BibleWare/BibWare.bin/bibtrans/weymouth.exe/MT.WNT

Text File | 1993-06-07 | 140KB | 2,774 lines

1:1 /1 The /2 Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the
 son of Abraham.
1:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac; Isaac of Jacob; Jacob of
 Judah and his brothers.
1:3 Judah was the father (by Tamar) of /3 Perez and Zerah; Perez
 of Hezron; Hezron of Ram;
1:4 Ram of Amminadab; Amminadab of Nahshon; Nahshon of Salmon;
1:5 Salmon (by Rahab) of Boaz; Boaz (by Ruth) of Obed; Obed of
 Jesse;
1:6 Jesse of David--the King. David (by Uriah's widow) was the
 father of Solomon;
1:7 Solomon of Rehoboam; Rehoboam of Abijah; Abijah of Asa;
1:8 Asa of Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat of Jehoram; Jehoram of
 Uzziah;
1:9 Uzziah of Jotham; Jotham of Ahaz; Ahaz of Hezekiah;
1:10 Hezekiah of Manasseh; Manasseh of Amon; Amon of Josiah;
1:11 Josiah of Jeconiah and his brothers at the period of the
 Removal to Babylon.
1:12 After the Removal to Babylon Jeconiah had a son Shealtiel;
 Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel;
1:13 Zerubbabel of Abiud; Abiud of Eliakim; Eliakim of Azor;
1:14 Azor of Zadok; Zadok of Achim; Achim of Eliud;
1:15 Eliud of Eleazar; Eleazar of Matthan; Matthan of Jacob;
1:16 and Jacob of Joseph the husband of Mary, who was the mother
 of JESUS who is called CHRIST.
1:17 There are therefore, in all, fourteen generations from
 Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Removal to
 Babylon; and fourteen from the Removal to Babylon to the
 Christ.

1:18 The circumstances of the birth /1 of Jesus Christ were
 these. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before
 they were united in marriage, she was found to be with child
 through the Holy Spirit.
1:19 But Joseph her husband, being a /2 kind-hearted man and
 unwilling publicly to disgrace her, had determined to release
 her privately from the betrothal.
1:20 But while he /3 was contemplating this step, an angel of
 the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of
 David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she
 is with child through the Holy Spirit.
1:21 She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name
 /4 JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their
 sins."
1:22 All this /5 took place in /6 fulfilment of what the Lord
 had spoken through the Prophet,
1:23 <"Mark! The maiden will be with child and will give birth
 to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel"> --a word which
 signifies <`God with us'>.
1:24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had
 commanded, and brought home his wife,
1:25 but did not live with her until she had given birth to /7 a
 son. The child's name he called JESUS.

2:1 Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem
 in Judaea /1 in the reign of King Herod, /2 excitement was
 produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain /3 Magi from
 the east,
2:2 inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we
 have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him
 homage."
2:3 Reports of this soon reached the king, and greatly agitated
 not only him but all the people of Jerusalem.
2:4 So he assembled all the /4 High Priests and Scribes of the
 people, and /5 anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be
 born.
2:5 "At Bethlehem in Judaea," they replied; "for so it stands
 written in the words of the Prophet,
2:6 <"`And thou, /6 Bethlehem in the land of Judah, by no means
 the least honorable art thou among /7 princely places in Judah!
 For from thee shall come a prince--one who shall be the
 Shepherd of My People Israel.'">
2:7 Thereupon Herod sent privately for the Magi and ascertained
 from them the exact time /8 of the star's appearing.
2:8 He then directed them to go to Bethlehem, adding, "Go and
 make careful inquiry about the child, and when you have found
 him, bring me word, that I too may come and /9 do him homage."
2:9 After hearing what the king said, they went to Bethlehem,
 while, /10 strange to say, the star /11 they had seen in the
 east led them on until it came and stood over the place where
 the babe was.
2:10 When they saw the star, the sight filled them with intense
 joy.

2:11 So they entered the house; and when they /1 saw the babe /2
 with His mother Mary, they prostrated themselves and did Him
 homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to
 Him--gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
2:12 But being /3 forbidden by God in a dream to return to
 Herod, they went back to their own country by a different
 route.
2:13 When they were /4 gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to
 Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother
 and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word.
 For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to
 destroy Him."
2:14 So Joseph roused himself and took the babe and His mother
 by night and departed into Egypt.
2:15 There he remained till Herod's death, that what the Lord
 had said through the Prophet might be /5 fulfilled, <"Out of
 Egypt I called My Son.">
2:16 Then Herod, finding that the Magi had trifled with him, was
 furious, and sent and massacred all the boys under two years of
 age, in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood, according to the
 date he had so carefully ascertained from the Magi.
2:17 Then were these words, spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, /5
 fulfilled,
2:18 <"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter
 lamentation: It was Rachel /6 bewailing her children, and she
 refused to be comforted because there were no more.">
2:19 But after Herod's death an angel of the Lord appeared in a
 dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said to him,
2:20 "Rise from sleep, and take the child and His mother, and go
 into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's
 life are dead."
2:21 So he roused himself and took the child and His mother and
 came into the land of Israel.

