit are worthless; since it is by it's fruits that a tree is known.;yo Whoever speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in the present age, or in the age to come. x Therefore, I tell you, men will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.jwM He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not help me to gather is scattering.(vI How, again, can any one get into a strong man's house and carry off his goods, without first securing him? And not till then will he plunder his house. u  But, if it is by the help of the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God must already be upon you.3t_ And, if it is by Baal-zebub's help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they shall themselves be your judges.xsi So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?Zr- Jesus, however, was aware of what was passing in their minds, and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself becomes a desolation, and any town or household divided against itself will not last.qy But the Pharisees heard of it and said: "He drives out demons only by the help of Baal-zebub the chief of the demons."ppY At this all the people were astounded. "Is it possible that this is the son of David?" they exclaimed.o3 Then some people brought to Jesus a possessed man, who was blind and dumb; and he cured him, so that the man who had been dumb both talked and saw.>nw And on his name shall the Gentiles rest their hopes." m A bruised reed he will not break, And a smoldering wick he will not quench, Till he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,cl? He shall not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets;0kY 'Behold! the Servant of my Choice, My Beloved, in whom my heart delights! I will breathe my spirit upon him, And he shall announce a time of judgment to the Gentiles.>jw in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah--2i_ but he warned them not to make him known,h Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;Rg On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.f Then he said to the man. "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out; and it had become as sound as the other.xei And how much more precious a man is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath."*dM But Jesus said to them: "Which of you, if he had only one sheep, and that sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lay hold of it and pull it out?>cu And there he saw a man with a withered hand. Some people asked Jesus whether it was allowable to work a cure on the Sabbath- -so that they might have a charge to bring against him.5be Passing on, Jesus went into their Synagogue,;aq For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."`- And had you learned the meaning of the words--'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned those who are not guilty.W_' Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple! ^  And have not you read in the law that, on the Sabbath, the priest in the Temple break the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?7]g How he went into the House of God, and how they ate the consecrated bread, through it was not allowable for him or his companions to eat it, but only for the priests?u\c "Have not you read," replied Jesus, "what David did, when he and his companions were hungry--[ But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said: "Look! your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!"Z 3 About the same time Jesus walked through the corn-fields one Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and began to pick some ears of wheat and eat them.=Yu For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."X Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly-minded, and 'you shall find rest for your souls';YW+ Come to me, all you who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest!WV' Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does any one fully know the Son, except the Father, or fully know the Father, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.MU Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee.\T1 At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!oSW Yet, I tell you, the doom of Sodom will be more bearable in the 'Day of Judgment' than yours."fRE And you, Capernaum! Will you 'exalt yourself to Heaven'? 'You shall go down to the Place of Death.' For, if the miracles which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing to this day.wQg Yet, I tell you, the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable in the 'Day of Judgment' than yours.IP  "Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.|Oq Then Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented:YN+ And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."dMA For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said 'He has a demon in him';wLg 'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.'!K; But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--*JO Let him who has ears hear.iIK And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come.eHC For the teaching of all the Prophets and of the Law continued till the time of John;G5 From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it.,FQ I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.E5 This is the man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.'lDQ What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.bC= "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!cB? While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John:FA And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me."8@i The blind recover their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are made clean and the deaf hear, the dead, too, are raised to life, and the good news is told to the poor.h?I The answer of Jesus to the question was--"Go and report to John what you hear and see--U># And asked--" Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for someone else?"i=K Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples, <  After Jesus had finished giving directions to his twelve Disciples, he left that place in order to teach and preach in their towns.,;Q *And, if any one gives but a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple, I tell you that he shall assuredly not lose his reward."C: )He who welcomes a Prophet, because he is a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward; and he who welcomes a good man, because he is a good man, shall receive a good man's reward.{9o (He who welcomes you is welcoming me; and he who welcomes me is welcoming him who sent me as his Messenger.t8a 'He who has found his life will lose it, while he who, for my sake, has lost his life shall find it.d7A &And the man who does not take his cross and follow in my steps is not worthy of me.6 %He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.K5 $A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'4' #For I have come to set--'a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.3w "Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring, not peace, but the sword.}2s !But, if any one disowns me before his fellow men, I, too, will disown him before my Father who is in Heaven.1 Every one, therefore, who shall acknowledge me before his fellow men, I, too, will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven;X0) Do not, therefore, be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.L/ While as for you, the very hairs of your head are numbered. .  Are not two sparrows sold for a half-penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's knowledge.0-Y And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in the Pit., What I tell you in the dark, say again in the light; and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.+5 Do not, therefore, be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden which will not become known.K* It is enough for a scholar to be treated like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, how much more the members of his household!T)! A scholar is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.5(c But, when they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for, I tell you, you will not have come to the end of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.~'u And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.!&; Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death;h%I For it will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks within you.%$C Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment; #  And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, that you may witness for me before them and the nations. "  Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their Synagogues;! Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.  I tell you, the doom of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will be more bearable in the 'Day of Judgment' than the doom of that town.  If no one welcomes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave that house or that town, shake off its dust from your feet. Then, if the house is worthy, let your blessing rest upon it, but, if it is unworthy, let your blessing return upon yourselves.1] As you enter the house, greet it.{o Whatever town or village you visit, find out who is worthy in that place, and remain there till you leave.  Not even with a bag for the journey, or a change of clothes, or sandals, or even a staff; for the worker is worth his food.Y+ Do not provide yourselves with gold, or silver, or pence in your purses;  Cure the sick, raise the dead, make the lepers clean, drive out demons. You have received free of cost, give free of cost.P And on your way proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.F But make your way rather to the lost sheep of Israel.7 These twelve Jesus sent out as his Messengers, after giving them these instructions--"Do not go to the Gentiles, nor enter any Samaritan town,M Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot--the Apostle who betrayed him.nU Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-gather; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 9 The names of the twelve Apostles are these: First Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebediah, and his brother John;N  Calling his twelve Disciples to him, Jesus gave them authority over foul spirits, so that they could drive them out, as well as the power of curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.gG &Therefore pray to the Owner of the harvest to send laborers to gather in his harvest."b= %And he said to his disciples: "The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. 9 $But, when he saw the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and harassed, 'like sheep without a shepherd';?w #Jesus went round all the towns and the villages, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.d A "But the Pharisees said: "He drives out the demons by the help of the chief of the demons."1 [ !And, as soon as the demon had been driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were astonished at this, and exclaimed: "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"o W Just as they were going out, some people brought up to Jesus a dumb man who was possessed by a demon;c ? But the men went out, and spread the news about him through all that part of the country.s _ Then their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly cautioned them. "See that no one knows of it," he said.b= Upon that he touched their eyes, and said: "It shall be according to your faith."(I When he had gone indoors, the blind men came up to him; and Jesus asked them: "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Master!" they answered. As Jesus was passing on from there, he was followed by two blind men, who kept calling out: "Take pity on us, Son of David!"I  The report of this spread through all that part of the country.oW But, when the people had been sent out, Jesus went in, and took the little girl's hand, and she rose.lQ He said: "Go away, the little girl is not dead; she is asleep." They began to laugh at him;wg When Jesus reached the President's house, seeing the flute- players, and a number of people all in confusion,(I Turning and seeing her, Jesus said: "Courage, Daughter! your faith has delivered you." And the woman was delivered from her malady from that very hour.O "If I only touch his cloak," she said to herself, "I shall get well."  But meanwhile a woman, who had been suffering from hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind and touched the tassel of his cloak.F~ So Jesus rose and followed him, and his disciples went also.]}3 While Jesus was saying this, a President of a Synagogue came up and bowed to the ground before him. "My daughter," he said, "Has just died; but come and place your hand on her, and she will be restored to life."U|# Nor do people put new wine into old wine-skins; for, if they do, the skins burst, and the wine runs out, and the skins are lost; but they put new wine into fresh skins, and so both are preserved."{% No man ever puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for such a patch tears away from the garment, and a worse rent is made.Kz Jesus answered: "Can the bridegroom's friends mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be parted from them, and they will fast then.yyk Then John's disciples came to Jesus, and asked: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast while your disciples do not?"x Go and learn what this means--'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice'; for I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."{wo On hearing this, Jesus said: "It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. v When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples: "Why does your Teacher eat in the company of tax-gatherers and outcasts?"'uG And, later on, when he was at table in the house, a number of tax-gatherers and outcasts came in and took their places at table with Jesus and his disciples.t3 As Jesus went along, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Matthew got up and followed him. 8~~J}}y}||9{{qzzcyyOxxgwww=vv2uu6ttt#ss3rrcqqppLoonnmml:kjj2iiHhh|h ggfHee=dd]ccNbbHaa`e`__^k]]B\C[[ZZYcXX5WW'VV+UlUTT_SS:RQQQ%PPLOO+NMMLLYKJJyIIHHGGFJEDDChCIBAAy@@"?s>>==$<Then the father went to the second son, and said the same. 'I will not,' he answered; but afterwards he was sorry and went.;Gq'Yes, sir,' he answered; but he did not go.F)What do you think of this? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the elder and said 'Go and work in the vineyard to-day my son.'E3So the answer they gave Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," he said, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.gDGBut if we say 'human,' we are afraid of the people, for every one regards John as a Prophet."GCIt is about John's baptism. What was its origin? divine or human?" But they began arguing among themselves: "If we say 'divine,' he will say to us 'Why then did not you believe him?'9Bk"I, too," said Jesus in reply, "will ask you one question; if you will give me an answer to it, then I, also, will tell you what authority I have to act as I do.bA=After Jesus had come into the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation came up to him as he was teaching, and said: "What authority have you to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"c@?And whatever you ask for in your prayers will, if you have faith, be granted you."?w"I tell you," replied Jesus, "if you have faith, without ever a doubt, you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.o>WWhen the disciples saw this, they exclaimed in astonishment: "How suddenly the fig tree withered up!"d=AAnd, noticing a solitary fig tree by the road-side, he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. So he said to it: "Never again shall fruit be gathered off you." And suddenly the fruit tree withered up.J< The next morning, in returning to the city, Jesus became hungry;\;1Then he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there._:7And said to him: "Do you hear what these boys are saying?" "Yes," answered Jesus; "but did you never read the words--'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast called forth perfect praise'?"T9!But, when the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and the boys who were calling out in the Temple Courts "God save the Son of David!", they were indignant,u8cWhile he was still in the Temple Courts, some blind and some lame people came up to him, and he cured them. 7 And said to them: "Scripture says—'My House shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"<6q Jesus went into the Temple Courts, and drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers,k5O "Who is this?", to which the crowd replied--"This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."P4 When he had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, and asked--E3 The crowds that led the way, as well as those that followed behind, kept shouting: "God save the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! God save him from on high!" 2 The immense crowd of people spread their cloaks in the road, while some cut branches off the trees, and spread them on the road.w1gThey led the ass and the foal back, and, when they had put their cloaks on them, he seated himself upon them.B0So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them./'Say to the daughter of Zion--"Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Gentle, and riding on an ass, And on the foal of a beast of burden."'F.This happened in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet---And, if any one says anything to you, you are to say this-- 'The Master wants them'; and he will send them at once.".,U"Go to the village facing you," he said, "and you will immediately find an ass tethered, with a foal by her side; untie her, and lead her here for me.+ When they had almost reached Jerusalem, having come as far as Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two disciples.|*q"So Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight, and followed him.A)}!"Master," they replied, "we want our eyes to be opened."b(= Then Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he said.{'oThe crowd told them to be quiet; but the men only called out the louder: "Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!"&Two blind men who were sitting by the road-side, hearing that Jesus was passing, called out: "Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!"H% As they were going out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.y$kJust as the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."#/No, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to take the first place among you, must be your slave;'"IAmong you it is not so.!5Jesus, however, called the ten to him, and said: "The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them as you know, and their great men oppress them.X )On hearing of this, the ten others were very indignant about the two brothers.J "You shall indeed drink my cup," he said, "but as to a seat at my right and at my left--that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."5"You do not know what you are asking," was Jesus' answer. "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?" "Yes," they exclaimed, "we can.">u"What is it that you want?" he asked. "I want you to say," she replied, "that in your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left."r]Then the mother of Zebediah's sons came to him with her sons, bowing to the ground, and begging a favor.And give him up to the Gentiles for them to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and on the third day he will rise."3_"Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law, and they will condemn him to death,%CWhen Jesus was on the point of going up to Jerusalem, he gathered the twelve disciples round him by themselves, and said to them as they were on their way:J So those who are last will be first, and the first last."q[Have not I the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am liberal?'hITake what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you.   'My friend,' was his reply to one of them, 'I am not treating you unfairly. Did not you agree with me for two shillings?<q 'These last,' they said, 'have done only one hour's work, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us, who have borne the brunt of the day's work, and the heat.'A} On which they began to grumble at their employer.} So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two shillings each;pY Now when those who had been hired about five o'clock went up, they received two shillings each./WIn the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward 'Call the laborers, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, and ending with the first.kO'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said.%CWhen he went out about five, he found some other men standing there, and said to them 'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'j MSo the men went. Going out again about mid-day and about three o'clock, he did as before.` 9'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said, 'and I will pay you what is fair.'x iOn going out again, about nine o'clock, he saw some others standing in the market-place, doing nothing.n UHe agreed with the laborers to pay them two shillings a day, and sent them into his vineyard.  For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards.dABut many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.KEvery one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, on account of my Name, will receive many times as much, and will 'gain Immortal Life.'pY"I tell you," answered Jesus, "that at the New Creation, 'when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,' you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.T!"But we--we left everything, and followed you; what, then, shall we have?"3But Jesus looked at them, and said: "With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible." Then Peter turned and said to Jesus:kOOn hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment: "Who then can possibly be saved?"  I say again, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!"At this, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you that a rich man will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!c?On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions.5c"If you wish to be perfect," answered Jesus, "go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."Y~+"I have observed all these," said the young man. "What is still wanting in me?"k}OHonor thy father and thy mother.' And 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself."Q|"What commandments?" asked the man. "These," answered Jesus:--"'Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not say what is false about others.{-"Why ask me about goodness?" answered Jesus. "There is but One who is good. If you want to enter the Life, keep the commandments."mzSAnd a man came up to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain Immortal life?"BySo he placed his hands on them, and then went on his way.#x?Jesus, however, said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs."'wG Then some little children were brought to Jesus, for him to place his hands on them, and pray; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them.tva Some men, it is true, have from birth been disabled for marriage, while others have been disabled by their fellow men, and others again have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let him accept it who can." u "It is not every one," replied Jesus, "who can accept this teaching, but only those who have been enabled to do so.wtg "If that," said the disciples, "is the position of a man with regard to his wife, it is better not to marry."s5 But I tell you that any one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of her unchastity, and marries another woman, is guilty of adultery.""r="Moses, owing to the hardness of your hearts," answered Jesus, "permitted you to divorce your wives, but that was not so at the beginning.q"Why, then," they said, "did Moses direct that a man should 'serve his wife with a notice of separation and divorce her'?"|pqSo that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."o/And said--'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife, and the man and his wife shall become one'?{no"Have not you read," replied Jesus, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'mPresently some Pharisees came up to him, and, to test him, said: "Has a man the right to divorce his wife for every cause?"So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his Brother from his heart."vie"Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.rh]!Ought not you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow- servant, just as I showed mercy to you?'$gA Upon that the master sent for the servant, and said to him 'You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt.f3When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.eeCBut the other would not, but went and put him in prison till he should pay his debt.d'Thereupon his fellow-servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. 'Have patience with me,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'-cSBut, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said 'Pay what you owe me.'cb?The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt. aThereupon the servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'3`_And, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had.l_QWhen he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him six million pounds;^wAnd therefore the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.Q]But Jesus answered: "Not seven times, but 'seventy times seven.' \ Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus: "Master, how often am I to forgive my Brother when he wrongs me? As many as seven times?"_[7For where two or three have come together in my Name, I am present with them."0ZYAgain, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they shall pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in Heaven.'YGI tell you, all that you forbid on earth will be held in Heaven to be forbidden, and all that you allow on earth will be held in Heaven to be allowed.+XOIf he refuses to listen to them, speak to the Church; and, if he also refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer./WWBut, if he does not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that 'on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.' V9If your Brother does wrong, go to him and convince him of his fault when you and he are alone. If he listens to you, you have won your Brother.wUgSo, too, it is the will of my Father who is in Heaven that not one of these lowly ones should be lost.T' And, if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you that he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.7Sg What think you? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?R3 OMITTED TEXTQ) Beware of despising one of these lowly ones, for in Heaven, I tell you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in Heaven.HP  If your eye is a snare to you, take it out, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the Life with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the fiery Pit.eOCIf your hand or your foot is a snare to you, cut it off, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the Life maimed or lame, than to have both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into the aeonian fire. NAlas for the world because of such snares! There cannot but be snares; yet alas for the man who is answerable for the snare!OMBut, if any one puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be best for him to be sunk in the depths of the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck.uLcAnd any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.KTherefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.J{"I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.aI;Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said:H {On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him: "Who is really the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"iGKStill, that we may not shock them, go and throw a line into the Sea; take the first fish that rises, open its mouth, and you will find in it a piece of money. Take that, and give it to the collectors for both of us."iFK"From others," answered Peter. "Well then," continued Jesus, "their sons go free.WE'"Yes," answered Peter. But, on going into the house, before he could speak, Jesus said: "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings take taxes or tribute? From their sons, or from others?"D#After they had reached Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple-rate came up to Peter, and said: "Does not your Master pay the Temple-rate?"CwAnd they will put him to death, but on the third day he will rise." And the disciples were greatly distressed.&BEWhile Jesus and his disciples were together in Galilee, he said to them: "The Son of Man is destined to be betrayed into the hands of his fellow-men,A3OMITTED TEXT@"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."z?mAfterwards the disciples came up to Jesus, and asked him privately: "Why was it that we could not drive it out?"i>KThen Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy; and he was cured from that very hour.1=["O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed, "how long must I be among you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy here to me."H< I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him." ; "Master, take pity on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers terribly; indeed, he often falls into the fire and into the water;c:?When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, and, kneeling down before him, said:c9? Then the disciples understood that it was of John the Baptist that he had spoken to them.c8? And I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people have not recognized him, but have treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man is destined to undergo suffering at men's hands."_77 "Elijah indeed does come," Jesus replied, "and will restore everything;m6S "How is it," his disciples asked, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"15[ As they were going down the mountain side, Jesus gave them this warning--"Do not speak of this vision to any one, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."O4When they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus himself alone.g3GBut Jesus came and touched them, saying as he did so: "Rise up, and do not be afraid."N2The disciples, on hearing this, fell on their faces, greatly afraid.;1oWhile he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and there was a voice from the cloud that said-- "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight; him you must hear."%0C"Master," exclaimed Peter, interposing, "it is good to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."P/And all at once Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. .There his appearance was transformed before their eyes; his face shown like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.{- qSix days later, Jesus took with him Peter, and the brothers James and John, and led them up a high mountain alone.,I tell you, some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Son of Man coming into his Kingdom."+#For the Son of Man is to come in his Father's Glory, with his angels, and then he 'will give to every man what his actions deserve.'*/What good will it do a man to gain the whole world, if he forfeits his life? or what will a man give that is of equal value with his life?z)mFor whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses his life shall find it.('Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me.%'CJesus, however, turning to Peter, said: "Out of my way, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you look at things, not as God does, but as man does."}&sBut Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him. "Master," he said, "please God that shall never be your fate!"{%oAt that time Jesus Christ began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and undergo much suffering at the hands of the Councillors, and Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.S$Then he charged his disciples not to tell any one that he was the Christ.O#I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be held in Heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you allow on earth will be held in Heaven to be allowed."-"SYes, and I say to you, Your name is 'Peter--a Rock, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the Powers of the Place of Death shall not prevail over it.!1"Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.\ 1And to this Simon Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."G"But you," he said, "who do you say that I am?")"Some say John the Baptist," they answered, "Others, however, say that he is Elijah, while others again say Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets."/ On coming into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples this question--"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"$A Then they understood that he had told them to be on their guard, not against the leaven of bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.) How is it that you do not see that I was not speaking about bread? Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."gG Nor yet the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you took away?|q Do not you yet see, nor remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took away? On noticing this, Jesus said: "Why are you talking among yourselves about your being short of bread, O men of little faith?_7But the disciples began talking among themselves about their having brought no bread.{oPresently Jesus said to them: "Take care and be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."c?Now the disciples had crossed to the opposite shore, and had forgotten to take any bread.!;A wicked and unfaithful generation is asking for a sign, but no sign shall be given it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and went away.EBut in the morning you say 'To-day it will be stormy, for the sky is as red as fire and threatening.' You learn to read the sky; yet you are unable to read the signs of the times!]wgBut Jesus answered: ["In the evening you say 'It will be fine weather, for the sky is as red as fire.'} uHere the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and, to test Jesus, requested him to show them some sign from the heavens.nU'Then, after dismissing the crowds, Jesus got into the boat, and went to the neighborhood of Magadan.[/&The men who ate were four thousand in number without counting women and children.kO%Every one had sufficient to eat, and they picked up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left.. U$Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke them, and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the crowds.5 e#Telling the crowd to sit down on the ground,h I""How many loaves have you?" said Jesus. "Seven," they answered, "and a few small fish."n U!"Where can we," his disciples asked, "in a lonely place find enough bread for such a crowd as this?"( I Afterwards Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: "My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, for fear that they should break down on the way."GAnd the crowds were astonished, when they saw the dumb talking, the cripples made sound, the lame walking about, and the blind with their sight restored; and they praised the God of Israel.3_Great crowds of people came to him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, or dumb, and many others. They put them down at his feet, and he cured them;-On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down., you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done."Your faith is great," was his reply to the woman; "it shall be as you wish!" And her daughter was cured that very hour.lQ"Yes, Master," she said, "for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners' table."lQ"It is not fair," replied Jesus, "to take the children's food and throw it to dogs."\1But the woman came, and, bowing to the ground before him, said: "Master, help me."fE"I was not sent," replied Jesus, "to any one except the lost sheep of Israel."%But Jesus did not answer her a word; and his disciples came up and begged him to send her away. "She keeps calling out after us," they said.1[There, a Canaanite woman of that district came out and began calling to Jesus: "Take pity on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon."[~/On going away from that place, Jesus retired to the country round Tyre and Sidon.o}WThese are the things that defile a man; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man."s|_For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander.w{gBut the things that come out from the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a man;wzg"Do not you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled?My"What, do even you understand nothing yet?" Jesus exclaimed.FxUpon this, Peter said to Jesus: "Explain this saying to us."wLet them be; they are but blind guides; and, if one blind man guides another, both of them will fall into a ditch."qv[ "Every plant," Jesus replied, "that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.u{ On this his disciples came up to him, and said: "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?"t} It is not what enters a man's mouth that 'defiles' him, but what comes out from his mouth--that does defile him!"[s/ Then Jesus called the people to him, and said: "Listen, and mark my words.Yr+ But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but the precepts of men.'"mqS'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;Vp%Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you-- oHe is in no way bound to honor his father.' In this way you have nullified the words of God on account of your traditions.nBut you say 'Whenever any one says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is 'Given to God,'"zmmFor God said--'Honor thy father and mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,'l{His reply was: "How is it that you on your side break God's commandments out of respect for your own traditions?k"How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food."Mj Then some Pharisees and Teachers of the Law came to Jesus, and said:uic$Begging him merely to let them touch the tassel of his cloak; and all who touched were made perfectly well.h#But the people of that place, recognizing Jesus, sent out to the whole country round, and brought to him all who were ill,?gy"When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.sf_!But the men in the boat threw themselves on their faces before him, and said: "You are indeed God's Son.";eq When they had got into the boat, the wind dropped.dInstantly Jesus stretched out his hand, and caught hold of him. "O man of little faith!" he said, "Why did you falter?"ncUBut, when he felt the wind, he was frightened, and, beginning to sink, cried out: "Master! Save me!"zbmAnd Jesus said: "Come." So Peter got down from the boat, and walked on the water, and went towards Jesus;Ya+"Master," Peter exclaimed, "if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water."i`KBut Jesus at once spoke to them. "Courage!" he said, "It is I; do not be afraid!" &~<}l||{{{zzEywxww[vvhv3uu5tYsss"rrQqq.pooo7nHmmmll5kkijj.iii+hh0ggHfff.eede-ddmdcc7bbvbaaa```__l_^^B]]z]\[DZ[YY XWWWtWVUsU!TJSRR@QQPuP5ONNMLLL KJJII=HHGGFFbFEE%DvDCCfBBAAB@@ ??>>>]=<;;[::}:99,8777I66544433T22B11y1(00m0//M.---9,,f++&**;)((-'r&%%i$$1#""o!!H .(M;>|] Zl|%9;2u$sX  : 2L$iTx~>u0Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. "The man whom I kiss," he had said, "will be the one; arrest him."X=)/And, while he was still speaking, Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came in sight; and with him was a great crowd of people, with swords and clubs, sent from the Chief Priests and Councillors of the Nation.N<.Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand."@;y-Then he came to the disciples, and said: "Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. Hark! my time is close at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of wicked men.e:C,So he left them, and went away again, and prayed a third time, again saying the same words.P9+And coming back again he found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy.$8A*Again, a second time, he went away, and prayed. "My Father," he said, "if I cannot be spared this cup, but must drink it, thy will be done!"}7s)Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."6%(Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep. "What!" he said to Peter, "could none of you watch with me for one hour?J5 'Going on a little further, he threw himself on his face in prayer. "My Father," he said, "if it is possible, let me be spared this cup; only, not as I will, but as thou willest."g4G&"I am sad at heart," he said, "sad even to death; wait here and watch with me."z3m%Taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebediah, he began to show signs of sadness and deep distress of mind.2$Then Jesus came with them to a garden called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples: "Sit down here while I go and pray yonder."~1u#"Even if I must die with you," Peter exclaimed, "I shall never disown you!" All the disciples spoke in the same way.0""I tell you," replied Jesus, "that this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!"]/3!"If every one else falls away from you," Peter answered, "I shall never fall away!"N. But, after I have risen, I shall go before you into Galilee."9-kThen Jesus said to them: "Even you will all fall away from me to-night. Scripture says--'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'E,They then sang a hymn, and went out to the Mount of Olives.1+[And I tell you that I shall never, after this, drink of this juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father."i*KFor this is my Covenant blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.)Then he took a cup, and, after saying the thanksgiving, gave it to them, with the words: "Drink from it, all of you;:(mWhile they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it and, as he gave it to his disciples, said: "Take it and eat it; this is my body."y'kAnd Judas, who was betraying him, turned to him and said: "Can it be I, Rabbi?" "It is," answered Jesus.D&True, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'"|%q"The one who dipped his bread beside me in the dish," replied Jesus, "is the one who will betray me.U$#In great grief they began to say to him, one by one: "Can it be I, Master?"c#?And, while they were eating, he said: "I tell you that one of you will betray me."H" In the evening Jesus took his place with the twelve disciples,N!The disciples did as Jesus directed them, and prepared the Passover.9 k"Go into the city to a certain man," he answered, "and say to him 'The Teacher says--My time is near. I will keep the Passover with my disciples at your house.'"6eOn the first day of the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came up to Jesus, and said: "Where do you wish us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"LSo from that time Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.And said "What are you willing to give me, if I betray Jesus to you?" The Priests 'weighed him out thirty pieces of silver' as payment.fEIt was then that one of the Twelve, named Judas Iscariot, made his way to the Chief Priests, I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, this Good News is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her."T! In pouring this perfume on my body, she has done it for my burying.T! You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. "Why are you troubling the woman?" Jesus said, when he noticed it. "For this is a beautiful deed that she has done to me.X) "It could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to poor people."`9The disciples were indignant at seeing this. "What is this waste for?" they exclaimed.a woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of very costly perfume, and poured the perfume upon his head as he was at table.\1After Jesus had reached Bethany, and while he was in the house of Simon the leper,OBut they said: "Not during the Festival, for fear of causing a riot."OAnd plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and put him to death;yThen the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation met in the house of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas,'"You know that in two days time the Festival of the Passover will be here; and that the Son of Man is to be given up to be crucified."M When Jesus had finished all this teaching, he said to his disciples:oW.And these last will go away 'into aeonian punishment,' but the righteous 'into aeonian life.'" -And then he will reply 'I tell you, as often as you failed to do it to one of these, however lowly, you failed to do it to me.'4 a,Then they, in their turn, will answer 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or ill, or in prison, and did not supply your wants?'- S+When I was a stranger, you did not take me to your homes; when I was naked, you did not clothe me; and, when I was ill and in prison, you did not visit me.'g G*For, when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I was thirsty, you gave me no drink;$ A)Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.' (And the King will reply 'I tell you, as often as you did it to one of these my Brothers, however lowly, you did it to me.'I 'When did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?'eC&When did we see you a stranger, and take you to our homes? Or naked, and clothe you?}%Then the Righteous will answer 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty, and give you a drink?~u$When I was naked, you clothed me; when I fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison, you came to me.'#For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes;C"Then the King will say to those on his right 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter upon possession of the Kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world.P!Placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people--just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats- - When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory'; ~ As for the useless servant, 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'%}CFor, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him.| 'Therefore,' he continued, 'take away from him the six hundred pounds, and give it to the one who has the six thousand.{Then you ought to have placed my money in the hands of bankers, and I, on my return, should have received my money, with interest.z3'You lazy, worthless servant!' was his master's reply. 'You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather up where I have not winnowed?nyUAnd, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!'KxThe man who had received the six hundred pounds came up, too, and said 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man; you reap where you have not sown, and gather up where you have not winnowed;Ew'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!'7vgThen the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!'Eu'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!'Ut#The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!'isKAfter a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.|rqBut the man who had received the six hundred went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.iqKSo, too, the man who had received the twelve hundred pounds made another twelve hundred.pThe man who had received the three thousand pounds went at once and traded with it, and made another three thousand.3o_He gave three thousand pounds to one, twelve hundred to another, and six hundred to a third, in proportion to the ability of each. Then he set out on his travels.nwFor it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge.Nm Therefore watch, since you know neither the Day nor the Hour.Ml But the bridegroom answered 'I tell you, I do not know you.'ekC Afterwards the other bridesmaids came. 'Sir, Sir,' they said, 'open the door to us!',jQ But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom came; and the bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the banquet, and the door was shut.(iI But the prudent ones answered 'No, for fear that there will not be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell it, and buy for yourselves.'ihKAnd the foolish said to the prudent 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'Hg Then all the bridesmaids awoke and trimmed their lamps.ffEBut at midnight a shout was raised--'The Bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'Ye+As the bridegroom was late in coming, they all became drowsy, and slept.\d1While the prudent ones, besides taking their lamps, took oil in their jars.NcThe foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them;Ab}Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.a }Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.`3And will flog him severely, and assign him his place among the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.}_s2That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware,Y^+1And begin to beat his fellow-servants, and eat and drink with drunkards,j]M0But, should he be a bad servant, and say to himself 'My master is a long time in coming,'`\9/I tell you that his master will put him in charge of the whole of his property.g[G.Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this."Z=-Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?Y{,Therefore, do you also prepare, since it is just when you are least expecting him that the Son of Man will come.RX+But this you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.[W/*Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming.YV+)Of two women grinding with the hand-mill one will be taken and one left.SU(At that time, of two men on a farm one will be taken and one left; T 'Taking not notice till the flood came and swept them one and all away; and so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.S7&In those days before the flood they went on eating and drinking, marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark,aR;%For, just as in the days of Noah, so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.Q $But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself.^P5#The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words shall never pass away.tOa"I tell you, even the present generation will not pass away, till all these things have taken place.dNA!And so may you, as soon as you see all these things, know that he is at your doors.M5 Learn the lesson taught by the fig tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.'LGAnd he will send his angels, with a great trumpet, and they will gather his People round him from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.XK)Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the heavens,' with power and great glory;UJ#Immediately after the distress of those days, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from the heavens,' and 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'KIWherever a dead body lies, there will the vultures flock.'HFor, just as lightning will start from the east and flash across to the west, so will it be with the Coming of the Son of Man.GTherefore, if people say to you 'He is in the Wilderness!', do not go out there; or 'He is in an inner room!', do not believe it;5FeRemember, I have told you beforehand.-ESFor false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.D{And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;C#And had not those days been limited, not a single soul would escape; but for the sake of 'God's People' a limit will be put to them.3B_for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.\A1Pray, too, that your flight may not take place in winter, nor on a Sabbath;r@]And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days!L?nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak.d>Aand a man on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house;W='"then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains;+<OAs soon, then, as you see 'the Foul Desecration,' mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place," (the reader must consider what this means);!And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the world as a witness to all nations; and then will come the end.D: Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.[9/ and, owing to the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.M8 Many false Prophets, also, will appear and lead many astray;a7; And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another.#6? When that time comes, they will give you up to persecution, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my Name.Q5All this, however, will be but the beginning of the birth pangs!4For 'nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,' and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.3!And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; take care not to be alarmed, for such things must occur; but the end is not yet here.k2Ofor, many will take my name, and come saying 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray.U1#Jesus replied to them as follows: "See that no one leads you astray;R0So, while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came up to him privately and said: "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign of your Coming, and of the close of the age."&/E"Do you see all these things?" was his answer. "I tell you, not a single stone will be left here upon another, which will not be throne down,". Leaving the Temple Courts, Jesus was walking away, when his disciples came up to draw his attention to the Temple buildings.-{'For nevermore, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say-- 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!'";,q&Verily, your house is left to you desolate!j+M%Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not came!P*$All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation.f)E#in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent 'blood split on earth,' from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.S("That is why I send you Prophets, wise men, and Teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from town to town;a';!You serpents and brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to the Pit?=&u Fill up the measure of your ancestor's guilt.%By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets.$and say 'Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken part in their murder of the Prophets!,#QAlas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men,"'It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.e!CAlas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth. }You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.SAlas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence.OYou blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel!/WAlas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.kOwhile a man, swearing by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it.]3and a man, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it,_7Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it,~uBlind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering?.UYou say, too, 'If any one swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, but, if any one swears by the offering placed on it, his oath is binding on him'! Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold??wAlas for you, you blind guides! You say 'if any answer by the Temple, his oath counts for nothing; but, if any one swears by the gold of the Temple, his oath is binding him'!eCAlas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves.T!Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow's houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation.hI But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so.oW Whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted.R The man who would be the greatest among you must be your servant.pY Nor must you allow yourselves to be called 'Leaders,' for you have only one Leader, the Christ.E And do not call any one Father, the heavenly Father.ucBut do not allow yourselves to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Father, the heavenly Father.g Gand to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called 'Rabbi' for everybody.e Cand like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,  All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels, While they make up heavy loads and pile them on other men's shoulder's they decline, themselves, to lift a finger to move them.j MTherefore practice and lay to heart everything that they tell preach but do not practice.Z-"The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses.F Then Jesus speaking to the crowds and to his disciples, said:lQ.No one could say a word in answer; nor did any one after that day venture to question him further.M-Since, then, David calls him 'lord,' how is he David's son?"nU,'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet"'?+"How is it, then," Jesus replied, "that David, speaking under inspiration, calls him 'lord,' in the passage-]3*"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "David's," they said.K)Before the Pharisees separated, Jesus put this question to them--N(On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."lQ'The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'4~c&This is the great first commandment.}%His answer was: "'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.'=|u$"Teacher, what is the great commandment in the Law?"T{!#Then one of them, a Student of the Law, to test him, asked this question--bz="When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together.[y/!The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching.x 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."[w/As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God--yvkFor at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven.|uq"Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God.jtMAt the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?",sSThe woman herself died last of all.drAThe same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven.qNow we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother.!p;"Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.'~ouThat same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:--Hn They wondered at his answer, and left him alone and went away.!m;"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God.";lqHe asked: "Whose head and title are these?"gkGShow me the coin with which the tax is paid." And, when they had brought him a florin,bj=Perceiving their malice, Jesus answered: "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?^i5Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?"khOThey sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of any one; for you pay no regard to a man's position.gThen the Pharisees went away and conferred together as to how they might lay a snare for Jesus in the course of conversation.5feFor many are called, but few chosen.".eU Then the king said to the attendants 'Tie him hand and foot, and 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'dw So he said to him 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speechless.xci But, when the king went in to see his guests, he noticed there a man who had not put on a wedding-robe.$bA The servants went out into the roads and collected all the people whom they found, whether bad or good; and the bridal-hall was filled with guests.Xa) So go to the cross-roads, and invite everyone you find to the banquet.'s`_Then he said to his servants 'The banquet is prepared, but those who were invited were not worthy.o_WThe king, in anger, sent his troops, put those murderers to death, and set their city on fire.X^)While the rest, seizing his servants, ill-treated them and killed them.g]GThey, however, took no notice, but went off, one to his farm, another to his business;X\)A second time he sent some servants, with orders to say to those who had been invited 'I have prepared my breakfast, my cattle and fat beasts are killed and everything is ready; come to the banquet.'y[kHe sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the banquet, but they were unwilling to come.Zw"The Kingdom of Heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who gave a banquet in honor of his son's wedding.2Y aOnce more Jesus spoke to them in parables.kXO.Yet, although eager to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, who regarded him as a Prophet.W{-After listening to these parables, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees saw that it was about them that he was speaking; V,Yes, and he who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces, while any one on whom it falls--it will scatter him as dust."U-+And that, I tell you, is why the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation that does produce the fruit of the Kingdom.jTM*Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.'JS )"Miserable wretches!" they exclaimed, "he will put them to a miserable death, and he will let out the vineyard to other tenants, who will pay him his share of the produce at the proper times."^R5(Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"XQ)'So they seized him, and threw him outside the vineyard, and killed him. P&But the tenants, on seeing his son, said to each other 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and get his inheritance.'aO;%As a last resource he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.N$A second time the owner sent some servants, a larger number than before, and the tenants treated them in the same way.cM?#But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.L"When the time for the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his share of the produce.LK!Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.fJE For when John came to you, walking in the path of righteousness, you did not believe him, but tax-gatherers and prostitutes did; and yet you, though you saw this, even then were not sorry, nor did you believe him.VI%Which of the two sons did as his father wished?" " The second," they said. "I tell you," added Jesus, "that tax-gatherers and prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God before you. -~w~}u} |({{zz yyxww vov'uudttissrrmqq4ppoonznmllkkkjj(iiEhh(gg0ffAe/ddiccbblaa4``Y___I^^^ ]]\\?[[9ZZBYYHXXmWWVVUUTT1SSBRQQQ#POOO'NN"MpLLTKKIJJbIIDHHyGGgFFF EDDQCC>>==%<<,;;\;:F99X88v877&66o65o44V333&2g1q10f//..R--F,,(++ ** )L(j'&&A%% $I##X"!!!W Xxn[ZmK/EFy#T5Z ?  ^ x)D0#-x7iThe ground bears the crop of itself--first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear;x6iAnd then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing--he knows not how.}5sJesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground, 4 For, to those who have, more will be given; while, from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."3Take care what you listen to," said Jesus. "The measure you mete will be meted out to you, and more will be added for you.82kLet all who have ears to hear with hear.$1ANothing is hidden unless it is some day to come to light, nor was anything ever kept hidden but that it should some day come into the light of day.0'And Jesus said to them: "Is a lamp brought to be put under the corn-measure or under the couch, instead of being put on the lampstand?6/eBut the people meant by the seed sown on the good ground are those who hear the Message, and welcome it, and yield a return, thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold."+.OBut the cares of life, and the glamour of wealth, and cravings for many other things come in and completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.y-kThose meant by the seed sown among the brambles are different; they are the people who hear the Message,+,OBut, as they have no root, they stand only for a short time; and so, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, they fall away at once.+1So, too, those meant by the seed sown on the rocky places are the people who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully;b*=The People meant by the seed that falls along the path are these--where the Message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the Message that has been sown in them.+)QThe sower sows the Message.( You do not know the meaning of this parable!" he went on; "Then how will you understand all the other parables?:'m 'Though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; And though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; Lest some day they should turn and be forgiven.'/&W And he said: "To you the hidden truth of the Kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables, that--c%? Afterwards, when he was alone, his followers and the Twelve asked him about his parables;N$ And Jesus said: "Let any one who has ears to hear with hear."#Some fell into good soil, and, shooting up and growing, yielded a return, amounting to thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.""Some of the seed fell among brambles; but the brambles shot up and completely choked it, and it yielded no return.]!3But, when the sun rose, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away.x iSome fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once;zmAnd presently, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path; and the birds came, and ate it up.3a"Listen! The sower went out to sow;iKThen he taught them many truths in parables; and in the course of his teaching he said to them:K Jesus again began to teach by the Sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the Sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water's edge.S#Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."}"Then he looked around on the people sitting in a circle round him, and said: "Here are my mother and my brothers!D!"Who is my mother? and my brothers?" was his reply. There was a crowd sitting round Jesus, and some of them said to him: "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."gGAnd his mother and his brothers came, and stood outside, and sent to ask him to come to them.PThis was said in reply to the charge that he had a foul spirit in him.{obut whoever slanders the Holy Spirit remains unforgiven to the end; he has to answer for an enduring sin."s_I tell you that men will be forgiven everything--their sins, and all the slanders that they utter;7No man who has got into a strong man's house can carry off his goods, without first securing him; and not till then will he plunder his house.lQSo, if Satan is in revolt against himself and is divided, he cannot last--his end has come!]3And when a household is divided against itself, it will not be able to last.J When a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot last;lQSo Jesus called them to him, and answered them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?/WAnd the Teachers of the Law, who had come down from Jerusalem, said: "He has Baal-zebub in him, and he drives the demons out by the help of Baal-zebub, their chief."u cWhen his relations heard of it, they went to take charge of him, for they said that he was out of his mind.r ]Jesus went into a house; and again a crowd collected, so that they were not able even to eat their food.7 iAnd Judas Iscariot, the man that betrayed him.o WAndrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, wJames, the son of Zebediah, and his brother John (to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means the Thunderers),Z-So he appointed the Twelve--Peter (which was the name that Jesus gave to Simon),,SAnd with power to drive out demons.1And he appointed twelve--whom he also named 'Apostles'--that they might be with him, and that he might send them out as his Messengers, to preach,dA And Jesus made his way up the hill, and called those whom he wished; and they went to him.=u But he repeatedly warned them not to make him known. The foul spirits, too, whenever they caught sight of him, flung themselves down before him, and screamed out: "You are the Son of God"!{o For he had cured many of them, and so people kept crowding upon him, that all who were afflicted might touch him.iK So Jesus told his disciples to keep a small boat close by, for fear the crowd should crush him.5cAnd a great number, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon.pYThen Jesus went away with his disciples to the Sea, followed by a great number of people from Galilee. ~Immediately on leaving the Synagogue, the Pharisees and the Herodians united in laying a plot against Jesus, to put him to death._}7As they remained silent, Jesus looked round at them in anger, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound.|yAnd to the people he said: "Is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath--or harm? to save a life, or destroy it?"Y{+"Stand out in the middle," Jesus said to the man with the withered hand;zAnd they watched Jesus closely, to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, so that they might have a charge to bring against him.hy KOn another occasion Jesus went in to a Synagogue, where they was a man whose hand was withered.?xySo the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."^w5Then Jesus added: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath;PvHow he went into the House of God, in the time of Abiathar the High Priest, and ate 'the consecrated bread,' which only the priests are allowed to eat, and gave some to his comrades as well?"u"Have you never read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was in want and hungry, he and his companions--etC"Look!" the Pharisees said to him, "why are they doing what is not allowed on the Sabbath?"sOne Sabbath, as Jesus was walking through the cornfields, his disciples began to pick the ears of wheat as they went along.?rwAnd no man ever puts new wine into old wine-skins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are lost. But new wine is put into fresh skins.")qKNo man ever sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it--the new from the old-- and a worse rent is made.pBut the days will come, when the bridegroom will be parted from them, and they will fast then--when that day comes.(oIJesus answered: "Can the bridegroom's friends fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.EnNow John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast, and people came and asked Jesus: "Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, while yours do not?"0mYHearing this, Jesus said: "It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."^l5When the Teachers of the Law belonging to the party of the Pharisees saw that he was eating in the company of such people, they said to his disciples: "He is eating in the company of tax- gatherers and outcasts!"=ksAnd later on he was in his house at table, and a number of tax-gatherers and outcasts took their places at table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them were following him.j/As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.^i5 Jesus went out again to the Sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them.Ah{ The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: "We have never seen anything like this!"Sg "To you I say, Get up, take up your mat, and return to your home."f But that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins on earth"--here he said to the paralyzed man--e Which is easier?--to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven'? or to say 'Get up, and take up your mat, and walk about'?#d?Jesus, at once intuitively aware that they wee debating with themselves in this way, said to them: "Why are you debating in your minds about this?bc="Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?"bb=But some of the Teachers of the Law who were sitting there were debating in their minds:aa;When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: "Child, your sins are forgiven."^`5Being, however, unable to get him near to Jesus, owing to the crowd, they removed the roofing below which Jesus was; and, when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.f_EAnd some people came bringing to him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four bearers.^-And so many people collected together, that after a while there was no room for them even round the door; and he began to tell them his Message.j] OSome days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was in a house there;r\ _-The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.;[ q,"Be careful not to say anything to any one; but go and show yourself to the Priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."_Z 9+And then Jesus, after sternly warning him, immediately sent him away, and said to him:@Y }*Instantly the leprosy left the man, and he became clean;X  )Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying as he did so: "I am willing; become clean."W 1(One day a leper came to Jesus and, falling on his knees, begged him for help. "If only you are willing," he said, "you are able to make me clean."wV i'And he went about making his proclamation in their Synagogues all through Galilee, and driving out the demons.'U I&But Jesus said to them: "Let us go somewhere else, into the country towns near, that I may make my proclamation in them also; for that was why I came."RT %and, when they found him, they exclaimed: "Every one is looking for you!"8S m$But Simon and his companions hastened after him;yR m#In the morning, long before daylight, Jesus rose and went out, and, going to a lonely spot, there began to pray.$Q C"Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.7P k!And the whole city was gathered round the door.kO Q In the evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were ill or possessed by demons;yN mJesus went up to her and, grasping her hand, raised her up; the fever left her, and she began to wait upon them.cM ANow Simon's mother-in-law was lying ill with fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.}L uAs soon as they had come out from the Synagogue, they went, with James and John, into the house of Simon and Andrew.kK QAnd the fame of Jesus spread at once in all directions, through the whole neighborhood of Galilee.6J gAnd they were all so amazed that they kept asking: "What is this? Strange teaching indeed! He gives his commands with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!"YI -The foul spirit threw the man into a fit, and with a loud cry came out from him.MH But Jesus rebuked the spirit: "Be silent! Come out from him."}G u"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"mF UNow there was in their Synagogue at the time a man under the power of a foul spirit, who called out:E The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the Teachers of the Law.nD WAnd they walked into Capernaum. On the next Sabbath Jesus went into the Synagogue and began to teach.vC gJesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the boat with the crew, and went after him.B Going on a little further, he saw James, Zebediah's son, and his brother John, who also were in their boat mending the nets.7A kThey left their nets at once, and followed him.^@ 7"Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men."? -As Jesus was going along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the Sea, for they were fishermen.j> O"The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the Good News."k= QAfter John had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God--<   And he was there in the Wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while the angels ministered to him.O;  Immediately afterwards the Spirit drove Jesus out into the Wilderness;^: 7 And from the heavens came a voice--"Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight."9   And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent apart, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him,i8 M Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.W7 )I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 6 And he proclaimed--"There is coming after me one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to stoop down and unfasten his sandals.5 {John was clad in clothing of camels' hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and lived on locusts and wild honey;$4 CThe whole of Judea, as well as all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.3 'And in fulfillment of this, John the Baptizer appeared in the Wilderness, proclaiming a baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.v2 g'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."'s1 aIt is said in the Prophet Isaiah--'Behold! I send my Messenger before thy face; He shall prepare thy way.'90 qThe beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ.%/CAnd teaching them to lay to heart all the commands that I have given you; and, remember, I myself am with you every day until the close of the age.".Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,|-qThen Jesus came up, and spoke to them thus: "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me.c,?And, when they saw him, they bowed to the ground before him; although some felt doubtful.b+=The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to meet him;*So the soldiers took the money, and did as they were instructed. And this story has been current among the Jews from that day to this.)"And should this matter come before the Governor," they added, "we will satisfy him, and see that you have nothing to fear."j(M And told them to say that his disciples came in the night, and stole him while they were asleep;w'g So they and the Councillors met and, after holding a consultation, gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,& While they were still on their way, some of the guard came into the city, and reported to the Chief Priests everything that had happened.q%[ "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to set out for Galilee, and they shall see me there."'$G Suddenly Jesus met them. "Welcome!" he said. The women went up to him, and clasped his feet, bowing to the ground before him. Then Jesus said to them:n#UOn this they left the tomb quickly, in awe and great joy, and ran to tell the news to the disciples.."UAnd then go quickly and say to him disciples 'He has risen from the dead, and is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Remember, I have told you."l!QHe is not here; for he has risen, as he said he would. Come, and see the place where he was lying; But the angel, addressing the women, said; "You need not be afraid. I now that it is Jesus, who was crucified, for whom you are looking.dAAnd, in their terror of him, the men on guard trembled violently and became like dead men.]3His appearance was as dazzling as lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow;$AWhen suddenly a great earthquake occurred. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and seated himself upon it.  After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary had gone to look at the grave,\1BSo they went made the tomb secure, by sealing the stone, in presence of the guard.b=A"You may have a guard," was Pilate's reply; "go and make the tomb as secure as you can."c?@So order the tomb to be made secure till the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal him, and then say to the people 'He has risen from the dead,' when the latest imposture will be worse than the first."q[?"Sir, we remember that, during his lifetime, that impostor said 'I shall rise after three days.' >The next day--that is, the day following the Preparation-Day- -the Chief Priests and Pharisees came in a body to Pilate, and said:\1=Mary of Magdala and the other Mary remained behind, sitting in front of the grave.+"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani"--that is to say, 'O my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?'b=-After mid-day a darkness came over all the country, lasting till three in the afternoon.U#,Even the robbers, who were crucified with him, reviled him in the same way.jM+He has trusted in God; if God wants him, let him deliver him now; for he said 'I am God's Son.'"#*"He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the 'King of Israel'! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.jM)In the same way the Chief Priests, with the Teaches of the Law and Councillors, said in mockery:("You who 'destroy the Temple and build one in three days,' save yourself! If you are God's Son, come down from the cross!"I 'The passers-by railed at him, shaking their heads as they said:hI&At the same time two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right, the other on the left.q~[%Above his head they fixed the accusation against him written out--'THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.';}q$Then they sat down, and kept watch over him there.[|/#When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among them by casting lots.{{o"they gave him some wine to drink which had been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, Jesus refused to drink it.Zz-!On reaching a place named Golgotha (a place named from its likeness to a skull),y- As they were on their way out, they came upon a man from Cyrene of the name of Simon; and they compelled him to go with them to carry the cross.x%And, when they had left off mocking him, they took off the military cloak, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to be crucified.NwThey spat at him and, taking the rod, kept striking him on the head;Yv+And having twisted some thorns into a crown, put it on his head, and a rod in his right hand, and then, going down on their knees before him, they mocked him. "Long life to you, King of the Jews!" they said.@u{They stripped him, and put on him a red military cloak,t After that, the Governor's soldiers took Jesus with them into the Government House, and gathered the whole garrison round him.gsGThe Pilate released Barabbas to them; but Jesus he scourged, and gave him up to be crucified.Yr+And all the people answered: "His blood be on our heads and on our children's!"qWhen Pilate saw that his efforts were unavailing, but that, on the contrary, a riot was beginning, he took some water, and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying as he did so: "I am not answerable for this bloodshed; you must see to it yourselves."kpO"Why, what harm has he done?" he asked. But they kept shouting furiously: "Let him be crucified!"~ou"What then," Pilate asked, "shall I do with Jesus who is called 'Christ'?" "Let him be crucified," they all replied.n{The Governor, however, said to them: "Which of these two do you wish me to release for you?" "Barabbas," they answered.pmYBut the Chief Priests and the Councillors persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to kill Jesus.@lyWhile he was still on the Bench, his wife sent this message to him--"Do not have anything to do with that good man, for I have been very unhappy to-day in a dream on account of him."Vk%For he knew that it was out of jealousy that they had given Jesus up to him.j'So, when the people had collected, Pilate said to them: "Which do you wish me to release for you? Barabbas? Or Jesus who is called 'Christ'?"EiAt that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.hNow, at the Feast, the Governor was accustomed to grant the people the release of any one prisoner whom they might choose.hgIYet Jesus made no reply--not even a single word; at which the Governor was greatly astonished.ffE Then Pilate said to him: "Do not you hear how many accusations they are making against you?"qe[ While charges were being brought against him by the Chief Priests and Councillors, Jesus made no reply.d+ Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Roman Governor. "Are you the King of the Jews?" asked the Governor. "It is true," answered Jesus.Jc  And gave them for the Potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.'Ib  Then it was that these words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled-- 'They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him who was valued, whom some of the people of Israel valued,Ua#And that is why that field is called the 'Field of Blood' to this very day.p`YSo, after consultation, they bought with them the 'Potter's Field' for a burial-ground for foreigners;_!The Chief Priests took the pieces of silver, but they said: "We must not put them into the Temple treasury, because they are blood-money."j^MJudas flung down the pieces of silver in the Temple, and left; and went away and hanged himself.]!"I did wrong in betraying a good man to his death," he said. "What has that to do with us?" they replied. "You must see to that yourself."5\cThen Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that Jesus was condemned, repented of what he had done, and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the Chief Priests and Councillors.a[;They put him in chains and led him away, and gave him up to the Roman Governor, Pilate.Z At daybreak all the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation consulted together against Jesus, to bring about his death.)YKKand Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said--'Before a cock has crowed, you will disown me three times'; and he went outside, and wept bitterly.zXmJThen Peter began to swear, with most solemn imprecations: "I do not know the man." At that moment a cock crowed;#W?IBut soon afterwards those who were standing by came up and said to Peter: "You also are certainly one of them; why, your very way of speaking proves it!"BVHAgain he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man!"UGWhen he had gone out into the gateway, another maid saw him, and said to those who were there: "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth!"YT+FBut Peter denied it before them all. "I do not know what you mean," he replied.S/EPeter, meanwhile, was sitting outside in the courtyard; and a maidservant came up to him, and exclaimed: "Why, you were with Jesus the Galilean!"PRD"Now play the Prophet for us, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?"mQSCThen they spat in his face, and struck him, while others dealt blows at him, saying as they did so:EPBWhat is your decision?" They answered: "He deserves death."O)AThen the High Priest tore his robes. "This is blasphemy!" he exclaimed. "Why do we want any more witnesses? You have just heard his blasphemy!QN@"It is true," Jesus answered; "Moreover I tell you all that hereafter you shall 'see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of the heavens.'"#M??But Jesus remained silent. On this the High Priest said to him: "I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."L>Then the High Priest stood up, and said to Jesus: "Have you no answer? What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?"bK=="This man said 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"J"Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs, to take me? I have sat teaching day after day in the Temple Courts, and yet you did not arrest me."fDE6But in that case how would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that this must be?" C5Do you think that I cannot ask my Father for help, when he would at once send to my aid more than twelve legions of angels?oBW4"Sheathe your sword," Jesus said, "for all who draw the sword will be put to the sword.A)3Suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and striking the High Priest's servant, cut off his ear. @2On which Jesus said to him: "Friend, do what you have come for." Thereupon the men went up, seized Jesus, and arrested him.Z?-1So he went up to Jesus at once, and exclaimed: "Welcome, Rabbi!" and kissed him; 5=~}}h|||{zzkzyy7xx?wwvv$uu^uttJsrr/qqeppGoonmmmomll6kk~jjij/ii hLggTffKeedmccbaa``__^^P]]\\\&[[SZZ@YXXMWbVVwUUDTTPSSsRRiQPPP OZNNbNMLLLCKK8JJIIHHVGGG)FVEE^DCBB$AAtA@x??s>>v===;<;;:::J99877766155444N33,221w00//>..w--,,,++6*s))f(((0'_&&I%%2$$L## "!!6 8qO\Z}!gI0g7SY u  t / /\rOm&5w)g "It was owing to the hardness of your hearts," said Jesus, "that Moses gave you this direction;t(a "Moses," they said, "permitted a man to 'draw up in writing a notice of separation and divorce his wife.'"D' "What direction did Moses give you?" replied Jesus.r&] Presently some Pharisees came up and, to test him, asked: "Has a husband the right to divorce his wife?"4% c On leaving that place, Jesus went into the district of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Crowds gathered about him again; and again, as usual, he began teaching them.1$[ 2Salt is good, but, if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another."@#{ 1For it is by fire that every one will be salted.N" 0where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.'=!s /If your eye proves a snare to you, tear it out. It would be better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the Pit, 3 .OMITTED TEXT+O -If your foot proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the Life lame, than to have both your feet and be thrown into the Pit.3 ,OMITTED TEXTG +If your hand proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the Life maimed, than to have both your hands and go into the Pit, into the inextinguishable fire.O *And, if any one puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. )If any one gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he shall assuredly not lose his reward.3a (He who is not against us is for us.(I '"None of you must prevent the man," answered Jesus, "for no one will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy to speak evil of me. &"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us."G %"Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and any one who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his Messenger."wg $Then Jesus took a little child, and placed it in the middle of them. Folding it in his arms, he said to them:  #Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said: "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all."mS "But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest.} !They came to Capernaum. When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them: "What were you discussing on the way?"[/ But the disciples did not understand his meaning and were afraid to question him.ve for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them--"The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days."y Leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went on their way through Galilee; but he did not wish any one to know it,]3 "A spirit of this kind," he said, "can be driven out only by prayer."jM When Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately: "Why could not we drive it out?"B  But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him; and he stood up.3 _ With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.C  But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit: "Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again."X ) The boy's father immediately cried out: "I have faith; help my want of faith!"k O Why say 'possibly'?" Jesus replied. "Everything is possible for one who has faith."B} "From his childhood," he answered; "and it has often thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life; but, if you can possibly do anything, take pity on us, and help us!"P "How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father.5c They brought him to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him than the spirit threw him into convulsions; and he fell on the ground, and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.5 "O faithless generation!" exclaimed Jesus. "How long must I be with you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me."?w And, wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they failed."oW "Teacher," answered a man in the crowd, "I brought my son to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him;E "What are you arguing about with them?" Jesus asked.hI But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him. When they came to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd round them, and some Teachers of the Law arguing with them.} But I tell you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him just as they pleased, as Scripture says of him."`~9 "Elijah does indeed come first," answered Jesus, "and re-establish everything; and does not Scripture speak, with regard to the Son of Man, of his undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised?j}M "How is it," they asked Jesus, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"m|S They seized upon these words and discussed with one another what this 'rising from the dead' meant.7{g As they were going down the mountain-side, Jesus cautioned them not to relate what they had seen to any one, till after the Son of Man should have risen again from the dead.gzG And suddenly, on looking round, they saw that there was now no one with them but Jesus alone. y Then a cloud came down and enveloped them; and from the cloud there came a voice--"This is my Son, the Beloved; him you must hear."Ix  For he did not know what to say, because they were much afraid. w "Rabbi," said Peter, interposing, "it is good to be here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."_v7 And Elijah appeared to them, in company with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.iuK And his clothes became of a more dazzling white than any bleacher in the world could make them.2t] Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes,#s A "I tell you," he added, "that some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power."Ir &Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father's Glory with the holy angels."Pq%For what could a man give that is of equal value with his life?Wp'$What good is it to a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? o9#For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life shall save it.*nM"Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.Bm}!Jesus, however, turning round and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter. "Out of my sight, Satan!" he exclaimed. "For you look at things, not as God does, but as man does."]l3 This statement he made openly. But Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him.qk[Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and that he must be rejected by the Councillors, and the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise again after three days.Jj On which Jesus charged them not to say this about him to anyone.uic"But you," he asked, "who do you say that I am?" To this Peter replied: "You are the Christ."khO"John the Baptist," they answered, "but others say Elijah, while others say one of the Prophets."7ggAfterwards Jesus and his disciples went into the villages round Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples this question--"Who do people say that I am?"Yf+Jesus sent him to his home, and said: "Do not go even into the village." e9Then Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes; and the man saw clearly, his sight was restored, and he saw everything with perfect distinctness.odWThe man looked up, and said: "I see the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees."McTaking the blind man's hand, Jesus led him to the outskirts of the village, and, when he had put saliva on the man's eyes, he placed his hands on him, and asked him: "Do you see anything?"nbUThey came to Bethsaida. There some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and begged him to touch him.9am"Do not you understand now?" he repeated.`And when the seven for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up?" "Seven," they said._When I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of broken pieces you picked up?" "Twelve," they said.x^i'Though you have eyes, do you not see? and though you have ears, do you not hear?' Do not you remember,?]wAnd, noticing this, Jesus said to them: "Why are you talking about your being short of bread? Do not you yet see or understand? Are your minds still so slow or comprehension?M\They began talking to one another about their being short of bread.[So Jesus gave them this warning. "Take care," he said, "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."tZaNow the disciples had forgotten to take any bread with them, one loaf being all that they had in the boat.kYO So he left them to themselves, and, getting into the boat again, went away to the opposite shore.~Xu Sighing deeply, Jesus said: "Why does this generation ask for a sign? I tell you, no sign shall be given it."}Ws Here the Pharisees came out, and began to argue with Jesus, asking him for some sign from the heavens, to test him.uVc Immediately afterwards, getting into the boat with his disciples, Jesus went to the district of Dalmanutha.KU There were about four thousand people. Then Jesus dismissed them.vTeThe people had sufficient to eat, and they picked up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left.SyThey had also a few small fish; and, after he had said the blessing, he told the disciples to serve out these as well.^R5Jesus told the crowd to sit down upon the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve out; and they served them out to the crowd.NQ"How many loaves have you?" he asked. "Seven," they answered.Pw"Where will it be possible," his disciples answered, "to get sufficient bread for these people in this lonely place?" OAnd if I send them away to their homes hungry, they will break down on the way; and some of them have come a long distance."N"My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; M About that time, when there was again a great crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said:L5%And a profound impression was made upon the people. "He has done everything well!" they exclaimed. "He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"}Ks$Jesus insisted upon their not telling any one; but the more he insisted, the more perseveringly they made it known,gJG#The man's ears were opened, the string of his tongue was freed, and he began to talk plainly.yIk"Then, looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and said to the man: "Ephphatha!" which means 'Be opened.'Hw!Jesus took him aside from the crowd quietly, put his fingers into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva.xGi Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and almost dumb, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. FOn returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went, by way of Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee, across the district of the Ten Towns.XE)The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.nDU"For saying that," he answered, "you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter."gCG"Yes, Master," she replied; "even the dogs under the table do feed on the children's crumbs."B%"Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs."}AsThe woman was a foreigner, a native of Syrian Phoenicia--and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. @ For a woman, whose little daughter had a foul spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet--)?KOn leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice.P>All these wicked things come from within, and do defile a man."X=)Greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly;<For it is from within, out of the hearts of men, that there come evil thoughts--unchastity, theft, murder, adultery,W;'"It is what comes out from a man," he added, "that defiles him, :9Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?--in saying this Jesus pronounced all food 'clean.'89i"What, do even you understand so little?" exclaimed Jesus. "Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can 'defile' him,n8UWhen Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.73OMITTED TEXT'6GThere is nothing external to a man, which by going into him can 'defile' him; but the things that come out from a man are the things that defile him."s5_Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said: "Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.4 In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things."`39 Why, then you do not allow him to do anything further for his father or mother!25 You say 'If a man says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Korban"' (which means 'Given to God')--1 For while Moses said 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,'p0Y Wisely do you set aside God's commandments," he exclaimed, "to keep your own traditions!R/You neglect God's commandments and hold to the traditions of men.X.)But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but the precepts of men.'O-His answer was: "It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words--'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;G,So the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question--"How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?"h+IWhen they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans).,*Q(For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors.~)uThey had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands 'defiled,' by which they meant unwashed.t( cOne day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.O'8So wherever he went--to villages, or towns, or farms--they would lay their sick in the market-places, begging him to let them touch only the tassel of his cloak; and all who touched were made well.&{7Hurried over the whole country-side, and began to carry about upon mats those who were ill, wherever they heard he was.M%6But they had no sooner left her than the people, recognizing Jesus,U$#5When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret, and moored the boat.X#)4For they had not understood about the loaves, their minds being slow to learn.g"G3Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. The disciples were utterly amazed,!%2For all of them saw him, and were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. "Courage!" he said, "it is I; do not be afraid!"b =1But, when they saw him walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost, and cried out;2]0Seeing them laboring at the oars--for the wind was against them--about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.eC/When evening fell, the boat was out in the middle of the Sea, and Jesus on the shore alone.S.After he had taken leave of the people, he went away up the hill to pray.1[-Immediately afterwards Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.@{,The men who ate the bread were five thousand in number.fE+And they picked up enough broken pieces to fill twelve baskets, as well as some of the fish.)M*Every one had sufficient to eat;~u)Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fishes also among them all.B(And they sat down in groups--in hundreds, and in fifties.eC'Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties; &"How many loaves have you?" he asked; "Go, and see." When they had found out, they told him: "Five, and two fishes.",Q%But Jesus answered: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "Are we to go and buy twenty pounds' worth of bread," they asked, "to give them to eat?"zm$Send the people away, so that they may go to the farms and villages around and buy themselves something to eat."ta#When it grew late, his disciples came up to him, and said: "This is a lonely spot, and it is already late.G"On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were 'like sheep without a shepherd'; and he began to teach them many things.1!And many people saw them going, and recognized them, and from all the towns they flocked together to the place on foot, and got there before them.D So they set off privately in their boat for a lonely spot.?w"Come by yourselves privately to some lonely spot," he said, "and rest for a while"--for there were so many people coming and going that they had not time even to eat.r ]When the Apostles came back to Jesus, they told him all that they had done and all that they had taught.e CWhen John's disciples heard of it, they came and took his body away, and laid it in a tomb.d AAnd, bringing his head on a dish, gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.  He immediately dispatched one of his bodyguard, with orders to bring John's head. The man went and beheaded John in the prison, }The King was much distressed; yet, on account of his oath and of the guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her.)KSo she went in as quickly as possible to the King, and made her request. 'I want you,' she said, 'to give me at once, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.'yThe girl went out, and said to her mother 'What must I ask for?' 'The head of John the Baptizer,' answered her mother.dAAnd he swore to her that he would give her whatever she asked him--up to half his kingdom.gGAnd when his daughter--that is, the daughter of Herodias--came in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were dining with him. 'Ask me for whatever you like,' the King said to the girl, 'and I will give it to you';(IA suitable opportunity, however, occurred when Herod, on his birthday, gave a dinner to his high officials, and his generals, and the foremost men in Galilee.W'Because Herod stood in fear of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and protected him. He had listened to John, but still remained much perplexed, and yet he found pleasure in listening to him.iKSo Herodias was incensed against John, and wanted to put him to death, but was unable to do so,`9For John had said to Herod--'You have no right to be living with your brother's wife.',QFor Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and put him in prison, in chains, to please Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her.b=But when Herod heard of him, he said--"The man whom I beheaded--John--he must be risen!"k~OOthers again said--"He is Elijah," and others--"He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets."N}Now King Herod heard of Jesus; for his name had become well known. People were saying--"John the Baptizer must have risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him."a|; They drove out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were infirm, and cured them.@{{ So they set out, and proclaimed the need of repentance.-zS And if a place does not welcome you, or listen to you, as you go out of it shake off the dust that is on the soles of your feet, as a protest against them."oyW "Whenever you go to stay at a house," he said, "remain there till you leave that place;Ix  But they were to wear sandals, and not to put on a second coat.}wsHe instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey- -not even bread, or a bag, or pence in their purse; vHe called the Twelve to him, and began to send them out as his Messengers, two and two, and gave them authority over foul spirits.uwAnd he wondered at the want of faith shown by the people. Jesus went round the villages, one after another, teaching.wtgAnd he could not work any miracle there, beyond placing his hands upon a few infirm persons, and curing them;s!On which Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home."Vr%Is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters, too, living here among us?" This proved a hindrance to their believing in him;yqkWhen the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the Synagogue; and the people, as they listened, were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this?" they said, "and what is this wisdom that has been given him? and these miracles which he is doing?fp GOn leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his disciples, went to his own part of the country.xoi+But Jesus repeatedly cautioned them not to let any one know of it, and told them to give her something to eat.%nC*The little girl stood up at once, and began to walk about; for she was twelve years old. And, as soon as they saw it, they were overwhelmed with amazement;m)Taking her hand, Jesus said to her: "Taleitha, koum!"--which means 'little girl, I am speaking to you--Rise!'(lI(They began to laugh at him; but he sent them all out, and then, with the child's father and mother and his companions, went into the room where she was lying.}ks'"Why this confusion and weeping?" he said on entering. "The little child is not dead; she is asleep."j&Presently they reached the President's house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion--people weeping and wailing incessantly.fiE%And he allowed no one to accompany him, except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. h$But Jesus, overhearing what they were saying, said to the President of the Synagogue: "Do not be afraid; only have faith.";go#Before he had finished speaking, some people from the house of the President of the Synagogue came and said: "Your daughter is dead! Why should you trouble the Teacher further?"f""Daughter," he said, "your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you; be free from your complaint."e)!Then the woman, in fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and threw herself down before him, and told him the whole truth.7di But Jesus looked about to see who had done it.vce"You see the people pressing round you," exclaimed his disciples, "and yet you say 'Who touched me?'"b)Jesus at once became aware of the power that had gone out from him, and, turning round in the crowd, he said: "Who touched my clothes?"haIAt once the mischief was stopped, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint.J` "If I can only touch his clothes," she said, "I shall get well!"M_Heard about Jesus, came behind in the crowd, and touched his cloak.^!And undergone much at the hands of many doctors, (spending all she had without obtaining any relief, but, on the contrary, growing worse),N]Meanwhile a woman who for twelve years had suffered from hemorrhage,g\GSo Jesus went with him. A great number of People followed Jesus, and kept pressing round him.["My little daughter," he said, "is at the point of death; I beg you to come and place your hands on her, that her life may be spared."$ZAAnd one of the Presidents of the Synagogue, whose name was Jaeirus, came and, as soon as he saw Jesus, threw himself at his feet with repeated entreaties.Y5By the time Jesus had re-crossed in the boat to the opposite shore, a great number of people had gathered to meet him, and were standing by the Sea. XSo the man went, and began to proclaim in the district of the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and every one was amazed.3W_But Jesus refused. "Go back to your home, to your own people," he said, "and tell them of all that the Lord has done for you, and how he took pity on you."dVAAs Jesus was getting into the boat, the possessed man begged him to let him stay with him.IU Upon which they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.{ToThen those who had seen it related to them all that had happened to the possessed man, as well as about the pigs;5ScWhen they came to Jesus, they found the possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind--the very man who had had the 'Legion' in him--and they were awe-struck.R3On this the men who tended them ran away, and carried the news to the town, and to the country round; and the people went to see what had happened.=Qs Jesus gave them leave. They came out, and entered into the pigs; and the drove--about two thousand in number--rushed down the steep slope into the Sea and were drowned in the Sea.ePC And the spirits begged Jesus: "Send us into the pigs, that we may take possession of them."NO There was a large drove of pigs close by, feeding on the hill- side.XN) and he begged Jesus again and again not to send them away out of that country.rM] And he asked him: "What is your name?" "My name," he said, "is Legion, for there are many of us;"NLFor Jesus had said: "Come out from the man, you foul spirit."KShrieking out in a loud voice: "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's sake do not torment me!"]J3Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed to the ground before him,~IuNight and day alike, he was continually shrieking in the tombs and among the hills, and cutting himself with stones.+HOFor, though he had many times been left secured with fetters and chains, he had snapped the chains and broken the fetters to pieces, and no one could master him.iGKAnd who made his home in the tombs. No one had ever been able to secure him, even with a chain;F And, as soon as Jesus had got out of the boat, he met a man coming out of the tombs, who was under the power of a foul spirit,RE And they came to the other side of the Sea--the country of the Gerasenes;D})But they were struck with great awe, and said to one another: "Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?"VC%("Why are you so timid?" he exclaimed. "Have you no faith yet?" B 'Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: "Hush! Be still!" Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed.A&Jesus was in the stern asleep upon the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried: "Teacher! is it nothing to you that we are lost?"t@a%A violent squall came on, and the waves kept dashing into the boat, so that the boat was actually filling.?}$So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.X>)#In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them: "Let us go across."}=s"And to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.{<o!With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his Message, as far as they were able to receive it;);K Yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes larger than any other herb, and puts out great branches, so that even 'the wild birds can roost in its shelter.'"&:EBy what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard-seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,K9Jesus also said: "To what can we liken the Kingdom of God?r8]But, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he 'puts in the sickle because harvest has come'." X~~~L}}\|{{~{zQyy8yxxOwwKvXuOtssHrr4qq0poonnmmmnmlCkjjLiiDhggfee]dd`cccbbNaaG``._^^/]X\\9[[RZZ:YYDXXzWVVUUrTTnSS7RQoPP#OONMMMLsLKtJJ]IIHGGFF:EEuDDBCCrBBTAA@??)>>:==A<<;j::C999+88x766B55 44322100Z//..X--=,+i**6)((v'~' &%%n%$$A#s""" t1I1]'%K0gym!E  b ~/aZlHu c He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others- -some they beat and some they killed.} s A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted.T! But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty- handed.{ At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage;D  And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.7 !So their answer to Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," replied Jesus, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things."xi Yet can we say 'human'?"--They were afraid of the people, for everyone regarded John as undoubtedly a Prophet.kO They began arguing together; "If we say 'divine,' he will say 'Why then did not you believe him?'_7 It is about John's baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that."# "I will put one question to you," said Jesus. "Answer me that, and then I will tell you what authority I have to act as I do.kO "What authority have you to do these things?" they said. "Who gave you the authority to do them?"+O They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors came up to him.~3 OMITTED TEXT0}Y And, whenever you stand up to pray, forgive any grievance that you have against any one, that your Father who is in Heaven also may forgive you your offenses."|' And therefore I say to you 'Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be.'`{9 "I tell you that if any one should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!', without ever a doubt in his mind, but in the faith that what he says will be done, he would find that it would be.3za "Have faith in God!" replied Jesus.yy Then Peter recollected what had occurred. "Look, Rabbi," he exclaimed, "the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!"uxc As they passed by early in the morning, they noticed that the fig-tree was withered up from the very roots.Pw As soon as evening fell, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.Zv- Now the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.?uw Then he began to teach. "Does not Scripture say," he asked, "'My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers.'"Qt And would not allow any one to carry anything across the Temple Courts.Ys+ They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the Temple Courts, and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers,r  So, addressing the tree, he exclaimed: "May no man ever again eat of your fruit!" And his disciples heard what he said.Xq) And, noticing a fig-tree at a distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.Ip  The next day, after they had left Bethany, Jesus became hungry;+oO Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the Temple Courts; and, after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.Zn- Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David! 'God save him from on high!'"m! And those who led the way, as well as those who followed, kept shouting: "'God save him! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'{lo Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields;ukc Then they brought the foal to Jesus, and, when they had laid their cloaks on it, he seated himself upon it.]j3 And the two disciples answered as Jesus had told them; and they allowed them to go.Wi' Some of the by-standers said to them: "What are you doing, untying the foal?"lhQ The two disciples went, and, finding a foal tethered outside a door in the street, they untied it.g And, if any one says to you 'Why are you doing that?', say 'The Master wants it, and will be sure to send it back here at once.'"5fc "Go to the village facing you," he said; "and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it.e  When they had almost reached Jerusalem, as far as Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples.d7 4"You may go," Jesus said; "your faith has delivered you." Immediately he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus along the road.c 3"What do you want me to do for you?" said Jesus, addressing him. "Rabboni," the blind man answered, "I want to recover my sight."Db 2The man threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.a 1Then Jesus stopped. "Call him," he said. So they called the blind man. "Courage!" they exclaimed. "Get up; he is calling you." ` 0Many of the people kept telling him to be quiet; but the man continued to call out all the louder: "Son of David, take pity on me."n_U /Hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to call out: "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me."8^i .They came to Jericho. When Jesus was going out of the town with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road-side.w]g -For even the Son of Man came, not be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."`\9 ,And whoever wants to take the first place among you must be the servant of all;n[U +But among you it is not so. No, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,2Z] *But Jesus called the ten to him, and said: "Those who are regarded as ruling among the Gentiles lord it over them, as you know, and their great men oppress them._Y7 )On hearing of this, the ten others were at first very indignant about James and John. X  (But as to a seat at my right or at my left--that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."'WG '"Yes," they answered, "we can." "You shall indeed drink the cup that I am to drink," Jesus said, "and receive the baptism that I am to receive,+VO &"You do not know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink? or receive the baptism that I am to receive?"zUm %"Grant us this," they answered, "to sit, one on your right, and the other on your left, when you come in glory.">Tw $"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.S{ #James and John, the two sons of Zebediah, went to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."R "Who will mock him, spit upon him, and scourge him, and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again."tQa !"Listen!" he said. "We are going up to Jerusalem; and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law, and they will condemn him to death, and they will give him up to the Gentiles,+PO One day, when they were on their way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in front of the Apostles, who were filled with misgivings; while those who were following behind were alarmed. Gathering the Twelve round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what was about to happen to him.[O/ But many who are first now will then be last, and the last will be first."oNW Who will not receive a hundred times as much, even now in the present--houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though not without persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, Immortal Life.JM  "I tell you," said Jesus, "there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, on my account and on account of the Good News,LL "But we," began Peter, "we left everything and have followed you."K  Jesus looked at them, and answered: "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for everything is possible with God."OJ "Then who can be saved?" they exclaimed in the greatest astonishment.zIm It is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."H The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again: "My children, how hard a thing it is to enter the Kingdom of God! G  Then Jesus looked round, and said to his disciples: "How hard it will be for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!"oFW But the man's face clouded at these words, and he went away distressed, for he had great possessions.tEa Jesus looked at the man, and his heart went out to him, and he said: "There is still one thing wanting in you; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall heave wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."OD "Teacher," he replied, "I have observed all these from my childhood."JC that the genuineness of your faith--a thing far more precious than gold, which is perishable, yet has to be tested by fire--may win praise and glory and honour at the Appearing of Jesus Christ.B 3At the thought of this you are full of exultation, though (if it has been necessary) you have suffered for the moment somewhat from various trials;A for you who, through faith, are being guarded by the power of God, awaiting a Salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last days.@ 3given us the new Life of undying hope, that promises an inheritance, imperishable, stainless, unfading, which has been reserved for you in Heaven--? %Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has, in his great mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,7> iand who were chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the consecration of the Spirit, to learn obedience, and to be purified by the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ, from Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. May blessing and peace be yours in ever-increasing measure.= {To the People of God who are living abroad, dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Roman Asia, and Bithynia,<#Be sure that he who brings a sinner back from his mistaken ways will save that man's soul from Death, and throw a veil over countless sins.i;KMy Brothers, should one of you be led astray from the Truth, and some one bring him back again,V:%And, when he prayed again, the clouds brought rain, and the land bore crops.91Elijah was only a man like ourselves, but, when he prayed fervently that it might not rain, no rain fell upon the land for three years and a half.8+Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be cured. Great is the power of a good man's fervent prayer.!7;The prayer offered in faith will save the man who is sick, and the Lord will raise him from his bed; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."6=If any one of you is ill, let him send for the Officers of the Church, and let them pray over him, after anointing him with oil in the name of the lord.]53 If any of you is in trouble, let him pray; if any one is happy, let him sing hymns.J4  Above all things, my Brothers, never take an oath, either by heaven, or by earth, or by anything else. With you let 'Yes' suffice for yes, and 'No' for no, so that you may escape condemnation.A3{ We count those who displayed such endurance blessed! You have heard, too, of Job's endurance, and have seen what the Lord's purpose was, for 'the Lord is full of pity and compassion.'}2s Brothers, as an example of the patient endurance of suffering, take the Prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.1 Do not make complaints against one another, Brothers, or judgment will be passed upon you. The Judge is already standing at the door!^05And you must be patient also, and not be discouraged; for the Lord's Coming is near.L/Be patient, then, Brothers, till the Coming of the Lord. Even the farmer has to wait for the precious fruit of the earth, watching over it patiently, till it has had the spring and summer rains.c.?You have condemned, you have murdered, the Righteous One! Must not God be opposed to you?{-oYou have lived on earth a life of extravagance and luxury; you have indulged your fancies in a time of bloodshed.^,5I tell you, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have been fraudulently keeping back, are crying out against you, and the outcries of your reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts!R+Your gold and silver are rusted; and the rust on them shall be evidence against you, and shall eat into your very flesh. It was fire, so to speak, that you stored up for yourselves in these last days.P*Your riches have wasted away, and your clothes have become moth-eaten.]) 5Listen to me, you rich men, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming upon you!S(He, then, who knows what is right but fails to do it--that is sin in him.a';But, as it is, you are constantly boasting presumptuously! All such boasting is wicked.[&/You ought, rather, to say 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'%And yet you do not know what your life will be like to-morrow! For you are but a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing. $ Listen to me, you who say 'To-day or to-morrow we will go to such and such a town, spend a year there, and trade, and make money,'#% There is only one Lawgiver and Judge--he who has the power both to save and to destroy. But who are you that pass judgment on your neighbor?t"a Do not disparage one another, Brothers. He who disparages his Brother, or passes judgment on his Brother, disparages the Law and passes judgment on the Law. But, if you pass judgment on the Law, you are not obeying it, but judging it.B! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.j M Grieve, mourn, and lament! Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your happiness to gloom! Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Make your hands clean, you sinners; and your hearts pure, you vacillating men!STherefore submit to God; but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.#No; the gift that God gives is for a nobler end; and that is why it is said--'God is opposed to the haughty, but gives help to the humble.',QDo you suppose there is no meaning in the passage of Scripture which asks--'Is envy to result from the longings of the Spirit which God has implanted within you?'DUnfaithful people! Do not you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.veYou ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose--to spend what you get upon your pleasures.)You crave, yet do not obtain. You murder and rage, yet cannot gain your end. You quarrel and fight. You do not obtain, because you do not ask. /What is the cause of the fighting and quarreling that goes on among you? Is not it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?U#And righteousness, its fruit, is sown in peace by those who work for peace.B}But the wisdom from above is, before every thing else, pure; then peace-loving, gentle, open to conviction, rich in compassion and good deeds, and free from partiality and insincerity.mSFor, where envy and rivalry exist, there you will also find disorder and all kinds of base actions.]3That is not the wisdom which comes from above; no, it is earthly, animal, devilish.But, while you harbor envy and bitterness and a spirit of rivalry in your hearts, do not boast or lie to the detriment of the Truth.3 Who among you claims to be wise and intelligent? Let him show that his actions are the outcome of a good life lived in the humility of true wisdom.uc Can a fig tree, my Brothers, bear olives? or a vine bear figs? No, nor can a brackish well give good water.J  Does a spring give both good and bad water from the same source?r] From the very same mouth come blessings and curses! My Brothers, it is not right that this should be so.jM With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made 'in God's likeness.'h INo human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless plague! It is charged with deadly poison! For while all sorts of beasts and birds, and of reptiles and creatures in the sea, are tameable, and actually have been tamed by man,j MAnd the tongue is like a spark. Among the members of our body it proves itself a very world of mischief; it contaminates the whole body; it sets the wheels of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by the flames of the Pit. So is it with the tongue. Small as it is, it is a great boaster. Think how tiny a spark may set the largest forest ablaze!I  Again, think of ships. Large as they are, and even when driven by fierce winds, they are controlled by a very small rudder and steered in whatever direction the man at the helm may determine.mSWhen we put bits into horses' mouths, to make them obey us, we control the rest of their bodies so.#?We often make mistakes, every one of us. Any one who does not make mistakes when speaking is indeed a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body as well.! =I do not want many of you, my Brothers, to become teachers, knowing, as you do, that we who teach shall be judged by a more severe standard than others.W'Exactly as a body is dead without a spirit, so faith is dead without actions.V%Was not it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was not it as the result of her actions that she was pronounced righteous, after she had welcomed the messengers and hastened them away by a different road?wYou see, then, that it is as the result of his actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not of his faith only./WAnd that in this way the words of Scripture came true-- "Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness," and "He was called the friend of God."wYou see how, in his case, faith and actions went together; that his faith was perfected as the result of his actions;!;Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was not it the result of his actions that he was pronounced righteous after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?wgNow do you really want to understand, you foolish man, how it is that faith without actions leads to nothing?~It is a part of your Faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.6}eHowever, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let him be so. Under such circumstances neither the Brother nor the Sister is bound; God has called you to live in peace.?|wFor, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People through our Brother whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be 'defiled,' but, as it is, they belong to Christ's People.{{ And a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.!z; To all others I say-I, not the Master-If a Brother is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her;y (If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.xy To those who are married my direction is-yet it is not mine, but the Master's-that a woman is not to leave her husband}ws But, if they cannot control themselves, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be consumed with passion.vMy advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be well for them to remain as I am myself. u I should wish every one to be just what I am myself. But every one has his own gift from God-one in one way, and one in another.@t{I say this, however, as a concession, not as a command.s{Do not deprive each other of what is due-unless it is only for a time and by mutual consent, so that your minds may be free for prayer till you again live as man and wife-lest Satan should take advantage of your want of self-control and tempt you.&rEIt is not the wife, but the husband, who exercises power over her body; and so, too, it is not the husband, but the wife, who exercises power over his body.Iq A husband should give his wife her due, and a wife her husband.{poBut, owing to the prevalence of immorality, I advise every man to have his own wife, and every woman her husband.qo ]With reference to the subjects about which you wrote to me: It would be well for a man to remain single.nwMoreover, you are not your own masters; you were bought, and the price was paid. Therefore, honor God in your bodies.mAgain, do not you know that your body is a shrine of the Holy Spirit that is within you-the Spirit which you have from God? lShun all immorality. Every other sin that men commit is something outside the body; but an immoral man sins against his own body.LkWhile a man who is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit?j!Or do not you know that a man who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body (for 'the two,' it is said, 'will become one');4iaDo not you know that your bodies are Christ's members? Am I, then, to take the members that belong to the Christ and make them the members of a prostitute? Heaven forbid!dhAAnd, as God has raised the Lord, so he will raise up us also by the exercise of his power.Sg Food exists for the stomach, and the stomach for food; but God will put an end to both the one and the other. The body, however, exists, not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body;5fc Everything is allowable for me! Yes, but everything is not profitable. Everything is allowable for me! Yes, but for my part, I will not let myself be enslaved by anything.Oe Such some of you used to be; but you washed yourselves clean. You became Christ's People! you were pronounced righteous through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of our God!pdY Or a thief, or covetous, or a drunkard, or abusive, or grasping, will have any share in God's Kingdom.9ck Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite,Yb+Instead of this, you wrong and cheat others yourselves-yes, even your Brothers!/aWTo begin with, it is undoubtedly a loss to you to have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather let yourselves be wronged? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?Q`Must Brother go to law with Brother, and that, too, before unbelievers?j_MCan it be that there is not one man among you wise enough to decide between two of his Brothers?$^AWhy, then, if you have cases relating to the affairs of this life, do you set to try them men who carry no weight with the Church? To your shame I ask it._]7Do not you know that we are to try angels-to say nothing of the affairs of this life?\'Do not you know that Christ's People will try the world? And if the world is to be tried by you, are you unfit to try the most trivial cases?[ 1Can it be that, when one of you has a dispute with another, he dares to have his case tried before the heathen, instead of before Christ's People?[Z/ While God judges those who are outside? 'Put away the wicked man from among you.'