2:22 But hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod
 on the throne of Judaea, he was afraid to go there; and being
 instructed /1 by God in a dream he withdrew into Galilee,
2:23 and went and settled in a town called Nazareth, in order
 that these words spoken through the Prophets might be
 fulfilled, <"He shall be called a /2 Nazarene.">
3:1 /3 About this time John /4 the Baptist made his appearance,
 preaching in the Desert of Judaea.
3:2 /5 "Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now
 close at hand."
3:3 He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when
 he said, <"The voice of one crying aloud, /7 `In the desert
 prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'">
3:4 /8 This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a
 loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.
3:5 Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from
 Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan
 valley--
3:6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full
 confession of their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming
 for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' /1 brood, who has /2
 warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
3:8 Therefore let your lives prove your /3 change of heart;
3:9 and /4 do not imagine that you can say /5 to yourselves, `We
 have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can /6
 raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
3:10 And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so
 that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly
 be hewn down and thrown into the fire.
3:11 /7 I indeed am baptizing you /8 in water /9 on a profession
 of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than
 I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will
 baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
3:12 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a
 thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat
 into the storehouse, but /10 burning up the /11 chaff in
 unquenchable fire."
3:13 /12 Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the
 Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.
3:14 John /13 protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to
 be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
3:15 "Let it be so on this occasion," Jesus replied; "for so we
 ought to fulfil every religious duty." Then he consented;
3:16 and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the
 water. /14 At that moment the heavens /15 opened, and he saw
 the Spirit of God descending like a /16 dove and alighting upon
 Him,
3:17 while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son,
 the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."

4:1 /1 At that time Jesus was /2 led up by the Spirit into the
 Desert in order to be tempted by the Devil.
4:2 There He fasted for forty days and nights; and after that He
 suffered from hunger.
4:3 So the Tempter came and said, /3 "If you are the Son of God,
 command these stones to turn into loaves."
4:4 "It is written," replied Jesus, <"`It is not on bread alone
 that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'">
4:5 Then the Devil took Him to the Holy City and caused Him to
 stand on the roof of the /4 Temple,
4:6 and said, /3 "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for
 it is written, <"`To His angels He will give orders concerning
 thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any
 moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'">
4:7 "Again it is written," replied Jesus, /5 <"`Thou shalt not
 put the Lord thy God to the proof.'">
4:8 Then the Devil took Him to the top of an exceedingly lofty
 mountain, from which he caused Him to see all the Kingdoms of
 the world and their splendour,
4:9 and said to Him, "All this I will give you, /6 if you will
 kneel down and do me homage."
4:10 "Begone, Satan!" Jesus replied; "for it is written, <`To
 the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt
 thou render worship.'">
4:11 Thereupon the Devil left Him, and angels /7 at once came
 and ministered to Him.

4:12 /1 Now when Jesus heard that John was /2 thrown into
 prison, He withdrew into Galilee,
4:13 and leaving Nazareth He went and settled at /3 Capernaum, a
 town by the /4 Lake on the frontiers of Zebulun and Naphtali,
4:14 in order that these words, spoken through the Prophet
 Isaiah, might be fulfilled,
4:15 <"Zebulun's land and Naphtali's land; the road by the /4
 Lake; the country beyond the Jordan; /5 Galilee of the Nations!
4:16 The people who were /6 dwelling in darkness have seen a
 brilliant light; and on those who were dwelling in the /7
 region of the shadow of death, on them light has dawned.">
4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach. "Repent," He said,
 "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."
4:18 And walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee He saw
 two brothers--Simon called Peter and his brother
 Andrew--throwing a drag-net into the Lake; for they were
 fishers.
4:19 And He said to them, "Come and follow me, and I will make
 you fishers of men."
4:20 So they immediately left their nets and followed Him. As He
 went further on,
4:21 He saw two other brothers, James the son of /8 Zabdi and
 his brother John, in the boat with their father Zabdi mending
 their nets; and He called them.
4:22 And they at once left the boat and their father, and
 followed Him.
4:23 Then Jesus /9 travelled through all Galilee, teaching in
 their synagogues and proclaiming /10 the Good News of the
 Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and infirmity among
 the people.