~Yu What have I to do with judging those outside the Church? Is it not for you to judge those who are within the Church,nXU But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or grasping-no, not even to sit at table with such people.5Wc Not, of course, meaning men of the world who are in immoral, or who are covetous and grasping, or who worship idols; for then you would have to leave the world altogether.KV I told you, in my letter, not to associate with immoral people- -3U_Therefore let us keep our festival, not with the leaven of former days, nor with the leaven of vice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.2T]Get rid entirely of the old leaven, so that you may be like new dough-free from leaven, as in truth you are. For our Passover Lamb is already sacrificed-Christ himself;eSCYour boasting is unseemly. Do not you know that even a little leaven leavens all the dough?R1To deliver such a man as this over to Satan, that what is sensual in him may be destroyed, so that his spirit may be saved at the Day of the Lord.vQeI have decided-having been present in spirit at your meetings, when the power of the Lord Jesus was with us-]P3For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgment, just as if I had been present, upon the man who has acted in this way.O+Instead of grieving over it and taking steps for the expulsion of the man who has done this thing, is it possible that you are still puffed up?GN There is a wide-spread report respecting a case of immorality among you, and that, too, of a kind that does not occur even among the Gentiles-a man, I hear, is living with his father's wife!]M3What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?FLFor the Kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.2K]But come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord; and then I shall find out, not what words these men use who are so puffed up, but what power they possess;WJ'Some, I hear, are puffed up with pride, thinking that I am not coming to you.oIWThis is my reason for sending Timothy to you. He is my own dear faithful child in the Master's service, and he will remind you of my methods of teaching the Faith of Christ Jesus-methods which I follow everywhere in every Church.3HaTherefore I entreat you-Follow my example.JG Though you may have thousands of instructors in the Faith of Christ, yet you have not many fathers. It was I who, through union with Christ Jesus, became your father by means of the Good News.oFWIt is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.E  We meet slander with gentle appeals. We have been treated as the scum of the earth, the vilest of the vile, to this very hour.uDc We work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,]C3 To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;0BY We, for Christ's sake, are 'fools,' but you, by your union with Christ, are men of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are despised..AU For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the Apostles, last of all, as men doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to men!#@?Are you all so soon satisfied? Are you so soon rich? Have you begun to reign without us? Would indeed that you had, so that we also might reign with you!*?MFor who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?>All this, Brothers, I have, for your sakes, applied to Apollos and myself, so that, from our example, you may learn to observe the precept-'Keep to what is written,' that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher to the disparagement of another.o=WTherefore do not pass judgment before the time, but wait till the Lord comes. He will throw light upon what is now dark and obscure, and will reveal the motives in men's minds; and then every one will receive due praise from God.<yFor, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.};sBut it weighs very little with me that I am judged by you or by any human tribunal. No, I do not even judge myself;N:Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.`9 ;Let men look upon us as Christ's servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.28_But you are Christ's and Christ is God's.77g You know the commandments--'Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not say what is false about others. Do not cheat. Honor thy father and thy mother.'"[6/ "Why do you call me good?" answered Jesus. "No one is good but God.<5q And, as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to gain Immortal Life?"j4M Then he folded the children in his arms, and, placing his hands on them, gave them his blessing.q3[ I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."H2  When, however, Jesus saw this, he was indignant. "Let the little children come to me," he said, "do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.1- Some of the people were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them.l0Q And, if the woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she is guilty of adultery."~/u And he said: "Any one who divorces his wife and marries another woman is guilty of adultery against his wife;K. When they were indoors, the disciples asked him again about this,S- What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."e,C And the man and his wife shall become one;' so that they are no longer two, but one.J+  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother,X*) But, at the beginning of the Creation, God 'made them male and female.'  r~~}}c}|?{zzyy xwwdwvvOuuKt_ts7rr1qpp olnnmyllAkjjiiLhhgg"ffyee$dU]UT'SSBRRQQPP&O?NMM}LLLKK1JiIIPHHNHG`GFFEEDD9CCBkAAA@Z@ ?%>>'==s<They shall take up serpents in their hands; and, if they drink any poison, it shall not hurt them; they will place their hands on sick people and they shall recover."^Moreover these signs shall attend those who believe. In my Name they shall drive out demons; they shall speak with 'tongues';q][He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who refuses to believe will be condemned.j\MThen he said to them: "Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to all creation.u[cLater on, he made himself known to the Eleven themselves as they were at a meal, and reproached them with their want of faith and their stubbornness, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen from the dead.OZ They also went and told the rest, but they did not believe even them.Y Afterwards, altered in appearance, he made himself known to two of them, as they were walking, on their way into the country.hXI Yet even they, when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe it.iWK She went and told the news to those who had been with him and who were now in sorrow and tears;V7 After his rising again, early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first of all to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had driven out seven demons.U-They went out, and fled from the tomb, for they were trembling and bewildered; and they did not say a word to any one, for they were frightened;TBut go, and say to his disciples and to Peter 'He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.'"*SM"Do not be dismayed; you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified; he has risen, he is not here! Look! Here is the place where they laid him. R Going into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on their right, in a white robe, and they were dismayed; But he said to them:lQQBut, on looking up, they saw that the stone had already been rolled back; it was a very large one.oPWThey were saying to one another: "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"[O/And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, after sunrise.!N =When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some spices, so that they might go and anoint the body of Jesus.aM;/Mary of Magdala and Mary, the mother of Joseph, were watching to see where he was laid.VL%.Joseph, having bought a linen sheet, took Jesus down, and wound the sheet round him, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of the rock; and then rolled a stone up against the entrance of the tomb.YK+-And, on learning from the Officer that it was so, he gave the corpse to Joseph.J,But Pilate was surprised to hear that he had already died. So he sent for the Officer, and asked if he were already dead;DI+Joseph from Ramah, a Councillor of good position, who was himself living in expectation of the Kingdom of God, came and ventured to go in to see Pilate, and to ask for the body of Jesus.kHO*The evening had already fallen, when, as it was the Preparation Day--the day before the Sabbath--G))All of whom used to accompany Jesus when he was in Galilee, and attend on him--besides many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. F9(There were some women also watching from a distance, among them being Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James the Little and of Joseph, and Salome--E/'The Roman Officer, who was standing facing Jesus, on seeing the way in which he expired, exclaimed: "This man must indeed have been 'God's Son'!"?Dy&The Temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom./CY%But Jesus, giving a loud cry, expired.KB$And a man ran, and, soaking a sponge in common wine, put it on the end of a rod, and offered it to him to drink, saying as he did so: "Wait and let us see if Elijah is coming to take him down."`A9#Some of those standing round heard this, and said: "Listen! He is calling for Elijah!"@/"And, at three, Jesus called out loudly: “`Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?'" which means 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'a?;!At midday, a darkness came over the whole country, lasting till three in the afternoon.X>) "He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Let the Christ, the 'King of Israel,' come down from the cross now, that we may see it and believe." Even the men who had been crucified with Jesus reviled him.j=MIn the same way the Chief Priests, with the Teachers of the Law, said to one another in mockery:6<g'come down from the cross and save yourself!"; The passers-by railed at him, shaking their heads, as they said: "Ah! you who 'destroy the Temple and build one in three days,:3OMITTED TEXT_97And with him they crucified two robbers, one on the right, and the other on the left.j8MThe words of the charge against him, written up over his head, ran thus--'THE KING OF THE JEWS.'<7sIt was nine in the morning when they crucified him.~6uThen they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots for them, to settle what each should take.D5There they offered him drugged wine; but Jesus refused it.n4UThey brought Jesus to the place which was known as Golgotha- -a name which means 'Place of a Skull.'R3And they led Jesus out to crucify him; and they compelled a passer-by, Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them to carry his cross.q2[And, when they had left off mocking him, they took off the purple robe, and put his own clothes on him. 1And they kept striking him on the head with a rod, spitting at him, and bowing to the ground before him--going down on their knees;X0)And then began to salute him. "Long life to you, King of the Jews!" they said.b/=They dressed him in a purple robe, and, having twisted a crown of thorns, put it on him, .The soldiers then took Jesus away into the court-yard--that is the Government House--and they called the whole garrison together.-And Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and, after scourging Jesus, gave him up to be crucified.n,U"Why, what harm has he done?" Pilate kept saying to them. But they shouted furiously: "Crucify him!"++Q Again they shouted: "Crucify him!"y*k Pilate, however, spoke to them again: "What shall I do then with the man whom you call the 'King of the Jews'?"S) But the Chief Priests incited the crowd to get Barabbas released instead.h(I For he was aware that it was out of jealousy that the Chief Priests had given Jesus up to him.R' He answered: "Do you want me to release the 'King of the Jews' for you?"X&)So, when the crowd went up and began to ask Pilate to follow his usual custom,g%GA man called Barabbas was in prison, with the rioters who had committed murder during a riot.u$cNow, at the Feast, Pilate used to grant the people the release of any one prisoner whom they might ask for.Q#But Jesus still made no reply whatever; at which Pilate was astonished."!Upon which Pilate questioned Jesus again. "Have you no reply to make?" he asked. "Listen, how many charges they are bringing against you."I! Then the Chief Priests brought a number of charges against him;[ /"Are you the King of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "It is true," replied Jesus.m UAs soon as it was daylight, the Chief Priests, after holding a consultation with the Councillors and Teachers of the Law--that is to say, the whole High Council--put Jesus in chains, and took him away, and gave him up to Pilate.mSHAt that moment, for the second time, a cock crowed; and Peter remembered the words that Jesus had said to him--'Before a cock has crowed twice, you will disown me three times'; and, as he thought of it, he began to weep.r]GBut he began to swear with the most solemn imprecations: "I do not know the man you are speaking about."FBut Peter again denied it. Soon afterwards the bystanders again said to him: "You certainly are one of them; why you are a Galilean!"q[EAnd there the maidservant, on seeing him, began to say again to the by-standers: "This is one of them!"xiDBut Peter denied it. "I do not know or understand what you mean," he replied. Then he went out into the porch;yCAnd, seeing Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him, and exclaimed: "Why, you were with Jesus, the Nazarene!"fEBWhile Peter was in the court-yard down below, one of the High Priest's maidservants came up;FASome of those present began to spit at him, and to blindfold his eyes, and strike him, saying, as they did so, "Now play the Prophet!" and even the police-officers received him with blows.ta@"You heard his blasphemy? What is your verdict?" They all condemned him, declaring that he deserved death.hI?At this the High Priest tore his vestments. "Why do we want any more witnesses?" he exclaimed.&E>"I am," replied Jesus, "and you shall all see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty; and 'coming in the clouds of heaven'."%C=But Jesus remained silent, and made no answer. A second time the High Priest questioned him. "Are you," he asked, "the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"+O w4But he left the sheet in their hands, and fled naked.g G3One young man did indeed follow him, wrapped only in a linen sheet. They tried to arrest him;4c2And all the Apostles forsook him, and fled.!;1I have been among you day after day in the Temple Courts teaching, and yet you did not arrest me; but this is in fulfillment of the Scriptures." 0But Jesus interposed, and said to the men: "Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs, to take me?yk/One of those who were standing by drew his sword, and struck at the High Priest's servant, and cut off his ear.5e.Then the men seized Jesus, and arrested him.`9-As soon as Judas came, he went up to Jesus at once, and said: "Rabbi!" and kissed him.',Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. "The man whom I kiss," he had said, "will be the one; arrest him and take him away safely."`9+And just then, while he was still speaking, Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came up; and with him a crowd of people, with swords and clubs, sent by the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors.N*Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand.";o)A third time he came, and said to them: "Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. Enough! My time has come. Hark! the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of wicked men.z~m(And coming back again he found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to say to him.:}o'Again he went away, and prayed in the same words;|!&Watch and pray," he said to them all, "that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."{'%Then he came and found the three Apostles asleep. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could not you watch for one hour?z1$"Abba, Father," he said, "all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me; yet, not what I will, but what thou willest."y#Going on a little further, he threw himself on the ground, and began to pray that, if it were possible, he might be spared that hour.`x9""I am sad at heart," he said, "sad even to death; wait here, and watch."uwc!He took with him Peter, James, and John; and began to show signs of great dismay and deep distress of mind.v Presently they came to a garden known as Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples "Sit down here while I pray."~uuBut Peter vehemently protested: "Even if I must die with you, I shall never disown you!" And they all said the same.t7"I tell you," answered Jesus, "that you yourself today--yes, this very night--before the cock crows twice, will disown me three times."Ms"Even if every one else falls away," said Peter, "yet I shall not."NrYet, after I have risen, I shall go before you into Galilee.""q=Presently Jesus said to them: "All of you will fall away; for Scripture says--'I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'EpThey then sang a hymn, and went out up the Mount of Olives,o%I tell you that I shall never again drink of the juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new in the Kingdom of God."enC"This is my Covenant-blood," he said, "which is poured out on behalf of many.nmUThen he took a cup, and, after saying the thanksgiving, gave it to them, and they all drank from it.$lAWhile they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: "Take it; this is my body."DkTrue, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'"yjk"It is one of you Twelve," said Jesus, "the one who is dipping his bread beside me into the dish._i7They were grieved at this, and began to say to him, one after another: "Can it be I?"!h;And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said: "I tell you that one of you is going to betray me--one who is eating with me."6ggIn the evening he went there with the Twelve, fSo the disciples set out and went into the city, and found everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover.teaHe will himself show you a large upstairs room, set out ready; and there make preparations for us."d7and, wherever he goes in, say to the owner of the house 'The Teacher says--Where is my room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?'$cA Jesus sent forward two of his disciples and said to them: "Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him;cb? On the first day of the Festival of the Unleavened bread, when it was customary to kill the Passover lambs, his disciples said to Jesus: "Where do you wish us to go and make preparations for your eating the Passover?"{ao They were glad to hear what he said, and promised to pay him. So he looked for a way to betray Jesus opportunely.l`Q After this, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the Chief Priests, to betray Jesus to them._! And I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, the Good News is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her."`^9She has done what she could; she has perfumed my body beforehand for my burial.]You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have me.)\K"Let her alone," said Jesus, as they began to find fault with her, "why are you troubling her? This is a beautiful deed that she has done for me.j[MThis perfume could have been sold for more than thirty pounds, and the money given to the poor."uZcSome of those who were present said to one another indignantly: "Why has the perfume been wasted like this?hYIWhen Jesus was still at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of choice spikenard perfume of great value. She broke the jar, and poured the perfume on his head.GXFor they said: "Not during the Festival, for fear of a riot."]W 5It was now two days before the Festival of the Passover and the Unleavened bread. The Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus by stealth, and to put him to death;;Vq %And what I say to you I say to all--Watch!"AU} $Lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep.'TG #Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming-- whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning--%SC "It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge--each having his special duty--and orders the porter to watch.ZR- !See that you are on the watch; for you do not know when the time will be.Q  But about 'That Day,' or 'The Hour,' no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father.[P/ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.yOk I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away, until all these things have taken place.jNM And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that he is at your doors.M5 Learn the lesson taught by the fig-tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.L And then he will send the angels, and gather his People from the four winds, from one end of the world to the other.`K9 Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory;yJk The stars will be falling from the heavens,' and 'the forces that are in the heavens will be convulsed.'yIk In those days, after that time of distress, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light,YH+ But see that you are on your guard! I have told you all this beforehand.G# For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and display signs and marvels, to lead astray, were it possible, even God's People.F And at that time if any one should say to you 'Look, here is the Christ!' 'Look, there he is!', do not believe it;"E= And, had not the Lord put a limit to those days, not a single soul would escape; but, for the sake of God's own chosen People, he did limit them.%DC For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again.=Cu Pray, too, that this may not occur in winter.rB] And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days!LA Nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak.h@I And a man on the house-top must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house:Z?- As soon, however, as you see 'the Foul Desecration' standing where he ought not" (the reader must consider what this means) "then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains;~>u And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.!=; Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death;a<; Whenever they betray you and hand you over for trial, do not be anxious beforehand as to what you shall say, but say whatever is given you at the moment; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.L; But the Good News must first be proclaimed to every nation.d:A See to yourselves! They will betray you to courts of law; and you will be taken to Synagogues and beaten; and you will be brought up before governors and kings for my sake, that you may bear witness before them.K9 For 'nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom'; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This will be but the beginning of the birth-pangs.8} And, when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; such things must occur; but the end is not yet.^75 Many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He', and will lead many astray.E6 Then Jesus began: "See that no one leads you astray.g5G "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign when all this is drawing to its close."4 When Jesus had sat down on the Mount of Olives, facing the Temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately:33 "Do you see these great buildings?" asked Jesus. "Not a single stone will be left here upon another, which shall not be thrown down."2 ! As Jesus was walking out of the Temple Courts, one of his disciples said to him: "Teacher, look what fine stones and buildings these are!" 19 ,For every one else put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, put in all she had--everything that she had to live on."00Y +On this, calling his disciples to him, Jesus said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others who were putting money into the chests;T/! *But one poor widow came and put in two farthings, which make a half-penny.(.I )Then Jesus sat down opposite the chests for the Temple offerings, and watched how the people put money into them. Many rich people were putting in large sums;-% (They are the men that rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."],3 'And to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner.T+! &In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect,*% %David himself calls him 'lord,' how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?" The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight.6)e $David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-- 'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet.'"(/ #While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son?0'Y "Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him further.W&' !And to 'love him with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength,' and to 'love one's neighbor as one loves oneself' is far beyond all 'burnt-offerings and sacrifices.'"#%? "Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him'; $ The second is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost love thyself.' There is no commandment greater than these."# And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.'l"Q "The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord;L! Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?"U # He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."hI As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?ve When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God?gG At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"T! All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all.Q And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third.fE There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family;E "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.q[ Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him.wg And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said;/ Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at."yk These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?  Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation.C After this his enemies were eager to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed the parable. So they let him alone, and went away.Z- This corner-stone has come from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes.'"# Have you never read this passage of Scripture?--'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner- stone;  What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others.] 3 So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.  But those tenants said to one another 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.'   He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said. *~~G}}x||u|({gzzzyyXxxwx#wwNwvv|v0uuu@tttFsss9rrrAqqoqpzooqonnZn mmsm0llGkkkjjii{hhmh=gg0ff1ee^ddccZbbbVaa `i__}^^:]]@\\\x\[ZZYYX}WWW0VVDUU=TTHSSRR3QPPDONN\NMLLKKHJJIIVHoGGeFFFEhDDDxD@DCCCsC>CBBBBPBAA@@@@??>>F==C<If you lend only to those from whom you expect to get something, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast lend to the outcast in the hope of getting as much in return! !For, if you show kindness only to those who show kindness to you, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast do that!~ If you love only those who love you, what thanks will be due to you? Why, even the outcast love those who love them!;}qDo to others as you wish them to do to you.y|kGive to every one who asks of you; and, when any one takes away what is yours, do not demand its return.,{QWhen a man gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when any one takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either.Jz Bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you.cy?But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you,yxkAlas for you when all men speak well of you; for this is what their ancestors did to the false Prophets.~wuAlas for you who are sated now, for you will hunger. Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.Yv+But 'alas for you who are rich,' for you have had your comforts in full.+uOThen indeed you may be glad and dance for joy, for be sure that your reward in Heaven will be great; for that is what their ancestors did to the Prophets.0tYBlessed are you when men hate you, and when they expel you from among them, and taunt you, and reject your Name as an evil thing--on account of the Son of Man.swBlessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.r3Then, raising his eyes and looking at his disciples, Jesus spoke as follows: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.xqiAnd every one in the crowd was trying to touch him, because a power went out from him which restored them all.|pqWho had come to hear him and to be restored to health. Those, too, who were troubled with foul spirits were cured;toaAfterwards Jesus came down the hill with them and took his stand on a level place. With him were a large crowd of his disciples, and great numbers of people from the whole of Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast district of Tyre and Sidon,GnJudas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who proved a traitor.LmMatthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon known as the Zealot,rl]They were Simon (whom Jesus also named Peter), and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,lkQ When day came, he summoned his disciples, and chose twelve of them, whom he also named 'Apostles.'pjY Now about that time, Jesus went out, up the hill, to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God.i But the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were goaded to madness, and consulted together what they could do to Jesus. h Then, looking round at them all, he said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man did so; and his hand had become sound. g And Jesus said to them: "I ask you, is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath--or harm? to save a life, or let it perish?"*fMJesus, however, knew what was in the their minds, and said to the man whose hand was withered: "Stand up and come out into the middle." The man stood up;/eWThe Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely, to see if he would work cures on the Sabbath, so that they might find a charge to bring against him.dwOn another Sabbath Jesus went into the Synagogue and taught; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.PcThen Jesus added: "The Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."0bYThat he went into the House of God, and took the consecrated bread and ate it, and gave some to his companions, though only the priests are allowed to eat it?"zamJesus' answer was: "Have not you read even of what David did, when he was hungry, he and his companions--i`K"Why are you doing what it is not allowable to do on the Sabbath?" asked some of the Pharisees._ 5One Sabbath Jesus was walking through cornfields, and hi disciples were picking the ears of wheat, and rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.g^G'No man after drinking old wine wishes for new. 'No,' he says, 'the old is excellent.'":]o&But new wine must be put into fresh skins.+\O%And no man puts new wine into old wine-skins; for, if he does, the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine itself will run out, and the skins be lost.x[i$Then, as an illustration, Jesus said to them: "No man ever tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old one; for, if he does, he will not only tear the new garment, but the piece from the new one will not match the old. Z#But the days will come--a time when the bridegroom will be parted from them; and they will fast then, when those days come."xYi"But Jesus answered them: "Can you make the bridegroom's friends fast while the bridegroom is with them?X5!"John's disciples," they said to Jesus, "Often fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while yours are eating and drinking!"TW! I have not come to call the religious, but the outcast, to repent."oVWIn answer Jesus said: "It is not those who are well that need a doctor, but those who are ill.{UoThe Pharisees and the teachers of the Law belonging to their party complained of this to the disciples of Jesus."T%And Levi gave a great entertainment at his house, in honor of Jesus; and a large number of tax-gatherers and others were at table with them.:SoLevi left everything and got up and followed him.RAfter this, Jesus went out; and he noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me."QThe people, one and all, were lost in amazement, and praised God; and in great awe they said: "We have seen marvelous things to-day!"~PuInstantly the man stood up before their eyes, took up what he had been lying on, and went to his home, praising God.LOBut that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- he spoke to the paralyzed man--"To you I say, Get up, and take up your pallet, and go to your home."uNcWhich is the easier?--to say 'Your sins have been forgiven you'? or to say 'Get up, and walk about'?M+When Jesus became aware of the way in which they were debating, he turned to them and exclaimed: "What are you debating with yourselves?,LQThe Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began debating about this. "Who is this man who speaks so blasphemously?" they asked. "Who can forgive sins except God?"aK;When he saw their faith, Jesus said: "Friend, your sins have been forgiven you."EJBut, finding no way of getting him in owing to the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him through the tiles, with his pallet, into the middle of the people and in front of Jesus.yIkAnd there some men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed. They tried to get him in and lay him before Jesus; HOn one of those days, when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were sitting near by. (They had come from all the villages in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was upon Jesus, so that he could work cures.)>GwBut Jesus used to withdraw to lonely places and pray.FHowever, the story about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came together to listen to him, and to be cured of their illnesses;EAnd then Jesus impressed upon him that he was not to say a word to any one, "but," he added, "set out and show yourself to the priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing, in the manner directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."D Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying as he did so: "I am willing; become clean." Instantly the leprosy left the man;vCe On one occasion Jesus was staying in a town, when he saw a man who was covered with leprosy. When the leper saw Jesus, he threw himself on his face and implored his help: "Master, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."bB= And, when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything, and followed him.1A[ And so, too, were James and John, Zebediah's sons, who were Simon's partners. "Do not be afraid," Jesus said to Simon; "from to-day you shall catch men."j@M For he and all who were with him were lost in amazement at the haul of fish which they had made;?}When Simon Peter saw this, he threw himself down at Jesus' knees, exclaiming: "Master, leave me, for I am a sinful man!",>QSo they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats so full of fish that they were almost sinking.^=5They did so, and enclosed such a great shoal of fish that their nets began to break.<%"We have been hard at work all night, Sir," answered Simon, "and have not caught anything, but, at your bidding, I will throw out the nets.";{When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon: "Push off into deep water, and throw out your nets for a haul."5:cSo, getting into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, Jesus asked him to push off a little way from the shore, and then sat down and taught the people from the boat.J9 The fishermen had gone away from them and were washing the nets.C8 Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.O7,And he continued to make his proclamation in the Synagogues of Judea.6#+Jesus, however, said to them: "I must take the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent."B5}*At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.94k)And even demons came out from many people, screaming 'You are the Son of God.' Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.3/(At sunset, all who had friends suffering from various diseases took them to Jesus; and he placed his hands upon every one of them and cured them.}2s'Bending over her, he rebuked the fever; the fever left her, and she immediately got up and began to wait upon them.+1O&On leaving the Synagogue, Jesus went into Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a severe attack of fever, and they asked Jesus to cure her.R0%And rumors about Jesus traveled through every place in the neighborhood.C/$And they were all lost in amazement, and kept saying to one another: "What words are these? For he gives his commands to the foul spirits with a marvelous authority, and they come out."N.#But Jesus rebuked the demon. "Be silent! Come out from him," he said. The demon flung the man down in the middle of the people, and then came out from him, without causing him further harm.-""Stop! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"i,K!In the Synagogue there was a man with the spirit of a foul demon in him, who called out loudly:Y++ They were amazed at his teaching, because his words were spoken with authority.d*AThen Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee. On the Sabbath he taught the people.L)But he passed through the middle of the crowd and went on his way.(Starting up, they drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, intending to hurl him down.T'!All the people in the Synagogue, as they listened to this, became enraged.&7And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, yet it was not one of them who was made clean, but Naaman the Syrian."p%YAnd yet it was not to one of them that Elijah was sent, but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidonia.B$}There were, doubtless, many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, and a severe famine prevailed throughout the country;e#CI tell you," he continued, "that no Prophet is acceptable in his own country.T"!"Doubtless," said Jesus, "you will remind me of the saying-- 'Doctor, cure yourself;' and you will say 'Do here in your own country all that we have heard that has been done at Capernaum.'!/All who were present spoke well of him, and were astonished at the beautiful words that fell from his lips. "Is not he Joseph's son?" they asked.b =And Jesus began: "This very day this passage has been fulfilled in your hearing."Then, closing the book and returning it to the attendant, he sat down. The eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed upon him,;qTo proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.'eC'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, For he has consecrated me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and restoration of sight to the blind, To set the oppressed at liberty,zmThe book given him was that of the Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and found the place where it says--"=Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures.RAnd he began to teach in their Synagogues, and was honored by every one.~uMoved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighborhood;eC When he had tried every kind of temptation, the Devil left Jesus, till another opportunity._7 But Jesus answered him: "It is said--'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'"oW And 'On their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"b= For Scripture says--'He will give his angels commands about thee, to guard thee safely,'- The Devil next led him into Jerusalem, and, placing him on the parapet of the Temple, said: "If you are God's Son throw yourself down from here,|qAnd Jesus answered him: "Scripture says--'Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God, and worship him only.'"NIf you, therefore, will do homage before me, it shall all be yours.""I will give you all this power, and the splendor of them; for it has been given into my hands and I give it to whom I wish.taAnd the Devil led Jesus up, and showing him in a single moment all the kingdoms of the earth, said to him:jMAnd Jesus answered him: "Scripture says--'It is not on bread alone that man is to live.'"fESo the Devil said to him: "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."P All that time he ate nothing; and, when it was over, he became hungry.%  EOn returning from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the power of the Spirit through the Wilderness for forty days, tempted by the Devil.- U&Enosh, Seth and Adam the son of GOD.4 c%Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalalel, Kenan,/ Y$Kenan, Arpachshad, Shem, Noah, Lamech,)M#Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah,-U"Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor,/Y!Amminadab, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Judah,+Q Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salah, Nahshon,2_Meleah, Menan, Mattithiah, Nathan, David,/YSimeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim,/YJoshua, Eliezer, Joram, Mattith, Levi,,SMelchiah, Addi, Cosam, Elmodam, Er,7iJohanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neriah,5eMattith, Mattithiah, Shimei, Joseph, Josheh,1~]Mattithiah, Amos, Nahum, Azaliah, Nogah,0}[Mattith, Levi, Melchiah, Janna, Joseph,|When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,({IAnd the Holy Spirit descended, in a visible form, like a dove, upon him, and from the heavens came a voice--"Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight."~zuNow after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened,8ykCrowned them all by shutting John up in prison.xBut Prince Herod, being rebuked by John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother, and for all the evil things that he had done,Xw)And so with many different exhortations John told his Good News to the people.+vOHis winnowing-fan is in his hand, that he may clear his threshing-floor, and store the grain in his barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire."cu?John, addressing them all, said: "I, indeed, baptize you with water; but there is coming one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to unfasten his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.ztmThen, while the people were in suspense, and were all debating with themselves whether John could be the Christ,9skAnd when some soldiers on active service asked "And we--what are we to do?" he said: "Never use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and be content with your pay."Qr "Do not collect more than you have authority to demand," John answered.aq; Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: "Teacher, what are we to do?"~pu "Let the man who has two coats," answered John, "share with him who has none; and the man who has food do the same."4oc "What are we to do then?" the people asked.$nA Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."Um#Let your lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!l-And John said to the crowds that went to be baptized by him: "You brood of vipers! who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?:koAnd all mankind shall see the Salvation of God."'j#Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be leveled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth,DiThis was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.hAnd John went through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.gAnd when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness.tf cIn the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,ae;4And Jesus grew in wisdom as he grew in years, and 'gained the blessing of God and men.'d%3However he went down with them to Nazareth, and submitted himself to their control; and his mother treasured all that was said in her heart.6cg2His parents did not understand what he meant.{bo1"What made you search for me?" he answered. "Did not you know that I must be in my Father's House?"@ay0His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."O`/All who listened to him marveled at his intelligence and his answers._7.It was not till the third day that they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the Teachers, now listening to them, now asking them questions.g^G-And then, as they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching everywhere for him.]+,Thinking that he was with their fellow-travelers, they went one day's journey before searching for him among their relations and acquaintances;\+And had finished their visit; but, when they started to return, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, without their knowing it.V[%*When Jesus was twelve years old, they went according to custom to Jerusalem,ZZ-)Every year the child's parents used to go to Jerusalem at the Passover Festival.ZY-(The child grew and became strong and wise, and the blessing of God was upon him.X'When the child's parents had done everything enjoined by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.W1&At that moment she came up, and began publicly to thank God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the deliverance of Jerusalem.!V;%And then a widow, till she had reached the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple Courts, but, fasting and praying, worshiped God night and day.AU{$There was also a Prophetess named Hannah, a daughter of Phanuel and of the tribe of Asher. She was far advanced in years, having lived with her husband for seven years after marriage,jTM#Yes, the sword will pierce your own heart--and so the thoughts in many minds will be disclosed."FS"Simeon gave them his blessing, and said to Mary, the child's mother: "This child is appointed to be the cause of the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign much spoken against--XR)!While the child's father and mother were wondering at what was said about him,\Q1 A Light to bring light to the Gentiles, And to be the Glory of thy people Israel."?PyWhich thou hast prepared in the sight of all nations--,OSFor my eyes have seen the SalvationTN!"Now, Lord, thou wilt let thy servant go, According to thy word, in peace,OMSimeon himself took the child in his arms, and blessed God, and said:$LAMoved by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple Courts, and, when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the Law,tKaIt had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ.HJ There was at that time in Jerusalem a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who lived in constant expectation of the Consolation of Israel, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.yIkAnd also to offer the sacrifice enjoined in the Law of the Lord--'a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.'mHSIn compliance with the Law of the Lord that 'every first-born male shall be dedicated to the Lord,'3G_When the period of purification of mother and child, enjoined by the Law of Moses, came to an end, his parents took the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,)FKEight days after the birth of the child, when it was time to circumcise him, he received the name Jesus--the name given him by the angel before his conception.EAnd the shepherds went back, giving glory and praise to God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.XD)While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts.ECAll who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story,^B5And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child.\A1So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger;O@Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us."Y?+"Glory to God on high, And on earth peace among men in whom he finds pleasure."s>_ Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and singing--g=G And this shall be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger."f<E This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Savior, who is Christ and Lord.p;Y "Have no fear," the angel said. "For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation.:  When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear.l9QIn that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night,8-And she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger.-7UWhile they were there her time came,[6/To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother.,5QAmong others Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the town of David, in Judea--because he belonged to the family and house of David--=4uAnd every one went to his own town to be registered.R3(This was the first census taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria).w2 iAbout that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.1 PThe child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the Wilds till the time came for his appearance before Israel.y0 mOTo give light to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, And guide our feet into the way of peace."\/ 3NThrough the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn will break on us from Heaven,X. +MTo give his people the knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,|- sLAnd thou, Child, shalt be called Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to make ready his way,g, IKAnd should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, In his presence all our days.@+ }JThat we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,E* IThis was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham--N) HShowing mercy to our forefathers, And mindful of his sacred Covenant.K( GSalvation from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us,@' }FAs he promised by the lips of his Holy Prophets of old--c& AEAnd has raised up for us the Strength of our Salvation In the House of his servant David--k% QD"Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,j$ OCThen his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:# +BAnd all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another-- "What can this child be destined to become?" For the Power of the Lord was with him." AAll their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;i! M@And immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.f  G?Asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote the words--'His name is John.' Every one was surprised;f G>And they made signs to the child's father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.< u="You have no relation of that name!" they exclaimed;C >o==?The next day he took out four shillings and gave them to the inn-keeper. 'Take care of him,' he said, 'and whatever more you may spend I will myself repay you on my way back.',YQ "He went to him and bound up his wounds, dressing them with oil and wine, and then put him on his own mule, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.|Xq !But a Samaritan, traveling that way, came upon the man, and, when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.Ww A Levite, too, did the same; he came up to the spot, but, when he saw the man, passed by on the opposite side.yVk As it chanced, a priest was going down by that road. He saw the man, but passed by on the opposite side.XU) To which Jesus replied: "A man was once going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him of everything, and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.[T/ But the man, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus: "And who is my neighbor?"]S3 "You have answered right," said Jesus; "do that, and you shall live."AR{ His reply was--"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'"\Q1 "What is said in the Law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?"P Just then a Student of the Law came forward to test Jesus further. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do if I am to 'gain Immortal Life'?" O  For, I tell you, many Prophets and Kings wished for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never heard them."~Nu Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said to them alone: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing;UM# Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does any one know who the Son is, except the Father, or who the Father is, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him."5Lc At that same time, moved to exultation by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the childlike! Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee. K  Yet do not rejoice in the fact that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been enrolled in Heaven."2J] Remember, I have given you the power to 'trample upon serpents and scorpions,' and to meet all the strength of the Enemy. Nothing shall ever harm you in any way.jIM And Jesus replied: "I have had visions of Satan, fallen, like lightning from the heavens.Hw When the seventy-two returned, they exclaimed joyfully: "Master, even the demons submit to us when we use your name."*GM He who listens to you is listening to me, and he who rejects you is rejecting me; while he who rejects me is rejecting him who sent me as his Messenger."tFa And you, Capernaum! Will you 'exalt yourself to heaven'? 'You shall go down to the Place of Death.'aE; Yet the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable at the Judgment than yours.UD# Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the Miracles which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have sat in sackcloth and ashes and repented long ago.rC] I tell you that the doom of Sodom will be more bearable on 'That Day' than the doom of that town.B 'We wipe off the very dust of your town which has clung to Our feet; still, be assured that the Kingdom of God is close at Hand.'vAe But, whatever town you go to visit, if the people do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say[@/ Cure the sick there, and tell people 'The Kingdom of God is close at hand.`?9 Whatever town you visit, if the people welcome you, eat what is set before you;)>K Remain at that same house, and eat and drink whatever they offer you; for the worker is worth his wages. Do not keep changing from one house to another.=! Then, if any one there is deserving of a blessing, your blessing will rest upon him; but if not, it will come back upon yourselves.Y<+ Whatever house you go to stay at, begin by praying for a blessing on it.v;e Do not take a purse with you, or a bag, or sandals; and do not stop to greet any one on your journey.b:= Now, go. Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like lambs among wolves.-9S "The harvest," he said, "is abundant, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Owner of the harvest to send laborers to gather in his harvest.C8  After this, the Master appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them on as his Messengers, two and two, in advance, to every town and place that he was himself intending to visit.7 >But Jesus answered: "No one who looks back, after putting his hand to the plough, is fitted for the Kingdom of God."b6= ="Master," said another, "I will follow you; but first let me say good-bye to my family." 5 "Leave the dead to bury their dead; but go yourself and carry far and wide the news of the Kingdom of God."l4Q ;To another man Jesus said: "Follow me." "Let me first go and bury my father," said the man.3 :"Foxes have holes," he replied, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."m2S 9And, while they were on their way, a man said to Jesus: "I will follow you wherever you go."41c 8And they made their way to another village.+0Q 7But Jesus turned and rebuked them. / 6When James and John saw this, they said: "Master, do you wish us to call for fire to come down from the heavens and consume them?"k.O 5But the people there did not welcome him, because his face was set in the direction of Jerusalem.X-) 4On their way, they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him,.,U 3As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.s+_ 2"None of you must prevent him," Jesus said to John; "he who is not against you is for you."*5 1Thereupon John said: "Sir, we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow you with us.") 0And then said to them: "Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even this little child is welcoming me; and any one who welcomes me is welcoming him who sent me as his Messenger. For whoever is lowliest among you all--that man is great."(  /And Jesus, knowing of the discussion that was occupying their thoughts, took hold of a little child, and placed it beside him,V'% .A discussion arose among the disciples as to which of them was the greatest;:&m -But the disciples did not understand the meaning of this; it had been concealed from them so that they did not see it, and they were afraid to question him as to what he meant.%y ,"Listen carefully to my words. For the Son of Man is destined to be betrayed into the hands of his fellow men."%$C +And all present were struck with awe at the majesty of God. In the midst of the general astonishment at all that Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples:@#y *While the boy was coming up to Jesus, the demon dashed him down and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and cured the boy, and gave him back to his father."3 )"O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed; "how long must I be with you and have patience with you? Lead your son here."R! (I entreated your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not."' G 'All at once a spirit will seize him, suddenly shriek out, and throw him into convulsions till he foams, and will leave him only when he is utterly exhausted.{o &And just then a man in the crowd shouted out: "Teacher, I entreat you to look at my son, for he is my only child;[/ %The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. $And, as the voice ceased, Jesus was found alone. The Apostles kept silence, and told no one about any of the things that they had seen.jM #And from the cloud came a voice which said--"This is my Son, the Chosen One; him you must hear."y "And, while he was speaking, a cloud came down and enveloped them; and they were afraid, as they passed into the cloud;`9 !And, as Moses and Elijah were passing away from Jesus, Peter exclaimed: "Sir, it is good to be here; let us make three tents, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what he was saying;*M Peter and his companions had been overpowered by sleep but, suddenly becoming wide awake, they saw Jesus glorified and the two men who were standing beside him.wg Who appeared in a glorified state, and spoke of his departure, which was destined to take place at Jerusalem.V% And all at once two men were talking with Jesus; they were Moses and Elijah,s_ As he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed, and his clothing became of a glittering whiteness.} About eight days after speaking these words, Jesus went up the mountain to pray, taking with him Peter, John, and James.} Indeed, I tell you, some who are standing before me will not know death, till they have seen the Kingdom of God."3_ Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Glory and the Glory of the father and of the holy angels.uc What good does it do a man if, when he has gained the whole world, he has lost or forfeited himself? For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses his life--that man shall save it.' And to all present he said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.G He told them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and be rejected by the Councillors, and Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.K Jesus, however, strictly charged them not to say this to any one;{ o "But you," he went on, "who do you say that I am?" And to this Peter answered: "The Christ of God." - "John the Baptist," was their answer; "others, however, say that you are Elijah, while others say that one of the old Prophets has risen again." + Afterwards, when Jesus was alone, praying, his disciples joined him, and he asked them this question--"Who do the people say that I am?"p Y Every one had sufficient to eat, and what was left of the broken pieces was picked up--twelve baskets.F  Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven and said the blessing over them. Then he broke them in pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people.6g This they did, and got all the people seated. (For the men among them were about five thousand.) "Get them seated in companies," was his reply, "about fifty in each."R But Jesus said: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "We have not more than five loaves and two fishes," they answered; "unless indeed we are to go and buy food for all these people."y The day was drawing to a close, when the twelve came up to him, and said: "Send the crowd away, so that they may make their way to the villages and farms round about, and find themselves lodgings and provisions, for we are in a lonely spot here."6e But the people recognized him and followed him in crowds; and Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, while he cured those who were in need of help.*M When the Apostles returned, they related to Jesus all that they had done. Then Jesus retired privately to a town called Bethsaida, taking the Apostles with him.~u But Herod himself said: "John I beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things?" And he endeavored to see him.lQ Some again said that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the old Prophets had risen again.  Prince Herod heard of all that was happening, and was perplexed, because it was said by some that John must be risen from the dead.q[ Then they set out and went from village to village, telling the Good News and curing people everywhere.~ If people do not welcome you, as you leave that town, shake even the dust off your feet, as a protest against them."[}/ Whatever house you go to stay in, remain there, and leave from that place.)|K "Do not," he said to them, "take anything for your journey; not even a staff, or a bag, or bread, or any silver, or a change of clothes with you.`{9 He sent them out as his Messengers, to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and to work cures.zz o Jesus called the Twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, as well as to cure diseases.tya8Her parents were amazed, but Jesus impressed on them that they were not to tell any one what had happened.~xu7The child's spirit returned to her, and she instantly stood up; and Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat.Xw)6But, taking her by the hand, Jesus said in a loud voice: "Child, rise!"Fv5They began to laugh at him, for they knew that she was dead.u4And every one was weeping and mourning for her. "Do not weep," Jesus said, "she is not dead; she is asleep."t3When he reached the house, he did not allow any one to go in with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother.s2But Jesus, hearing this, spoke to the President: "Do not be afraid; only have faith, and she shall yet be delivered."0rY1Before he had finished speaking, some one came from the house of the President of the Synagogue and said: "Your daughter is dead! Do not trouble the Teacher further."gqG0"Daughter," he said, "your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you."sp_/Then the woman, when she saw that she was discovered, came forward trembling, and threw herself down before him; and, in the presence of all the people, she told him her reason for touching him, and that she had been cured instantly.hoI."Somebody touched me," said Jesus; "for I felt that power had gone out from me."An{-"Who was it that touched me?" Jesus asked; and, while everyone was denying having done so, Peter exclaimed: "Why, Sir, the people are crowding round you and pressing upon you!"^m5,Came up behind and touched the tassel of his cloak. Instantly the hemorrhage ceased.elC+And a woman, who had suffered from hemorrhage for twelve years, and whom no one could cure,k*Because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the people were pressing closely round him.*jM)And a man named Jaeirus, who was a President of the Synagogue, came to Jesus, and threw himself at Jesus' feet, with entreaties that he would come to his house,`i9(On his return, Jesus was welcomed by the people; for everyone was looking out for him.Uh#'"Go back to your home," he said, "and relate the story of all that God has done for you." So the man went through the whole town and proclaimed, as he went, all that Jesus had done for him.qg[&The man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus to let him be with him; but Jesus sent him away. f9%Upon which all the people in the neighborhood of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were terrified. Jesus got into a boat and returned.Se$Those who had seen it told them how the possessed man had been delivered;]d3#The people went out to see what had happened, and, when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at Jesus' feet; and they were awe-struck.c "When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran away, and carried the news to the town, and to the country round.b!They came out from the man and took possession of the pigs; and the drove rushed down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned.(aI There was a drove of many pigs close by feeding upon the hill- side; and the demons begged Jesus to give them leave to enter into them. Jesus gave them leave.U`#And the demons begged Jesus not to order them away into the bottomless pit.w_g"What is your name?" Jesus asked. "Legion," he answered (for many demons had taken possession of him); ^ For Jesus was commanding the foul spirit to come out from the man. On many occasions it had seized him, and, even when secured with chains and fetters, and watched, he would break through anything that bound him, and be driven by the demon into the Wilds.R]Catching sight of Jesus, he shrieked out and threw himself down before him, and in a loud voice exclaimed: "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you not to torment me."C\And, on getting ashore, Jesus met a man, who had demons in him, coming out of the town. For a long time this man had worn no clothing, and he had not lived in a house, but in the tombs.b[=And they reached the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee;CZ"Where is your faith?" he exclaimed. But in great awe and amazement they said to one another: "Who can this be, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?"1Y[So the disciples came and roused him. "Sir, Sir," they cried, "we are lost!" Jesus rose and rebuked the wind and the rushing waves, and they fell, and a calm followed.X3So they put off. While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A squall swept down upon the lake, and their boat was filling and they were in danger.W{One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake." VHis reply, spoken to them all, was: "My mother and my brothers are those who listen to God's teaching and do what it bids."oUWSo word was brought to him--'Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.'}TsPresently Jesus' mother and brothers came where he was, but they were not able to join him on account of the crowd.:SmTake care, then, how you listen. For, to all those who have, more will be given; while, from all those who have nothing, even what they seem to have will be taken away."-RSNothing is hidden which will not be brought into the light of day, not ever kept hidden which will not some day become known and come into the light of day.9QkNo man sets light to a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it underneath a couch, but he puts it on a lamp-stand, so that anyone who comes in may see the light.,PQBut by that in the good ground are meant those who, having heard the Message, keep it in the good, rich soil of their hearts, and patiently yield a return.eOCBy that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection.pNY By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back.SM By the seed which fell along the path are meant those who hear the Message; but then comes the Devil and carries away the Message from their minds, to prevent their believing it and being saved.?Ly This is the parable--The seed is God's Message.zKm "To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.'?Jy His disciples asked Jesus the meaning of this parable.2I]Other seed fell into rich soil, and grew, and gave a hundred-fold return." After saying this, Jesus cried aloud: "Let him who has ears to hear with hear."tHaOther seed fell in the middle of brambles, but the brambles grew up with it and choked it entirely.pGYOther seed fell upon rock, and, as soon as it began to grow, having no moisture, withered away.%FC"The sower went out to sow his seed; and, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path and was trodden upon; and the wild birds ate it up.E3Once, when a great crowd was collecting, and, when the people of town after town were flocking to Jesus, he spoke to them in the form of a parable:D5And Joanna (the wife of Herod's steward, Chuza), and Susannah, and many others--all of whom ministered to Jesus and his Apostles out of their means.-CSAs well as some women who had been cured of wicked spirits and of infirmities. They were Mary, known as Mary of Magdala (from whom seven demons had been expelled),B 9Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve,hAI2But Jesus said to the woman: "Your faith has delivered you; go, and peace be with you."g@G1On this, those at table began to say to one another: "Who is this man who even pardons sins?"K?0Then he said to the woman: "Your sins have been pardoned."1>[/And for this, I tell you, her sins, many as they are, have been pardoned, because she has loved greatly; but one who has little pardoned him, loves but little."e=C.You did not anoint even my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.r<]-You did not give me one kiss, but she, from the moment I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.^;5,And then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon: "Do you see this woman? I came into your house--you gave me no water for my feet, but she has made my feet wet with her tears and dried them with her hair.:+"I suppose," answered Simon, "it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt." "You are right," said Jesus,x9i*As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?"v8e)"There were two people who were in debt to a money-lender; one owed fifty pounds, and the other five.7(But, addressing him, Jesus said: "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Pray do so, Teacher," Simon answered; and Jesus began:\61'When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself: "Had this man been 'The Prophet,' he would have known who, and what sort of woman, this is who is touching him, and that she is an outcast."e5C&And placed herself behind Jesus, near his feet, weeping. Then she began to make his feet wet with her tears, and she dried them with the hair of her head, repeatedly kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume.%4C%Just then a woman, who was an outcast in the town, having ascertained that Jesus was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of perfume,t3a$One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, so Jesus went to his house and took his place at table.B2#And yet Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."+1O"And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax- gatherers and outcasts.'0!For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying 'He has a demon in him';[// They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!'."To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like?-But the Pharisees and the Students of the Law, having rejected John's baptism, frustrated God's purpose in regard to them.),(All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax- gatherers, having accepted John's baptism, acknowledged the justice of God.+'There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."*1This is the very man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.'f)EWhat then did you go to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.t(a"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces.n'UWhen John's messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John:F&And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me." % So his answer to the question was: "Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard--the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is told to the poor.$At that very time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their sight.#7When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'" " So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask--"Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for some one else?"A!}All these events were reported to John by his disciples.h IAnd this story about Jesus spread all through Judea, and in the neighboring countries as well.Every one was awe-struck and began praising God. "A great Prophet has arisen among us," they said; "and God has visited his people."V%The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus restored him to his mother. Then he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped; and Jesus said: "Young man, I am speaking to you--Rise!"r] When he saw her, the Master was moved with compassion for her, and he said to her: "Do not weep."I  Just as he approached the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out for burial--an only son, and his mother was a widow. A large number of the people of the town were with her.jM Shortly after, Jesus went to a town called Nain, his disciples and a great crowd going with him.Y+ And, when the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave recovered.B} Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; and, turning to the crowd which was following him, he said: "I tell you, nowhere in Israel have I met with such faith as this!"GFor I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes, and to another 'Come,' he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' he does it."oWThat was why I did not even venture to come to you myself; but speak, and let my manservant be cured.U#So Jesus went with them. But, when he was no great distance from the house, the Captain sent some friends with the message-- "Do not trouble yourself, Sir; for I am unworthy to receive you under my roof.T!"For he is devoted to our nation, and himself built our Synagogue for us."When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. "He is a man who deserves that you should show him this favor," they said,  And, hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish Councillors to him, with the request that he would come and save his slave's life.zmA Captain in the Roman army had a slave whom he valued, and who was seriously ill--almost at the point of death.t cWhen Jesus had brought to a conclusion all that he had then had to say to the people, he entered Capernaum.1But those who have listened and not acted upon what they have heard may be compared to a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The river swept down upon it, and the house immediately collapsed; and great was the crash that followed."zm0He may be compared to a man building a house, who dug, and went deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when a flood came, the river swept down upon that house, but had no power to shake it, because it had been built well. /Every one who comes to me and listens to my teaching and acts upon it--I will show you to whom he may be compared.Y +.Why do you call me 'Master! Master!' and yet fail to do what I tell you?J  -A good man, from the good stores of his heart, brings out what is good; while a bad man, from his bad stores, brings out what is bad. For what fills a man's heart will rise to his lips. ,For every tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs off thorn bushes, nor pick a bunch of grapes off a bramble. +There is no such thing as a good tree bearing worthless fruit, or, on the other hand, a worthless tree bearing good fruit.'*How can you say to your brother 'Brother, let me take out the straw in your eye,' while you yourself do not see the beam in your own? Hypocrite! Take out the beam from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the straw in your brother's.)And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in your own?jM(A scholar is not above his teacher; yet every finished scholar shall be like his teacher.y'Then, speaking in parables, Jesus said: "Can one blind man guide another? Will they not both fall into a ditch?S&Give, and others will give to you. A generous measure, pressed and shaken down, and running over, will they pour into your lap; For the measure that you mete will be meted out to you in return." %Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.G$Learn to be merciful--even as your Father is merciful.Y+#But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad. %h~~t~}(||%{tzzz:yyxWwvvvuuttssraqq+pponn{mmlkkjiihZh gbffkee]dd cc.baa~``q_^^1]]H\G[[ZYYeXXMWW6VZUUU5TnTSSRkQQgPPVOONNN>M~MLzL(KJJJ`IHHOGG%FEEE!DgCCBAA0@@5?r>>b==00o0//!.?--7,k++^** )(''T' &l& %g%0$##["s" xz7G",W]Zb5ttl _ L  @ |EcRnQ%9 3Jesus said to his disciples: "There was a rich man who had a steward; and this steward was maliciously accused to him of wasting his estate.8  We could but make merry and rejoice, for here is your brother who was dead, and is alive; who was lost, and is found.'"l7Q'Child,' the father answered, 'you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.*6MBut, no sooner has this son of yours come, who has eaten up your property in the company of prostitutes, than you have killed the fattened calf for him.'`59'No,' he said to his father, 'look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a kid, so that I might have a merry-making with my friends.n4UThis made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.31'Your brother has come back,' the servant told him, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.'O2And he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant. 1Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing,z0mFor here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.' So they began making merry.X/)And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;6.eBut the father turned to his servants and said 'Be quick and fetch a robe--the very best--and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet;!-;'Father,' the son said, 'I sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.'@,yAnd he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him.`+9I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants."'t*aI will get up and go to my father, and say to him "Father, I sinned against Heaven and against you;$)ABut, when he came to himself, he said 'How many of my father's hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death!(He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.'ySo he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs. &After he has spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual want.7%g A few days later the younger son got together all that he had, and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life.$/ And the younger of them said to his father 'Father, give me my share of the inheritance.' So the father divided the property between them.:#o Then Jesus continued: "A man had two sons;s"_ So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God's angels over one outcast that repents."'!G And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says 'Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.'. UOr again, what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?'GSo, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one outcast that repents, than over ninety-nine religious men, who have no need to repent.'GAnd, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, and says 'Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'RAnd, when he has found it, he puts in on his shoulders rejoicing;=s"What man among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep till he finds it?*OSo Jesus told them this parable--#But the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law found fault. "This man always welcomes outcasts, and takes meals with them!" they complained.\ 3The tax-gatherers and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;#It is not fit either for the land or for the manure heap. Men throw it away. Let him who has ears to hear with hear!"ve"Yes, salt is good; but, if the salt itself should lose its strength, what shall be used to season it?wg!And so with every one of you who does not bid farewell to all he has--he cannot be a disciple of mine.}s And if he cannot, then, while the other is still at a distance, he sends envoys and asks for terms of peace.QOr what king, when he is setting out to fight another king, does not first sit down and consider if with ten thousand men he is able to meet one who is coming against him with twenty thousand?W'And say 'Here is a man who began to build and was not able to finish!'For fear that, if he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, every one who sees it should begin to laugh at him,-Why, which of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and reckon the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?--hIWhoever does not carry his own cross, and walk in my steps, can be no disciple of mine.;o"If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes and his very life, he can be no disciple of mine.c?One day, when great crowds of people were walking with Jesus, he turned and said to them:f EFor I tell you all that not one of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'" 'Go out,' the master said, 'into the roads and hedgerows, and make people come in, so that my house may be filled;l QPresently the servant said 'Sir, your order has been carried out, and still there is room.' On his return the servant told his master all these answers. Then in anger the owner of the house said to his servant 'Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.'b =While the next said 'I am just married, and for that reason I am unable to come.' The next said 'I have bought five pairs of bullocks, and I am on my way to try them. I must ask you to consider me excused';KThey all with one accord began to ask to be excused. The first man said to the servant 'I have bought a field and am obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to consider me excused.'And sent his servant, when it was time for the dinner, to say to those who had been invited 'Come, for everything is now ready.'fEBut Jesus said to him: "A man was once giving a great dinner. He invited many people,{oOne of the guests heard what he said and exclaimed: "Happy will he be who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!"!And then you will be happy indeed, since they cannot recompense you; for you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the good."\1 No, when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; Then Jesus went on to say to the man who had invited him: "When you give a breakfast or a dinner, do not ask your friends, or your brothers, or your relations, or rich neighbors, for fear that they should invite you in return, and so you should be repaid.oW For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."dA No, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place, so that, when he who has invited you comes, he may say to you 'Friend, come higher up'; and then you will be honored in the eyes of all your fellow-guests.~5 And he who invited you both will come and say to you 'Make room for this man,' and then you will begin in confusion to take the lowest place.<}q"When you are invited by any one to a wedding banquet, do not seat yourself in the best place, for fear that some one of higher rank should have been invited by your host;p|YObserving that the guests were choosing the best places for themselves, Jesus told them this parable--4{cAnd they could not make any answer to that."z=And he said to them: "Which of you, finding that his son or his ox has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath Day?"\y1They remained silent. Jesus took hold of the man and cured him, and sent him away.x/"Is it allowable," said Jesus, addressing the Students of the Law and the Pharisees, "to work a cure on the Sabbath, or is it not?"FwThere he saw before him a man who was suffering from dropsy.v On one occasion, as Jesus was going, on a Sabbath into the house of one of the leading Pharisees to dine, they were watching him closely.'uG #Verily your House is left to you desolate! and never, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say--'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"htI "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! she who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen takes her brood under her wings, and you would not come!s/ !But to-day and to-morrow and the day after I must go on my way, because it cannot be that a Prophet should meet his end outside Jerusalem.=rs But Jesus answered: "Go and say to that fox 'Look you, I am driving out demons and shall be completing cures to-day and to- morrow, and on the third day I shall have done.'zqm Just then some Pharisees came up to Jesus and said: "Go away and leave this place, for Herod wants to kill you."{po there are some who are last now who will then be first, and some who are first now who will then be last!" o People will come from East and West, and from North and South, and take their places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.Hn  There, there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, in the Kingdom of God, while you yourselves are being driven outside.nmU 'I do not know where you come from. Leave my presence, all you who are living in wickedness.'l Then you will begin to say 'We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets,' and his reply will be--^k5 When once the master of the house has got up and shut the door, while you begin to say, as you stand outside and knock, 'Sir, open the door for us.' His answer will be--'I do not know where you come from.'ujc "Strive to go in by the small door. Many, I tell you, will seek to go in, but they will not be able,eiC "Master," some one asked, "are there but few in the path of Salvation?" And Jesus answered:khO Jesus went through towns and villages, teaching as he went, and making his way towards Jerusalem.zgm It is like some yeast which a woman took and covered in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."Of And again Jesus said: "To what can I liken the Kingdom of God?"e= It is like a mustard-seed which a man took and put in his garden. The seed grew and became a tree, and 'the wild birds roosted in its branches.'"]d3 So Jesus said: "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what can I liken it? c  As he said this, his opponents all felt ashamed; but all the people rejoiced to see all the wonderful things that he was doing.;bo But this woman, a daughter of Abraham, who has been kept in bondage by Satan for now eighteen years, ought not she to have been released from her bondage on the Sabbath?"4aa "You hypocrites!" the Master answered him. "Does not every one of you let his ox or his ass loose from its manger, and take it out to drink, on the Sabbath?x`i But the President of the Synagogue, indignant that Jesus had worked the cure on the Sabbath, interposed and said to the people: "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come to be cured on one of those, and not on the Sabbath."c_? He placed his hands on her, and she was instantly made straight, and began to praise God.r^] When Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said: "Woman, you are released from your weakness."A]{ And he saw before him a woman who for eighteen years had suffered from weakness owing to her having an evil spirit in her. She was bent double, and was wholly unable to raise herself.B\ Jesus was teaching on a Sabbath in one of the Synagogues,d[A Then, if it bears in future, well and good; but if not, you can have it cut down.'"pZY 'Leave it this one year more, Sir,' the man answered, 'till I have dug round it and manured it.+YO So he said to his gardener 'Three years now I have come to look for fruit on this fig tree, without finding any! Cut it down. Why should it rob the soil?'X1 And Jesus told them this parable--"A man, who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, came to look for fruit on it, but could not find any.aW; No, I tell you; but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same manner."1V[ Or those eighteen men at Siloam on whom the tower fell, killing them all, do you suppose that they were worse offenders than any other inhabitants of Jerusalem?YU+ No, I tell you; but, unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.$TA "Do you suppose," replied Jesus, "that, because these Galileans have suffered in this way, they were worse sinners than any other Galileans?S % Just at that time some people had come to tell Jesus about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.`R9 ;You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last farthing.",QQ :When, for instance, you are going with your opponent before a magistrate, on your way to the court do your best to be quit of him; for fear that he should drag you before the judge, when the judge will hand you over to the bailiff of the court, and the bailiff throw you into prison.?Py 9Why do not you yourselves decide what is right?O{ 8Hypocrites! You know how to judge of the earth and the sky; how is it, then, that you cannot judge of this time?tNa 7And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say 'It will be burning hot,' and so it proves.M# 6And to the people Jesus said: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once 'There is a storm coming,' and come it does.?Lw 5'Father will be opposed to son and son to father, mother to daughter and daughter to mother, mother-in-law to her daughter-in- law and daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law.'" K  4For from this time, if there are five people in a house, they will be divided, three against two, and two against three.kJO 3Do you think that I am here to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.gIG 2There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!hHI 1I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled? G 0while one who does not know his master's wishes, but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will receive but few. From every one to whom much has been given much will be expected, and from the man to whom much has been entrusted the more will be demanded.F{ /The servant who knows his master's wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;JE  .That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy.6De -But should that servant say to himself 'My master is a long time coming,' and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,]C3 ,His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.gBG +Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this.OA *"Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time?d@A )"Master," said Peter, "are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?"e?C (Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.">>u 'This you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have let his house be broken into. =  &Whether it is late at night, or in the early morning that he comes, if he finds all as it should be, then happy are they.T<! %Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and bid them take their places at table, and will come and wait upon them.';G $And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.>:w #Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;K9 "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.B8} !Sell what belongs to you, and give in charity. Make yourselves purses that will not wear out--an inexhaustible treasure in Heaven, where no thief comes near, or moth works ruin.p7Y So do not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.O6 No, seek his Kingdom, and these things shall be added for you.5 These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.z4m And you--do not be always seeking what you can get to eat or what you can get to drink; and do not waver.<3q If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!'2G Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.b1= And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?S0 But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a moment?./U Think of the ravens--they neither sow nor reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn; and yet God feeds them! And how much more precious are you than birds!K. For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.?-w And Jesus said to his disciples: "That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about the life here--what you can get to eat; nor yet about your body--what you can get to wear.l,Q So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God."+ But God said to the man 'Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared--who will have it?'*# And I will say to myself, Now you have plenty of good things put by for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.') This is what I will do,' he said; 'I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them;d(A And he began to ask himself 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?k'O Then Jesus told them this parable--"There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;C& And then he added: "Take care to keep yourselves free from every form of covetousness; for even in the height of his prosperity a man's true Life does not depend on what he has."]%3 But Jesus said to him: "Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?"g$G "Teacher," a man in the crowd said to Jesus, "tell my brother to share the property with me."X#) For the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say."X") Whenever they take you before the Synagogue Courts or the magistrates or other authorities, do not be anxious as to how you will defend yourselves, or what your defense will be, or what you will say;!!; Every one who shall say anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but for him who slanders the Holy Spirit there will be no forgiveness.o W But he, who disowns me before his fellow men, will be altogether disowned before God's angels. Every one, I tell you, who shall acknowledge me before his fellow men, the Son of Man, also, will acknowledge before God's angels;~u No, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.fE Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them has escaped God's notice..U I will show you of whom you should be afraid. Be afraid of him who, after killing you, has the power to fling you into the Pit. Yes, I say, be afraid of him.}s To you who are my friends I say, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but after that can do no more.6e Hence all that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear, within closed doors, will be proclaimed upon the housetops.   There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.} u Meanwhile the people had gathered in thousands, so that they trod upon one another, when Jesus, addressing himself to his disciples, began by saying to them: "Be on your guard against the leaven--that is, the hypocrisy--of the Pharisees.O 6Laying traps for him, so as to seize upon anything that he might say. 5When Jesus left the house, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to press him hard and question him closely upon many subjects,7g 4Alas for you Students of the Law! You have taken away the key of the door of Knowledge. You have not gone in yourselves and you have hindered those who try to go in."8i 3From the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the House of God." Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this generation.E 2Some of whom they will persecute and kill, in order that the 'blood' of all the prophets 'that has been spilt' since the creation of the world may be exacted from this generation--`9 1That is why the Wisdom of God said--"I will send to them Prophets and Apostles,&E 0You are actually witnesses to your ancestors' acts and show your approval of them, because, while they killed the Prophets, you build tombs for them.b= /Alas for you! You build the monuments of the Prophets whom your ancestors killed.B} .But Jesus went on: "Alas for you, too, you Students of the Law! You load men with loads that are too heavy to carry, but do not, yourselves, touch them with one of your fingers.{ -Here one of the Students of the Law interrupted him by saying: "Teacher, when you say this, you are insulting us also."^ 5 ,Alas for you! You are like unsuspected graves, over which men walk unawares."  +Alas for you Pharisees! You delight to have the front seat in the Synagogues, and to be greeted in the markets with respect.U # *But alas for you Pharisees! You pay tithes on mint, rue, and herbs of all kinds, and pass over justice and love to God. These last you ought to have put into practice without neglecting the first.a ; )Only give away what is in them in charity, and at once you have the whole clean.M  (Fools! did not the maker of the outside make the inside too?:m 'But the Master said to him: "You Pharisees do, it is true, clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you yourselves are filled with greed and wickedness.pY &The Pharisee noticed, to his astonishment, that Jesus omitted the ceremonial washing before breakfast.y %As Jesus finished speaking, a Pharisee asked him to breakfast with him, and Jesus went in and took his place at table.%C $If, then, your whole body is lit up, and no corner of it darkened, the whole will be lit up, just as when a lamp gives you light by its brilliance."L #Take care, therefore, that the inner Light is not darkness.4a "The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is unclouded, your whole body, also, is lit up; but, as soon as your eye is diseased, your body, also, is darkened.9k !No one sets light to a lamp, and then puts it in the cellar of under the corn-measure, but he puts it on the lamp-stand, so that any one who comes in may see the light.:m At the Judgment the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!r] At the Judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation, and will condemn them, because she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!uc For, as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so shall the Son of Man be to this generation.5~c As the crowds increased, Jesus began to speak: "This generation is a wicked generation. It is asking a sign, but no sign shall be given it except the sign of Jonah.f}E But Jesus replied: "Rather, happy are those who listen to God's Message and keep it." | As Jesus was saying this, a woman in the crowd, raising her voice, exclaimed: "Happy was the mother who bore you and nursed you!"K{ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their home there; and the last state of that man proves to be worse than the first."Wz' But, on coming there, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.Iy  No sooner does a foul spirit leave a man, than it passes through places where there is no water, in search of rest; and finding none, it says 'I will go back to the home which I left';jxM He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not help me to gather is scattering.#w? But, when one still stronger has attacked and overpowered him, he takes away all the weapons on which the other had relied, and divides his spoil.rv] When a strong man is keeping guard, fully armed, over his own mansion, his property is in safety;|uq But, if it is by the hand of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God must already be upon you.3t_ But, if it is by Baal-zebub's help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they shall themselves be your judges.s5 So, too, if Satan is wholly divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? Yet you say that I drive out demons by the help of Baal-zebub."Any kingdom wholly divided against itself becomes a desolation; and a divided house falls.Nq While others, to test him, asked him for some sign from the heavens.kpO But some of them said: "He drives out demons by the help of Baal-zebub, the chief of the demons";o  Once Jesus was driving out a dumb demon, and, when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke. The people were amazed at this;Bn} If you, then, naturally wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him!"Em Or, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?flE What father among you, if his son asks him for a fish, will give him a snake instead,tka For he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened.j! And so I say to you--Ask, and your prayer shall be granted: search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.?iw I tell you that, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is a friend, yet because of his persistence he will rouse himself and give him what he wants.Ah{ And suppose that the other should answer from inside 'Do not trouble me; the door is already fastened, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything';pgY For a friend of mine has arrived at my house after a journey, and I have nothing to offer him;''fG Jesus also said to them: "Suppose that one of you who has a friend were to go to him in the middle of the night and say 'Friend, lend me three loaves,~eu And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who wrongs us; and take us not into temptation.'">dw Give us each day the bread that we shall need;ucc "When you pray," Jesus answered, "say--'Father, May thy named be held holy, thy Kingdom come.-b U One day Jesus was at a certain place praying, and, when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him: "Master, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."a *But only a few are necessary, or rather one. Mary has chosen the good part, and it shall not be taken away from her."v`e )"Martha, Martha," replied the Master, "you are anxious and trouble yourself about many things;W_' (But Martha was distracted by the many preparations that she was making. So she went up to Jesus and said: "Master, do you approve of my sister's leaving me to make preparations alone? Tell her to help me."n^U 'She had a sister called Mary, who seated herself at the Master's feet, and listened to his teaching;y]k &As they continued their journey, Jesus came to a village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her house.u\c %"The one that took pity on him," was the answer; on which Jesus said: "Go and do the same yourself."[! $Now which, do you think, of these three men," asked Jesus, "proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" ]c~~!}||C{vzz yyxFwvv>==a<Be on the watch at all times, and pray that you may have strength to escape all that is destined to happen, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man."[)/#For come it will upon all who are living upon the face of the whole earth.>(u"Be on your guard lest your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest 'That Day' should come suddenly upon you, like a snare.]'3!The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.i&K I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away till all has taken place.q%[And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.o$WAs soon as they shoot, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near.b#=Then he taught them a lesson thus--"Look at the fig tree and all the other trees."yAnd, when these things begin to occur, look upwards and lift your heads, for your deliverance will be at hand."a!;Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Men's hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'+OThere will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge.EThey will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and 'Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,' until their day is over--as it shall be.<qAlas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people.kOFor these are to be the Days of Vengeance, when all that Scripture says will be fulfilled.B}Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains, those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once, and those who are in the country places must not go into it.As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand.@{By your endurance you shall win yourselves Life.BYet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost!J And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name.%You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death,For I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy.LMake up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defense;D Then will be your opportunity of witnessing for me.Z- Before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and they will betray you to Synagogues and put you in prison, when you will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my Name.!; And there will be great earthquakes, and plagues and famines in various places, and there will be terrible appearances and signs in the heavens.fE Then he said to them: "'Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,'' And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once.".UAnd Jesus said: "See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He,' and 'The time is close at hand.' Do not follow them.~ uSo the disciples questioned Jesus: "But, Teacher, when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is near?"" ="As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down."s _When some of them spoke about the Temple being decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said: For every one else here put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live upon."g GOn this he said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others;U#He saw, too, a widow in poor circumstances putting two farthings into them.l SLooking up, Jesus saw the rich people putting their gifts into the chests for the Temple offerings.'/These are the men who rob widows of their houses, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."mS."Be on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and like to be greeted in the streets with respect, and to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner.K-While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples:J ,David, then, calls him 'lord,' so how is he David's son?"D+Until I put they enemies as a stool for thy feet."'r]*For David, in the Book of Psalms, says himself--'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand,iK)But Jesus said to them: "How is it that people say that the Christ is to be David's son?>w(For they did not venture to question him any further.J~ '"Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the Teachers of the Law,_}7&Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."G|%As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'{$Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons.z7#But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married,hyI""The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage;xy!About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"/wY The woman herself was the last to die."Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."Do"Show me a florin. Whose head and title are on it?"@n{Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them:?myAre we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?"SlThese men asked Jesus a question. They said: "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly;hkIHaving watched their opportunity, they afterwards sent some spies, who pretended to be good men, to catch Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable them to give him up to the Governor's jurisdiction and authority.Wj'After this the Teachers of the Law and the Chief Priest were eager to lay hands on Jesus then and there, but they were afraid of the people; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed this parable. i Every one who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while any one on whom it falls--it will scatter him as dust."5hcBut Jesus looked at them and said: "What then is the meaning of this passage?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner-stone.'g'He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others." "Heaven forbid!" they exclaimed when they heard it.{foSo they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?)eKBut, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. 'Here is the heir!' they said. 'Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.'d 'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.'Xc) He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside. b The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed.Fa At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.#`? But Jesus began to tell the people this parable--"A man once planted a vineyard, and then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while.l_Q"Then I," said Jesus, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things."<^sSo they answered that they did not know its origin.p]YBut, if we say 'human,' the people will all stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a Prophet."j\MBut they began arguing together: "If we say 'divine,' he will say 'Why did not you believe him?'R[It is about John's baptism--was it of divine or of human origin?"kZO"I, too," said Jesus in reply, "will ask you one question. Give me an answer to it.YAnd addressing him, said: "Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it that has given you this authority?"KX On one of these days, when Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple Courts and telling the Good News, the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law, joined by the Councillors, confronted him,TW!0Yet they could not see what to do, for the people all hung upon his words..VU/Jesus continued to teach each day in the Temple Courts; but the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law were eager to take his life, and so also were the leading men.U.Saying as he did so: "Scripture says--'My House shall be a House of Prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"ZT--Jesus went into the Temple Courts and began to drive out those who were selling,9Sk,They will trample you down and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know 'the time of your visitation.'"R+For a time is coming upon you when your enemies will surround you with earthworks, and encircle you, and hem you in on all sides;Q5*"Would that you had known, while yet there was time--even you--the things that make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your sight.KP)When he drew near, on seeing the city, he wept over it, and said:nOU(But Jesus answered: "I tell you that if these men are silent, the very stones will call out."\N1'Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him: "Teacher, reprove your disciples."kMO&"Blessed is He who comes--Our King--in the name of the Lord! Peace in Heaven, And glory on high."LL%When he had almost reached the place where the road led down the Mount of Olives, every one of the many disciples began in their joy to praise God loudly for all the miracles that they had seen:OK$As he went along, the people kept spreading their cloaks in the road.cJ?#Then they led it back to Jesus, and threw their cloaks on the foal and put Jesus upon it.?Iy"And the two disciples answered--"The Master wants it."bH=!While they were untying the foal, the owners asked them--"Why are you untying the foal?"LG So the two who were sent went and found it as Jesus had told them.qF[And, if anybody asks you 'Why are you untying it?,' you are to say this--'The Master wants it.'"1E["Go to the village facing us," he said, " and, when you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has yet ridden; untie it and lead it here.DIt was when Jesus had almost reached Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, that he sent on two of the disciples.KCAfter saying this, Jesus went on in front, going up to Jerusalem.BBut as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their King, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.'"A-'I tell you,' he answered, 'that, to him who has, more will be given, but, from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.P@'But, Sir,' they interposed, 'he has a hundred pounds already!'?}Take away from him the ten pounds,' he said to those standing by, 'and give them to the one who has the hundred.'y>kThen why did not you put my money into a bank? And I, on my return, could have claimed it with interest.C=The master answered 'Out of your own mouth I judge you, you worthless servant. You knew that I am a stern man, that I take what I have not planted, and reap what I have not sown? <For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.';yAnother servant also came and said 'Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief.O:So the master said to him 'And you I appoint over five towns.'[9/When the second came, he said 'Your ten pounds, Sir, have produced fifty.'!8;'Well done, good servant!' exclaimed the master. 'As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.'X7)The first came up, and said 'Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.'M6On his return, after having been appointed King, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done.u5cBut his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say 'We will not have this man as our King.'4} He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds each, and told them to trade with them during his absence.}3s He said: "A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a Kingdom and then return.S2 As the people were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He did so because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to be proclaimed at once.^15 The Son of Man has come to 'search for those who are lost' and to save them."z0m "Salvation has come to this house to-day," answered Jesus, "for even this man is a son of Abraham.P/But Zacchaeus stood forward and said to the Master: "Listen, Master! I will give half my property to the poor, and, if I have defrauded any one of anything, I will give him back four times as much."j.MOn seeing this, every one began to complain: "He has gone to stay with a man who is an outcast."B-So Zacchaeus got down quickly, and joyfully welcomed him.,'When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him: "Zacchaeus, be quick and come down, for I must stop at your house to-day."t+aSo he ran on ahead and climbed into a mulberry tree, to see Jesus, for he knew that he must pass that way.m*SHe tried to see what Jesus was like; but, being short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd.p)YThere was a man there, known by the name of Zacchaeus, who was a commissioner of taxes and a rich man.@( }Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. ' +Instantly he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus, praising God. And all the people, on seeing it, gave glory to God.T&!*And Jesus said: "Recover your sight, your faith has delivered you."f%E)"What do you want me to do for you?" "Master," he said, "I want to recover my sight."~$u(Then Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. And, when he had come close up to him, Jesus asked him: # 'Those who were in front kept telling him to be quiet, but he continued to call out the louder: "Son of David, take pity on me!"@"{&He shouted out: "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!"G!%And, when people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing,F $Hearing a crowd going by, the man asked what was the matter;_7#As Jesus was getting near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road-side, begging."The Apostles did not comprehend any of this; his meaning was unintelligible to them, and they did not understand what he was saying.lQ!They will scourge him, and then put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again."Y+ For he will be given up to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted and spat upon;@yGathering the Twelve round him, Jesus said to them: "Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there everything that is written in the Prophets will be done to the Son of Man.veWho will not receive many times as much in the present, and in the age that is coming Immortal Life."-S"I tell you," he answered, "that there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, on account of the Kingdom of God,O"But we," said Peter, "we left what belonged to us and followed you."T!But Jesus said: "What is impossible with men is possible with God."=u"Then who can be saved?" asked those who heard this.}It is easier, indeed, for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!"ykSeeing this, Jesus said to his disciples: "How hard it is for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God![/But the man became greatly distressed on hearing this, for he was extremely rich.U#Hearing this, Jesus said to him: "There is one thing still lacking in you; sell everything that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."D"I have observed all these," he replied, "from childhood.")KYou know the commandments--'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not say what is false about others, Honor thy father and thy mother.'"[/"Why do you call me good?" answered Jesus. "No one is good but God.|qAnd one of the Presidents asked Jesus this question--"Good Teacher, what must I do if I am to gain Immortal Life?"q [I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."N Jesus, however, called the little children to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said, "and do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.7 gSome of the people were bringing even their babies to Jesus, for him to touch them; but, when the disciples saw it, they began to find fault with those who had brought them.: mThis man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted."B } Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even 'to raise his eyes to Heaven'; but he kept striking his breast and saying 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'S I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.'F The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way--'O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-- thieves, rogues, adulterers--or even like this tax-gatherer.r] "Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer.3 Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded every one else with scorn, Jesus told this parable--  He will, I tell you, have justice done them, and that soon! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"And God--will not he see that his own People, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them--though he holds his hand?SThen the Master added: "Listen to what this iniquitous judge says! Yet, as this widow is so troublesome, I will grant her justice, to stop her from plaguing me with her endless visits.'"For a time the judge refused, but afterwards he said to himself 'Although I am without fear of God or regard for man,In the same town there was a widow who went to him again and again, and said 'Grant me justice against my opponent.'t~a"There was," he said, "in a certain town a judge, who had no fear of God nor regard for man.h} KJesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never despair.|#%"Where will it be, Master?" interposed the disciples. "Where there is a body," said Jesus, "'there will the vultures flock.'"{3$OMITTED TEXTWz'#Of two women grinding together, one will be taken and the other left."oyW"On that night, I tell you, of two men upon the same bed, one will be taken and the other left;{xo!Whoever is eager to get the most out of his life will lose it; but whoever will lose it shall preserve it.$wC Remember Lot's wife.(vIOn that day, if a man is on his house-top and his goods in the house, he must not go down to get them; nor again must one who is on the farm turn back.Xu)It will be the same on the day on which the Son of Man reveals himself.tBut, on the very day on which Lot came out of Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from the skies and destroyed them all.psYSo, too, in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;0rYThey were eating and drinking and marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark, and then the flood came and destroyed them all.bq=As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be again in the days of the Son of Man.mpSBut first he must undergo much suffering, and he must be rejected by the present generation. oFor, just as lightning will lighten and flare from one side of the heavens to the other, so will it be with the Son of Man.an;People will say to you 'There he is! or 'Here he is!' Do not go and follow them.m1The day will come," he said to his disciples, "when you will long to see but one of the days of the Son of Man, and will not see it.ql[Nor will people say 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!'; for the Kingdom of God is within you!.kUBeing once asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was to come, Jesus answered: "The Kingdom of God does not come in a way that admits of observation,djAGet up," he said to him, "and go on your way. Your faith has delivered you."SiWere there none to come back and praise God except this foreigner?hhI"Were not all the ten made clean? exclaimed Jesus. But the nine--where are they?xgiAnd threw himself on his face at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done; and this man was a Samaritan.LfOne of them, finding he was cured, came back, praising God loudly, eWhen Jesus saw them, he said: "Go and show yourselves to the priest." And, as they were on their way, they were made clean.[d/ Standing still, some distance off, they called out loudly: "Jesus! Sir! pity us!":co As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.Kb On the way to Jerusalem Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee.,aQ And so with you--when you have done all that you have been told, still say 'We are but useless servants; we have done no more than we ought to have done.'"P` Does he feel grateful to his servant for doing what he is told?4_aInstead of saying 'Prepare my dinner, and then make yourself ready and wait on me while I am eating and drinking, and after that you shall eat and drink yourself'?3^_Which of you, if he had a servant ploughing, or tending the sheep, would say to him, when he came in from the fields, 'Come at once and take your place at table,'6]eBut the Master said: "If your faith were only like a mustard- seed, you could say to this mulberry tree 'Be up-rooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.?\y"Give us more faith," said the Apostles to the Master;[Even if he wrongs you seven times a day, but turns to you every time and says 'I am sorry,' you must forgive him."kZOBe on your guard! If your brother does wrong, reprove him; but if he repents, forgive him.7YgIt would be good for him if he had been flung into the sea with a mill-stone round his neck, rather than that he should prove a snare to even one of these lowly ones.X Jesus said to his disciples: "It is inevitable that there should be snares; yet alas for him who is answerable for them!!W;'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,' answered Abraham, 'they will not be persuaded, even if some one were to rise from the dead.'"tVa'But, Father Abraham,' he urged, 'if some one from the dead were to go to them, they would repent.'pUY'They have the writings of Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham; 'let them listen to them.'qT[For I have five brothers to warn them, so that they may not come to this place of torture also.'[S/'Then, Father,' he said, 'I beg you to send Lazarus to my father's house--2R]And not only that, but between you and us there lies a great chasm, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross from there to us.'iQK'Child,' answered Abraham, 'remember that you in your lifetime received what you thought desirable, just as Lazarus received what was not desirable; but now he has his consolation here, while you are suffering agony./PWSo he called out 'Pity me, Father Abraham, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering agony in this flame.'zOmIn the Place of Death he looked up in his torment, and saw Abraham at a distance and Lazarus at his side.NAfter a time the beggar died, and was taken by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. MAnd who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table. Even the very dogs came and licked his sores.iLKNear his gateway there had been laid a beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores,KyThere was once a rich man, who dressed in purple robes and fine linen, and feasted every day in great splendor.J#Every one who divorces his wife and marries another woman is an adulterer, and the man who marries a divorced woman is an adulterer.IIt would be easier for the heavens and the earth to disappear than for one stroke of a letter in the Law to be lost.8HiThe Law and the Prophets sufficed until the time of John. Since then the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been told, and everybody has been forcing his way into it.OG"You," said Jesus, "are the men who justify themselves before the world, but God can read your hearts; and what is highly esteemed among men may be an abomination in the sight of God.xFiAll this was said within hearing of the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, and they began to sneer at Jesus.FE No servant can serve two masters, for, either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."D{ And, if you have proved untrustworthy with what does not belong to us, who will give you what is really our own?sC_ So, if you have proved untrustworthy with the 'dishonest money,' who will trust you with the true?2B] He who is trustworthy in the smallest matter is trustworthy in a great one also; and he who is dishonest in the smallest matter is dishonest in a great one also.1A[ And I say to you 'Win friends for yourselves with your dishonest money,' so that, when it comes to an end, there may be a welcome for you into the Eternal Home.I@ His master complimented this dishonest steward on the shrewdness of his action. And indeed men of the world are shrewder in dealing with their fellow-men than those who have the Light.8?iAnd you, the steward said to the next, 'how much do you owe?' 'Seventy quarters of wheat,' he replied. 'Here is your agreement,' the steward said; 'make it fifty-six.'%>C'Four hundred and forty gallons of oil,' answered the man. 'Here is your agreement,' he said; 'sit down at once and make it two hundred and twenty.'v=eOne by one he called up his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked of the first.<I know what I will do, so that, as soon as I am turned out of my stewardship, people may welcome me into their homes.'3;_'What am I to do,' the steward asked himself, 'now that my master is taking the steward's place away from me? I have not strength to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.:+So the master called him and said 'What is this that I hear about you? Give in your accounts, for you cannot act as steward any longer.'  Mt:~~T}}||D{{h{zz!yy)xTwwLvv\uurtt>B==b<;;:::(9988E77E66 5544,3322o11~000h//9..'--.,,a,++e+9***()))4((t(5''D&&%%d$$x$&##"y"C!!^! *u*(,x %1s*?~ P p   ! ,P@rCHMm9S No one has ascended to Heaven, except him who descended from Heaven--the Son of Man himself.8 If, when I tell you earthly things, you do not believe me, how will you believe me when I tell you of heavenly things? 7  In truth I tell you that we speak of what we know, and state what we have seen; and yet you do not accept our statements.j6M "What! You a teacher of Israel," exclaimed Jesus, "and yet do not understand this!,5S "How can that be?" asked Nicodemus.J4 The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes, or where it goes; it is the same with every one that owes his birth to the Spirit."P3Do not wonder at my telling you that you all need to be reborn.z2mAll that owes its birth to human nature is human, and all that owes its birth to the Spirit is spiritual.1!"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "unless a man owes his birth to Water and Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.c0?"How can a man," asked Nicodemus, "be born when he is old? Can he be born a second time?"{/o"In truth I tell you," exclaimed Jesus, "unless a man is reborn, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."@.yThis man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: "Rabbi, we know that you are a Teacher come from God; for no one could give such signs as you are giving, unless God were with him."X- +Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a leading man among the Jews.~,uAnd because he did not need that others should tell him what men were; for he could of himself read what was in men.S+But Jesus did not trust himself to them, since he could read every heart,*/While Jesus was in Jerusalem, during the Passover Festival, many came to trust in him, when they saw the signs of his mission that he was giving.8)iAfterwards, when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the passage of Scripture, and the words which Jesus had spoken.8(kBut Jesus was speaking of his body as a temple.'{"This Temple," replied the Jews, "has been forty-six years in building, and are you going to 'raise it in three days'?"c&?"Destroy this temple," was his answer, "and I will raise it in three days."j%MUpon this the Jews asked Jesus: "What sign are you going to show us, since you act in this way?"]$3His disciples remembered that Scripture said--'Zeal for thy House will consume me.'}#sAnd said to the pigeon-dealers: "Take these things away. Do not turn my Father's House into a market-house."A"{So he made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the Temple Courts, and the sheep and bullocks as well; he scattered the money of the money-changers, and overturned their tables,!In the Temple Courts he found people who were selling bullocks, sheep, and pigeons, and the money-changers at their counters.L  Then, as the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum--he, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; but they stayed there only a few days. This, the first sign of his mission, Jesus gave at Cana in Galilee, and by it revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.R He called the bridegroom and said to him: "Every one puts good wine on the table first, and inferior wine afterwards, when his guests have drunk freely; but you have kept back the good wine till now!"8i And, when the Master of the Feast had tasted the water which had now become wine, not knowing where it had come from--although the servants who had taken out the water knew--+And, when they had filled them to the brim, he added: "Now take some out, and carry it to the Master of the Feast." The servants did so.NJesus said to the servants: "Fill the water-jars with water;"%There were standing there six stone water-jars, in accordance with the Jewish rule of 'purification,' each holding twenty or thirty gallons.FHis mother said to the servants: "Do whatever he tells you."_7"What do you want with me?" answered Jesus. "My time has not come yet."Y+And, when the wine ran short, his mother said to him: "They have no wine left."MJesus himself, too, with his disciples, was invited to the wedding.a =Two days after this there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there. 53In truth I tell you," he added, "you shall all see Heaven open, and 'the angels of God ascending and descending' upon the Son of Man." 12"Do you believe in me," asked Jesus, "because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than those!X +1"Rabbi," Nathanael exclaimed, "you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel!" 30"How do you know me?" asked Nathanael. "Even before Philip called you," replied Jesus, "when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."} u/When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said: "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!"c A."Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" asked Nathanael. "Come and see," replied Philip.&  G-He found Nathanael and said to him: "We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and of whom the Prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph's son!"N  ,Philip was from Bethsaida, and a fellow-townsman of Andrew and Peter.t  c+The following day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him: "Follow me."0  [*Then he brought him to Jesus. Fixing his eyes on him, Jesus said: "You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Kephas" (which means 'Peter,' or 'Rock').  )He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah!" (a word which means 'Christ,' or 'Consecrated'.)h K(One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.( K'"Come, and you shall see," he replied. So they went, and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon.8 k&But Jesus turned round, and saw them following. "What are you looking for?" he asked. "Rabbi," they answered (or, as we should say, "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"A %The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus.S !$He looked at Jesus as he passed and exclaimed: "There is the Lamb of God!"H  #The next day, when John was standing with two of his disciples,[ 1"This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God."M !I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him--he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'  John also made this statement--"I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of the heavens, and it remained upon him.q ]I myself did not know him, but, that he may be made known to Israel, I have come, baptizing with water."}~ uIt was of him that I spoke when I said 'After me there is coming a man who is now before me, for he was ever First.' } The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed: "Here is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world!Z| /All this took place at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was then baptizing.Q{ He is coming after me, yet I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal."az =John's answer was--"I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know;~y wAnd their next question was: "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor yet 'the Prophet'?"3x cThese men had been sent from the Pharisees;w "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said."v )"Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?"zu o"What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No."Ot He confessed and did not deny it, he confessed--"I am not the Christ."|s sWhen the Jews sent some Priests and Levites to John from Jerusalem, to ask--"Who are you?", his statement was this:jr ONo man has ever yet seen God; God the Only Son, who is ever with the Father--He has revealed him.Wq )For the Law was given through Moses, love and truth came through Jesus Christ.Up %Out of his fullness we have all received some gift, gift after gift of love;o %(John bears witness to him; he cried aloud--for it was he who spoke--"'He who is Coming' after me is now before me, for he was ever first");n And the Word became Man, and dwelt among us, (We saw his glory--the glory of the Only Son sent from the Father), full of love and truth.ym m For not to natural conception, nor to human instincts, nor to will of man did they owe the new Life, but to God.rl _ But to all who did receive him he gave power to become Children of God--to those who believe in his Name.And now I am myself about to send upon you that which my Father has promised. But you must remain in the city until you have been invested with power from above."?[y0You yourselves are to be witnesses to all this.Z/And that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed on his authority to all the nations--beginning at Jerusalem.}Ys."Scripture says that the Christ should suffer, and that he should rise again from the dead on the third day,[X/-Then he enabled them to understand the meaning of the Scriptures, saying to them:MW,"This is what I told you," he said, "when I was still with you--that everything that had been written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, must be fulfilled."5Ve+And he took it and ate it before their eyes.1U]*They handed him a piece of broiled fish,&TE)While they were still unable to believe it all for very joy, and were wondering if it were true, Jesus said to them: "Have you anything here to eat?"DS([After saying this he showed them his hands and his feet.]&RE'Look at my hands and my feet, and you will know that it is I. Feel me, and look at me, for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see that I have."hQI&But Jesus said to them: "Why are you so startled? and why do doubts arise in you minds?BP%In their terror and alarm they thought they saw a spirit,O}$While they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, [and said "Peace be with you."]N#So they also related what had happened during their walk, and how they had recognized Jesus at the Breaking of the Bread.TM!"Who told them that the Master had really risen, and had appeared to Simon.Ly!Then they immediately got up and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven and their companions all together,K- "How our hearts glowed," the disciples said to each other, "while he was talking to us on the road, and when he explained the Scriptures to us!"cJ?Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him; but he disappeared from their sight.IAfter he had taken his place at table with them, he took the bread and said the blessing, and broke it, and gave it to them.,HQBut they pressed him not to do so. "Stay with us," they said, "for it is getting towards evening, and the sun in already low." So Jesus went in to stay with them.hGIWhen they got near the village to which they were walking, Jesus appeared to be going further;FThen, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them all through the Scriptures the passages that referred to himself.dEAWas not the Christ bound to undergo this suffering before entering upon his Glory?"iDKThen Jesus said to them: "O foolish men, slow to accept all that the Prophets have said!