4:24 Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought
 all the sick to Him, the people who were /1 suffering from
 various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics;
 and He cured them.
4:25 And great crowds followed Him, coming from Galilee, from
 the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, and from beyond the district on
 the other side of the Jordan.
5:1 Seeing the multitude of people, Jesus went up /2 the Hill.
 There He /3 seated Himself, and when His disciples came to Him,
5:2 /4 He proceeded to teach them, and said:
5:3 /5 /6 "Blessed are the /7 poor in spirit, for to them
 belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens.
5:4 /8 "Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.
5:5 /8 "Blessed are /9 the meek, for they as heirs shall obtain
 possession of the earth.
5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they shall be completely satisfied.
5:7 "Blessed are the compassionate, for they shall receive
 compassion.
5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for /10 it is they who will be
 recognized as sons of God.
5:10 "Blessed are those who have borne persecution in the cause
 of Righteousness, for to them belongs the Kingdom of the
 Heavens.

5:11 /1 "Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted
 you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my
 sake.
5:12 Be joyful and triumphant, because your reward is great in
 the Heavens; for so were the Prophets before you persecuted.
5:13 /2 "*You* are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become
 /3 tasteless, in what way can it regain its saltness? It is no
 longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on
 by the passers by.
5:14 *You* are the light of the world; a town cannot be hid if
 built on a hill-top.
5:15 Nor is a lamp lighted to be put under a bushel, but on the
 lampstand; and then it gives light to all in the house.
5:16 Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that
 they may see /4 your holy lives and may give glory to your
 Father who is in Heaven.
5:17 "Do not for a moment suppose that I have come to abrogate
 /5 the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abrogate them
 but to give them their completion.
5:18 /6 Solemnly I tell you that until /7 Heaven and earth pass
 away,

/1 not one iota or smallest detail will pass away from the Law
 until all has taken place.
5:19 Whoever therefore /2 breaks one of these least commandments
 and teaches /3 others to break them, will be called the least
 in the Kingdom of the Heavens; but whoever practises them and
 teaches them, he will be acknowledged as great in the Kingdom
 of the Heavens.
5:20 For I assure you that unless /4 your righteousness /5
 greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you
 will certainly not find entrance into the Kingdom of the
 Heavens.
5:21 /6 "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, <`Thou
 shalt not commit murder',> and whoever commits murder will be
 answerable to /7 the magistrate.
5:22 But I say to you that every one who becomes /8 angry with
 his brother shall be answerable to the magistrate; that whoever
 says to his brother /9 `Raca,' shall be answerable to the /10
 Sanhedrin; and that whoever says, `You /11 fool!' shall be
 liable to the /12 Gehenna of Fire.
5:23 If therefore when you are offering your gift upon the
 altar, you remember that your brother has a grievance against
 you,
5:24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go and make
 friends with your brother first, and then return and proceed to
 offer your gift.
5:25 /13 Come to terms without delay with your opponent while
 you are yet with him on the way to the court; for fear he
 should obtain judgement from the magistrate against you, and
 the magistrate should give you in custody to the

/1 officer and you be thrown into prison.
5:26 I solemnly tell you that you will certainly not be released
 till you have paid the very last farthing.
5:27 "You have heard that it was said, <`Thou shalt not commit
 adultery.'>
5:28 But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman and cherishes
 lustful thoughts has already in his heart become guilty with
 regard to her.
5:29 If therefore your eye, even the right eye, /2 is a snare to
 you, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you that
 one member should be destroyed rather than that your whole body
 should be thrown into Gehenna.
5:30 And if your right hand /2 is a snare to you, cut it off and
 away with it; it is better for you that one member should be
 destroyed rather than that your whole body should go into
 Gehenna.
5:31 "It was also said, <`If any man puts away his wife, let him
 give her a written notice of divorce.'>
5:32 /3 But I tell you that every man who puts away his wife
 except on the ground of /4 unfaithfulness causes her to commit
 adultery, and whoever marries /5 her when so divorced commits
 adultery.
5:33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients,
 <`Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform thy vows to
 the Lord.'>
5:34 But I tell you not to /6 swear at all; neither by Heaven,
 for it is God's throne;
5:35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool under His feet;
 nor /7 by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King.
5:36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair
 white or black.
5:37 But /8 let your language be, `Yes, yes,' or `No, no.'
 Anything in excess of this comes from

/1 the Evil one.
5:38 "You have heard that it was said, <`Eye for eye, tooth for
 tooth.'>
5:39 /2 But I tell you not to resist a wicked man, but if any
 one /3 strikes you on the right /4 cheek, turn the other to him
 as well.
5:40 If any one wishes to go to law with you and to deprive you
 of your /5 under garment, let him take your outer one also.
5:41 And whoever shall compel you to /6 convey his goods one
 mile, go with him two.
5:42 To him who asks, give: from him who would borrow, turn not
 away.
5:43 "You have heard that it was said, <`Thou shalt love thy
 neighbour> and hate thine enemy.'
5:44 /7 But I command you all, love your enemies, and pray for
 your persecutors;
5:45 that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven;
 for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the
 good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do
 wrong.
5:46 For if you love only those who love you, what reward have
 you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?
5:47 And if you salute only your near relatives, what praise is
 due to you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
5:48 You however are to be complete in goodness, as your
 Heavenly Father is complete.
6:1 "But beware of doing your /8 good actions in the sight of
 men, in order to attract their gaze; if you do, there is no
 reward for you with your Father who is in Heaven.