~CuSo some of our number went to the tomb and found everything just as the women had said; but they did not see Jesus." BAnd, not finding the body of Jesus there, came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he was alive.tAaAnd what is more, some of the women among us have greatly astonished us. They went to the tomb at daybreak@'But we were hoping that he was the Destined Deliverer of Israel; yes, and besides all this, it is now three days since these things occurred.{?oAnd how the Chief Priests and our leading men gave him up to be sentenced to death, and afterwards crucified him.W>'"What things do you mean?" asked Jesus. "Why, about Jesus of Nazareth," they answered, "who, in the eyes of God and all the people, was a Prophet, whose power was felt in both his words and actions;K=And then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Jesus: "Are you staying by yourself at Jerusalem, that you have not heard of the things that have happened there within the last few days?"<"What is this that you are saying to each other as you walk along?" Jesus asked. They stopped, with sad looks on their faces,K;But their eyes were blinded so that they could not recognize him.:yWhile they were talking about these things and discussing them, Jesus himself came up and went on their way with them;N9Talking together, as they went, about all that had just taken place.8 It happened that very day that two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem,'7G [But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping down he saw nothing but the linen wrappings, and he went away, wondering to himself at what had taken place.]]63 What they said seemed to the Apostles mere nonsense, and they did not believe them.5  There were Mary of Magdala, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James. The other women, too, spoke about this to the Apostles.`49 And, on returning from the tomb, they told all this to the Eleven and to all the rest.13]Then they remembered the words of Jesus, 2How he said that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of wicked men, and be crucified, and rise again on the third day."c1?[He is not here; but he has risen.] Remember how he spoke to you before he left Galilee--03But, when in their fear the women bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them: "Why are you looking among the dead for him who is living?u/cWhile they were at a loss to account for this, all at once two men stood beside them, in dazzling clothing.R.And, on going into it, they could not find the body [of the Lord Jesus].G-They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb;, yBut very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, taking with them the spices that they had prepared.~+u8And then went home, and prepared spices and perfumes. During the Sabbath they rested, as directed by the commandmenty*k7The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how the body of Jesus was laid,H) 6It was the Preparation Day, and just before the Sabbath began.('5And, when he had taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen sheet, and laid him in a tomb cut out of stone, in which no one had yet been buried.E'4He now went to see Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus;'&G3(This man had not assented to the decision and action of the Council.) He belonged to Ramah, a town in Judea, and lived in expectation of the Kingdom of God.%y2Now there was a man of the name of Joseph, who was a member of the Council, and who bore a good and upright character.$1All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.|#q0All the people who had collected to see the sight watched what occurred, and then went home beating their breasts.t"a/The Roman Captain, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming: "This must have been a good man!"!{.Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said: "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." And with these words he expired.R -The sun being eclipsed; and the Temple curtain was torn down the middle.r],It was nearly mid-day, when a darkness came over the whole country, lasting till three in the afternoon,b=+And Jesus answered: "I tell you, this very day you shall be with me in Paradise."T!*Jesus," he went on, "do not forget me when you have come to your Kingdom."jM)And we justly so, for we are only reaping our deserts, but this man has not done anything wrong.yk(But the other rebuked him. "Have not you," he said, "any fear of God, now that you are under the same sentence?'One of the criminals who were hanging beside Jesus railed at him. "Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us," he said.B&Above him were the words--'THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.'V%%And saying as they did so: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself."J $The soldiers, too, came up in mockery, bringing him common wine,(I#Meanwhile the people stood looking on. Even the leading men said with a sneer: "He saved others, let him save himself, if he is God's Christ, his Chosen One."%"[Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.!When they had reached the place called 'The Skull,' there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left.S There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus.c?If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"r]At that time people will begin to say to the mountains 'Fall on us,' and to the hills 'Cover us.'#?A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said--'Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!'  So Jesus turned and said to them: "Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.wThere was a great crowd of people following him, many being women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.G And, as they were leading Jesus away, they laid hold of Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on his shoulders, for him to carry it behind Jesus. He released the man who had been put in prison for riot and murder, as they demanded, and gave Jesus up to be dealt with as they pleased.< sPilate decided that their demand should be granted.b =But they persisted in loudly demanding his crucifixion; and their clamor gained the day.P "Why, what harm has this man done?" Pilate said to them for the third time. "I have found nothing in him for which he could be condemned to death. So I will have him scourged, and then release him.";qBut they kept calling out: "Crucify, crucify him!"J Pilate, however, wanting to release Jesus, called to them again;ta(Barabbas was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city and for murder.)^5But they began to shout as one man: "Kill this fellow, but release Barabbas for us."3OMITTED TEXT=uSo I shall have him scourged, and then release him."ykNor did Herod either; for he has sent him back to us. And, as a fact, he has not done anything deserving death;gGAnd said to them: "You brought this man before me charged with misleading the people; and yet, for my part, though I examined him before you, I did not find this man to blame for any of the things of which you accuse him;T! So Pilate summoned the Chief Priests, and the leading men, and the people,r] And Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, for before that there had been ill-will between them.~) And Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with scorn; he mocked him by throwing a gorgeous robe round him, and then sent him back to Pilate.f}E Meanwhile the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law stood by and vehemently accused him.G| So he questioned him at some length, but Jesus made no reply.E{When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly pleased, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, having heard a great deal about him; and he was hoping to see some sign given by him.zAnd, having satisfied himself that Jesus came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who also was at Jerusalem at the time.>ywHearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; xBut they insisted: "He is stirring up the people by his teaching all through Judea; he began with Galilee and has now come here."wyBut Pilate, turning to the Chief Priests and the people, said: "I do not see anything to find fault with in this man."_v7"Are you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked him. "It is true," replied Jesus.Bu}And they began to accuse him: "This is a man whom we found misleading our people, preventing them from paying taxes to the Emperor, and giving out that he himself is 'Christ, a King.'"At Then they all rose in a body and led Jesus before Pilate.ss_GAt this they exclaimed: "Why do we want any more evidence? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!"nrUF"Are you, then, the Son of God?" they all asked. "It is true," answered Jesus, "I am."gqGEBut from this hour 'the Son of Man will be seated on the right hand of God Almighty.'"And, if I question you, you will not answer.oC"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us so." "If I tell you," replied Jesus, "you will not believe me; nBAt daybreak the National Council met--both the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law--and took Jesus before their High Council.3maAAnd they heaped many other insults on him.xli@They blindfolded him and then questioned him. "Now play the Prophet," they said; "who was it that struck you?"Kk?The men that held Jesus kept making sport of him and beating him./jY>And he went outside and wept bitterly.>iu=And the Master turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the words that the Master had said to him--"Before a cock has crowed to-day, you will disown me three times";}hsew9But Peter denied it. "I do not know him," he replied.d-8Presently a maidservant saw him sitting near the blaze of the fire. Fixing her eyes on him, she said: "Why, this man was one of his companions!"c7But, when they had lit a fire in the center of the court-yard and had all sat down there, Peter seated himself in the middle of them.{bo6Those who had taken Jesus prisoner took him away into the house of the High Priest. Peter followed at a distance.a35When I was with you day after day in the Temple Courts, you did not lay hands on me; but now your time has come, and the power of Darkness."I` 4Then, turning to the Chief Priests and Officers in charge at the Temple and Councillors, who had come for him, he said: "Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs?l_Q3On which Jesus said: "Let me at least do this"; and, touching his ear, he healed the wound.U^#2And one of them struck the High Priest's servant and cut off his right ear;~]u1But when those who were round Jesus saw what was going to happen, they exclaimed: "Master, shall we use our swords?"e\C0On which Jesus said to him: "Judas, is it by a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?"[5/While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared in sight, led by the man called Judas, who was one of the Twelve. Judas approached Jesus, to kiss him;tZa."Why are you asleep?" he asked them. "Rise and pray, that you may not fall into temptation."bY=-Then he rose from praying, and came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow.X,And, as his anguish became intense, he prayed still more earnestly, while his sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground.]VW%+[Presently there appeared to him an angel from Heaven, who strengthened him.{Vo*"Father," he said, "if it is thy pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but thine be done."SU)Then he withdrew about a stone's throw, and knelt down and began to pray.nTU(And, when he reached the spot, he said to them: "Pray that you may not fall into temptation."kSO'Jesus then went out, and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, followed by his disciples.]R3&"Master," they exclaimed, "look, here are two swords!" "Enough!" said Jesus.>Qu%For, I tell you, that passage of Scripture must be fulfilled in me, which says--'He was counted among the godless'; indeed all that refers to me is finding its fulfillment."P5$"Now, however," he said, "he who has a purse must take it and his bag as well; and he who has not must sell his cloak and buy a sword.8Oi#Then he said to them all: "When I sent you out as my Messengers, without either purse, or bag, or sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No; nothing," they answered.N""I tell you, Peter," replied Jesus, "the cock will not crow to-day till you have disowned all knowledge of me three times."XM)!"Master," said Peter, "with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death."L' But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. And you, when you have returned to me, are to strengthen your Brothers."WK'Simon! Simon! listen. Satan demanded leave to sift you all like wheat,J#So that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and be seated upon twelve thrones as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.WI'And, just as my Father has assigned me a Kingdom, I assign you places,BHYou are the men who have stood by me in my trials;G5Which is the greater--the master at the table or his servant? Is not it the master at the table? Yet I myself am among you as one who serves.FBut with you it must not be so. No, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who leads like him who serves.EJesus, however, said: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their oppressors are styled 'Benefactors.'`D9And a dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.fCEThen they began questioning one another which of them it could be that was going to do this.BTrue, the Son of Man is passing, by the way ordained for him, yet alas for that man by whom he is being betrayed!"_A7Yet see! the hand of the man that is betraying me is beside me upon the table!"@=And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying: "This cup is the New Covenant made by my blood which is being poured out on your behalf.]Q?Then Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and gave to them, with the words: "This is my body, [which is now to be given on your behalf. Do this in memory of me."&>E"Take this and share it among you. For I tell you that I shall not, after to-day, drink of the juice of the grape, till the Kingdom of God has come."K=Then, on receiving a cup, after saying the thanksgiving, he said:w<gFor I tell you that I shall not eat it again, until it has had its fulfillment in the Kingdom of God."p;Y"I have most earnestly wished," he said, "to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.W:'When the time came, Jesus took his place at table, and the Apostles with him.v9e So Peter and John went on, and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.`89 The man will show you a large upstairs room, set out; there make preparations."7/ And you shall say to the owner of the house 'The Teacher says to you--Where is the room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?'+6O "Listen," he answered, "when you have got into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into whatever house he enters;A5} "Where do you wish us to make preparations?" they asked.{4oJesus sent forward Peter and John, saying to them: "Go and make preparations for our eating the Passover."r3]When the day of the Festival of the Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lambs had to be killed,n2USo Judas assented, and looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them, in the absence of a crowd.71iThey were glad of this, and agreed to pay him.0 And he went and discussed with the Chief Priests and Officers in charge at the Temple the best way of betraying Jesus to them.  9F~~*}z||:{{%zzYyy xx2wcw3vv(uuXu tqsssgs> =t<<];;:::9978k776554473342211(00K//K..-y-/,, ++O+!**k))(n'''.&%%%$$C#""w"!!^! os6Pf)cBqbFG}FU#  h & \ [ X^?!gH) 49qC[I, who bear testimony to myself, am one, and the Father who sent me also bears testimony to me."bB=Why, in your own Law it is said that the testimony of two persons is trustworthy.AYet, even if I were to judge, my judgment would be trustworthy; because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.9@mYou judge by appearances; I judge no one.\?1"Even if I bear testimony to myself," answered Jesus, "my testimony is trustworthy; for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from, nor where I am going.p>Y "You are bearing testimony to yourself!" exclaimed the Pharisees, "your testimony is not trustworthy."3=_ Jesus again addressed the people. "I am the Light of the World," he said. "He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life."<3 OMITTED TEXT;3 OMITTED TEXT:3 OMITTED TEXT93OMITTED TEXT83OMITTED TEXT73OMITTED TEXT63OMITTED TEXT53OMITTED TEXT43OMITTED TEXT33OMITTED TEXT2 3OMITTED TEXT135OMITTED TEXTy0k4"Are you also from Galilee?" they retorted. "Search, and you will find that no Prophet is to arise in Galilee!"{/o3"Does our Law pass judgment on a man without first giving him a hearing, and finding out what he has been doing?"b.=2But one of their number, Nicodemus, who before this had been to see Jesus, said to them:H- 1As for these people who do not know the Law--they are cursed!"P,0"Have any of our leading men believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?F+/"What! Have you been led astray too?" the Pharisees replied.9*m."No man ever spoke as he speaks!" they answered.y)k-When the officers returned to the Chief Priests and Pharisees, they were asked: "Why have you not brought him?"H( ,Some of them wanted to arrest him, and yet no one touched him.M'+So there was a sharp division among the people on account of Jesus.&1*Is not it said in Scripture that it is of the race of David, and from Bethlehem, the village to which David belonged, that the Christ is to come?" %)"This is certainly 'the Prophet'!"; others said: "This is the Christ!"; but some asked: "What! does the Christ come from Galilee??$y(Some of the people, when they heard these words, said:&#E'(By this he meant the Spirit, which those who had believed in him were to receive; for the Spirit had not yet come, because Jesus had not yet been exalted.)q"[&He who believes in me--As Scripture says, Out of his heart shall flow rivers of 'Living Water.'"!+%On the last and greatest day of the Festival, Jesus, who was standing by, exclaimed: "If any one thirsts, let him come to me, and drink. $What does he mean by saying 'You will look for me, and you will not find me; and you will not be able to come where I shall be'?")#"Where is this man going," the Jews asked one another, "that we shall not find him? Will he go to our countrymen abroad, and teach foreigners?ta"You will look for me, and you will not find me; and you will not be able to come where I shall be."wg!On which Jesus said: "I shall be with you but a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. The Pharisees heard the people whispering about him in this way, and so the Chief Priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him;3Many of the people, however, believed in him. "When the Christ comes," they said, "will he give more signs of his mission than this man has given?"^5So they sought to arrest him; but no one touched him, for his time was not come yet.fEI do know him, for it is from him that I have come, and he sent me as his Messenger."{oTherefore, Jesus, as he was teaching in the Temple Courts, raised his voice and said: "Yes; you know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own authority, but he who sent me may be trusted; and him you do not know.xiYet we know where this man is from; but, when the Christ comes, no one will be able to tell where he is from."3Yet here he is, speaking out boldly, and they say nothing to him! Is it possible that our leading men have really discovered that he is the Christ?xiAt this some of the people of Jerusalem exclaimed: "Is not this the man that they are seeking to put to death?;qDo not judge by appearances; judge justly."8iWhen a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath to prevent the Law of Moses from being broken, how can you be angry with me for making a man sound and well on a Sabbath?=sBut that is why Moses has instituted circumcision among you- -not, indeed, that it began with him, but with our ancestors--and that is why you circumcise even on a Sabbath.jM"There was one thing I did," replied Jesus, "at which you are all still wondering.iK"You must be possessed by a demon!" the people exclaimed. "Who is seeking to put you to death?"}sWas not it Moses who gave you the Law? Yet not one of you obeys it! Why are you seeking to put me to death?"5cThe man who speaks on his own authority seeks honor for himself; but the man who seeks the honor of him that sent him is sincere, and there is nothing false in him. !If any one has the will to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching is from God, or whether I speak on my own authority.] 3So, in reply, Jesus said: "My teaching is not my own; it is his who sent me.q [The Jews were astonished. "How has this man got his learning," they asked, "when he has never studied?"j MAbout the middle of the Festival week, Jesus went up into the Temple Courts, and began teaching.H   No one, however, spoke freely about him, for fear of the Jews. And there were many whispers about him among the people, some saying 'He is a good man;' others: 'No! he is leading the people astray.'R The Jews were looking for him at the Festival and asking 'Where is he?';nU But, when his brothers had gone up to the Festival, Jesus also went up--not publicly, but privately.:o After telling them this, he stayed on in Galilee.zmGo yourselves up to the Festival; I am not going to this Festival yet, because my time has not yet come."jMThe world cannot hate you, but it does hate me, because I testify that its ways are evil.b="My time," answered Jesus, "is not come yet, but your time is always here.6gFor even his brothers did not believe in him.3For no one does a thing privately, if he is seeking to be widely known. Since you do these things, you should show yourself publicly to the world."#?His brothers said to him: "Leave this part of the country, and go into Judea, so that your disciples, as well as we, may see the work that you are doing.:~oWhen the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,} After this, Jesus went about in Galilee, for he would not do so in Judea, because the Jews were eager to put him to death.r|]GHe meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the Twelve.{F"Did not I myself choose you to be the Twelve?" replied Jesus; "and yet, even of you, one is playing the 'Devil's' part."Wz'EAnd we have learned to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God."dyADBut Simon Peter answered: "Master, to whom shall we go? Immortal Life is in your teaching;MxCSo Jesus said to the Twelve: "Do you also wish to leave me?"_w7BAfter this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer.qv[AAnd he added: "This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless enabled by the Father."4ua@Yet there are some of you who do not believe in me." For Jesus knew from the first who they were that did not believe in him, and who it was that would betray him;t1?It is the Spirit that gives Life; mere flesh is of no avail. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is Spirit and there is Life.ysk>"Is this a hindrance to you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?Tr!=But Jesus, aware that his disciples were murmuring about it, said to them:lqQThat is the Bread which has come down from Heaven--not such as your ancestors ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live for ever.""n=9As the Living Father sent me as his Messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so he who takes me for his food shall live because I live.mmS8He who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, remains united to me, and I to him.Dl7For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink.k6He who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, has Immortal Life; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.j55"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not Life within you.}is4Upon this the Jews began disputing with one another: "How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh to eat?"Wh'3I am the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven. If any one eats of this Bread, he will live for ever; and the Bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the Life of the world."fgE2The Bread that comes down from Heaven is such that whoever eats of it will never die.Jf 1Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, and yet died.+eQ0I am the Life-giving Bread.Nd/In truth I tell you, he who believes in me has Immortal Life.jcM.Not that any one has seen the Father, except him who is from God--he has seen the Father.b--It is said in the Prophets--'And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who is taught by the Father and learns from him comes to me.ay,"No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.G`+"Do not murmur among yourselves," said Jesus in reply._+*"Is not this Jesus, Joseph's son," they asked, "whose father and mother we know? How is it that he now says that he has come down from Heaven?"|^q)Upon this the Jews began murmuring against Jesus for saying-- 'I am the Bread which came down from Heaven.'2]](For it is the will of my Father that every one who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have Immortal Life; and I myself will raise him up at the Last Day."\'And his will is this--that I should not lose one of all those whom he has given me, but should raise them up at the Last Day.k[O&For I have come down from Heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me;vZe%All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away.aY;$But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me.*XM#"I am the Life-giving Bread," Jesus said to them; "he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again.?Wy""Master," they exclaimed, "give us that Bread always!"qV[!For the Bread that God gives is that which comes down from Heaven, and gives Life to the world."$UA "In truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "Moses did not give you the Bread from Heaven, but my Father does give you the true Bread from Heaven;xTiOur ancestors had the manna to eat in the desert; as Scripture says--'He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.'"S"What sign, then," they asked, "are you giving, which we may see, and so believe you? What is the work that you are doing?R"The work that God would have you do," answered Jesus, "is to believe in him whom God sent as his Messenger."OQ"How," they asked, "are we to do the work that God would have us do?"RPWork, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for Immortal Life, which the Son of Man will give you; for upon him the Father--God himself--has set the seal of his approval."EO"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "it is not on account of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied.kNOAnd, when they found him on the other side of the Sea, they said: "When did you get here, Rabbi?"0MYSo, on the next day, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, or his disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, and went to Capernaum to look for him.L!Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias, from near the spot where they had eaten the bread after the Master had said the thanksgiving.HK The people who remained on the further side of the Sea had seen that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with his disciples, but that they had left without him.JAnd after this they were glad to take him into the boat; and the boat at once arrived off the shore, for which they had been making.EIBut Jesus said to them: "It is I; do not be afraid!"H!When they had rowed three or four miles, they caught sight of him walking on the water and approaching the boat, and they were frightened.IG The Sea, too, was getting rough, for a strong wind was blowing. FAnd, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them;?EyWhen evening fell, his disciples went down to the Sea,DBut Jesus, having discovered that they were intending to come and carry him off to make him King, retired again up the hill, quite alone.CWhen the people saw the signs which Jesus gave, they said: "This is certainly 'the Prophet who was to come' into the world." B  The disciples did so, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves, which were left after all had eaten.A When they were satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples: "Collect the broken pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted."D@ And then Jesus took the loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, distributed them to those who were sitting down; and the same with the fish, giving the people as much as they wanted.? "Make the people sit down," said Jesus. It was a grassy spot; so the men, who numbered about five thousand, sat down,T>! "Who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what is that for so many?"^=5"There is a boy here," said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter's brother,t<a"Twenty pounds' worth of bread," answered Philip, "would not be enough for each of them to have a little."L;He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to do.:7Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip: "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?"F9It was near the time of the Jewish Festival of the Passover.H8 Jesus went up the hill, and sat down there with his disciples.7A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were afflicted.]6 5After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee--otherwise called the Lake of Tiberias.\51/But, if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my teaching?"l4Q.For, had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for it was of me that Moses wrote;3-Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have been resting your hopes.2,How can you believe in me, when you receive honor from one another and do not desire the honor which comes from the only God?1+I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.Z0-*But I know this of you, that you have not the love of God in your hearts.0/[)I do not receive honor from men,z.m(And, though it is those very Scriptures that bear testimony to me, you refuse to come to me to have life.b-='You search the Scriptures, because you think that you find in them Immortal Life;,&And you have not taken his Message home to your hearts, because you do not believe him whom he sent as his Messenger. + %The Father who has sent me has himself borne testimony to me. You have neither listened to his voice, not seen his form;e*C$But the testimony which I have is of greater weight than John's; for the work that the Father has given me to carry out-- the work that I am doing--is in itself proof that the Father has sent me as his Messenger.y)k#He was the 'Lamp that was burning' and shining, and you were ready to rejoice, for a time, in his light.h(I"But the testimony which I receive is not from man; I am saying this for your Salvation.T'!!You have yourselves sent to John, and he as testified to the Truth.|&q It is another who bears testimony to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is trustworthy.P%If I bear testimony to myself, my testimony is not trustworthy;4$aI can do nothing of myself; I judge as I am taught; and the judgment that I give is just, because my aim is not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. # And will come out--those who have done good rising to Life, and those who have lived evil lives rising for condemnation.t"aDo not wonder at this; for the time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice,`!9And, because he is Son of Man, he has also given him authority to act as judge.  For, just as the Father has inherent Life within him, so also he has granted to the Son to have inherent Life within him;5cIn truth I tell you that a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the Dead will listen to the voice of the Son of God, and when those who listen will live.LIn truth I tell you that he who listens to my Message and believes him who sent me, has Immortal Life, and does not come under condemnation, but has already passed out of Death into Life.)So that all men may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son fails to honor the Father who sent him.xiThe Father himself does not judge any man, but has 'entrusted the work of judging entirely to his Son,'|qFor, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them Life, so also the Son gives Life to whom he pleases.,QFor the Father loves his Son, and shows him everything that he is doing; and he will show him still greater things--so that you will be filled with wonder.DSo Jesus made this further reply: "In truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does also.EThis made the Jews all the more eager to kill him, because not only was he doing away with the Sabbath, but he actually called God his own Father--putting himself on an equality with God.Y+But Jesus replied: "My Father works to this very hour, and I work also."pYAnd that was why the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because he did things of this kind on the Sabbath.SThe man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had cured him.+OAfterwards Jesus found the man in the Temple Courts, and said to him: "You are cured now; do not sin again, for fear that something worse may befall you."w But the man who had been restored did not know who it was; for Jesus had moved away, because there was a crowd there.`9 "Who was it," they asked, "that said to you 'Take up your mat and walk about'?"eC "The man who cured me," he answered, "said to me 'Take up your mat and walk about.'" Now it was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured: "This is the Sabbath; you must not carry your mat."U# The man was cured immediately, and took up his mat and began to walk about.S"Stand up," said Jesus, "take up your mat, and walk about."@ y"I have no one, Sir," the afflicted man answered, "to put me into the Bath when there is a troubling of the water, and, while I am getting to it, some one else steps down before me." Jesus saw the man lying there, and, finding that he had been in this state a long time, said to him: "Do you wish to be cured?"J  One man who was there had been afflicted for thirty-eight years. 3OMITTED TEXTg GIn these colonnades a large number of afflicted people were lying--blind, lame, and crippled.~uThere is in Jerusalem, near the Sheep-gate, a Bath with five colonnades round it. It is called in Hebrew 'Bethesda.'Y -Sometime after this there was a Jewish Festival; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.q[6This was the second occasion on which Jesus gave a sign of his mission on coming from Judea to Galilee.1[5By this the father knew that it was at the very time when Jesus had said to him 'Your son is living'; and he himself, with all his household, believed in Jesus.4So he asked them at what time the boy began to get better. "It was yesterday, about one o'clock," they said, "that the fever left him."jM3And, while he was on his way down, his servants met him, and told him that his child was living.;q2The man believed what Jesus said to him, and went;r]1"Sir," said the officer, "come down before my child dies." And Jesus answered: "Go, your son is living."^50Jesus answered: "Unless you all see signs and wonders, you will not believe.",Q/When this man heard that Jesus had returned from Judea to Galilee, he went to him, and begged him to come down and cure his son; for he was at the point of death.)~K.So Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. Now there was one of the King's officers whose son was lying ill at Capernaum.'}G-When he entered Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, for they had seen all that he did at Jerusalem during the Festival, at which they also had been present.U|#,For he himself declared that 'a Prophet is not honored in his own country.'7{i+After these two days Jesus went on to Galilee;;zo*And they said to the woman: "It is no longer because of what you say that we believe in him, for we have heard him ourselves and know that he really is the Savior of the world."Qy)But far more came to believe in him on account of what he said himself,xxi(And, when these Samaritans had come to Jesus, they begged him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.'wG'Many from that town came to believe in Jesus--Samaritans though they were--on account of the woman's statement--'He has told me everything that I have done.'v/&I have sent you to reap that on which you have spent no labor; others have labored, and you have entered upon the results of their labor."Lu%For here the proverb holds good--'One sows, another reaps.' t$Already the reaper is receiving wages and gathering in sheaves for Immortal Life, so that sower and reaper rejoice together.s#Do not you say that it still wants four months to harvest? Why, look up, and see how white the fields are for harvest!rr]""My food," replied Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me, and to complete his work.\q1!"Can any one have brought him anything to eat?" the disciples said to one another.Wp' "I have food to eat," he answered, "of which you know nothing."Uo#Meanwhile the disciples kept saying to him: "Take something to eat, Rabbi.""I am he," Jesus said to her, "I who am speaking to you."i"I know," answered the woman, "that the Messiah, who is called the Christ, is coming; when once he has come, he will tell us everything."^h5God is Spirit; and those who worship him must worship spiritually and truly.">guBut a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father spiritually and truly; for such are the worshipers that the Father desires.yfkYou Samaritans do not know what you worship; we know what we worship, for Salvation comes from the Jews."e="Believe me," replied Jesus, "a time is coming when it will be neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem that you will worship the Father. d "It was on this mountain that our ancestors worshiped; and yet you Jews say that the proper place for worship is in Jerusalem."Dc"I see, Sir, that you are a Prophet!" exclaimed the woman.b/"For you have had five husbands, and the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; in saying that, you have spoken the truth."wag"I have no husband," answered the woman. "You are right in saying 'I have no husband,'" replied Jesus,U`#"Go and call your husband," said Jesus, "and then come back."_"Give me this water, Sir," said the woman, "so that I may not be thirsty, nor have to come all the way here to draw water."S^But whoever once drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst any more; but the water that I will give him shall become a spring welling up within him--a source of Immortal Life."]]3 "All who drink of this water," replied Jesus, "will be thirsty again;\! Surely you are not greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us the well, and used to drink from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle!"l[Q "You have no bucket, Sir, and the well is deep," she said; "where did you get that 'living water?'JZ  "If you knew of the gift of God," replied Jesus, "and who it is that is saying to you 'Give me some water,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you 'living water'."'YG "How is it," replied the Samaritan woman, "that you who are a Jew ask for water from a Samaritan woman like me?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).>XwFor his disciples had gone into the town to buy food.hWIA woman of Samaria came to draw water; and Jesus said to her- -"Give me some to drink,"V!Jacob's Spring was there, and Jesus, being tired after his journey, sat down beside the spring, just as he was. It was then about mid-day.UwAnd, on his way, he came to a Samaritan town called Shechem, near the plot of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.(TKHe had to pass through Samaria,6SgHe left Judea, and set out again for Galilee.MR(Though it was not Jesus himself, but his disciples, who baptized),~Q wNow, when the Master heard that the Pharisees had been told that he was making and baptizing more disciples than JohnP)$He who believes in the Son has Immortal Life, while he who rejects the Son will not even see that Life, but remains under 'God's displeasure.'HO #The Father loves his Son, and has put everything in his hands.{No"For he whom God sent as his Messenger gives us God's own teaching, for God does not limit the gift of the Spirit.OM!They who did accept his statement attested the fact that God is true.]L3 He states what he has seen and what he heard, and yet no one accepts his statement.'KGHe who comes from above is above all others; but a child of earth is earthly, and his teaching is earthly, too. He who comes from Heaven is above all others.-JUHe must become greater, and I less."KIIt is the bridegroom who has the bride; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens to him, is filled with joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This joy I have felt to the full.{HoYou are yourselves witnesses that I said 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I have been sent before him as a Messenger.'WG'John's answer was--"A man can gain nothing but what is given him from Heaven.[F/And the disciples came to John and said: "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, and to whom you have yourself borne testimony--he, also, is baptizing, and everybody is going to him."mESNow a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew on the subject of 'purification;'0D[(For John had not yet been imprisoned).C#John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there were many streams there; and people were constantly coming and being baptized.B{After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the country parts of Judea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized. ABut he who acts up to the truth comes to the light, that his actions may be shown to have been done in dependence upon God.@For he who lives an evil life hates the light, and will not come to it, for fear that his actions should be exposed;3?_The ground of his condemnation is this, that though the Light has come into the world, men preferred the darkness to the Light, because their actions were wicked.,>QHe who believes in him escapes condemnation, while he who does not believe in him is already condemned, because he has not believed in the only Son of God.={For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.<For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who believes in him may not be lost, but have Immortal Life.L;That every one who believes in him may have Immortal Life."h:IAnd, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; D~}}}|w| {B{z6yyuxxwww"vv;uutrss'rqappponnqn m5ll k=jjojiiThhIgggfeeeUedQdccxbbah``]__O^x^1]]!\\,[[fZZcYYY XXCWW~VVZUU TTSSRRUQQuPPOO[ONMMqLLIKKjKJJI|I-HH_GGGpFFEE9DD:CTBBTAAA-@@C??K>>> =T<Now that you know these things, happy are you if you do them.:w In truth I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor yet a messenger than the man who sends him.`99 For I have given you an example, so that you may do just as I have done to you.~8u If I, then--'the Master' and 'the Teacher'--have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet;j7M "You yourselves call me 'the Teacher' and 'the Master', and you are right, for I am both.;6o When he had washed their feet, and had put on his upper garments and taken his place, he spoke to them again. "Do you understand what I have been doing to you?" he asked.k5O For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said 'You are not all clean.'M4 "He who has bathed," replied Jesus, "has no need to wash, unless it be his feet, but is altogether clean; and you," he said to the disciples, "are clean, yet not all of you."c3? "Then, Master, not my feet only," exclaimed Simon Peter, "but also my hands and my head."2 "You shall never wash my feet!" exclaimed Peter. "Unless I wash you," answered Jesus, "you have nothing in common with me."s1_ "You do not understand now what I am doing," replied Jesus, "but you will learn by and by."`09 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said: "You, Master! Are you going to wash my feet?"/! He then poured some water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel which was tied round him.`.9 Rose from his place, and, taking off his upper garments, tied a towel round his waist.-3 And at supper, Jesus--although knowing that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God, and was to return to God--u,c The Devil had already put the thought of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon;P+  Before the Passover Festival began, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave the world and go to the Father. He had loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them to the last.* 2And I know that Immortal Life lies in keeping his command. Therefore, whatever I say, I say only what the Father has taught me.";)o 1For I have not delivered it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent me, has himself given me his command as to what I should say, and what message I should deliver.&(E 0He who rejects me, and disregards my teaching, has a judge already--the very Message which I have delivered will itself be his judge at the Last Day.'# /When any one hears my teaching and pays no heed to it, I am not his judge; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.u&c .I have come as a Light into the world, that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness.8%k -And he who sees me sees him who sent me.n$U ,But Jesus had proclaimed: "He who believes in me believes, not in me, but in him who sent me;A#} +For they valued honor from men more than honor from God.`"9 *Yet for all this, even among the leading men there were many who came to believe in Jesus; but, on account of the Pharisees, they did not acknowledge it, for fear that they should be expelled from their Synagogues;[!/ )Isaiah said this, because he saw Christ's glory; and it was of him that he spoke.+ O ('He has blinded their eyes, and blunted their mind, so that they should not see with their eyes, and perceive with their mind, and turn--And I should heal them.'c? 'The reason why they were unable to believe is given by Isaiah elsewhere, in these words--'G &In fulfillment of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, where he says--'Lord, who has believed our teaching? And to whom has the might of the Lord been revealed?'xi %But, though Jesus had given so many signs of his mission before their eyes, they still did not believe in him,,Q $While you still have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may be 'Sons of Light.'" After he had said this, Jesus went away, and hid himself from them.ta #"Only a little while longer," answered Jesus, "will you have the Light among you. Travel on while you have the Light, so that darkness may not overtake you; he who travels in the darkness does not know where he is going.O ""We," replied the people, "have learned from the Law that the 'Christ is to remain for ever'; how is it, then, that you say that the Son of Man must be 'lifted up' Who is this 'Son of Man'?"H  !By these words he indicated what death he was destined to die.Z- And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men to myself."nU Now this world is on its trial. Now the Spirit that is ruling this world shall be driven out;a; "It was not for my sake that the voice came," said Jesus, "but for yours. The crowd of bystanders, who heard the sound, said that it was thundering. Others said: "An angel has been speaking to him."/ Father, honor thine own name." At this there came a voice from Heaven, which said: "I have already honored it, and I will honor it again."%C Now I am distressed at heart and what can I say? Father, bring me safe through this hour--yet it was for this very reason that I came to this hour--+O If a man is ready to serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there my servant shall be also. If a man is ready to serve me, my Father will honor him. He who loves his life loses it; while he who hates his life in the present world shall preserve it for Immortal Life.) In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful.Y+ This was his reply--"The time has come for the Son of Man to be exalted.R Philip went and told Andrew, and then together they went and told Jesus.\ 1 Who went to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee, and said: "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."T ! Among those who were going up to worship at the Festival were some Greeks,} s So the Pharisees said to one another: "You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, all the world has run after him!"w g This, indeed, was why the crowd met him--because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission. ' Meanwhile the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, were telling what they had seen.V% His disciples did not understand all this at first; but, when Jesus had been exalted, then they remembered that these things had been said of him in Scripture, and that they had done these things for him.jM 'Fear not, Daughter of Zion; Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Sitting on the foal of an ass.'mS Having found a young ass, Jesus seated himself on it, in accordance with the passage of Scripture-- And went out to meet him, shouting as they went: "'God save Him! Blessed is He who Comes in the name of the Lord'--The King of Israel!") On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm-branches,pY Because it was owing to him that many of the Jews had left them, and were becoming believers in Jesus.Y+ The Chief Priests, however, plotted to put Lazarus, as well as Jesus, to death,7g Now great numbers of the Jews found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not solely on his account, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.U# The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me."} "Let her alone," said Jesus, "that she may keep it till the day when my body is being prepared for burial.~- He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and, being in charge of the purse, used to take what was put in it.`}9 "Why was not this perfume sold for thirty pounds, and the money given to poor people?"U|# One of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray Jesus, asked:O{ So Mary took a pound of choice spikenard perfume of great value, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and then wiped them with her hair. The whole house was filled with the scent of the perfume.xzi There a supper was given in honor at which Martha waited, while Lazarus was one of those present at the table.yy m Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, was living.,xQ 9The Chief Priests and the Pharisees had already issued orders that, if any one learned where Jesus was, he should give information, so that they might arrest him.&wE 8So they looked for Jesus there, and said to one another, as they stood in the Temple Courts: "What do you think? Do you think he will come to the Festival?"+vO 7But the Jewish Festival of the Passover was near; and many people had gone up from the country to Jerusalem, for their 'purification,' before the Festival began.kuO 6In consequence of this, Jesus did not go about publicly among the Jews any more, but left that neighborhood, and went into the country bordering on the Wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.=tu 5So from that day they plotted to put Jesus to death.sw 4And not for the nation only, but also that he might unite in one body the Children of God now scattered far and wide.r  3Now he did not say this of his own accord; but, as High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation---qS 2"You are utterly mistaken. You do not consider that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, rather than the whole nation should be destroyed."Vp% 1One of them, however, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said to them: o9 0If we let him alone as we are doing, every one will believe in him; and the Romans will come and will take from us both our City and our Nationality."&nE /Upon this the Chief Priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the High Council, and said: "What are we to do, now that this man is giving so many signs?Wm' .Some of them, however, went to the Pharisees, and told them what he had done.l -In consequence of this, many of the Jews, who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did, learned to believe in him.3k_ ,The dead man came out, wrapped hand and foot in a winding- sheet; his face, too, had been wrapped in a cloth. "Set him free," said Jesus, "and let him go."\j1 +Then, after saying this, Jesus called in a loud voice: "Lazarus! come out!"0iY *I know that thou always headrest me; but I say this for the sake of the people standing near, so that they may believe that thou has sent me as thy Messenger." h  )So they moved the stone away; and Jesus, with uplifted eyes, said: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard my prayer;g{ ("Did not I tell you," replied Jesus, "that, if you would believe in me, you should see the glory of God?">fu '"Move the stone away," said Jesus. "Master," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time the smell must be offensive, for this is the fourth day since his death."re] &Again groaning inwardly, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against the mouth of it.dw %But some of them said: "Could not this man, who gave sight to the blind man, have also prevented Lazarus from dying?":co $"How he must have loved him!" the Jews exclaimed; b; #Jesus burst into tears.^a5 ""Where have you buried him?" he asked. "Come and see, Master," they answered.` !When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her weeping also, he groaned deeply, and was greatly distressed.%_C When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she threw herself at his feet. "Master," she exclaimed, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died!"=^s So the Jews, who were in the house with Mary, condoling with her, when they saw her get up quickly and go out, followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.h]I Jesus had not then come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.O\ As soon as Mary heard that, she got up quickly, and went to meet him.[{ After saying this, Martha went and called her sister Mary, and whispered: "The Teacher is here, and is asking for you." Z "Yes Master," she answered; "I have learned to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, 'who was to come' into the world."[Y/ And he who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"|Xq "I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus. "He that believes in me shall live, though he die;WW' "I know that he will," replied Martha, "in the resurrection at the Last Day.">Vw "Your brother shall rise to life," said Jesus.IU  Even now, I know that God will grant you whatever you ask him."`T9 "Master," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.fSE When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat quietly at home.gRG A number of the Jews had come there to condole with Martha and Mary on their brother's death.;Qq Bethany being only about two miles from Jerusalem,ePC When Jesus reached the place, he found that Lazarus had been four days in the tomb already.O{ At this, Thomas, who was called 'The Twin,' said to his fellow-disciples: "Let us go too, so that we may die with him."N} And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may learn to believe in me. But let us go to him."?My Then he said to them plainly: "Lazarus is dead;jLM But Jesus meant that he was dead; they, however, supposed that he was speaking of natural sleep.RK "If he has fallen asleep, Master, he will get well," said the disciples.J} And, when he had said this, he added: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going that I may wake him."]I3 But, if he walks about at night, he stumbles, because he has not the light."5Hc "Are not there twelve hours in the day?" answered Jesus. "If a man walks about in the day-time, he does not stumble, because he can see the light of the sun;rG] "Rabbi," they replied, "the Jews were but just now seeking to stone you; and are you going there again?"XF) Then, after that, he said to his disciples: "Let us go to Judea again."kEO Yet, when he heard of the illness of Lazarus, he still stayed two days in the place where he was.8Dk Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.9Ck And, when Jesus heard it, he said: "This illness is not to end in death, but is to redound to the honor of God, in order that the Son of God may be honored through it."[B/ The sisters, therefore, sent this message to Jesus--'Master, your friend is ill';A  This Mary, whose brother Lazarus was ill, was the Mary who anointed the Master with perfume, and wiped his feet with her hair.{@ q Now a man named Lazarus, of Bethany, was lying ill; he belonged to the same village as Mary and her sister Martha.4?c *And many learned to believe in Jesus there.o>W )"John gave no sign of his mission," they said; "but everything that he said about this man was true."%=C (Then Jesus again crossed the Jordan to the place where John used to baptize at first, and stayed there some time, during which many people came to see him.T<! 'Upon this the Jews again sought to arrest him; but he escaped their hands.b;= &If I am doing it, even though you do not believe me, believe what that work shows; so that you may understand, and understand more and more clearly, that the Father is in union with me, and I with the Father."W:' %If I am not doing the work that my Father is doing, do not believe me;!9; $Do you say of one whom the Father has consecrated and sent as his Messenger to the world 'You are blaspheming,' because I said 'I am God's Son'?w8g #If those to whom God's word were addressed were said to be 'gods'--and Scripture cannot be set aside--i7K ""Are there not," replied Jesus, "these words in your Law--'I said "Ye are gods"'?,6Q !"It is not for any good action that we would stone you," answered the Jews, "but for blasphemy; and because you, who are only a man, make yourself out to be God."53 And seeing this, Jesus said: "I have done before your eyes many good actions, inspired by the Father; for which of them would you stone me?"74i The Jews again brought stones to throw at him;*3O The Father and I are one."2 What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else; and no one can snatch anything out of the Father's hands.z1m And I give them Immortal Life, and they shall not be lost; nor shall any one snatch them out of my hands.N0 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me;L/ But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock..1 "I have told you so," replied Jesus, "and you do not believe me. The work that I am doing in my Father's name bears testimony to me.- When the Jews gathered round him, and said: "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly."a,; It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon,R+ Soon after this the Festival of the Re-dedication was held at Jerusalem.z*m Others said: "This is not the teaching of one who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?"_)7 Many of them said: "He is possessed by a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him?"[(/ In consequence of these words a difference of opinion again arose among the Jews.F' No one took it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This is the command which I received from my Father."c&? This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life- -to receive it again.=%s I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under 'one Shepherd.'i$K Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.T#! I am the Good Shepherd; and I know my sheep, and my sheep know me--_"7 He does this because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.?!w The hired man who is not a shepherd, and who does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, leaves them and runs away; then the wolf seizes them, and scatters the flock.\ 1 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in greater fullness.s_ I am the Door; he who goes in through me will be safe, and he will go in and out and find pasture.gG All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them.T! So he continued: "In truth I tell you, I am the Door for the sheep.jM This was the allegory that Jesus told them, but they did not understand of what he was speaking.{o They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him; because they do not know a stranger's voice." When he has brought them all out, he walks in front of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice. For him the watchman opens the door; and the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.S But the man who goes in through the door is shepherd to the sheep." ? In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that man is a thief and a robber;'G )"If you had been blind," replied Jesus, "you would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, you say 'We can see,' and so your sin remains.^5 (Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were with him said: "Then are we blind too?"?w 'And Jesus added: "It was to put men to the test that I came into this world, in order that those that cannot see should see, and that those that can see should become blind."S &"Then, Sir, I do believe," said the man, bowing to the ground before him;lQ %"Not only have you seen him," said Jesus; "but it is he who is now speaking to you."O $"Tell me who he is, Sir," he replied, "so that I may believe in him." #Jesus heard of their having put him out; and, when he had found the man, he asked: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"s_ ""You," they retorted, "were born totally depraved; and are you trying to teach us?" So they expelled him.U # !If this man had not been from God, he could not have done anything at all."r ] Since the world began, such a thing was never heard of as any one's giving sight to a person born blind.| q We know that God never listens to bad men, but, when a man is god-fearing and does God's will, God listens to him. y "Well," the man replied, "this is very strange; you do not know where he comes from, and yet he has given me my sight!e C We know that God spoke to Moses; but, as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."[/ "You are his disciple," they retorted scornfully; "but we are disciples of Moses.5 "I told you just now," he answered, "and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Surely you also do not want to become his disciples?"P "What did he do to you?" they asked. "How did he give you your sight?"} "I know nothing about his being a bad man," he replied; "one thing I do know, that although I was blind, now I can see." So the Jews again called the man who had been blind, and said to him: "Give God the praise; we know that this is a bad man."D This was why his parents said 'He is old enough; ask him.'S His parents spoke in this way because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that, if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be expelled from their synagogues.+O But how it is that he can see now we do not know; nor do we know who it was that gave him his sight. Ask him--he is old enough- -he will tell you about himself."\1 "We know that this is our son," answered the parents, "and that he was born blind;mS "Is this your son," they asked, "who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he can see now?"~' The Jews, however, refused to believe that he had been blind and had gained his sight, until they had called his parents and questioned them.-}S So there was a difference of opinion among them, and they again questioned the man; "What do you yourself say about him, for it is to you that he has given sight?"7|g "The man cannot be from God," said some of the Pharisees, "for he does not keep the Sabbath." "How is it possible," retorted others, "for a bad man to give signs like this?" {9 So the Pharisees also questioned the man as to how he had gained his sight. "He put clay on my eyes," he answered, "and I washed them, and I can see."Oz Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and gave him his sight.Ay} They took the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees.@x{ "Where is he?" they asked. I do not know," he answered.Ew "The man whom they call Jesus," he answered, "made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me 'Go to Siloam and wash your eyes.' So I went and washed my eyes, and gained my sight."8vk "How did you get your sight, then?" they asked.ru] "Yes," some said, "it is"; while others said: "No, but he is like him." The man himself said: "I am he."t' Upon this his neighbors, and those who had formerly known him by sight as a beggar, exclaimed: "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?"2s] "Go," he said, "and wash your eyes in the Bath of Siloam" (a word which means 'Messenger'). So the man went and washed his eyes, and returned able to see.irK Saying this, Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.Lq As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world."ppY We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.o "Neither the man nor the parents," replied Jesus; "but he was born blind that the work of God should be made plain in him.rn] "Rabbi," asked his disciples, "who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"Lm  As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.ilK;At this they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and left the Temple Courts.]k3:"In truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "before Abraham existed I was."]j39"You are not fifty years old yet," the Jews exclaimed, "and have you seen Abraham?"kiO8Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; and he did see it, and was glad."Hh 7And yet you have not learned to know him; but I know him; and, if I were to say that I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him, and I lay his Message to heart.&gE6"If I do honor to myself," answered Jesus, "such honor counts for nothing. It is my Father who does me honor--and you say that he is your God;fw5Are you greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? And the Prophets died too. Whom do you make yourself out to be?"Pe4"Now we are sure that you are possessed by a demon," the Jews replied. "Abraham died, and so did the Prophets; and yet you say 'If any one lays my Message to heart, he will never know death.'edC3In truth I tell you, if any one lays my Message to heart, he will never really die."ncU2Not that I am seeking honor for myself; there is one who is seeking my honor, and he decides.b+1"I am not possessed by a demon," Jesus answered, "but I am showing reverence for my Father; and yet you have no reverence for me.~au0"Are not we right, after all," replied the Jews, "in saying that you are a Samaritan, and are possessed by a demon?"` /He who comes from God listens to God's teaching; the reason why you do not listen is because you do not come from God."l_Q.Which of you can convict me of sin? Why then do not you believe me, if I am speaking truth?c^?-But, as for me, it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe me.G],As for you, you are children of your Father the Devil, and you are determined to do what your father loves to do. He was a murderer from the first, and did not stand by the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he does what is natural to him; because he is a liar, and the father of lying.x\i+How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my Message.E[*"If God were your Father," Jesus replied, "you would have loved me, for I came out from God, and now am here; and I have not come of myself, but he sent me as his Messenger.Zw)You are doing what your own father does." "We are not bastards," they said, "we have one Father--God himself."Y5(But, as it is, you are seeking to put me to death--a man who has told you the Truth as he heard it from God. Abraham did not act in that way.X '"Our father is Abraham," was their answer. "If you are Abraham's children," replied Jesus, "do what Abraham did.W'&I tell you what I have myself seen in the presence of my Father; and you, in the same way, do what you have learned from your father."V%%I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you are seeking to put me to death, because my Message finds no place in your hearts.JU $If, then, the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!ZT-#And a slave does not remain in the home always; but a son remains always.dSA""In truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "every one who sins is a slave to sin.'RG!"We are descendants of Abraham," was their answer, "and have never yet been in slavery to any one. What do you mean by saying 'you will be set free'?"NQ And you find out the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."PSo Jesus went on to say to those Jews who had believed him: "If you remain constant to my Message, you are truly my disciples;IO While he was speaking in this way, many came to believe in him.rN]Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him."KMSo Jesus added: "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will understand that I am what I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but that I say just what the Father has taught me.:LoThey did not understand that he meant the Father.GK"I have still much that concerns you to speak of and to pass judgment on; yet he who sent me may be trusted, and I speak to the world only of the things which I have heard from him."gJG"Who are you?" they asked. "Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?" said Jesus. IAnd so I told you that you would die in your sins, for, unless you believe that I am what I am, you will die in your sins."vHe"You," added Jesus, "are from below, I am from above; you are of this present world, I am not;uGc"Is he going to kill himself," the Jews exclaimed, "that he says--'You cannot go where I am going'?"0FYJesus again spoke to the people. "I am going away," he said, "and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin; you cannot come where I am going."E!These statements Jesus made in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple Courts. Yet no one arrested him, for his time had not then come.8Di"Where is your father, then?" they asked. "You know neither me nor my Father," replied Jesus. "If you had known me, you would have also known my Father." :~~}}7||i{{zqz,yy2xxSww1vvuuttssKrrdqqspoo n]mmmpll@kkmjj9ihhJh gVfee|ddYdcc8bna``v___^^F]]\[[[JZYY-XX`WW=VV,UU?TTFSS0RnQQQHPPOOLNNQMRLKKNJIIZHHGGFF(EENDCC7BB#AA7@@0?e>>r=<< ;;$::: 998p87!6<544Q33$2211e00d//B..I--!,n++"*))M((''1&&L%j$$$##""! da05'ZH{wssT " @ I  .J=0Y}sThen the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, went inside too, and he saw for himself and was convinced.}sAnd the cloth which had been upon Jesus' head, not lying with the wrappings, but rolled up on one side, separately.Presently Simon Peter came following behind him, and went into the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there,SStooping down, he saw the linen wrappings lying there, but did not go in.s_The two began running together; but the other disciple ran faster than Peter, and reached the tomb first.[/Upon this, Peter started off with that other disciple, and they went to the tomb.QSo she came running to Simon Peter, and to that other disciple who was Jesus' friend, and said to them: "They have taken away the Master out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him!"  ;On the first day of the week, early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary of Magdala went to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been removed.uc*And so, because of its being the Preparation Day, and as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.)At the place where Jesus had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a newly-made tomb in which no one had ever been laid.uc(They took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen with the spices, according to the Jewish mode of burial.'Nicodemus, too--the man who had formerly visited Jesus by night--came with a roll of myrrh and aloes, weighing nearly a hundred pounds.`9&After this, Joseph of Ramah, a disciple of Jesus--but a secret one, owing to his fear of the Jews--begged Pilate's permission to remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him leave; so Joseph went and removed the body._7%And there is another passage which says--'They will look upon him whom they pierced.'s_$For all this took place in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'Not one of its bones shall be broken.'F#This is the statement of one who actually saw it--and his statement may be relied upon, and he knows that he is speaking the truth--and it is given in order that you also may be convinced.ve"One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water immediately flowed from it.eC!But, on coming to him, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  Accordingly the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then those of the other who had been crucified with Jesus;^ 5It was the Preparation Day, and so, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the crosses during the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a great day), the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.  When Jesus had received the wine, he exclaimed: "All is finished!" Then, bowing his head, he resigned his spirit to God.! ;There was a bowl standing there full of common wine; so they put a sponge soaked in the wine on the end of a hyssop-stalk, and held it up to his mouth. Afterwards, knowing that everything was now finished, Jesus said, in fulfillment of the words of Scripture: "I am thirsty." Then he said to that disciple: "There is your mother." And from that very hour the disciple took her to live in his house.When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved, standing near, he said to his mother: "There is your son."#Meanwhile near the cross of Jesus were standing his mother and his mother's sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala.So they said to one another: "Do not let us tear it, but let us cast lots for it, to see who shall have it." This was in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'They shared my clothes among them, And over my clothing they cast lots.' That was what the soldiers did.c?When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares--a share for each soldier--and they took the coat also. The coat had no seam, being woven in one piece from top to bottom.EBut Pilate answered: "What I have written, I have written."The Jewish Chief Priests said to Pilate: "Do not write 'The King of the Jews', but write what the man said--'I am the King of the Jews.'"%CThese words were read by many of the Jews, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and they were written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.s_Pilate also had these words written and put up over the cross--'JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.'fEThere they crucified him, and two others with him--one on each side, and Jesus between them.y~kAnd he went out, carrying his cross himself, to the place which is named from a scull, or, in Hebrew, Golgotha.U}#Whereupon Pilate gave Jesus up to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus;;|oAt that the people shouted: "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" "What! shall I crucify your King?" exclaimed Pilate. "We have no King but the Emperor," replied the Chief Priests;m{SIt was the Passover Preparation Day, and about noon. Then he said to the Jews: "Here is your King!"z3 On hearing what they said, Pilate brought Jesus out, and took his seat upon the Bench at a place called 'The Stone Pavement'--in Hebrew 'Gabbatha.'Xy) This made Pilate anxious to release him; but the Jews shouted: "If you release that man, you are no friend of the Emperor! Any one who makes himself out to be a King is setting himself against the Emperor!"Ix  "You would have no power over me at all," answered Jesus, "if it had not been given you from above; and, therefore, the man who betrayed me to you is guilty of the greater sin."*wM But Jesus made no reply. So Pilate said to him: "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do not you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?"av; And, going into the Government House again, he said to Jesus: "Where do you come from?"Iu When Pilate heard what they said, he became still more alarmed;~tu"But we," replied the Jews, "have a Law, under which he deserves death for making himself out to be the Son of God."[s/When the Chief Priests and the police-officers saw him, they shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" "Take him yourselves and crucify him," said Pilate. "For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged."rwThen Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe; and Pilate said to them: "Here is the man!")qKPilate again came outside, and said to the people: "Look! I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find nothing with which he can be charged."pThey kept coming up to him and saying: "Long live the King of the Jews!" and they gave him blow after blow with their hands.noUThe soldiers made a crown with some thorns and put it on his head and threw a purple robe round him..n YAfter that, Pilate had Jesus scourged.]m3("No, not this man," they shouted again, "but Barabbas!" This Barabbas was a robber.l7'It is, however, the custom for me to grant you the release of one man at the Passover Festival. Do you wish for the release of the King of the Jews?"#k?&"What is Truth?" exclaimed Pilate. After saying this, he went out to the Jews again, and said: "For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged.j%"So you are a King after all!" exclaimed Pilate. "Yes, it is true I am a King," answered Jesus. "I was born for this, I have come into the world for this--to bear testimony to the Truth. Every one who is on the side of Truth listens to my voice."eiC$"My kingly power," replied Jesus, "is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the Jews; but my kingly power is not from the world."h+#"Do you take me for a Jew?" was Pilate's answer. "It is your own nation and the Chief Priests who have given you up to me. What have you done?"mgS""Do you ask me that yourself?" replied Jesus, "or did others say it to you about me?"f!After that, Pilate went into the Government House again, and calling Jesus up, asked him: "Are you the King of the Jews?"feE In fulfillment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined to die. d"Take him yourselves," said Pilate, "and try him by your own Law." "We have no power to put any one to death," the Jews replied- -ac;"If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you," they answered.pbYTherefore Pilate came outside to speak to them. "What charge do you bring against this man?" he asked.^a5From Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Government House. It was early in the morning. But they did not enter the Government House themselves, lest they should become 'defiled,' and so be unable to eat the Passover.A`}Peter again denied it; and at that moment a cock crowed._3One of the High Priest's servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, exclaimed: "Did not I myself see you with him in the garden?",^QMeanwhile Simon Peter was standing there, warming himself; so they said to him: "Are not you also one of his disciples?" Peter denied it. "No, I am not," he said.:]oAnnas sent him bound to Caiaphas the High Priest.~\u"If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it," replied Jesus; "but if not, why do you strike me?"*[MWhen Jesus said this, one of the police-officers, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. "Do you answer the High Priest like that?" he exclaimed. ZWhy question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must know what I said."gYG"For my part," answered Jesus, "I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some Synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of anything in secret.VX%The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.QWThe servants and police-officers were standing round a char- coal fire (which they had made because it was cold), and were warming themselves. Peter, too, was with them, standing and warming himself.tVaSo the maidservant said to Peter: "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" "No, I am not," he said./UWWhile Peter stood outside by the door. Presently the other disciple--the one well-known to the High Priest--went out and spoke to the portress, and brought Peter in.3T_Meanwhile Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the High Priest, went with Jesus into the High Priest's court-yard,nSUIt was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews, that it was best that one man should die for the people.vRe And took him first of all to Annas. Annas was the father-in- law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year.}Qs So the soldiers of the garrison, with their Commanding Officer and the Jewish police, arrested Jesus and bound him,xPi But Jesus said to Peter: "Sheathe your sword. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"#O? At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it, and struck the High Priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.nNU This was in fulfillment of his words--'Of those whom thou hast given me I have not lost one.' M"I have already told you that I am he," replied Jesus, "so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these men go."_L7So he again asked for whom they were looking, and they answered: "Jesus of Nazareth."RKWhen Jesus said 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground.J}"Jesus of Nazareth," was their answer. "I am he," said Jesus. (Judas, the betrayer, was also standing with them.)IwJesus, aware of all that was coming upon him, went to meet them, and said to them: "For whom are you looking?";HoSo Judas, who had obtained the soldiers of the Roman garrison, and some police-officers from the Chief Priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.kGOThe place was well known to Judas, the betrayer, for Jesus and his disciples had often met there.)F MWhen Jesus had said this, he went out with his disciples and crossed the brook Kedron to a place where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples went.&EEI have made thee known to them, and will do so still; that the love that thou has had for me may be in their hearts, and that I may be in them also."DO righteous Father, though the world did not know thee, I knew thee; and these men knew that thou has sent me as thy Messenger.aC;Father, my desire for all those whom thou has given me is that they may be with me where I am, so that they may see the honor which thou has given me; for thou didst love me before the beginning of the world.^B5I in union with them and thou with me--that so they may be perfected in their union, and thus the world may know that thou hast sent me as thy Messenger, and that thou has loved them as thou hast loved me.jAMI have given them the honor which thou has given me, that they may be one as we are one--@1That they all may be one--that as thou, Father, art in union with us--and so the world may believe that thou hast sent me as thy Messenger.?wBut it is not only for them that I am interceding, but also for those who believe in me through their Message,u>cAnd it is for their sakes that I am consecrating myself, so that they also may be truly consecrated.v=eJust as thou has sent me as thy Messenger to the world, so I send them as my Messengers to the world.D<Consecrate them by the Truth; thy Message is Truth.W;'They do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.]:3I do not ask thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from Evil.9)I have given them thy Message; and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.%8C But now I am to come to thee; and I am speaking thus, while still in the world, that they may have my own joy, in all its fullness, in their hearts.87i Whilst I was with them, I kept them by that revelation, and I have guarded them; and not one of them has been lost, except that lost soul--in fulfillment of Scripture.i6K Now I am to be in this world no longer, but they are still to be in the world, and I am to come to thee. Holy Father, keep them by that revelation of thy Name which thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are.e5C All that is mine is thine, and all that is thine is mine-- and I am honored in them.4 I intercede for them; I am not interceding for the world, but for those whom thou has given me, for they are thy own--G3For I have given them the teaching which thou gavest me, and they received it, and clearly understood that I came from thee, and they believed that thou has sent me as thy Messenger.V2%They recognize now that everything that thou gavest me was from thee;*1MI have revealed thee to those whom thou gavest me from the world; they were thy own, and thou gavest them to me; and they have laid thy Message to heart.0}And now do thou honor me, Father, at thy own side, with the honor which I had at thy side before the world began.c/?I have honored thee on earth by completing the work which thou has given me to do;.And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger.- Even as thou gavest him power over all mankind, that he should give Immortal Life to all those whom thou has given him., +After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes heaven-wards, and said: "Father, the hour has come; honor thy Son, that thy Son may honor thee;(+I!I have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you may find peace. In the world you will find trouble; yet, take courage! I have conquered the world."K* "Listen! a time is coming--indeed it has already come--when you are to be scattered, each going his own way, and to leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.>)w"Do you believe that already?" Jesus answered.(#Now we are sure that you know everything, and need not wait for any one to question you. This makes us believe that you did come from God."l'Q"At last," exclaimed the disciples, "you are using plain words and not speaking in figures at all.&}I came out from the Father, and have come into the world; and now I am to leave the world, and go to the Father."|%qFor the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father.x$iYou will ask, at that time, in my Name; and I do not say that I will intercede with the Father for you;:#mI have spoken to you of all this in figures; a time is coming, however, when I shall not speak any longer to you in figures, but shall tell you about the Father plainly."{So far you have not asked for anything, in my Name; ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.!1And at that time you will not ask me anything; in truth I tell you, if you ask the Father for anything, he will grant it to you in my Name. You, in the same way, are sorry now; but I shall see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.9kA woman in labor is in pain because her time has come; but no sooner is the child born, than she forgets her trouble in her joy that a man has been born into the world.#In truth I tell you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will suffer pain, but your pain shall turn to joy.r]Jesus saw that they were wanting to ask him a question, and said: "Are you trying to find out from one another what I meant by saying 'In a little while you will not see me; and then in a little while you will see me indeed'?r]What does he mean by 'In a little while'?" they said; "we do not know what he is speaking about."{oAt this some of his disciples said to one another: "What does he mean by saying to us 'In a little while you will not see me, and then in a little while you will see me indeed'; and by saying 'Because I am going to the Father'?q[In a little while you will no longer see me; and then in a little while you will see me indeed."Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said that he takes of what is mine, and will tell it to you.a;He will honor me; because he will take of what is mine, and will tell it to you.dA Yet when he--The Spirit of Truth--comes, he will guide you into all Truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of all that he hears; and he will tell you of the things that are to come.M I have still much to say to you, but you cannot bear it now.]3 As to Judgment, for the Spirit that is ruling this world has been condemned.b= As to Righteousness, for I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer;8k As to Sin, for men do not believe in me;}And he, when he comes, will bring conviction to the world as to Sin, and as to Righteousness, and as to Judgment;>uYet I am only telling you the truth; it is for your good that I should go away. For otherwise the Helper will never come to you, but, if I leave you, I will send him to you._7Although your hearts are full of sorrow at all that I have been saying to you.0YI did not tell you all this at first, because I was with you. But now I am to return to him who sent me; and yet not one of you asks me--'Where are you going?'But I have spoken to you of these things that, when the time for them comes, you may remember that I told you about them myself.a ;They will do this, because they have not learned to know the Father, or even me.! ;They will expel you from their Synagogues; indeed the time is coming when any one who kills you will think that he is making an offering to God.E  I have spoken to you in this way so that you may not falter.g GYes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.# ?But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me;^5And so is fulfilled what is said in their Law--'They hated me without cause.'>uIf I had not done among them such work as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.5eHe who hates me hates my Father also.If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin.xiBut they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me.]3Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also.=sIf you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you.MIf the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me.NI am giving you these commands that you may love one another.FIt was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name.]~3I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father.F}And you are my friends, if you do what I command you.d|A No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends.K{ This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you.mzS I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete.y) If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love.Tx! As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love.|wqIt is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored.v}If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours.7ugIf any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt.3t_I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me.FsRemain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me.Tr!You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you.qwAny unfruitful branch in me he takes away, and he cleanses every fruitful branch, that it may bear more fruit.Ep I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vine-grower.oBut he is coming that the world may see that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father commanded me. Come, let us be going. n I shall not talk with you much more, for the Spirit that is ruling the world is coming. He has nothing in common with me;xmiAnd this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me.Al{You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.k%Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed./jWBut the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.>iwI have told you all this while still with you,(hIHe who does not love me will not lay my Message to heart; and the Message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me./gW"Whoever loves me," Jesus answered," will lay my Message to heart; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. f"What has happened, Master," said Judas (not Judas Iscariot), "that you are going to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?"8eiIt is he who has my commands and lays them to heart that loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him."udcAt that time you will recognize that I am in union with the Father, and you with me, and I with you. c In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will still see me; because I am living, you will be living also.BbI will not leave you bereaved; I will come to you.-aSThe world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see him or recognize him, but you recognize him, because he is always with you, and is within you.|`qAnd I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you always--the Spirit of Truth.B_If you love me, you will lay my commands to heart,>^wIf you ask anything, in my Name, I will do it.d]A Whatever you ask, in my Name, I will do, that the Father may be honored in the Son.*\M In truth I tell you, he who believes in me will himself do the work that I am doing; and he will do greater work still, because I am going to the Father.+[O Believe me," he said to them all, "when I say that I am in union with the Father and the Father with me, or else believe me on account of the work itself.dZA Do not you believe that I am in union with the Father, and the Father with me? In giving you my teaching I am not speaking on my own authority; but the Father himself, always in union with me, does his own work.MY "Have I been all this time among you," said Jesus, "and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? He who has seen me has seen the Father, how can you say, then, 'Show us the Father'?QX"Master, show us the Father," said Philip, "and we shall be satisfied."W+If you had recognized me, you would have known my Father also; for the future you will recognize him, indeed you have already seen him."VwJesus answered: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me.bU="We do not know where you are going, Master," said Thomas; "so how can we know the way?"ETAnd you know the way to the place where I am going."SAnd, since I go and prepare a place for you, I shall return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am;R)In my Father's Home there are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you.WQ )Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. P9 &"Will you lay down your life for me?" replied Jesus. "In truth I tell you, the cock will not crow till you have disowned me three times.`O9 %"Why cannot I follow you now, Master?" asked Peter. "I will lay down my life for you."!N; $"Where are you going, Master?" asked Peter. "I am going where you cannot now follow me," answered Jesus, "but you shall follow me later."nMU #It is by this that every one will recognize you as my disciples--by your loving one another."fLE "I give you a new commandment--Love one another; love one another as I have loved you.5Kc !My children, I am to be with you but a little while longer. You will look for me; and what I said to the Jews--'You cannot come where I am going'--I now say to you.WJ' And God will exalt him with himself--yes, he will exalt him forthwith.I{ When Judas had gone out, Jesus said: "Now the Son of Man has been exalted, and God has been exalted through him;XH) After taking the piece of bread, Judas went out immediately; and it was night.G/ Some thought that, as Judas kept the purse, Jesus meant that he was to buy some things needed for the Festival, or to give something to the poor.BF But no one at table understood why he said this to Judas.E/ And it was then, after he had received it, that Satan took possession of him. So Jesus said to him: "Do at once what you are going to do."`D9 "It is the one," answered Jesus, "to whom I shall give a piece of bread after dipping it in the dish." And, when Jesus had dipped the bread, he took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot;rC] Being in this position, that disciple leant back on Jesus' shoulder, and asked him: "Who is it, Master?"gBG So Simon Peter made signs to that disciple, and whispered: "Tell me who it is that he means."aA; Next to Jesus, in the place on his right hand, was one of his disciples, whom he loved.G@ The disciples looked at one another, wondering whom he meant.? After saying this, Jesus was much troubled, and said solemnly: "In truth I tell you that it is one of you who will betray me.">  In truth I tell you, he who receives any one that I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."=% For the future I shall tell you of things before they take place, so that, when they take place, you may believe that I am what I am.B<} I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but this is in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'He that is eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.' I~~(}}|-{zzVyixxix ww-v?uttssfrrfqq pp1omnmm{m'lgkk{k j%ighPg)feeed+cbbtaa`_^^j]]\[[#ZYYX8WWD==<;;y;&:99E8877U76z55e5#4k322*11E0Q//I..}--/,,,+P**())"(('&&u%$$##%""]!! !#`gdc~">rsD I v eUd0uh!]z3#He then said: "Men of Israel, take care as to what you intend to do with these men.Fy"But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little while.zxm!The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing this, and were for putting the Apostles to death.uwc And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."vIt is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.au;The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross.Tt!To this Peter and the Apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men.Gs"We gave you strict orders," he said, "not to teach in this Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man."frEAnd then brought them before the Council. The High Priest demanded an explanation from them.q'On this, the Officer went with his men and fetched the Apostles--without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people--%pCPresently, however, some one came and told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people.)oKWhen the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Chief Priests heard their story, they were perplexed about the Apostles and as to what all this would lead to.n!While they had found the goal barred securely and the guards posted at the doors, yet, on opening them, they had not found any one inside.umcBut, when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported that, lWhen they heard this, they went at daybreak into the Temple Courts, and began to teach. The High Priest and his party, on their arrival, summoned the High Council, including all the leading men among the Israelites, and sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles.rk]"Go," he said, "and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell the people the whole Message of this new Life."[j/An angel of the Lord, however, opened the prison doors at night and led them out.?iyArrested the Apostles, and had them placed in custody.hAt this the High Priest was roused to action, and he and all his supporters (who formed the party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy,EgBesides this, the inhabitants of the towns round Jerusalem flocked into the city, bringing with them their sick and those who were troubled by foul spirits; and they were cured every one.Xf)The consequence was that people would bring out their sick even into the streets, and lay them on mattresses and mats, in the hope that, as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some one of them.|eqAnd still larger numbers, both of men and women, as they became believers in the Lord, were added to their number.pdY But of the rest no one ventured to join them. On the other hand, the people were full of their praise,8ci Many signs and wonders continued to occur among the people, through the instrumentality of the Apostles, whose custom it was to meet all together in the Colonnade of Solomon;Kb The whole Church and all who heard of these events were appalled.-aS Instantly Sapphira fell down at Peter's feet and expired. On coming in, the young men found her dead; so they carried her out and buried her by her husband's side.H`  Then Peter said: "How did you come to agree to provoke the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The foot-steps of those who have buried your husband are at the door; and they will carry you out too."}_s"Is it true," Peter asked, addressing her, "that you sold your land for such a sum?" "Yes," she answered, "we did."a^;After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened._]7The young men got up, and, winding the body in a sheet, carried it out and buried it.m\SAs Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and every one who heard of it was appalled.E[While it was unsold, was not it your own? and after it was sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to men, but to God!"=Zs"Ananias," Peter exclaimed, "how is it that Satan has so taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?}YsAnd, with her connivance, kept back some of the proceeds. He brought only a part and laid it at the Apostles' feet.bX ?There was, however, a man named Ananias, who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,dWA%Sold a farm that belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles' feet.V%$A Levite of Cyprian birth, named Joseph, (who had received from the Apostles the additional name of 'Barnabas'--which means 'The Consoler,')nUU#And laid them at the Apostles' feet; and then every one received a share in proportion to his wants.T"Nor was there any one in need among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the sales$SA!The Apostles continued with great power to bear their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's blessing rested upon them all abundantly.AR{ The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use.4QaWhen their prayer was ended, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to tell God's Message fearlessly.PWhile thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and causest signs and wonders to take place through the Name of thy holy Servant Jesus."zOmNow, therefore, O Lord, mark their threats, and enable thy servants, with all fearlessness, to tell thy Message,hNIYet only to do what thou, by thy power and of thy own will, didst long ago destine to be done.VM%There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides--}LsThe kings of the earth set their array, and its rulers gathered together, against the Lord and against his Christ.'?KwAnd who, by the lips of our ancestor, your servant David, who spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit, have said-- 'Why did the nations rage, and the peoples form vain designs?RJAll who heard their story, moved by a common impulse, raised their voices to God in prayer: "O Sovereign Lord, it is you who has 'made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them,'I/After they had been set at liberty, the Apostles went to their friends and told them what the Chief Priests and the Councillors had said to them.`H9For the man who was the subject of this miraculous cure was more than forty years old.CGHowever, after further warnings, the Council set them at liberty, not seeing any safe way of punishing them, because of the people, for they were all praising God for what had occurred;\F1Judge for yourselves, for we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard."vEeBut Peter and John replied: "Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you rather than to him--fDESo they called the Apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.C'But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever.";Bo"What are we to do to these men?" they asked one another. "That a remarkable sign has been given through them is obvious to every one living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.PASo they ordered them out of court, and then began consulting together.r@]But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say.D? When the Council saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and found that they were uneducated men of humble station, they were surprised, and realized that they had been companions of Jesus.> And Salvation is in him alone; for there is no other Name in the whole world, given to men, to which we must look for our Salvation."c=? Jesus is 'the stone which, scorned by you the builders, has yet become the corner stone.'t<a Let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead--it is, I say, by his Name that this man stands here before you lame no longer.; Since we are on our trial to-day for a kind act done to a helpless man, and are asked in what way the man here before you has been cured,p:YOn this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors,95They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?"v8eThere were present Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of High-Priestly rank.y7kThe next day, a meeting of the leading men, the Councillors, and the Teachers of the Law was held in Jerusalem.67Many, however, of those who had heard the Apostles' Message became believers in Christ, the number of the men alone amounting to about five thousand.r5]They arrested the Apostles and, as it was already evening, had them placed in custody till the next day. 4Much annoyed because they were teaching the people, and because, through Jesus, they were preaching the resurrection from the dead.3 9While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the Chief Priest, with the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Sadducees, came up to them,2{For you, first, God raised up his Servant, and sent him to bless you, by turning each one of you from his wicked ways."X1)You yourselves are the heirs of the Prophets, and heirs, too, of the Covenant which God made with your ancestors, when he said to Abraham--'In your descendants will all the nations of the earth be blessed.'0Yes, and all the Prophets from Samuel onwards, and all their successors who had a message to deliver, told of these days.y/kAnd it shall be that should any one among the people not listen to that Prophet, he will be utterly destroyed.'%.CMoses himself said--'The Lord your God will raise up from among your brothers a Prophet, as he raised me. To him you will listen whenever he speaks to you.!-;But Heaven must be his home, until the days of the Universal Restoration, of which God has spoken by the lips of his holy Prophets from the very first.I, And that he may send you, in Jesus, your long-appointed Christ.}+sTherefore, repent and turn, that your sins may be wiped away; so that happier times may come from the Lord himself,*/But it was in this way that God fulfilled all that he had long ago foretold, as to the sufferings of his Christ, by the lips of all the Prophets.f)EAnd yet, my Brothers, I know that you acted as you did from ignorance, and your rulers also.p(YAnd it is by faith in the Name of Jesus, that this man, whom you all see and know, has--by his Name--been made strong. Yes, it is the faith inspired by Jesus that has made this complete cure of the man, before the eyes of you all.|'qThe very Guide to Life you put to death! But God raised him from the dead--and of that we are ourselves witnesses.c&?You, I say, disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for the release of a murderer!D% The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has done honor to his Servant Jesus--him whom you gave up and disowned before Pilate, when he had decided to set him free.L$ On seeing this, Peter said to the people: "Men of Israel, why are you surprised at this? and why do you stare at us, as though we, by any power or piety of our own, had enabled this man to walk?%#C While the man still clung to Peter and John, the people all quickly gathered round them in the Colonnade named after Solomon, in the greatest astonishment.4"a And, when they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, they were utterly astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.?!y All the people saw him walking about and praising God; !And, leaping up, he stood and began to walk about, and then went with them into the Temple Courts, walking, and leaping, and praising God.zmGrasping the lame man by the right hand, Peter lifted him up. Instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong,  But Peter added: "I have no gold or silver, but I give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I bid you walk."J The man was all attention, expecting to get something from them;Z-Peter fixed his eyes on him, and so did John, and then Peter said: "Look at us."^5Seeing Peter and John on the point of entering, he asked them to give him something.This man used to be set down every day at the gate of the Temple called 'the Beautiful Gate,' to beg of those who went in.& GOne day, as Peter and John were going up into the Temple Courts for the three o'clock Prayers, a man, who had been lame from his birth, was being carried by.\1/And the Lord daily added to their company those who were in the path of Salvation.zm.Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the Temple Courts, and to the Breaking of Bread at their homes, while they partook of their food in simple-hearted gladness, praising God, and winning the good-will of all the people.y-They sold their property and their goods, and shared the proceeds among them all, according to their individual needs.P,All who became believers in Christ held everything for the common use;wg+A deep impression was made upon every one, and many wonders and signs were done at the hands of the Apostles.)*They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles and to the Common Life of the Church, to the Breaking of the Bread and to the Prayers.)So those who accepted his teaching were baptized, and about three thousand people joined the disciples on that day alone.5(With many other words Peter enforced his teaching, while the burden of his exhortations was--"Save yourselves from the perverse spirit of this age." 'For the promise is for you and for your children, and also for all those now far away, who may be called by the Lord our God.";o&"Repent," answered Peter, "and be baptized every one of you in the Faith of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.%When the people heard this, they were conscience-smitten, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Brothers, what can we do?" $So let the whole nation of Israel know beyond all doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ--this very Jesus whom you crucified."B #Till I put your enemies as a footstool under they feet."'} s"It was not David who went up into Heaven; for he himself says- -'The Lord said to my master: "Sit on my right hand,S !And now that he has been exalted to the right hand of God, and has received from the Father the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, he has begun to pour out that gift, as you yourselves now see and hear.a ; It was this Jesus, whom God raised to life; and of that we are ourselves all witnesses.$AAnd referred to the resurrection of the Christ when he said that 'he had not been abandoned to the Place of Death, nor had his body undergone corruption.'3David, then, Prophet as he was, knowing that God 'had solemnly sworn to him to set one of his descendants upon his throne,' looked into the future,%CBrothers, I can speak to you the more confidently about the Patriarch David, because he is dead and buried, and his tomb is here among us to this very day.`9Thou have shown me the path to life, you wilt fill me with gladness in your presence.'ykFor you wilt not abandon my soul to the Place of Death, nor surrender me, your holy one, to undergo corruption.taTherefore my heart was cheered, and my tongue told its delight; Yes, even my body, too, will rest in hope;1[Indeed it was to him that David was referring when he said-- 'I have had the Lord ever before my eyes, For he stands at my right hand, that I should not be disquieted.  But God released him from the pangs of death and raised him to life, it being impossible for death to retain its hold upon him.<qHe, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.W'Men of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Jesus of Nazareth, a man whose mission from God to you was proved by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God showed among you through him, as you know full well--J~ Then shall every one who invokes the Name of the Lord be saved.'|}qThe sun shall become darkness, and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord comes--that great and awful day.w|gAnd I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs on the earth below--Blood and fire and mist of smoke;r{]Yes, even on the slaves--for they are mine--both men and women, I will in those days pour out my Spirit,`z9'It shall come about in the last days,' God says, 'That I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; your sons and your daughters shall become Prophets, your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams;8ykThis is what is spoken of in the prophet Joel--^x5These men are not drunk, as you suppose; for it is only now nine in the morning! No!owWThen Peter, surrounded by the eleven other Apostles, stood up, and, raising his voice, addressed the crowd. "Men of Judea," he began, "and all you who are staying in Jerusalem, let me tell you what this means. Mark well my words.Wv' But there were some who said with a sneer: "They have had too much new wine."cu? They were all utterly amazed and bewildered. "What does it mean?" they asked one another.-tS Either Jews by birth or converts, and some are Cretans and Arabians--yet we all alike hear them speaking in our own tongues of the great things that God has done."|sq In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the districts of Libya adjoining Cyrene; some of us are visitors from Rome,r# Some of us are Parthians, some Medes, some Elamites; and some of us live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Roman Asia,QqThen how is it that we each of us hear them in our own native language?}psThey were utterly amazed, and kept asking in astonishment: "What! Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?)oKAnd, when this sound was heard, numbers of people collected, in the greatest excitement, because each of them heard the disciples speaking in his own language.bn=Now there were then staying in Jerusalem religious Jews from every country in the world; mAnd they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with strange 'tongues' as the Spirit prompted their utterances.rl]Then there appeared tongues of what seemed to be flame, separating, so that one settled on each of them;k)When suddenly there came from the heavens a noise like that of a strong wind rushing by; it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.fj GIn the course of the Festival at the close of the Harvest the disciples had all met together,i Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen on Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven Apostles.ih MTo take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place."qg ]And they offered this prayer--"O Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosenhf KSo they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;e 'From his baptism by John down to that day on which he was taken from us--some one must be found to join us as a witness of his resurrection."|d sTherefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us--,c S"For in the Book of Psalms," Peter continued, "it is said-- 'Let his dwelling become desolate, and let no one live in it'; and also--'His office let another take.'#b AThis became known to every one living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, 'Akeldama,' which means the 'Field of Blood.')a 1(This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.Z` /For he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours."U_ %"Brothers," he said, "it was necessary that the prediction of Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men that arrested Jesus,^ {About this time, at a meeting of the Brethren, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.] They all united in devoting themselves to Prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.\  When they reached Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room, where they were staying. There were there Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.[  Then the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.dZ C And said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This very Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the very way in which you have seen him go into the heavens."}Y u While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,zX o No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.VW 'But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."V His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;#U ASo, when the Apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question--"Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the Kingdom for Israel?"~T wFor, while John baptized with water, you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed."gS IAnd once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father's promise--"that promise," he said, "of which you have heard me speak;GR  With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the Kingdom of God."Q ?Down to that day on which he was taken up to Heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the Apostles whom he had chosen.tP eThe first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,DOThere are many other things which Jesus did; but, if every one of them were to be recorded in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not hold the books that would be written.uNcIt is this disciple who states these things, and who recorded them; and we know that his statement is true.dMASo the report spread among the Brethren that that disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say that he was not to die, but said "If it is my will that he should wait till I come, what has that to do with you?"L"If it is my will that he should wait till I come," answered Jesus, "what has that to do with you? Follow me yourself."IK Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus: "Master, what about this man?"=JsPeter turned round, and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following--the one who at the supper leant back on the Master's shoulder, and asked him who it was that would betray him.sI_Jesus said this to show the death by which Peter was to honor God, and then he added: "Follow me."#H?"In truth I tell you," he continued, "when you were young, you used to put on your own girdle, and walk wherever you wished; but, when you have grown old, you will have to stretch out your hands, while some one else puts on your girdle, and takes you where you do not wish."GThe third time, Jesus said to him: "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" Peter was hurt at his third question being 'Are you my friend?'; and exclaimed: "Master, you know everything! You can tell that I am your friend." "Feed my sheep," said Jesus.:FmThen, a second time, Jesus asked: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Master," he answered, "you know that I am your friend." "Tend my sheep," said Jesus.aE;When breakfast was over, Jesus said to Simon Peter: "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the others?" "Yes, Master," he answered, "you know that I am your friend." "Feed my lambs," said Jesus.nDUThis was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had risen from the dead.NC Jesus went and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish too.B' And Jesus said to them: "Come and breakfast." Not one of the disciples ventured to ask him who he was, knowing that it was the Master."Bring some of the fish which you have just caught," said Jesus.|?q When they had come ashore, they found a charcoal fire ready, with some fish already on it, and some bread as well.>But the rest of the disciples came in the boat (for they were only about a hundred yards from shore), dragging the net full of fish.]=3Upon this the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: "It is the Master!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Master, he fastened his coat round him (for he had taken it off), and threw himself into the Sea.@<y"Cast your net to the right of the boat," he said, "and you will find fish." So they cast the net, and now they could not haul it in on account of the quantity of fish.`;9"My children," he said, "have you anything to eat?" "No," they answered.u:cJust as day was breaking, Jesus came and stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was he. 9"I am going fishing." "We will come with you," said the others. They went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.E8It was in this way:--Simon Peter, Thomas, who was called 'The Twin,' Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, Zebediah's sons, and two other disciples of Jesus, were together, when Simon Peter said:V7 'Later on, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.#6?But these have been recorded that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God--and that, through your belief in his Name, you may have Life.5There were many other signs of his mission that Jesus gave in presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book;4+"Is it because you have seen me that you have believed?" said Jesus. "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed!"73iAnd Thomas exclaimed: "My Master, and my God!"62eThen he said to Thomas: "Place your finger here, and look at my hands; and place your hand here, and put it into my side; and do not refuse to believe, but believe."91kA week later the disciples were again in the house, and Thomas with them. After the doors had been shut, Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you."j0MSo the rest of the disciples said to him: "We have seen the Master!" "Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands," he exclaimed, "and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."^/5But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called 'The Twin,' was not with them when Jesus came;y.kIf you remit any one's sins, they have been remitted; and, if you retain them, they have been retained."\-1After saying this, he breathed on them, and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit;,yAgain Jesus said to them: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me as his Messenger, so I am sending you."y+kAfter which he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Master.i*KIn the evening of the same day--the first day of the week-- after the doors of the room, in which the disciples were, had been shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said: "Peace be with you";u)cMary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Master, and that he had said this to her.[(/"Do not hold me," Jesus said; "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my Brothers, and tell them that I am ascending to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God."}'s"Mary!" said Jesus. She turned round, and exclaimed in Hebrew: "Rabboni!" (or, as we should say, 'Teacher').f&E"Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" he asked. Supposing him to be the gardener, Mary answered: "If it was you, Sir, who carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away myself."z%mAfter saying this, she turned round, and looked at Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.$ "Why are you weeping?" asked the angels. "They have taken my Master away," she answered, "and I do not know where they have laid him."$#A And perceived two angels clothed in white sitting there, where the body of Jesus had been lying, one where the head and the other where the feet had been.v"e Meanwhile Mary was standing close outside the tomb, weeping. Still weeping, she leant forward into the tomb,9!m The disciples then returned to their companions.x i For they did not then understand the passage of Scripture which says that Jesus must rise again from the dead. <~}},||{{\zuyy xwwMvv0uiutyss%rrqppionn,mll-kijjtiiyi#hgggf_eeteddc>bbbaaf``J__^,]]\@[[ ZwYXX-W5VVV/U}UBTSSSRpR QQ%PP;O;NN\MMLLxLKRJJKIHHgHGG$FF EE+DD;CCBVAA!@@:?>>W==f<<< ;T::89U88m777!66!544Q33E22J1J00>/..2---&,~+r**{*)(("'':&&%q$##Q"""*!! K XoWlg-L+) I k X jc<Mufn]U For he will tell you truths, which will prove the means of Salvation to you and all your household.'(\I He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and how the angel had said to him--'Send to Jaffa and fetch the Simon, who is also known as Peter;[ The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six Brothers also went with me. And, when we came into the man's house,uZc At that moment three men, who had been sent from Caesarea to see me, came up to the house in which we were.VY% This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens.X- Then a second time there came a voice from the heavens. "What God has pronounced 'clean'," it said, "you must not call 'defiled'."iWK 'No, Lord, I cannot,' I answered, 'for nothing 'defiled' or 'unclean' has ever passed my lips.'bV= And I also heard a voice saying to me--'Stand up, Peter, kill something and eat.'fUE Looking intently at it, I began to distinguish quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds;kTO "I was in the town of Jaffa," he said, "and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me.JS  So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred.kRO On the ground that he had visited people who were not circumcised, and had taken meals with them.iQK But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him,pP [ The Apostles and the Brethren throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God's Message.O 0And he directed that they should be baptized in the Faith of Jesus Christ; after which they asked him to stay there a few days longer. N  /"Can any one refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?"]M3 .For they heard them speaking with 'tongues' and extolling God. At this Peter asked:L% -Those converts from Judaism, who had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed even upon the Gentiles;vKe ,Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message.J/ +To him it is that all the Prophets bear witness, when they say that every one who believes in him receives through his Name forgiveness of sins.""I= *Further, God charged us to proclaim to the people, and solemnly affirm, that it is Jesus who has been appointed by God Judge of the living and the dead.H# )Not indeed to every one, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God--to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.LG (This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear, F 'We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross!~Eu &The story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the Devil, because God was with him.D %You yourselves know the story which spread through all Judea, how, beginning form Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed-- C $God has sent his Message to the Israelites and told them, through Jesus Christ, the Good News of peace--and Jesus is Lord of all!eBC #But that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him.eAC "Then Peter began. "I see, beyond all doubt," he said, "that 'God does not show partiality,'F@ !Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say."!?; Therefore send to Jaffa, and invite the Simon, who is also known as Peter, to come here. He is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, near the sea.'k>O 'Cornelius,' he said, 'your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God.+=O "Just three days ago this very hour," Cornelius said, "I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me.<{ That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me."P; "You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call any man 'defiled' or 'unclean.'|:q Talking with him as he went, Peter entered the house, where he found a large gathering of people, to whom he said:h9I Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so: "Stand up, I am only a man like yourself."y8k So, when Peter entered the city, Cornelius met him, and, throwing himself at Peter's feet, bowed to the ground.7 And the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relations and intimate friends to meet them.&6E Upon this Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Brethren from Jaffa;n5U The men replied: "Our captain, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say."w4g Peter went down to the men and said: "I am the man for whom you are looking. What is your reason for coming?"U3# Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."2 Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him: "There are two men looking for you at this moment.`19 And called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there.50c While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon's house, came up to the gate,\/1 This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens.y.k Again he was aware of a voice which said--"What God has pronounced 'clean', do not regard as 'defiled'."j-M "No, Lord, I cannot," answered Peter, "for I have never eaten anything 'defiled' and 'unclean'."e,C Then he was aware of a voice which said--"Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat."A+} In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds.* And saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth.o)W He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance,(% On the next day, while these men were on their way, just as they were nearing the town, Peter went up on the housetop about mid-day to pray.F' And, after telling them the whole story, sent them to Jaffa.&1 When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two menservants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants,Q% He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, who has a house near the sea."e$C And now, send messengers to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, who is also known as Peter.9#k Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said: "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your charities," the angel answered, "have been an acceptable offering to God."y One afternoon, about three o'clock, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel from God come to him, and call him by name.!- A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly.u  e There was then in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a Captain in the regiment known as the 'Italian Regiment,'H  +And Peter stayed some days at Jaffa with a tanner named Simon.a; *This became known all through Jaffa, and numbers of People came to believe in the Lord.   )Giving her his hand, Peter raised her up, and, calling in the widows and others of Christ's People, presented her to them alive.7g (But Peter sent everybody out of the room, and knelt down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said: "Tabitha! stand up." She opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.S 'Peter returned with them at once. On his arrival, he was taken upstairs, and all the widows came round him in tears, showing the coats and other clothing which Dorcas had made while she was among them.#? &Jaffa was near Lydda, and the disciples, having heard that Peter was at Lydda, sent two men with the request that he would come on to them without delay.zm %Just at that time she was taken ill, and died; and they had washed her body and laid it out in an upstairs room.!; $At Jaffa there lived a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which is in Greek 'Dorcas'--a Gazelle. Her life was spent in doing kind and charitable actions.pY #And all the inhabitants of Lydda and of the Plain of Sharon saw him, and came over to the Lord's side.r] ""Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ cures you. Get up, and make your bed." Aeneas got up at once;dA !There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bed-ridden for eight years with paralysis. Peter, while traveling from place to place throughout the country, went down to visit the People of Christ living at Lydda.oW And so it came about that the Church, throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, enjoyed peace and became firmly established; and, ordering its life by reverence for the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.s_ But, when the Brethren found this out, they took him down to Caesarea, and sent him on his way to Tarsus.fE Talking and arguing with the Jews of foreign birth, who, however, made attempts to kill him.   After that, Saul remained in Jerusalem, in close intercourse with the Apostles; and he spoke fearlessly in the Name of the Lord,  Barnabas, however, taking him by the hand, brought him to the Apostles, and told them the whole story of how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord, and how the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out fearlessly in the Name of Jesus.$A On his arrival in Jerusalem, Saul attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was really a disciple.k O But his disciples let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.] 3 But it became known to him. They even watched the gates day and night, to kill him;; q After some time the Jews laid a plot to kill Saul,% C Saul's influence, however, kept steadily increasing, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by the proofs that he gave that Jesus was the Christ.   All who heard him were amazed. "Is not this," they asked, "the man who worked havoc in Jerusalem among those that invoke this Name, and who had also come here for the express purpose of having such persons put in chains and taken before the Chief Priests?"R And at once began in the Synagogues to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God. And, after he had taken food, he felt his strength return. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples who were at Damascus,~u Instantly it seemed as if a film fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,|q So Ananias went, entered the house, and, placing his hands on Saul, said: "Saul, my Brother, I have been sent by the Lord--by Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here--so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."O I will myself show him all that he has to suffer for my Name."%C But the Lord said to him: "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my Name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.uc And, here, too, he holds authority from the Chief Priests to put in chains all those who invoke your Name." "Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I have heard from many people about this man--how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your People there.  And he has seen, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him, so that he may recover his sight.")K "Go at once," said the Lord, "to the 'Straight Street', and ask at Judas's house for a man named Saul, from Tarsus. He is at this moment praying,~ Now there was at Damascus a disciple named Ananias, to whom, in a vision, the Lord said: "Ananias." "Yes, Lord," he answered.^}5 And for three days he was unable to see, and took nothing either to eat or to drink.|/ When Saul got up from the ground, though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So his men led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus;|{q The men traveling with Saul were meanwhile standing speechless; they heard the sound of the voice, but saw no one.\z1 "Yet stand up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."kyO "Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," the voice answered;qx[ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him--"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"qw[ While on his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, suddenly a light from the heavens flashed around him._v7 And asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.vu g Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest,t7(But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the Good News in all the towns through which he passed, till he came to Caesarea.5sc'But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.r &So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water--both Philip and the Treasurer--and Philip baptized him.q3%OMITTED TEXT*pM$Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed: "Look! here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?"foE#Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the Good News about Jesus.n""Now," said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, "tell me, of whom is the Prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"m !In his lowly condition justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.'Gl The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this--'Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.k "How can I," the other answered, "unless some one will explain it to me?" and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.jSo Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.Yi+The Spirit said to Philip: "Go up to the carriage yonder and keep close to it."^h5And was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the Prophet Isaiah.PgSo Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came upon an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,+fOMeanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip: "Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (It is now deserted).0eYPeter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord's Message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the Good News, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.dw"Pray to the Lord for me, all of you," Simon answered, "so that none of the things you have spoken of may befall me."ac;For I see that you have fallen into the 'bitterness of envy' and the 'fetters of sin.'"b Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;[a/You have no share or part in our Message, for your 'heart is not right with God.'~`u"A curse upon you and upon your money," Peter exclaimed, "for thinking that God's free gift can be bought with gold!x_i"Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands upon any one, he may receive the Holy Spirit."^/When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the Apostles' hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said:\]1Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.\w(As yet the Spirit had not descended upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the Faith of the Lord Jesus)._[7And they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.ZyWhen the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God's Message, they sent Peter and John to them;'YG Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.1X[ However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the Good News about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.kWO And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.V# Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. 'This man,' they used to say, 'must be that Power of God which men call "The Great Power."'.UU There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great Being.qT[And many who were paralyzed or lame were cured, so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.|SqFor there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them;RThe people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.XQ)Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.rP]Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the Good News. OBut Saul began to devastate the Church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.LNSome religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.|M sSaul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the Church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the Apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.LA.David found favor with God, and prayed that he might find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.t=a-This Tabernacle, which was handed down to them, was brought into this country by our ancestors who accompanied Joshua (at the conquest of the nations that God drove out before their advance), and remained here until the time of David.2<],Our ancestors had the Tabernacle of Revelation in the Desert, constructed, just as he who spoke to Moses had directed him to make it, after the model which he had seen.*;M+You took with you the tabernacle of Moloch and the Star of the god Rephan--the images which you had made to worship. Therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon.'b:=*So God turned from them and left them to the worship of the Starry Host, as is written in the Book of the Prophets--'Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me, O House of Israel, all those forty years in the Desert?9)That was the time when they made the Calf and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held festivities in honor of their own handiwork!18[(While they said to Aaron--'Make us Gods who will lead the way for us, since, as for this Moses who has brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'7w'Yet our ancestors refused him obedience; more than that, they rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,B6}&He, too, it was who was present at the assembly in the Desert, with the angel who talked to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and who received living truths to impart to you.5!%This was the Moses who said to the people of Israel--'God will raise up for you, from among your brothers, a Prophet, as he raised up me.' 4 $He it was who led them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the Desert during forty years.n3U#This same Moses, whom they had disowned with the words--'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' was the very man whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, under the guidance of the angel that had appeared to him in the bush.+2O"I have seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. Come now and I will send you into Egypt.'z1m!Then the Lord said to him--'Take your sandals off your feet, for the spot where you are standing is holy ground.{0o 'I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses trembled, and did not dare to look./-When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say--.{Forty years had passed when there appeared to him, in the Desert of Mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.t-aAt these words Moses took to flight, and became an exile in Midian; and there he had two sons born to him.T,!Do you mean to make away with me as you did yesterday with that Egyptian?'+{But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying--'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?T*!The next day he again appeared upon the scene, when some of them were fighting, and tried to make peace between them. 'Men,' he said, 'you are brothers; how is it that you are ill-treating one another?'q)[He thought his brothers would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so. (And, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.X')When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his brother Israelites;{&oSo Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.j%MAnd, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.$3It was just at this time that Moses was born. He was an exceedingly beautiful child, and for three months was brought up in his own father's house;#7This king acted deceitfully towards our race and ill-treated our ancestors, making them abandon their own infants, so that they should not be reared.K"Until a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to the throne.!As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people increased largely in numbers in Egypt, 'And their bodies were removed to Shechem, and laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.SAnd so Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and our ancestors also,veThen Joseph sent an urgent invitation to his father Jacob and to his relations, seventy-five persons in all;w In the course of their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.nU Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.y Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.@y And delivered him out of all his troubles, and enabled him to win favor and show wisdom before Pharaoh, King of Egypt, who appointed him Governor of Egypt and of his whole household.c? The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,mSThen God made with Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision; and under it Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him when he was eight days old; and Isaac became the father of Jacob; and Jacob of the Twelve Patriarchs.$ABut I myself will judge the nation, to which they will be enslaved,' God said, 'and after that they shall leave the country and worship me in this place.'3God's words were these--'Abraham's descendants shall live in a foreign country, where they will be enslaved and ill-treated for four hundred years.H God did not at that time give him any part of it, not even a foot of ground. But he promised to 'give him possession of it and his descendants after him, though at that time he had no child.LOn this, Abraham left the country of the Chaldaeans and settled in Haran; and from there, after his father's death, God caused him to migrate into this very country, in which you are now living.`9'Leave your country and your kindred, and come into the country that I will show you.'{oAnd, upon that, Stephen spoke as follows: "Brothers and Fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the Glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him--3 cThen the High Priest asked: "Is this true?" The eyes of all the members of the Council were riveted upon Stephen, and they saw his face looking like the face of an angel.!Indeed, we have heard him declare that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this Place, and change the customs handed down to us by Moses."- There they produced witnesses who gave false evidence. "This man," they said, "is incessantly saying things against this Holy Place and the Law;2 ] And they stirred up the people, as well as the Councillors and the Teachers of the Law, and set upon Stephen, and arrested him, and brought him before the High Council.  Then they induced some men to assert that they had heard Stephen saying blasphemous things against Moses, and against God;e C Yet they were quite unable to withstand the wisdom and the inspiration with which he spoke.C  But some members of the Synagogue known as that of Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and Visitors from Cilicia and Roman Asia, were roused to action and began disputing with Stephen;t aMeanwhile Stephen, divinely helped and strengthened, was showing great wonders and signs among the people."=So God's Message spread, and the number of the disciples continued to increase rapidly in Jerusalem, and a large body of the priests accepted the Faith.eCAnd they brought these men to the Apostles, who, after praying, placed their hands on them.fEThis proposal was unanimously agreed to; and the disciples chose Stephen--a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit--and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a former convert to Judaism;gGWhile we, for our part, will devote ourselves to Prayer, and to the delivery of the Message."%CTherefore, Brothers, look for seven men of reputation among yourselves, wise and spiritually-minded men, and we will appoint them to attend to this matter;?wThe Twelve, therefore, called together the general body of the disciples and said to them: "It is not well for us to see to the distribution at the tables and neglect God's Message.c AAbout this time, when the number of the disciples was constantly increasing, complaints were made by the Jews of foreign birth against the native Jews, that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.7*And never for a single day, either in the Temple Courts or in private houses, did they cease to teach, or to tell the Good News of Jesus, the Christ.zm)But the Apostles left the Council, rejoicing that they had been thought worthy to suffer disgrace for that Name;,Q(The Council followed his advice, and, calling the Apostles in, had them flogged, and then, after cautioning them not to speak in the Name of Jesus, set them free.~'But, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to put an end to them--or else you may find yourselves fighting against God!"K}&And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;)|K%After him, Judas the Galilean appeared at the time of the census, and induced people to follow him; Yet he, too, perished and all his followers were dispersed.@{y$For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away. @~~Q}|{{czzFyypxaxwGvvHuuu tHsrr6qupoonXmmgllkk3jgi=hhsgggf%emedvcc5bba``_v^^J]y\\"[[rZZcYY$XWWAVuVUU[TThSRRwQQQPnPOqNMMMLKxJJIIwIH\GG FFEEdDDICCFBB:A@@c??.>n==N<;;;X:998766'5Y4433"22 1A005//C..x.-C,+**;))t((d'&&&%%b$$ ##!""!  Q!*-xPZ.'uyMX O  { ]  :}*@3 As a consequence, many of them became believers in Christ, besides a considerable number of Greek women of position, and of men also.G2 These Jews of Beroea were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the Message with great readiness, and daily examined the Scriptures to see if what was said was true.1  That very night the Brethren sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and on reaching that place, they went to the Jewish Synagogue.P0 And, before letting them go, they took bail from Jason and the others.S/On hearing this, the people and the City Magistrates were much concerned;d.AAnd have been harbored by Jason! They say that some one else is king--a man called Jesus!"N-And, not finding them there, they proceeded to drag Jason and some of the Brethren before the City Magistrates, shouting out: "These men, who have turned the world upside down, have now come here,{,oBut the Jews, becoming jealous, engaged some worthless fellows from the streets, and, getting a mob together, kept the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, with the intention of bringing Paul and Silas before the Popular Assembly;n+USome of the people were convinced, and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, as did also a large body of Greeks who were accustomed to join in the Jewish services, and a great number of women belonging to the leading families.J* He laid before them and explained that the Christ must undergo suffering and rise from the dead; and "It is this man," he declared, "who is the Christ--this Jesus about whom I am telling you.")And, following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three Sabbaths addressed them, drawing his arguments from the Scriptures.|( sAfter passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. Here the Jews had a Synagogue;'/(When Paul and Silas left the prison, they went to Lydia's house, and, after they had seen the Brethren, and encouraged them, they left the place.&'And went to the prison, and did their best to conciliate them. Then they took them out, and begged them to leave the city.%}&The police reported his words to the Magistrates, who, on hearing that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, were alarmed,z$m%But Paul's answer to them was: "They have flogged us in public without trial, though we are Roman citizens, and they have put us in prison, and now they are for sending us out secretly! No, indeed! Let them come and take us out themselves."D#$The Governor of the Jail told Paul of his instructions. "The Magistrates have sent an order for your discharge," he said, "so you had better leave the place at once and go quietly away."d"A#In the morning the Magistrates sent the police with an order for the men to be discharged.!5"Afterwards he took them up to his house and set before them something to eat, rejoicing that he, with all his household, had come to believe in God. -!And that very hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds, and he himself and every one belonging to him were baptized without delay.T! Then they spoke to him of God's Message, and to all his household as well.kO"Believe in Jesus, our Lord," they replied, "and you shall be saved, you and your household too."GThen he led them out, and said: "What must I do to be saved?"q[Calling for a light, the Governor rushed in, and flung himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.NBut Paul called our loudly: "Do not harm yourself; we are all here."'GRoused from his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, the Governor drew his sword intending to kill himself, in the belief that the prisoners had escaped..USuddenly there was an earthquake of such violence that the Jail was shaken to its foundations; all the doors flew open, and all the prisoners' chains were loosened.About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and while the prisoners were listening to them,{oOn receiving so strict an order, the Governor put them into the inner cell, and secured their feet in the stocks.After beating them severely, the Magistrates put them in prison, with orders to the Governor of the Jail to keep them in safe custody.!On this the mob rose as one man against them, and the Magistrates stripped them of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.wg"They are Jews, and they are teaching customs which it is not right for us, as Romans, to sanction or adopt."ykAnd took them before the Magistrates. "These men are causing a great disturbance in our town," they complained;%CWhen her masters saw that there was no hope of further profit from her, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the public square to the authorities,T!She had been doing this for several days, when Paul, much vexed, turned and said to the spirit within her: "In the Name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave her." That very moment the spirit left her.#?This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, calling: "These men are servants of the most high God, and they are bringing you news of a way to Salvation."1[One day, as we were on our way to the Place of Prayer, we were met by a girl possessed by a divining spirit, who made large profits for her masters by fortune-telling.ykAnd, when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us to become her guests. "Since you have shown your conviction," she said, "that I really am a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house." And she insisted on our doing so.s _Among them was a woman, named Lydia, belonging to Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth, who was accustomed to join in the worship of God. The Lord touched this woman's heart, so that she gave attention to the Message delivered by Paul,9 k On the Sabbath we went outside the gate to the river-side, where we supposed there would be a Place of Prayer; and we sat down and talked to the women who were gathered there.) K From there we made our way to Philippi, which is the principal city of that part of Macedonia, and also a Roman Settlement. In that city we spent several days.t a Accordingly we set sail from Troas, and ran before the wind to Samothrace, reaching Neapolis the next day.A { So, immediately after Paul had seen the vision, we looked for an opportunity to cross over to Macedonia, concluding that God had summoned us to tell the Good News to the people there. And there one night Paul saw a vision. A Macedonian was standing and appealing to him--'Come over to Macedonia and help us.'8kPassing through Mysia, they went down to Troas;}When they reached the borders of Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.!They next went through the Phrygian district of Galatia, but were restrained by the Holy Spirit from delivering the Message in Roman Asia._7So the Churches grew stronger in the Faith, and increased in numbers from day to day.7gAs they traveled from town to town, they gave the Brethren the decisions which had been reached by the Apostles and Officers of the Church at Jerusalem, for them to observe.>uWishing to take this man with him on his journey, Paul caused him to be circumcised on account of the Jews in that neighborhood, for they all knew that his father had been a Greek.KAnd who was well spoken of by the Brethren in Lystra and Iconium.Q Among other places Paul went to Derbe and Lystra. At the latter place they found a disciple, named Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer in Christ, while his father was a Greek,mS)Started on his journey and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the Churches in the faith.~(While Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the Brethren to the gracious care of the Lord,y}k'This caused such unpleasant feeling between them that they parted, Barnabas taking Mark and sailing for Cyprus,|%&But Paul felt that they ought not to take with them the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to their work.L{%Barnabas wished to take with them John, whose other name was Mark;7zg$Some time after this, Paul said to Barnabas: "Let us go back and visit the Brethren in every town in which we have told the Lord's Message, and see how they are prospering."y+#Paul and Barnabas, however, remained in Antioch, where they taught and, with the help of many others, told the Good News of the Lord's Message.x3"OMITTED TEXT~wu!After some stay, they were dismissed with kind farewells from the Brethren, and returned to those who had sent them. v  Judas and Silas, who were themselves Prophets, further encouraged the Brethren by many an address, and strengthened their faith.luQAnd delivered the letter, the reading of which caused great rejoicing by its encouraging contents. t So the bearers of this letter were sent on their way, and went down to Antioch. There they called a meeting of all the brethren,SsThat you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'rWe have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions--vqeWe are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing.PpWho have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.qo[We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, nAs we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds--without instructions from us--NmThey were bearers of the following letter--'The Apostles, and the Brothers who are the Officers of the Church, send their greetings to the Brethren of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.lIt was then decided by the Apostles and the Officers, with the assent of the whole Church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leading men among the Brethren. k For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath.":jmBut we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood.tiaIn my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God,Ih Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.'|gqThat so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the Gentiles on whom my Name has been bestowed."f-'"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more;QeAnd that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say-- dSimon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his Name.xci After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say.Eb Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them.}as No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved."`! Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear?c_? He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith.^Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.`]9After much discussion, Peter rose and said: "You, my Brothers, know well that long ago God singled me out--that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the Message of the Good News, and become believers in Christ._\7The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question.J[ Some of the Pharisees' party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.2Z]On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the Officers, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do.NYThe Church, therefore, sent them on their journey, and they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the story of the conversion of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the Brethren.,XQThis gave rise to a serious dispute, and much discussion, between Paul and Barnabas and these men, and it was therefore settled that Paul and Barnabas and others of their number should go up to Jerusalem, to consult the Apostles and Officers of the Church about the matter under discussion.@W {But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Brethren that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom enjoined by Moses, they could not be saved.PVAnd at Antioch they stayed with the disciples for a considerable time.@UyAfter their arrival, they gathered the Church together, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do, and especially how he had opened to the Gentiles the door of faith;T-From there they sailed to Antioch--the place where they had been committed to the gracious care of God for the work which they had now finished.IS And, after telling the Message at Perga, went down to Attaleia.ORPaul and Barnabas then went through Pisidia, and came into Pamphylia,Q7They also appointed Officers for them in every Church, and, after prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had learned to believe.1P[Reassuring the minds of the disciples, urging them to remain true to the Faith, and showing that it is only through many troubles that we can enter the Kingdom of God. OAfter telling the Good News throughout that town, and making a number of converts, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, NBut, when the disciples had gathered round him, he got up and went back into the town; the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.5But the townspeople were divided, some siding with the Jews, some with the Apostles;S=Therefore Paul and Barnabas spent a long time there, and spoke out fearlessly, relying upon the Lord, who confirmed the Message of his Love by permitting signs and wonders to take place at their hands.u<cBut the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles, and poisoned their minds against the Brethren.<; sThe same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish Synagogue, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed in Christ.X:) 4And went to Iconium, leaving the disciples full of joy and of the Holy Spirit.A9} 3They, however, shook the dust off their feet in protest,M8 2But the Jews incited the women of position who worshiped with them, and the leading men of the town, and started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their neighborhood.F7 1And the Lord's Message was carried throughout that district.67 0On hearing this, the Gentiles were glad and extolled God's Message; and all those who had been enrolled for Immortal Life became believers in Christ;5 /For this is the Lord's command to us--'I have destined thee for a Light to the Gentiles, a means of Salvation to the ends of the earth'."p4Y .Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly, and said: "It was necessary that the Message of God should be told to you first; but, since you reject it and reckon yourselves not worthy of the Immortal Life--we turn to the Gentiles!35 -But the sight of the crowds of people filled the minds of the Jews with jealousy, and they kept contradicting Paul's statements in violent language.W2' ,On the following Sabbath, almost all the city gathered to hear God's Message.g1G +After the congregation had dispersed, many of the Jews, and of the converts who joined in their worship, followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue to rely upon the loving-kindness of God.0 *As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the Synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath./1 )'Look, you despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I am doing a deed in your days--a deed which, though told you in full, you will never believe'."Z.- (Beware, therefore, that what is said in the Prophets does not come true of you---1 'And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.y,k &I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,O+ %But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption.*' $David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption;r)] #And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said--'Thou wilt not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.'#(? "As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;'Q' !That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.'W&' We also have good news to tell you, about the promise made to our ancestors--%# And he appeared for many days to those who had gone up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now witnesses for him to the people.*$O But God raised him from the dead;|#q And, after carrying out everything written about him, they took Jesus down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb.k"O They found no ground at all for putting him to death, and yet demanded his execution from Pilate;H!  The people of Jerusalem and their leading men, failing to recognize Jesus, and not understanding the utterances of the Prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.  Brothers, descendants of Abraham, and all those among you who reverence God, it was to us that the Message of this Salvation was sent.I  As John was drawing towards the end of his career, he said what do you suppose that I am? I am not the Christ. But there is "One Coming" after me, whose very sandal I am not worthy to untie.'w John having first proclaimed, before the appearance of Jesus, a baptism upon repentance for all the people of Israel.s_ It was from this man's descendants that God, in accordance with his promise, gave Israel a Savior--Jesus;E After removing him, he raised David to the throne, and bore this testimony to him--'In David, the son of Jesse, I have found a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes.'   And, when they demanded a king, God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.~u For about four hundred and fifty years. In later times he gave them Judges, of whom the Prophet Samuel was the last.iK Then, after destroying seven heathen nations in Canaan, he allotted their land to this people--A} For about forty years 'he bore with them in the Desert';A{ The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and during their stay in Egypt increased the prosperity of the people, and then 'with uplifted arm brought them out from that land.' So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, spoke as follows: "Men of Israel and all here who reverence God, hear what I have to say.M After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the President of the Synagogue sent them this message--"Brothers, if you have any helpful words to address to the people, now is the time to speak." The others went on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. There they went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats. After this, Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them and returned to Jerusalem.   When the Governor saw what had happened, he became a believer in Christ, being greatly impressed by the teaching about the Lord.U# The hand of the Lord is upon you even now, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the sun." Immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went feeling about for some one to guide him.4a "You incarnation of deceit and all fraud! You son of the Devil! You opponent of all that is good! Will you never cease to divert 'the straight paths of the Lord'? Listen!kO However, Saul (who is the same as Paul), full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him and said: But Elymas, the astrologer (for that is the meaning of the word), opposed them, eager to divert the Governor's attention from the Faith. ) He was at the court of the Governor, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who sent for Barnabas and Saul and asked to be told God's Message.. U After passing through the whole island, they reached Paphos, where they found an astrologer who pretended to be a Prophet--a Jew by birth, whose name was Barjoshua.  On reaching Salamis, they began to tell the Message of God in the Jewish Synagogues; and they had John with them as an assistant.  Barnabas and Saul, sent on this mission, as they were, by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.d A Accordingly, after fasting and prayer, they placed their hands on them and dismissed them.4a While they were engaged in the worship of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit said: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them."X + Among the members of the Church at Antioch there were several Prophets and Teachers--Barnabas, Simeon who was known by the name of 'Black', Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, foster-brother of Prince Herod, and Saul. When Barnabas and Saul had carried out their mission, they returned to Jerusalem, and took with them John, who was also known as Mark.R Meanwhile the Lord's Message kept extending, and spreading far and wide. Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was attacked with worms, and died.O The people kept shouting: "It is the voice of God, and not of a man!"uc On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state-robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.&E It happened that Herod was deeply offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they went in a body to him, and, having succeeded in winning over Blastus, the Chamberlain, they begged Herod for a reconciliation, because their country was dependent on the King's for its food-supply.H  And, when Herod had made further search for him and failed to find him, he closely questioned the Guard, and ordered them away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to stay at Caesarea.eC In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers-- what could have become of Peter!e~C Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding: "Tell James and the Brethren all this." Then he left the house, and went away to another place.i}K Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.t|a "You are mad!" they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said: "It must be his spirit!" {  She recognized Peter's voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.az; On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.:ym As soon as he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.Mx Then Peter came to himself and said: "Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod's hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting."rw] Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.v! Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel's guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.=us The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said: "Put on your girdle and sandals." When Peter had done so, the angel added: "Throw your cloak round you and follow me.")tK Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side, and roused him with the words: "Get up quickly."\s1 Just when Herod was intending to bring him before the people, on that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, chained to them both, while there were sentries in front of the door, guarding the prison.r{ So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the Church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.@qy After seizing Peter, Herod put him in prison, and entrusted him to the keeping of four Guards of four soldiers each, intending, after the Passover, to bring him up before the people.p/ And, when he saw that the Jews were pleased with this, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.)5oe He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;bn ? It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church.hmI And this they did, sending it to the Officers of the Church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.l So the disciples, without exception, determined, in proportion to their means, to send something to help the Brethren living in Judea.Jk  One of them, named Agabus, came forward and, under the influence of the Spirit, foretold a great famine that was to spread over all the world--a famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius.Ij  During this time, some Prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. i And, when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it came about that, for a whole year, they attended the meetings of the Church there, and taught a large number of people; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians.'>hw Afterwards Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul;g For Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith--and a large number of people took their stand on the Lord's side.)fK On coming there he saw to his great joy these tokens of the loving-kindness of God, and encouraged them all to make up their minds to be faithful to the Lord--meS The news about them reached the ears of the Church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.~du The power of the Lord was with them, so that a great number who had learned to believe came over to the Lord's side.Cc Some of them, however, who were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, on coming to Antioch, addressed themselves also to the Jews of foreign birth, telling them the Good News about that Lord Jesus.dbA Now those who had been scattered in different directions, in consequence of the persecution that followed upon the death of Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the Message--but only to Jews.:am On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. "So even to the Gentiles," they exclaimed, "God has granted the repentance which leads to Life!""`= Since then, God had given them the very same gift as he gave us when we became believers in Jesus Christ the Master--who was I that I could thwart God?"_ And I recalled the saying of the Master--'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'}^s I had but just begun to speak," continued Peter, "when the Holy Spirit fell on them, exactly as on us at the first; G~}}|{{zz yyxx wqvvPuutssrr.qpp~poTnemll[kkkjii8hhLgofff3ee d}ccba``J`_R_^j^7]\\/[[7ZYZ YXXWVVUUITTnSRQQ7PgOOXNMMXLSKKJJTIsI>.==+<<3;Z::W99588376665'44g33I22_100//T/ .--,>++i**v*)(''e' %%$%#N"k!!% R'- \T$ ui \ h T{$A That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said: "Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also."V% The dispute was becoming so violent, that the Commanding Officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.eC So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teaches of the Law belonging to the Pharisees' party stood up and hotly protested: "We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel--"!(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)-As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.}Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council: "Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial."+"I did not know, Brothers, that it was the High Priest," said Paul, "for Scripture says--'Of the Ruler of thy People thou shalt speak no ill'."h~IThe people standing near said to Paul: "Do you know that you are insulting God's High Priest?"J} Whereupon Paul turned to him and said: "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?"d|AAt this, the High Priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;*{ OPaul fixed his eyes upon the Council, and began: "Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day."z%On the next day the Commanding Officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jews, had his chains taken off, and directed the Chief Priests and the whole of the High Council to assemble, and then took Paul down and brought him before them.(yIThe men who were to have examined Paul immediately drew back, and the Officer, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, was alarmed at having put him in chains.xxi"I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen," said the Officer. "I am one by birth," rejoined Paul.vweSo the Commanding Officer went up to Paul and said: "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," replied Paul. v9On hearing this, the Captain went and reported it to the Commanding Officer. "Do you know what you are doing?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen."!u;But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the Captain standing near: "Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?"@tyThe Commanding Officer ordered Paul to be taken into the Fort, and directed that he should be examined under the lash, that he might find out the reason for their outcry against him.Ys+As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,,rQUp to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out: "Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!"Zq-But Jesus said to me 'Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away'."8piAnd, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.o'Lord,' I answered, 'these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in Synagogue after Synagogue, those who believed in you; nAnd saw Jesus saying to me 'Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'hmIAfter my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,elCAnd now why wait any longer: Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his Name.ck?For you shall be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.j!Then he said 'The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from his lips; i Standing close to me, he said 'Saul, my Brother, recover your sight.' And then and there I recovered my sight and looked up at him.hy There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.gy In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, till I reached Damascus.6fe Then I said 'What am I to do, Lord?' 'Get up and go into Damascus,' The Lord said to me, 'and there you shall be told all that you have been appointed to do.'Ne The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker's voice.wdg'Who are you, Lord?' I replied. Then the voice said 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'ocWI fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'"b=While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about mid-day, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all round me. aAnd to that the High Priest himself and all the Council can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment. `In my persecution of this Cause I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike--_"I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in this city under the teaching of Gamaliel, and educated in accordance with the strict system of our ancestral Law. I was as zealous in God's service as any of you who are here to-day.o^WWhen they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:O] "Brothers and Father, listen to the defense which I am about to make."W\'(The Commanding Officer gave his permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, made signs with his hand to the people, and, when comparative silence had been obtained, he spoke to them in Hebrew, as follows:[/'"No," said Paul, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a city of some note; and I beg you to give me permission to speak to the people."Z&"Are not you, then, the Egyptian who some time ago raised an insurrection and led the four thousand Bandits out into the Wilderness?"'YG%Just as he was about to be taken into the Fort, Paul said to the Commanding Officer: "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?" asked the Commanding Officer.LX$For the people were following in a mass, shouting out: "Kill him!"wWg#When Paul reached the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers, owing to the violence of the mob;-VS"Some of the crowd said one thing, and some another; and, as he could get no definite reply on account of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.U!Then he went up to Paul, arrested him, ordered him to be doubly chained, and proceeded to inquire who he was, and what he had been doing.(TI He instantly got together some officers and men, and charged down upon the crowd, who, when they saw the Commanding Officer and his men, stopped beating Paul. SThey were bent upon killing him, when it was reported to the Officer commanding the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in commotion.R3The whole city was stirred, and the people quickly collected, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the Temple, when the doors were immediately shut.!Q;(For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in Paul's company in the city, and were under the belief that Paul had taken him into the Temple.)_P7"Men of Israel! help! This is the man who teaches every one everywhere against our People, our Law, and this Place; and, what is more, he has actually brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled this sacred place."SOBut, just as the seven days were drawing to a close, the Jews from Roman Asia caught sight of Paul in the Temple, and caused great excitement among all the people present, by seizing Paul and shouting:vNeOn this, Paul joined the men, and the next day shared their purification, and went into the Temple, and gave notice of the expiration of the period of purification when the usual offering should have been made on behalf of each of them.GMAs to the Gentiles who have become believers in Christ, we have sent our decision that they should avoid food offered to idols, and blood, and the flesh of strangled animals, and impurity."L/Join these men, share their purification, and bear their expenses, so that they may shave their heads; and then all will see that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that, on the contrary, you yourself rule your life in obedience to the Jewish Law.YK+We have four men here, who have of their own accord put themselves under a vow.aJ;Well now, as they are certain to hear of your arrival, do what we are going to suggest.EINow they have heard it said about you, that you teach all Jews in foreign countries to forsake Moses, for you tell them not to circumcise their children or even to observe Jewish customs.|HqAnd, when they had heard it, they began praising God, and said to Paul: "You see, Brother, that the Jews who have become believers in Christ may be numbered by tens of thousands, and they are all naturally earnest in upholding the Jewish Law.sG_After greeting them, Paul related in detail all that God had done among the Gentiles through his efforts;kFOAnd the next day Paul went with us to see James, and all the Officers of the Church were present.SEOn our arrival at Jerusalem, the Brethren there gave us a hearty welcome;D+Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, and brought Mnason with them, a Cypriot disciple of long standing, with whom we were to stay.dCAAt the end of our visit, we made our preparations, and started on our way up to Jerusalem.kBOSo, as he would not be persuaded, we said no more to him, only adding--"The Lord's will be done."ZA- It was then that Paul made the reply: "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart like this? For my part, I am ready not only to be bound, but even to suffer death at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus."m@S When we heard that, we and the people of the place began to entreat Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.? He came to see us, and, taking Paul's girdle, and binding his own feet and hands with it, said: "This is what the Holy Spirit says--'The man to whom this girdle belongs will be bound like this at Jerusalem by the Jews, and they will give him up to the Gentiles'."e>C During our visit, which lasted several days, a Prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judea.H=  He had four unmarried daughters, who had the gift of prophecy.<1The next day we left, and reached Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip, the Missionary, who was one of 'the Seven,' and stayed with him.;After we had made the run from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, and exchanged greetings with the Brethren there, and spent a day with them.f:EAnd then said good-bye to one another; after which we went on board, and they returned home.F9However, when we had come to the end of our visit, we went on our way, all the disciples with their wives and children escorting us out of the city. We knelt down on the beach, and prayed,85There we found the disciples and stayed a week with them. Speaking under the influence of the Spirit, they warned Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem. 7After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria, and put into Tyre, where the ship was to discharge her cargo.V6%Where we found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, and went on board and set sail.5 !When we had torn ourselves away and had set sail, we ran before the wind to Cos; the next day we came to Rhodes, and from there to Patara,4&Grieving most of all over what he had said--that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.h3I%All were in tears; and throwing their arms round Paul's neck, they kissed him again and again,R2$When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with them all.\11#I left nothing undone to show you that, laboring as I labored, you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said himself--'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"x0i"You, yourselves, know that these hands of mine provided not only for my own wants, but for my companions also.D/!I have never coveted any one's gold or silver or clothing.R. And now I commend you to the Lord and to the Message of his Love--a Message which has the power to build up your characters, and to give you your place among all those who have become Christ's People.-Therefore, be on your guard, remembering how for three years, night and day, I never ceased, even with tears, to warn each one of you. ,And from among yourselves, too, men will arise, who will teach perversions of truth, so as to draw away the disciples after them.p+YI know that, after my departure, merciless wolves will get in among you, who will not spare the flock;D*Be watchful over yourselves, and over the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has placed you in charge, to shepherd the Church of God, which he won for himself at the cost of his life.W)'For I have not shrunk from announcing the whole purpose of God regarding you.o(WTherefore I declare to you this day, that my conscience is clear in regard to the fate of any of you, 'And now, I tell you, I know that none of you will ever see my face again--you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the Kingdom.U&#But I count my life of no value to myself, if only I may complete the course marked out for me, and the task that was allotted me by the Lord Jesus--which was to declare the Good News of the Love of God.x%iExcept that in town after town the Holy Spirit plainly declares to me that imprisonment and troubles await me.z$mAnd now, under spiritual constraint, I am here on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,x#iI earnestly pointed both Jews and Greeks to the repentance that leads to God, and to faith in Jesus, our Lord."I never shrank from telling you anything that could be helpful to you, or from teaching you both in public and in private.!Serving the Lord, as I did, in all humility, amid the tears and trials which fell to my lot through the plots of the Jews.& EAnd, when they came, he spoke to them as follows: "You know well the life that I always led among you from the very first day that I set foot in Roman Asia,gGFrom Miletus, however, he sent to Ephesus and invited the Officers of the Church to meet him;GFor Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so as to avoid spending much time in Roman Asia. He was making haste to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the Festival at the close of the Harvest. The day after we had sailed from there, we arrived off Chios, touched at Samos the following day, and the next day reached Miletus;T!So, when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene.3_ We started first, went on board ship, and sailed for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. This was by his own arrangement, as he intended to go by land himself.R Meanwhile they had taken the lad away alive, and were greatly comforted. Then he went upstairs; and, after breaking and partaking of the Bread, he talked with them at great length till daybreak, and then left. But Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and put his arms round him. "Do not be alarmed," he said, "he is still alive." And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, was gradually overcome with great drowsiness, as Paul continued his address. At last, quite overpowered by his drowsiness, he fell from the third story to the ground, and was picked up for dead.NThere were a good many lamps in the upstairs room, where we had met;SOn the first day of the week, when we had met for the Breaking of Bread, Paul, who was intending to leave the next day, began to address those who were present, and prolonged his address till midnight. While we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the Passover, and joined them five days later at Troas, where we stayed for a week.9mThese men went to Troas and waited for us there;CHe was accompanied by Sopater the son of Pyrrhus, of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus of Roman Asia.)He was about to sail to Syria, when he learned that a plot had been laid against him by the Jews; so he decided to return by way of Macedonia.%After going through those districts and speaking many encouraging words to the disciples, he went into Greece, where he stayed three months. /When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and, with encouraging words, bade them goodbye, and started on his journey to Macedonia.4c)With these words he dismissed the Assembly.] 3(For I tell you that we are in danger of being proceeded against for to-day's riot, there being nothing to account for it; and in that case we shall be at a loss to give any reason for this disorderly gathering."\ 1'But if you want anything more, it will have to be settled in the regular Assembly.I  &If, however, Demetrius and the artisans who are acting with him have a charge to make against any one, there are Court Days and there are Magistrates; let both parties take legal proceedings.y k%For you have brought these men here, though they are neither robbers of Temples nor blasphemers of our Goddess.T !$As these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash;{#When the Recorder had succeeded in quieting the crowd, he said: "Men of Ephesus, who is there, I ask you, who needs to be told that this city of Ephesus is the Warden of the Temple of the great Artemis, and of the statue which fell down from Zeus?"="However, when they recognized him as a Jew, one cry broke from them all, and they continued shouting for two hours--"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"0Y!But some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front, and he waved his hand to show that he wanted to speak in their defense to the people."= Meanwhile some were shouting one thing and some another, for the Assembly was all in confusion, most of those present not even knowing why they had met.3While some of the chief religious officials of the province, who were friendly to him, sent repeated entreaties to him not to trust himself inside.kOPaul wished to go into the amphitheater and face the people, but the disciples would not let him,LThe commotion spread through the whole city, and the people rushed together into the amphitheater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions.veWhen they heard this, the men were greatly enraged, and began shouting--"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"*MSo that not only is this business of ours likely to fall into discredit, but there is the further danger that the Temple of the great Goddess Artemis will be thought nothing of, and that she herself will be deprived of her splendor--though all Roman Asia and the whole world worship her."kOAnd you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but in almost the whole of Roman Asia, this Paul has convinced and won over great numbers of people, by his assertion that those Gods which are made by hands are not Gods at all.~3Got these men together, as well as the workmen engaged in similar occupations, and said: "Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this work, }A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver models of the shrine of Artemis, and so gave a great deal of work to the artisans,I| Just about that time a great disturbance arose about the Cause.{So he sent to Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Roman Asia.=zsSometime after these events Paul resolved to go through Macedonia and Greece, and then make his way to Jerusalem. "And after I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."DySo irresistibly did the Lord's Message spread and prevail.CxWhile a number of people, who had practiced magic, collected their books and burnt them publicly; and on reckoning up the price of these, they found it amounted to five thousand pounds.pwYMany, too, of those who had become believers in Christ came with a full confession of their practices;3v_This incident came to the knowledge of all the Jews and Greeks living at Ephesus; they were all awe-struck, and the Name of the Lord Jesus was held in the highest honor.MuThen the man, in whom this wicked spirit was, sprang upon them, mastered both of them, and so completely overpowered them, that they fled out of the house, stripped of their clothes, and wounded.ltQBut the wicked spirit answered them: "Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but you--who are you?"Js The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish Chief Priest, were doing this;Zr- An attempt was made by some itinerant Jews, who were exorcists, to use the Name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits in them. "I adjure you," they would say, "by the Jesus, whom Paul preaches."3q_ So that people would carry home to the sick handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body, and their diseases would leave them and the wicked spirits go out of them.>pw God did miracles of no ordinary kind by Paul's hands;{oo This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Roman Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the Lord's Message.]n3 Some of them, however, hardened their hears and refused to believe, denouncing the Cause before the people. So Paul left them and withdrew his disciples, and gave daily addresses in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus.%mCPaul went to the Synagogue there, and for three months spoke out fearlessly, giving addresses and trying to convince his hearers, about the kingdom of God.0l[There were about twelve of them in all.kAnd, after Paul had placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and they began to speak with 'tongues' and to preach.OjOn hearing this, they were baptized into the faith of the Lord Jesus,?iw"John's baptism was a baptism upon repentance," rejoined Paul, "and John told the people (speaking of the 'One Coming; after him) that they should believe in him--that is in Jesus."2h_"What then was your baptism?" Paul asked.g1"Did you, when you became believers in Christ, receive the Holy Spirit?" "No," they answered, "we did not even hear that there was a Holy Spirit."$f CWhile Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland districts of Roman Asia, and went to Ephesus. There he found some disciples, of whom he asked:leQFor he vigorously confuted the Jews, publicly proving by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.~duWhen he wanted to cross to Greece, the Brethren furthered his plans, and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival he proved of great assistance to those who had, through the loving-kindness of God, become believers in Christ,:cmThis man began to speak out fearlessly in the Synagogue; and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained the Cause of God to him more carefully still.8biHe had been well-instructed in the Cause of the Lord, and with burning zeal he spoke of, and taught carefully, the facts about Jesus, though he knew of no baptism but John's.a Meanwhile there had come to Ephesus an Alexandrian Jew, named Apollos, an eloquent man, who was well-versed in the Scriptures.$`AAfter making some stay in Antioch, he set out on a tour through the Phrygian district of Galatia, strengthening the faith of all the disciples as he went._wOn reaching Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and exchanged greetings with the Church, and then went down to Antioch.l^QAs he took his leave, "I will come back again to you, please God," and then set sail from Ephesus.O]When they asked him to prolong his stay, he declined, saying however,x\iThey put into Ephesus, and there Paul, leaving his companions, went into the Synagogue and addressed the Jews.Y[+Paul remained there some time after this, and then took leave of the Brethren, and sailed to Syria with Priscilla and Aquila, but not before his head had been shaved at Cenchreae, because he was under a vow.-ZSThen they all set upon Sosthenes, the President of the Synagogue, and beat him in front of the Bench, but Gallio did not trouble himself about any of these things.8YkSaying this, he drove them back from the Bench.X3But, since it is a dispute about words, and names, and your own Law, you must see to it yourselves. I do not choose to be a judge in such matters."LWJust as Paul was on the point of speaking, Gallio said to the Jews: "Jews, if this were a case of misdemeanor or some serious crime, there would be some reason for my listening patiently to you;[V/ Charging him with persuading people to worship God in a way forbidden by the Law.U While Gallio was governor of Greece, the Jews made a combined attack on Paul, and brought him before the Governor's Bench,_T7 So he settled there for a year and a half, and taught God's Message among the people.gSG For I am with you, and no one shall do you harm, for I have many People in this city."Rw One night the Lord said to Paul, in a vision: "Have no fear, but continue to speak, and refuse to be silenced;RQCrispus, the President of the Synagogue, came to believe in the Lord, and so did all his household; and many of the Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, became believers in Christ and were baptized..PUSo he left, and went to the house of a certain Titius Justus, who had been accustomed to join in the worship of God, and whose house was next door to the Synagogue.kOOHowever, as they set themselves against him and became abusive, Paul shook his clothes in protest and said to them: "Your blood be on your own heads. My conscience is clear. From this time forward I shall go to the Gentiles."=NsBut, when Silas and Timothy had come down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to delivering the Message, earnestly maintaining before the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.fMEEvery Sabbath Paul gave addresses in the Synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks.rL]And, since their trade was the same as his, he stayed and worked with them--their trade was tent-making.KwThere he met a Jew of the name of Aquila, a native of Pontus, who, with his wife Priscilla, had lately come from Italy, in consequence of the order which had been issued by the Emperor Claudius for all Jews to leave Rome. Paul paid them a visit,5J gOn leaving Athens, Paul next went to Corinth.AI{"There were, however, some men who joined him, and became believers in Christ. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and several others.$HC!And so Paul left the Court.G) On hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some began jeering, but others said that they would hear what he had to say about that another time.IF Because he has fixed a day on which he intends to 'judge the world with justice,' by a man whom he has appointed--and of this he has given all men a pledge by raising this man from the dead."E!True, God looked with indulgence on the days of men's ignorance, but now he is announcing to every one everywhere the need for repentance,6DeTherefore, as the offspring of God, we must not think that the Deity has any resemblance to anything made of gold, or silver, or stone--a work of human art and imagination.xCiFor in him we live and move and are. To use the words of some of your own poets--'His offspring, too, are we.'B+That they might search for God, if by any means they might feel their way to him and find him. And yet he is not really far from any one of us;AyHe made all races of the earth's surface--fixing a time for their rise and fall, and the limits of their settlements--@'Nor yet do human hands minister to his wants, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives, to all, life, and breath, and all things.?!The God who made the world and all things that are in it-- he, Lord as he is of Heaven and Earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands,Q>For as I was going about, looking at your sacred shrines, I came upon an altar with this inscription--'To an Unknown God.' What, therefore, you worship in ignorance, that I am now proclaiming to you. =So Paul took his stand in the middle of the Court, and said- -"Men of Athens, on every hand I see signs of your being very devout.<(All Athenians and the foreigners staying in the city found no time for anything else but telling, or listening to, the last new thing.)m;SFor you are bringing some strange things to our notice, and we should like to know what they mean.":%So they laid hold of him and took him to the Court of Areopagus. "May we hear," they asked, "what new teaching this is which you are giving?(9IAmong others, some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers joined issue with him. Some would ask "What is this prater wanting to make out?", while others would say "He seems to be a Preacher of foreign Deities." (This was because he was telling the Good News about Jesus and the Resurrection).,8QSo he argued in the Synagogue with the Jews and with those who joined in their worship, as well as daily in the public Square with those who happened to be there.r7]While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his heart was stirred at seeing the whole city full of idols.96kThe friends who escorted Paul took him as far as Athens, and, after receiving a message for Silas and Timothy to join him as quickly as possible, they started on their return. 5Immediately upon that, the Brethren sent Paul off on his way to the sea coast, but both Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Beroea.54c But, when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that God's Message had been delivered by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, exciting and disturbing the minds of the people. {H~}}"|{{]zyyxXwwwRvjuuDtpsssrqq5pooonnzn[mm|ll=kk4j'ii.hhggfleddc'bbaa3``_x^^)]\\@[9ZZ1YXXW~WV\UTTuSRRQPPOLNNMkLL8KKzJII`HGGtFFE0DCCBB AA@ ??o>>D==$<;;::L99 877E655!44,3322E100>//G..--8,,&++P*))d)((e'&&7%$$)##H"!! ,Qi_-g$*`'6iS    V v  G~SC,|xY kWhile the men, disregarding that for which women were intended by nature, were consumed with passion for one another. Men indulged in vile practices with men, and incurred in their own persons the inevitable penalty for their perverseness.X 3That, I say, is why God abandoned them to degrading passions. Even the women among them perverted the natural use of their bodies to the unnatural;,W SFor they had substituted a lie for the truth about God, and had reverenced and worshiped created things more than the Creator, who is to be praised for ever. Amen. V Therefore God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts, till they dishonored their own bodies;U And they transformed the Glory of the immortal God into the likeness of mortal man, and of birds, and beasts, and reptiles.mProclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ, with perfect fearlessness, unmolested.t=aFor two whole years Paul stayed in a house which he rented for himself, welcoming all who came to see him,<3OMITTED TEXTh;IUnderstand, then, that this Salvation of God was sent for the Gentiles; and they will listen."%:CFor the mind of this nation has grown dense, and their ears are dull of hearing, their eyes also have they closed; lest some day they should see with their eyes, and with their ears they should hear, and in their mind they should understand, and should turn--and I should heal them.'!9;'Go to this nation and say--"You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, and, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving."F8So, as they disagreed among themselves, they began to disperse, Paul adding only--"True, indeed, was the declaration made by the Holy Spirit, through the Prophet Isaiah to your ancestors--R7Some were inclined to accept what he said; others, however, rejected it.Z6-They then fixed a day with him, and came to the place where he was staying, in even larger numbers, when Paul proceeded to lay the subject before them. He bore his testimony to the Kingdom of God, and tried to convince them about Jesus, by arguments drawn from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets--speaking from morning till evening.55But we shall be glad to hear from you what your views are, for, with regard to this sect, we are well aware that it is spoken against on all sides."!4;"We," was their reply, "have not had any letter about you from Judea, nor have any of our fellow-Jews come and reported or said anything bad about you.!3;This, then, is my reason for urging you to come to see me and talk with me; because it is for the sake of the Hope of Israel that I am here in chains."2-But, as the Jews opposed my release, I was compelled to appeal to the Emperor--not, indeed, that I had any charge to make against my own nation.1The Romans, when they had examined me, were ready to release me, because there was nothing in my conduct deserving death.;0oThree days after our arrival, Paul invited the leading Jews to meet him; and, when they came, he spoke to them as follows: "Brothers, although I had done nothing hostile to the interests of our nation or to our ancestral customs, yet I was sent from Jerusalem as a prisoner, and handed over to the Romans.u/cOn our reaching Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, except for the soldier who was in charge of him.6.eThe Brethren there had heard about us, and came out as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At sight of them Paul thanked God and was much cheered.w-gThere we found some of the Brethren, and were urged to stay a week with them; after which we went on to Rome. , And from there we worked to windward and so got to Rhegium. A day later a south wind sprang up and took us to Puteoli in two days.;+q We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days,&*E After three months, we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island. She was an Alexandrian vessel, and had the Twin Sons of Zeus for her figure-head.q)[ They also presented us with many gifts, and when we set sail they put supplies of necessaries on board.d(A After this, all the people in the island who had any illness came to Paul, and were cured.-'SIt happened that the father of Publius was lying ill of fever and dysentery. So Paul went to see him; and, after praying, he placed his hands on him and cured him.C&In that neighborhood there was an estate belonging to the Governor of the island, whose name was Publius. He took us up to his house, and for three days entertained us most courteously.l%QThe natives were expecting inflammation to set in, or that he would suddenly fall dead; but, after waiting for a long time, and seeing that there was nothing amiss with him, they changed their minds and said that he was a God.N$However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and took no harm.P#When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another: "Evidently this man is a murderer, for though he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." "Paul had gathered a quantity of dry sticks and laid them on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened on his hand.!The natives showed us marked kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all under shelter, because it had come on to rain and was cold.J  When we were all safe, we found that the island was called Malta.$A,And that the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on different pieces of the ship. In these various ways every one managed to get safely ashore.O+But the Roman Officer, anxious to save Paul, prevented their carrying out their intention, and ordered that those who could swim should be the first to jump into the sea and try to reach the shore;*The advice of the soldiers was that the prisoners should be killed, for fear that any of them should swim away and make their escape.4a)They got, however, into a kind of channel, and there ran the ship aground. The bows stuck fast and could not be moved, while the stern began breaking up under the strain./W(Then they cast off, and abandoned the anchors, and at the same time unlashed the gear of the steering oars, hoisted the foresail to the wind, and made for the beach.?w'When daylight came, they could not make out what land it was, but, observing a creek in which there was a beach, they consulted as to whether they could run the ship safely into it.lQ&After satisfying their hunger, they further lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.?y%There were about seventy-six of us on board, all told.K$And the men all felt cheered and had something to eat themselves.#With these words he took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving to God before them all, broke it in pieces, and began to eat;"So I urge you to take something to eat; your safety depends upon it, for not one of you will lose even a hair of his head."L!In the interval before daybreak Paul kept urging them all to take something to eat. "It is a fortnight to-day," he said, "that, owing to your anxiety, you have gone without food, taking nothing.[/ Upon that the soldiers cut the ropes which held the boat, and let her drift away.ucWhen Paul said to the Roman Officer and his men: "Unless the sailors remain on board, you cannot be saved."{oThe sailors wanted to leave the ship, and had lowered the boat, on pretense of running out anchors from the bows,Then, as they were afraid of our being driven upon some rocky coast, they let go four anchors from the stern, and longed for daylight.So they took soundings, and found twenty fathoms of water. After waiting a little, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.<qIt was now the fourteenth night of the storm, and we were drifting about in the Adriatic Sea, when, about midnight, the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near land.> wWe shall, however, have to be driven on some island."u cTherefore, courage, my friends! for I believe God, that everything will happen exactly as I have been told.  'Have no fear, Paul; you must appear before the Emperor, and God himself has given you the lives of all your fellow-voyagers.'h IFor last night an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom I serve, stood by me, and said-- Yet, even as things are, I urge you not to lose courage, for there will not be a single life lost among you--only the ship.Y+It was then, when they had gone a long time without food, that Paul came forward, and said: "My friends, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and so incurred this injury and damage.3As neither sun nor stars were visible for several days, and, as the gale still continued severe, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.V%And, on the following day, threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands.taSo violently were we tossed about by the storm, that the next day they began throwing the cargo overboard,!;And, after hoisting it on board, the men frapped the ship. But, afraid of being driven on to the Syrtis Sands, they lowered the yard, and then drifted.oWRunning under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we only just managed to secure the ship's boat,The ship was caught by it and was unable to keep her head to the wind, so we had to give way and let her drive before it.kOBut shortly afterwards a hurricane came down on us off the land--a north-easter, as it is called.0Y So, when a light wind sprang up from the south, thinking that they had found their opportunity, they weighed anchor and kept along the coast of Crete, close in shore.ta And, as the harbor was not a suitable one to winter in, the majority were in favor of continuing the voyage, in hope of being able to reach Phoenix, and winter there. Phoenix was a Cretan harbor, open to the north-east and south-east.u~c The Roman Officer, however, was more influenced by the captain and the owner than by what was said by Paul.&}E "My friends," he said, "I see that this voyage will be attended with injury and much damage, not only to the cargo and the ship, but to our own lives also."| This had taken a considerable time, and sailing was already dangerous, for the Fast was already over; and so Paul gave this warning.{And with difficulty, by keeping close in shore, we reached a place called 'Fair Havens,' near which was the town of Lasea.PzFor several days our progress was slow, and it was only with difficulty that we arrived off Cnidus. As the wind was still unfavorable when we came off Cape Salmone, we sailed under the lee of Crete,lyQThere the Roman Officer found an Alexandrian ship on her way to Italy, and put us on board of her.Yx+And, after crossing the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.cw?Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us;"v=The next day we put in to Sidon, where Julius treated Paul in a friendly manner, and allowed him to go to see his friends and receive their hospitality.LuWe went on board a ship from Adramyttium, which was on the point of sailing to the ports along the coast of Roman Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.t 3As it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were put in charge of a Captain of the Augustan Guard, named Julius.~su And, speaking to Festus, Agrippa added: "The man might have been discharged, if he had not appealed to the Emperor."r/And, after retiring, discussed the case among themselves. "There is nothing," they said, "deserving death or imprisonment in this man's conduct";eqCThen the King rose, with the Governor and Bernice and those who had been sitting with them,?pw"Whether it is soon or late," answered Paul, "I would to God that not only you, but all who are listening to me, might to-day become just what I am myself--except for these chains!"To!But Agrippa said to Paul: "You are soon trying to make a Christian of me!"DnKing Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know you do."tmaIndeed, the King knows about these matters, so I speak before him without constraint. I am sure that there is nothing whatever of what I have been telling him that has escaped his attention; for all this has not been done in a corner.|lq"I am not mad, your Excellency," he replied; "on the contrary, the statements that I am making are true and sober.kWhile Paul was making this defense, Festus called out loudly: "You are mad, Paul; your great learning is driving you mad."4jaThat the Christ must suffer, and that, by rising from the dead, he was destined to be the first to bring news of Light, not only to our nation, but also to the Gentiles."Xi)However I have received help from God to this very day, and so stand here, and bear my testimony to high and low alike--without adding a word to what the Prophets, as well as Moses, declared should happen--Wh'This is why the Jews seized me in the Temple, and made attempts upon my life.`g9On the contrary, first to those at Damascus and Jerusalem, and then through the whole of Judea, and to the Gentiles as well, I began to preach repentance and conversion to God, and a life befitting that repentance.OfAfter that, King Agrippa, I did not fail to obey the heavenly vision;heITo open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; so that they may receive pardon for their sins, and a place among those who have become God's People, by faith in me.'pdYSince I am choosing you out from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,ac;But get up and stand upright; for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you a servant and a witness of those revelations of me which you have already had, and of those in which I shall yet appear to you,hbI'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. And the Lord said: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;>auWe all fell to the ground, and then I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew--'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? By kicking against the goad you are punishing yourself.';`o That at mid-day, your Majesty, I saw right in my path, coming from the heavens, a light brighter than the glare of the sun, which shone all round me and those traveling with me.~_u It was while I was traveling to Damascus on an errand of this kind, entrusted with full powers by the Chief Priests,6^e Time after time, in every Synagogue, I tried by punishments to force them to blaspheme. So frantic was I against them, that I pursued them even to towns beyond our borders.[]/ And I actually did so at Jerusalem. Acting on the authority of the Chief Priests, I myself threw many of the People of Christ into prison, and, when it was proposed to put them to death, I gave my vote for it.m\S I myself, it is true, once thought it my duty to oppose in every way the Name of Jesus of Nazareth;K[Why do you all hold it incredible that God should raise the dead?3Z_A promise which our Twelve Tribes, by earnest service night and day, hope to see fulfilled. It is for this hope, your Majesty, that I am accused--and by Jews themselves!yYkEven now, it is because of my hope in the promise given by God to our ancestors that I stand here on my trial--"X=And they have always known--if they choose to give evidence- -that, in accordance with the very strictest form of our religion, I lived a true Pharisee.W3My life, then, from youth upwards, was passed, from the very first, among my own nation, and in Jerusalem, and is within the knowledge of all Jews;V%Especially as you are so well-versed in all the customs and questions of the Jewish world. I beg you therefore to give me a patient hearing.>Uu"I have been congratulating myself, King Agrippa," he said, "that it is before you that I have to make my defense to-day, with regard to all the charges brought against me by Jews, T Turning to Paul, Agrippa said: "You are at liberty to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.wSgFor it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner, without at the same time stating the charges made against him."iRKBut I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.Q'I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, I decided to send him.hPIThen Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live.fOESo the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.{No"I should like to hear this man myself," Agrippa said to Festus. "You shall hear him to-morrow," Festus answered.WAfter staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.=#"So let the influential men among you," he said, "go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it."<wBut Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.;1And asked a favor of him, to Paul's injury--to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.q:[There the Chief Priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,j9 OThree days after Festus had entered upon his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.8/But, after the lapse of two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and, wishing to gain popularity with the Jews, he left Paul a prisoner.q7[He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.k6OBut, while Paul was speaking at length about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became terrified, and interrupted him--"Go for the present, but, when I find an opportunity, I will send for you again.")5KSome days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was herself a Jewess, and, sending for Paul, listened to what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.>4uSo he gave orders to the Captain in charge of Paul to keep him in custody, but to relax the regulations, and not to prevent any of his personal friends from attending to his wants.c3?Felix, however, adjourned the case--though he had a fairly accurate knowledge of all that concerned the Cause--with the promise: "When Lysias, the commanding Officer, comes down, I will give my decision in your case."&2EExcept as to the one sentence that I shouted out as I stood among them--'It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial before you to-day'."f1EOr else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,01There were, however, some Jews from Roman Asia who ought to have been here before you, and to have made any charge that they may have against me--//And it was while engaged in this that they found me in the Temple, after completing a period of purification, but not with any crowd or disorder.m.SAfter some years' absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;c-?This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and man.,And I have a hope that rests in God--a hope which they also cherish--that there will one day be a resurrection of good and bad alike. + This, however, I do acknowledge to you, that it is as a believer in the Cause which they call heretical, that I worship the God of my ancestors. At the same time, I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the prophets;U*# And they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.-)S Where my prosecutors never found me holding discussions with any one, or causing a crowd to collect--either in the Temple, or in the Synagogues, or about the city;w(g For you can easily ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,A'{ On a sign from the Governor, Paul made this reply: "Knowing, as I do, for how many years you have acted as Judge to this nation, it is with confidence that I undertake my own defense.I&  The Jews also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.%And you will be able, by examining him on all these points, to satisfy yourself as to the charges which we are bringing against him."$3OMITTED TEXTN#He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him; "9We have found this man a public pest; he is one who stirs up disputes among the Jews all the world over, and is a ringleader of the Nazarene heretics.w!gBut--not to be tedious--I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.m S"We owe it to your Excellency," he said, "that we are enjoying profound peace, and we owe it to your foresight that this nation is constantly securing reforms--advantages which we very gratefully accept at all times and places.X)And, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.6 gFive days afterwards the High Priest Ananias came down with some of the Councillors and a barrister named Tertullus. They laid an information with the Governor against Paul;-#"I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived." And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod's Government House. "As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said:r]!On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.a; And on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.veThe soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;PHaving, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.'$AWhen I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.{oWishing to ascertain exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,dAThe man whom I send with this had been seized by the Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.V%'Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.8kTo him he wrote a letter, somewhat as follows--oWAnd to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.9kThen he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred men ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o'clock that night,  The Commanding Officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.  But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, till they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting upon your promise."*M"The Jews have agreed," answered the lad, "to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council to-morrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.u cThe Commanding Officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.2 ]The Captain went with the lad to the Commanding Officer, and said: "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you." Paul called one of the Captains of the garrison and asked him to take the lad to the Commanding Officer, as he had something to tell him.~ uHowever, the son of Paul's sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.  So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the Commanding Officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him."!And they went to the Chief Priests and the Councillors, and said: "We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food till we have killed Paul.0[ There were more than forty in the plot;{ In the morning the Jews combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul. g~~V~}U|z|%{zzMzyxxxww5vvuAtt$ssrr-qqkqpionnHmmGllXkjjjiohhvh/gg+ffff]f&eWdd==u=<< ;;+:299N8Z77_6055K4432100/O.M--,,D+**a))k) (i''j' &&%$$##""!! =fic&^1SL<T^sz {  7 JK qjVxc7? And whom he called-even us-Not only from among the Jews but from among the Gentiles also!6 So as to make known his surpassing glory in dealing with the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared beforehand for glory,<5q And what if God, intending to reveal his displeasure and make his power known, bore most patiently with the objects of his displeasure, though they were fit only to be destroyed,4 Has not the potter absolute power over his clay, so that out of the same lump he makes one thing for better, and another for common, use?&3E I might rather ask 'Who are you who are arguing with God?' Does a thing which a man has molded say to him who has molded it 'Why did you make me like this?'g2G Perhaps you will say to me-'How can any one still be blamed? For who withstands his purpose?']13 So, then, where God wills, he takes pity, and where he wills, he hardens the heart.P0 In Scripture, again, it is said to Pharaoh-'It was for this very purpose that I raised thee to the throne, to show my power by my dealings with thee, and to make my name known throughout the world.'Z/- So, then, all depends, not on human wishes or human efforts, but on God's mercy.s._ For his words to Moses are-'I will take pity on whom I take pity, and be merciful to whom I am merciful.'N- What are we to say, then? Is God guilty of injustice? Heaven forbid!G, The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'<+s that 'the elder would be a servant to the younger.'{*o For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong,x)i Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac.o(W For these words are the words of a promise-'About this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.'P' This means that it is not the children born in the course of nature who are God's Children, but it is the children born in fulfillment of the Promise who are to be regarded as Abraham's descendants.& Nor, because they are Abraham's descendants, are they all his Children; but-'It is Isaac's children who will be called thy descendants.'r%] Not that God's Word has failed. For it is not all who are descended from Israel who are true Israelites;9$k They are descended from the Patriarchs; and, as far as his human nature was concerned, from them came the Christ-he who is supreme over all things, God for ever blessed. Amen.$#A For they are Israelites, and theirs are the adoption as Sons, the visible Presence, the Covenants, the revealed Law, the Temple worship, and the Promises.~"u I could wish that I were myself accursed and severed from the Christ, for the sake of my Brothers-my own countrymen.{!o Bears me out when I say that there is a great weight of sorrow upon me and that my heart is never free from pain.~  w I am speaking the truth as one in union with Christ; it is no lie; and my conscience, enlightened by the Holy Spirit,'Nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus, our Lord!&For I am persuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Archangels, nor the Present, nor the Future, nor any Powers,T!%Yet amidst all these things we more than conquer through him who loved us!yk$Scripture says-'For thy sake we are being killed all the day long, We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'!;#Who is there to separate us from the love of the Christ? Will trouble, or difficulty, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?F"Who is there to condemn them? He who died for us is Christ Jesus!-or, rather, it was he who was raised from the dead, and who is now at God's right hand and is even pleading on our behalf!gG!Who will bring a charge against any of God's People? He who pronounces them righteous is God!  God did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up on behalf of us all; will he not, then, with him, freely give us all things?q[What are we to say, then, in the light of all this? If God is on our side, who can there be against us?6eAnd those whom God destined for this he also called; and those whom he called he also pronounced righteous; and those whom he pronounced righteous he also brought to Glory.6eFor those whom God chose from the first he also destined from the first to be transformed into likeness to his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest among many Brothers.(IBut we do know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him-those who have received the Call in accordance with his purpose.)KYet he who searches all our hearts knows what the Spirit's meaning is, because the pleadings of the Spirit for Christ's People are in accordance with his will.3_So, also, the Spirit supports us in our weakness. We do not even know how to pray as we should; but the Spirit himself pleads for us in sighs that can find no utterance.^5But when we hope for what is not before our eyes, then we wait for it with patience."=By our hope we were saved. But the thing hoped for is no longer an object of hope when it is before our eyes; for who hopes for what is before his eyes?Z-And not Nature only; but we ourselves also, though we have already a first gift of the Spirit-we ourselves are inwardly groaning, while we eagerly await our full adoption as Sons-the redemption of our bodies.kOWe know, indeed, that all Nature alike has been groaning in the pains of labor to this very hour.; oYet not without the hope that some day Nature, also, will be set free from enslavement to decay, and will attain to the freedom which will mark the Glory of the Children of God.n UFor Nature was made subject to imperfection-not by its own choice, but owing to him who made it so--T !All Nature awaits with eager expectation the appearing of the Sons of God. 'I do not count the sufferings of our present life worthy of mention when compared with the Glory that is to be revealed and bestowed upon us. 5And if children, then heirs-heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, since we share Christ's sufferings in order that we may also share his Glory.dAThe Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God's children,/For you did not receive the spirit of a slave, to fill you once more with fear, but the spirit of a son which leads us to cry 'Abba, Our Father.'A}All who are guided by the Spirit of God are Sons of God.5c If you live in obedience to your earthly nature, you will inevitably die; but if, by the power of the Spirit, you put an end to the evil habits of the body, you will live.jM So then, Brothers, we owe nothing to our earthly nature, that we should live in obedience to it.N And, if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives within you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give Life even to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit living within you.! But, if Christ is within you, then, though the body is dead as a consequence of sin, the spirit is Life as a consequence of righteousness.%C You, however, are not earthly but spiritual, since the Spirit of God lives within you. Unless a man has the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ;0[They who are earthly cannot please God. Because to be earthly-minded is to be an enemy to God, for such a mind does not submit to the Law of God, nor indeed can it do so.Z~-To be earthly-minded means Death, to be spiritually minded means Life and Peace;{}oThey who follow their earthly nature are earthly-minded, while they who follow the Spirit are spiritually minded.|So that the requirements of the Law might be satisfied in us who live now in obedience, not to our earthly nature, but to the Spirit.]{3What Law could not do, in so far as our earthly nature weakened its action, God did, by sending his own Son, with a nature resembling our sinful nature, to atone for sin. He condemned sin in that earthly nature,zFor through your union with Christ Jesus, the Law of the life- giving Spirit has set you free from the Law of Sin and Death._y 9There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus;2x]Thank God, there is deliverance through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Well then, for myself, with my reason I serve the Law of God, but with my earthly nature the Law of Sin.gwGMiserable man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body that is bringing me to this Death?RvBut throughout my body I see a different law, one which is in conflict with the law accepted by my reason, and which endeavors to make me a prisoner to that law of Sin which exists throughout my body..uWAt heart I delight in the Law of God;\t1This, then, is the law that I find-When I want to do right, wrong presents itself!s}But, when I do the very thing that I want not to do, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me.vreI fail to do the good thing that I want to do, but the bad thing that I want not to do-that I habitually do.q7I know that there is nothing good in me-I mean in my earthly nature. For, although it is easy for me to want to do right, to act rightly is not easy.\p1This being so, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me.To!But when I do what I want not to do, I am admitting that the Law is right.n/I do not understand my own actions. For I am so far from habitually doing what I want to do, that I find myself doing the very thing that I hate.Wm'We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am earthly-sold into slavery to Sin.*lM Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve Death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved Death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my Death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the Commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is.Xk) And so the Law is holy, and each Commandment is also holy, and just, and good.cj? Sin took advantage of the Commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my Death.Vi% The very Commandment that should have meant Life I found to result in Death!h3 There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died!%gCBut sin took advantage of the Commandment to arouse in me every form of covetousness, for where there is no consciousness of Law sin shows no sign of life.~fuWhat are we to say, then? That Law and sin are the same thing? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, I should not have learned what sin is, had not it been for Law. If the Law did not say 'Thou shalt not covet,' I should not know what it is to covet.He But now we are set free from the Law, because we are dead to that which once kept us under restraint; and so we serve under new, spiritual conditions, and not under old, written regulations.:dmWhen we were living merely earthly lives, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were active in every part of our bodies, with the result that our lives bore fruit for Death.cyAnd so with you, my Brothers; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God.vbeIf, then, during her husband's lifetime, she unites herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but, if her husband dies, the law has no further hold on her, nor, if she unites herself to another man, is she an adulteress.'aGFor example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband while he is living; but, if her husband dies, she is set free from the law that bound her to him.` Surely, Brothers, you know (for I am speaking to men who know what Law means) that Law has power over a man only as long as he lives.v_eThe wages of Sin are Death, but the gift of God is Immortal Life, through union with Christ Jesus, our Lord.:^mBut now that you have been set free from the control of Sin, and have become servants to God, the fruit that you reap is an ever-increasing holiness, and the end Immortal Life.]But what were the fruits that you reaped from those things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of such things is Death.W\'While you were still servants of Sin, you were free as regards Righteousness.+[OI can but speak as men do because of the weakness of your earthly nature. Once you offered every part of your bodies to the service of impurity, and of wickedness, which leads to further wickedness. Now, in the same way, offer them to the service of Righteousness, which leads to holiness.QZSet free from the control of Sin, you became servants to Righteousness.#Y?God be thanked that, though you were once servants of Sin, yet you learned to give hearty obedience to that form of doctrine under which you were placed.pXYSurely you know that, when you offer yourselves as servants, to obey any one, you are the servants of the person whom you obey, whether the service be that of Sin which leads to Death, or that of Duty which leads to Righteousness.xWiWhat follows, then? Are we to sin because we are living under the reign of Love and not of Law? Heaven forbid!fVEFor Sin shall not lord it over you. You are living under the reign, not of Law, but of Love.uUc Do not offer any part of your bodies to Sin, in the cause of unrighteousness, but once for all offer yourselves to God (as those who, though once dead, now have Life), and devote every part of your bodies to the cause of righteousness.cT? Therefore do not let Sin reign in your mortal bodies and compel you to obey its cravings.ySk So let it be with you-regard yourselves as dead to sin, but as living for God, through union with Christ Jesus.|Rq For the death that he died was a death to sin, once and for all. But the Life that he now lives, he lives for God.Qy We know, indeed, that Christ, having once risen from the dead, will not die again. Death has power over him no longer.bP=And our belief is, that, as we have shared Christ's Death, we shall also share his Life.ZO-For the man who has so died has been pronounced righteous and released from Sin.GNWe recognize the truth that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the body, the stronghold of Sin, might be rendered powerless, so that we should no longer be slaves to Sin."M=If we have become united with him by the act symbolic of his death, surely we shall also become united with him by the act symbolic of his resurrection.RLConsequently, through sharing his death in our baptism, we were buried with him; that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by a manifestation of the Father's power, so we also may live a new Life. KOr can it be that you do not know that all of us, who were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, in our baptism shared his death?RJHeaven forbid! We became dead to sin, and how can we go on living in it?tI cWhat are we to say, then? Are we to continue to sin, in order that God's loving-kindness may be multiplied?@HyIn order than, just as Sin had reigned in the realm of Death, so, too, might Loving-kindness reign through righteousness, and result in Immortal Life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.G/Law was introduced in order that offences might be multiplied. But, where sins were multiplied, the loving-kindness of God was lavished the more,3F_For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.UE#Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life.xDiFor if, by reason of the offence of the one man, Death reigned through that one man, far more will those, upon whom God's loving- kindness and his gift of righteousness are lavished, find Life, and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ. CThere is a contrast, too, between the gift and the results of the one man's sin. The judgment, which followed upon the one man's sin, resulted in condemnation, but God's gracious Gift, which followed upon many offences, resulted in a decree of righteousness.&BEBut there is a contrast between Adam's Offence and God's gracious Gift. For, if by reason of the offence of the one man the whole race died, far more were the loving-kindness of God, and the gift given in the loving-kindness of the one man, Jesus Christ, lavished upon the whole race.A-Yet, from Adam to Moses, Death reigned even over those whose sin was not a breach of a law, as Adam's was. And Adam foreshadows the One to come.@} Even before the time of the Law there was sin in the world; but sin cannot be charged against a man where no Law exists.$?A Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and through sin came death; so, also, death spread to all mankind, because all men had sinned.>  And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation.B=} For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life."<= Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God.;wBut God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners.{:oEven for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die.p9YSeeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless.8}And that 'hope never disappoints.' For the love of God has filled our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given us;{7oFor we know that trouble develops endurance, and endurance strength of character, and strength of character hope,B6And not only that, but let us also exult in our troubles;G5It is through him that, by reason of our faith, we have obtained admission to that place in God's favor in which we not stand. So let us exult in our hope of attaining God's glorious ideal.4 Therefore, having been pronounced righteous as the result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.3For Jesus 'was given up to death to atone for our offences,' and was raised to life that we might be pronounced righteous.&2EBut also with reference to us. Our faith, too, will be regarded by God in the same light, if we have faith in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead;m1SNow these words-'it was regarded as righteousness'-were not written with reference to Abraham only;A0}And therefore his faith 'was regarded as righteousness.'//On the contrary, his faith gave him strength; and he praised God, in the firm conviction that what God has promised he is also able to carry out.@.{He was not led by want of faith to doubt God's promise.E-Though he was nearly a hundred years old, yet his faith did not fail him, even when he thought of his own body, then utterly worn out, and remembered that Sarah was past bearing children.M,With no ground for hope, Abraham, sustained by hope, put faith in God; in order that, in fulfillment of the words-'So many shall thy descendants be,' he might become 'the Father of many nations.'d+AAs Scripture says-'I have made thee the Father of many nations.') And this they do in the sight of that God in whom Abraham had faith, and who gives life to the dead, and speaks of what does not yet exist as if it did.H* That is why all is made to depend upon faith, that all may be God's gift, and in order that the fulfillment of the promise may be made certain for all Abraham's descendants-not only for those who take their stand on the Law, but also for those who take their stand on the faith of Abraham. (He is the Father of us all;X))Law entails punishment; but, where no Law exists, no breach of it is possible.(If those who take their stand on Law are to inherit the world, then faith is robbed of its meaning and the promise comes to nothing!'5 For the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his descendants through Law, but through the righteousness due to faith.2&] As well as father of the circumcised-to those who are not only circumcised, but who also follow our father Abraham in that faith which he had while still uncircumcised.;%o Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision-to attest the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man-in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous;c$? Under what circumstances, then, did this take place? After his circumcision or before it?-#S Is this blessing, then, pronounced upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised as well? We say that-'Abraham's faith was regarded by God as righteousness.'E"Blessed the man whom the Lord will never regard as sinful!'m!S'Blessed are those whose wrong-doings have been forgiven and over whose sins a veil has been drawn! In precisely the same way David speaks of the blessing pronounced upon the man who is regarded by God as righteous apart from actions--2]While, as for the man who does not rely upon his obedience, but has faith in him who can pronounce the godless righteous, his faith is regarded by God as righteousness.\1Now wages are regarded as due to the man who works, not as a favor, but as a debt;~uFor what are the words of Scripture? 'Abraham had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.'yIf he was pronounced righteous as the result of obedience, then he has something to boast of. Yes, but not before God.] 5What then, it may be asked, are we to say about Abraham, the ancestor of our nation?Z-Do we, then, use this faith to abolish Law? Heaven forbid! No, we establish Law.Y+Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is only one God, and he will pronounce those who are circumcised righteous as the result of faith, and also those who are uncircumcised on their showing the same faith.dAOr can it be that God is the God only of the Jews? Is not he also the God of the Gentiles?wgFor we conclude that a man is pronounced righteous on the ground of faith, quite apart from obedience to Law.  What, then, becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what sort of Law? A Law requiring obedience? No, a Law requiring faith.CAs a proof, I repeat, at the present time, of his own righteousness, that he might be righteous in our eyes, and might pronounce righteous the man who takes his stand on faith in Jesus.For God set him before the world, to be, by the shedding of his blood, a means of reconciliation through faith. And this God did to prove his righteousness, and because, in his forbearance, he had passed over the sins that men had previously committed;{oBut, in his loving-kindness, are being freely pronounced righteous through the deliverance found in Christ Jesus.J For all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal,The Divine Righteousness which is bestowed, through faith in Jesus Christ, upon all, without distinction, who believe in him.But now, quite apart from Law, the Divine Righteousness stands revealed, and to it the Law and the Prophets bear witness--For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.KNow we know that everything said in the Law is addressed to those who are under its authority, in order that every mouth may be closed, and the whole world become liable to the judgment of God.4 c'The fear of God is not before their eyes.'1 ]And the path of peace they do not know.'. WDistress and trouble dog their steps,- U'Swift are their feet to shed blood.6 g'And their mouths are full of bitter curses.'} 'Their throats are like opened graves; they deceive with their tongues.' 'The venom of serpents lies behind their lips,'{o They have all gone astray; they have one and all become depraved; there is no one who is doing good-no, not one!'D Not one who understands, not one who is searching for God!D As Scripture says-'There is not even one who is righteous,.U What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin.#?Why should we not say-as some people slanderously assert that we do say-'Let us do evil that good may come'? The condemnation of such men is indeed just!+But, if my falsehood redounds to the glory of God, by making his truthfulness more apparent, why am I like others, still condemned as a sinner?/YOtherwise how can God judge the world?'GBut what if our wrong-doing makes God's righteousness all the clearer? Will God be wrong in inflicting punishment? (I can but speak as a man.) Heaven forbid!DGod must prove true, though every man prove a liar! As Scripture says of God-'That thou mayest be pronounced righteous in what thou sayest, and gain thy cause when men would judge thee.'~What follows then? Some, no doubt, showed a want of faith; but will their want of faith make God break faith? Heaven forbid!b}=Great in every way. First of all, because the Jews were entrusted with God's utterances.Z| /What is the advantage, then, of being a Jew? or what is the good of circumcision? {9And the real circumcision is the circumcision of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal thing. Such a man wins praise from God, though not from men.&zEFor a man who is only a Jew outwardly is not a real Jew; nor is outward bodily circumcision real circumcision. The real Jew is the man who is a Jew in soul;RyIndeed, the man who, owing to his birth, remains uncircumcised, and yet scrupulously obeys the Law, will condemn you, who, for all your written Law and your circumcision, are yet a breaker of the Law.x3If, then, an uncircumcised man pays regard to the requirements of the Law, will not he, although not circumcised, be regarded by God as if he were?w/Circumcision has its value, if you are obeying the Law. But, if you are a breaker of the Law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision.`v9For, as Scripture says-'The name of God is reviled among the Gentiles because of you'!Tu!Boasting, as you do, of your Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law?htIDo you forbid adultery, and yet commit adultery? Do you loathe idols, and yet plunder temples?uscWhy, then, you teacher of others, do not you teach yourself? Do you preach against stealing, and yet steal?orWAnd a teacher of the childish, because in the Law you possess the outline of all Knowledge and Truth.qPerhaps you are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in the dark, an instructor of the unintelligent,vpeAnd, having been carefully instructed from the Law, have learned to appreciate the finer moral distinctions.oBut, perhaps, you bear the name of 'Jew,' and are relying upon Law, and boast of belonging to God, and understand his will,nOn the day when God passes judgment on men's inmost lives, as the Good News that I tell declares that he will do through Christ Jesus.LmFor they show the demands of the Law written upon their hearts; their consciences corroborating it, while in their thoughts they argue either in self-accusation or, it may be, in self- defense-- l When Gentiles, who have no Law, do instinctively what the Law requires, they, though they have no Law, are a Law to themselves;k It is not those who hear the words of a Law that are righteous before God, but it is those who obey it that will be pronounced righteous.j7 All who, when they sin, are without Law will also perish without Law; while all who, when they sin, are under Law, will be judged as being under Law.'iI Since God shows no partiality.{ho But there will be glory, honor, and peace for every one who does right-for the Jew first, but also for the Greek,ugc Will fall upon every human being who persists in wrong-doing- -upon the Jew first, but also upon the Greek.fWhile as to those who are factious, and disobedient to Truth but obedient to Evil, wrath and anger, distress and despair,eTo those who, by perseverance in doing good, aim at glory, honor, and all that is imperishable, he will give Immortal Life;BdFor 'he will give to every man what his actions deserve.'c5Hard-hearted and impenitent as you are, you are storing up for yourself Wrath on the 'Day of Wrath,' when God's justice as a judge will be revealed;b-Or do you think lightly of his abundant kindness, patience, and forbearance, not realizing that his kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?a!You who judge those that do such things and yet are yourself guilty of them-do you suppose that you of all men will escape God's judgment?R`And we know that God's judgment falls unerringly upon those who do them.W_ )Therefore you have nothing to say in your own defense, whoever you are who set yourself up as a judge. In judging others you condemn yourself, for you who set yourself up as a judge do the very same things.(^ K Well aware of God's decree, that those who do such things deserve to die, not only are they guilty of them themselves, but they even applaud those who do them.R] They were undiscerning, untrustworthy, without natural affection or pity.\ yThey became back-biters, slanderers, impious, insolent, boastful. They devised new sins. They disobeyed their parents. [ They reveled in every form of wickedness, evil, greed, vice. Their lives were full of envy, murder, quarreling, treachery, malice.Z %Then, as they would not keep God before their minds, God abandoned them to depraved thoughts, so that they did all kinds of shameful things. c~~I}}B||3{{zz:yxxxvwwTwvRuuGttls~rrMqq-pCoo-nmmOll_kk^jj6iih]h&gffeedccbb'aD`5__C^^K]]L\\h\[[EZYXX;WWVUUvTTTTTSSwRRsRQqPPOOSNMM'LKKJJ.I`HH$GGFEDDJCKBB1A@@T@?d>>==<<2;z::>9887666544"33s22&1]0//W.--&,,P++**))H((A'&&&F%$$$ #^#1""[!!!U [  Z_*v'0alK+R P o  c 6 DJzl_'+O And as for us, it is not the Spirit of the World that we have received, but the Spirit that comes from God, that we may realize the blessings given to us by him.$A For what man is there who knows what a man is, except the man's own spirit within him? So, also, no one comprehends what God is, except the Spirit of God.{ Yet to us God revealed it through his Spirit; for the Spirit fathoms all things, even the inmost depths of God's being./W It is what Scripture speaks of as-'What eye never saw, nor ear ever heard, what never entered the mind of man-even all that God has prepared for those who love him.'This philosophy is not known to any of the leaders of to-day; for, had they known it, they would not have crucified our glorified Lord.5cNo, it is a divine philosophy that we teach, one concerned with the hidden purpose of God-that long-hidden philosophy which God, before time began, destined for our glory.;oYet there is a philosophy that we teach to those whose faith is matured, but it is not the philosophy of to-day, nor that of the leaders of to-day-men whose downfall is at hand.dASo that your faith should be based, not on the philosophy of man, but on the power of God.#?My Message and my Proclamation were not delivered in the persuasive language of philosophy, but were accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual power,]3Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.mSFor I had determined that, while with you, I would know nothing but Jesus Christ-and him crucified! +For my own part, Brothers, when I came to you, it was with no display of eloquence or philosophy that I came to tell the hidden purpose of God;[ 1So that-in the words of Scripture-'Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord!'/  YBut you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance,<  uSo that in his presence no human being should boast.   And God chose what the world counts poor and insignificant-- things that to it are unreal-to bring its 'realities' to nothing,  7But God chose what the world counts foolish to put its wise men to shame, and God chose what the world counts weak to put its strong things to shame,-  ULook at the facts of your Call, Brothers. There are not many among you who are wise, as men reckon wisdom, not many who are influential, not many who are high-born;X +For God's 'folly' is wiser than men, and God's 'weakness' is stronger than men.y mBut to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God!b ?We are proclaiming Christ crucified!-to the Jews an obstacle, to the Gentiles mere folly,J While Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks study philosophy,1 ]For since the world, in God's wisdom, did not by its philosophy learn to know God, God saw fit, by the 'folly' of our proclamation, to save those who believe in Christ! %Where is the Philosopher? where the Teacher of the Law? where the Disputant of to-day? Has not God shown the world's philosophy to be folly? #For Scripture says-'I will bring the philosophy of the philosophers to nought, and the shrewdness of the shrewd I will make of no account.'$ CThe Message of the Cross is indeed mere folly to those who are in the path to Ruin, but to us who are in the path of Salvation it is the very power of God.9 mMy mission from Christ was not to baptize, but to tell the Good News; not, however, in the language of philosophy, lest the cross of the Christ should be robbed of its meaning.` ;I baptized also the household of Stephanas. I do not know that I baptized any one else.E~ So that no one can say that you were baptized into my Faith.R} I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,| { You have rent the Christ in pieces! Was it Paul who was crucified for you? or were you baptized into the Faith of Paul?v{ g I mean this, that every one of you says either 'I follow Paul,' or 'I Apollos,' or 'I Kephas,' or 'I Christ.'yz m For I have been informed, my Brothers, by the members of Chloe's household, that party feeling exists among you.Ky  But I appeal to you, Brothers, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree in what you profess, and not to allow divisions to exist among you, but to be united-of one mind and of one opinion.px [ God will not fail you, and it is he who called you into communion with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.w {And God himself will strengthen you to the end, so that at the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ you may be found blameless.xv kAnd thus there is no gift in which you are deficient, while waiting for the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.Ou And so became yourselves a confirmation of my testimony to the Christ.t yFor through union with him you were enriched in every way-in your power to preach, and in your knowledge of the Truth;Ys -I always thank God about you for the blessing bestowed upon you in Christ Jesus.Ur %May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.}q uFrom Paul, who has been called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, And from Sosthenes, our Brother.rp aTo the Church of God in Corinth, to those who have been consecrated by union with Christ Jesus and called to become his People, and also to all, wherever they may be, who invoke the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ-their Master and ours,uocTo him, I say, the wise and only God, be ascribed, through Jesus Christ, all glory for ever and ever. Amen.#n?And, in obedience to the command of the Immortal God, made known through the writings of the Prophets to all nations, to secure submission to the Faith--myNow to him who is able to strengthen you, as promised in the Good News entrusted to me and in the proclamation of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the revelation of that hidden purpose, which in past ages was kept secret but now has been revealedl3OMITTED TEXT(kIMy host Gaius, who extends his hospitality to the whole Church, sends you his greeting; and Erastus, the City Treasurer, and Quartus, our Brother, add theirs.PjI Tertius, who am writing this letter, send you my Christian greeting.{ioTimothy, my fellow-worker, sends you his greetings, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, send theirs.hAnd God, the giver of peace, will before long crush Satan under your feet. May the blessing of Jesus, our Lord, be with you.8giEvery one has heard of your ready obedience. It is true that I am very happy about you, but I want you to be well versed in all that is good, and innocent of all that is bad.1f[For such persons are not serving Christ, our Master, but are slaves to their own appetites; and, by their smooth words and flattery, they deceive simple-minded people.Be}I urge you, Brothers, to be on your guard against people who, by disregarding the teaching which you received, cause divisions and create difficulties; dissociate yourselves from them.bd=Greet one another with a sacred kiss. All the Churches of the Christ send you greetings.yckAlso to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and to all Christ's People who are with them.Wb'To Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the Brothers with them;`a9 To that eminent Christian, Rufus, and to his mother, who has been a mother to me also;` To Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard for the Master; to my dear friend Persis, for she has done much hard work for the Master;U_# To my countryman Herodion; to the Christians in the household of Narcissus;L^ To that proved Christian Apelles; to the household of Aristobulus;\]1 To Urban, our fellow-worker in the Cause of Christ, and to my dear friend Stachys;/\YTo my dear Christian friend Ampliatus; [9To Andronicus and Junias, my countrymen and once my fellow- prisoners, who are men of note among the Apostles, and who became Christians before I did;*ZOTo Mary, who worked hard for you;'YGGive my greeting, also, to the Church that meets at their house, as well as to my dear friend Epaenetus, one of the first in Roman Asia to believe in Christ; XWho risked their own lives to save mine. It is not I alone who thank them, but all the Churches among the Gentiles thank them also.`W9Give my greeting to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in the Cause of Christ Jesus,]V3And I ask you to give her a Christian welcome--one worthy of Christ's People--and to aid her in any matter in which she may need your assistance. She has proved herself a staunch friend to me and to many others.eU EI commend to your care our Sister, Phoebe, who helps in the work of the Church at Cenchreae;= And yet again--'Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.'G= And again it says--'Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with God's People.'6<e And that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As Scripture says--'Therefore will I make acknowledgment to thee among the Gentiles and sing in honor of thy Name.'<;qFor I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God's truthfulness, has become a minister of the Covenant of Circumcision, so that he may fulfil the promises made to our ancestors,w:gTherefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God.k9OSo that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.w8gAnd may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ,^75Whatever was written in the Scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the Scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.65Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as Scripture says of him--'The reproaches of those who were reproaching thee fell upon me.'r5]Let each of us please his neighbor for his neighbor's good, to help in the building up of his character. 4 We, the strong, ought to take on our own shoulders the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not merely to please ourselves.43aHe, however, who has misgivings stands condemned if he still eats, because his doing so is not the result of faith. And anything not done as the result of faith is a sin.;2oAs for yourself--keep this faith of yours to yourself, as in the presence of God. Happy is he who never has to condemn himself in regard to the very thing which he thinks right!z1mThe right course is to abstain from meat or wine or, indeed, anything that is a stumbling-block to your Brother.40aDo not undo God's work for the sake of what you eat. Though everything is 'clean,' yet, if a man eats so as to put a stumbling- block in the way of others, he does wrong.|/qTherefore our efforts should be directed towards all that makes for peace and the mutual building up of character.d.AHe who serves the Christ in this way pleases God, and wins the approval of his fellow men.-5For the Kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and gladness through the presence of the Holy Spirit.G,Do not let what is right for you become a matter of reproach.2+]If, for the sake of what you eat, you wound your Brother's feelings, your life has ceased to be ruled by love. Do not, by what you eat, ruin a man for whom Christ died!&*EThrough my union with the Lord Jesus, I know and am persuaded that nothing is 'defiling in itself.' A thing is 'defiling' only to him who holds it to be so.)) Let us, then, cease to judge one another. Rather let this be your resolve--never to place a stumbling-block or an obstacle in a Brother's way.Q( So, then, each one of us will have to render account of himself to God.'/ For Scripture says--'"As surely as I live," says the Lord, "every knee shall bend before me; and every tongue shall make acknowledgment to God."'-&S I would ask the one man 'Why do you judge your Brother?' And I would ask the other 'Why do you despise your Brother?' For we shall all stand before the Bar of God. %  The very purpose for which Christ died and came back to life was this--that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.$-For, if we live, our life is for the Master, and, if we die, our death is for the Master. Whether, then, we live or die we belong to the Master.y#kThere is not one of us whose life concerns himself alone, and not one of us whose death concerns himself alone;{"oHe who observes a day, observes it to the Master's honor. He, again, who eats meat eats it to the Master's honor, for he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains from it abstains from it to the Master's honor, and also gives thanks to God.0!YAgain, one man considers some days to be more sacred than others, while another considers all days to be alike. Every one ought to be fully convinced in his own mind.; oWho are you, that you should pass judgment on the servant of another? His standing or falling concerns his own master. And stand he will, for his Master can enable him to stand.EThe man who eats meat must not despise the man who abstains from it; nor must the man who abstains from eating meat pass judgment on the one who eats it, for God himself has received him.~uOne man's faith permits of his eating food of all kinds, while another whose faith is weak eats only vegetable food.  As for those whose faith is weak, always receive them as friends, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on their scruples.  No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.1 Being in the light of Day, let us live becomingly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.) The night is almost gone; the day is near. Therefore let us have done with the deeds of Darkness, and arm ourselves with the weapons of Light.J  This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our Salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the Faith.O Love never wrongs a neighbor. Therefore Love fully satisfies the Law.|q The commandments, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet,' and whatever other commandment there is, are all summed up in the words--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'nU Owe nothing to any one except brotherly love; for he who loves his fellow men has satisfied the Law.%C In all cases pay what is due from you--tribute where tribute is due, taxes where taxes are due, respect where respect is due, and honor where honor is due.   This, too, is the reason for your paying taxes; for the officials are God's officers, devoting themselves to this special work.|q You are bound, therefore, to obey, not only through fear of God's punishments, but also as a matter of conscience.oW For they are God's servants appointed for your good. But, if you do what is wrong, you may well be afraid; for the sword they carry is not without meaning! They are God's servants to inflict his punishments on those who do wrong.6e A good action has nothing to fear from Rulers; a bad action has. Do you want to have no reason to fear the Authorities? Then do what is good, and you will win their praise./ Therefore he who sets himself against the authorities is resisting God's appointment, and those who resist will bring a judgment upon themselves.  ; Let every one obey the supreme Authorities. For no Authority exists except by the will of God, and the existing Authorities have been appointed by God.@{ Never be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. ! Rather--'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. By doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.'& E Never avenge yourselves, dear friends, but make way for the Wrath of God; for Scripture declares--'"It is for me to avenge, I will requite," says the Lord.'U # If it is possible, as far as rests with you, live peaceably with every one.` 9 Never return injury for injury. Aim at doing what all men will recognize as honorable. 3 Let the same spirit of sympathy animate you all, not a spirit of pride; be glad to associate with the lowly. Do not think too highly of yourselves.T! Rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and weep with those who are weeping.7i Bless your persecutors--bless and never curse.I  Relieving the wants of Christ's People; devoted to hospitality.U# Rejoicing in your hope; steadfast under persecution; persevering in prayer;H  Never flagging in zeal; fervent in spirit; serving the Master;|q In brotherly love, be affectionate to one another; in showing respect, set an example of deference to one another;G Let your love be sincere. Hate the wrong; cling to the right.R The speaker to his exhortation. Let the man who gives in charity do so with a generous heart; let him who is in authority exercise due diligence; let him who shows kindness do so in a cheerful spirit.oW If it is to minister to others, let us devote ourselves to our ministry; the teacher to his teaching,7 Since our gifts differ in accordance with the particular charge entrusted to us, if our gift is to preach, let our preaching correspond to our faith; ~ So we, by our union in Christ, many though we are, form but one body, and individually we are related one to another as its parts.l}Q For, just as in the human body there is a union of many parts, and each part has its own function,| In fulfillment of the charge with which I have been entrusted, I bid every one of you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think till he learns to think soberly--in accordance with the measure of faith that God has allotted to each.V{% Do not conform to the fashion of this world; but be transformed by the complete change that has come over your minds, so that you may discern what God's will is--all that is good, acceptable, and perfect.)z M I entreat you, then, Brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, for this is your rational worship.qy[ $For all things are from him, through him, and for him. And to him be all glory for ever and ever! Amen.Lx #Or who has first given to him, so that he may claim a recompense?']w3 "'Who has ever comprehended the mind of the Lord? Who has ever become his counselor?~vu !Oh! the unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments, how untraceable his ways! Yes--`u9 For God has given all alike over to disobedience, that to all alike he may show mercy.t So, too, they have now become disobedient in your day of mercy, in order that they also in their turn may now find mercy.usc Just as you at one time were disobedient to him, but have now found mercy in the day of their disobedience;5re For God never regrets his gifts or his Call.Cu For, in their ignorance of the Divine Righteousness, and in their eagerness to set up a righteousness of their own, they refused to accept with submission the Divine Righteousness.lBQ I can testify that they are zealous for the honor of God; but they are not guided by true insight,\A 3 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for my People is for their Salvation.&@E !As Scripture says-'See, I place a Stumbling-block in Zion-- a Rock which shall prove a hindrance; and he who believes in him shall have no cause for shame.'~?u And why? Because they looked to obedience, and not to faith, to secure it. They stumbled over 'the Stumbling-block.'n>U While Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one.=- What are we to say, then? Why, that Gentiles, who were not in search of righteousness, secured it-a righteousness which was the result of faith;&<E It is as Isaiah foretold-'Had not the Lord of Hosts spared some few of our race to us, we should have become like Sodom and been made to resemble Gomorrah.'Z;- For the Lord will execute his sentence upon the world, fully and without delay.':! And Isaiah cries aloud over Israel-'Though the Sons of Israel are like the sand of the sea in number, only a remnant of them shall escape!9w And in the very place where it was said to them-"Ye are not my People", they shall be called Sons of the Living God.'8+ This, indeed, is what he says in the Book of Hosea-'I will call those my People who were not my People, and her my beloved who was not beloved. 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