6:2 `When you give in charity, never blow a /1 trumpet before
 you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order
 that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that
 /2 they already have their reward.
6:3 But when you are giving in /3 charity, let not your left
 hand perceive what your right hand is doing,
6:4 that your charities may be in secret; and then your
 Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
6:5 "And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They
 are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the
 corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I
 solemnly tell you that /2 they already have their reward.
6:6 But you, whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut
 the door: then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your
 Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
6:7 "And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the
 Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their
 multitude of words.
6:8 Do not, /4 however, imitate them; for /5 your Father knows
 what things you need before ever you ask Him.
6:9 /6 "In this manner therefore pray: `Our Father who art in
 Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy;
6:10 let Thy kingdom come; let Thy /7 will be done, as in Heaven
 so on earth;
6:11 /8 give us to-day our bread /9 for the day;
6:12 and forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven
 those who have /10 failed in their duty towards us;

6:13 and bring us not into temptation, but rescue us /1 from the
 Evil one.'
6:14 "For if you forgive others their offences, your Heavenly
 Father will forgive you also;
6:15 but if you do not forgive others their offences, neither
 will your Father forgive yours.
6:16 "When any of you fast, never assume gloomy looks as the
 hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces in order that it
 may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell
 you that they already have their reward.
6:17 But, whenever you fast, pour /2 perfume on your hair and
 wash your face,
6:18 that it may not be apparent to men that you are fasting,
 but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father--He who
 sees in secret--will recompense you.
6:19 /3 "Do not lay up stores of wealth for yourselves on earth,
 where the moth and /4 wear-and-tear destroy, and where thieves
 /5 break in and steal.
6:20 But amass wealth for yourselves in Heaven, where neither
 the moth nor /4 wear-and-tear destroys, and where thieves do
 not /5 break in and steal.
6:21 For where your wealth is, there also will your heart be.
6:22 /6 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your /7
 eyesight is good, your whole body will be well lighted;
6:23 but if your /7 eyesight is bad, your whole body will be
 dark. If however the very light within you is darkness, how
 dense must the darkness be!
6:24 /8 "No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for
 either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will
 attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You
 cannot be the bondservants both of God and of

/1 gold.
6:25 /2 For this reason I charge you not to be over-anxious
 about your lives, inquiring what you are to eat or what you are
 to drink, nor yet about your bodies, inquiring what clothes you
 are to put on. Is not the life more precious than its food, and
 the body than its clothing?
6:26 /3 Look at the birds which fly in the air: they do not sow
 or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds
 them: are not you of much greater value than they?
6:27 Which of you by being over-anxious can add /4 a single foot
 to his height?
6:28 And why be anxious about clothing? Learn a lesson from the
 wild /5 lilies. Watch their growth. They neither /6 toil nor /7
 spin,
6:29 and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his
 magnificence could array himself like one of these.
6:30 And if God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day
 flourishes and to-morrow is thrown into the /8 oven, is it not
 much more certain that He will clothe you, you men of little
 faith?
6:31 Do not be /9 over-anxious, therefore, asking `What shall we
 eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
6:32 For all these are questions that Gentiles are always
 asking; /10 but your Heavenly Father knows that you need these
 things--all of them.
6:33 But make His Kingdom and righteousness your chief aim, and
 then these things shall all be given you in addition.
6:34 Do not be /9 over-anxious, therefore, about to-morrow, for
 to-morrow will bring its own cares. Enough for each day are its
 own troubles.

7:1 /1 "Judge not, that you may not be judged;
7:2 for your own judgement will be dealt--and your own measure
 meted--to yourselves.
7:3 /2 And why do you look at the splinter in your brother's
 eye, and not notice the beam which is in your own eye?
7:4 Or how say to your brother, `Allow me to take the splinter
 out of your eye,' while the beam is in your own eye?
7:5 Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then
 you will see clearly how to remove the splinter from your
 brother's eye.
7:6 "Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your
 pearls to the swine; otherwise they will trample them under
 their feet and then turn and /3 attack you.
7:7 /4 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will
 find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
7:8 For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks
 that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.
7:9 What man is there among you, who if his son shall ask him
 for bread will offer him a stone?
7:10 Or if the son shall ask him for a fish will offer him a
 snake?
7:11 If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good
 gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
 Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
7:12 /5 Everything, therefore, be it what it may, that you would
 have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for in this
 the Law and the Prophets are summed up.
7:13 /6 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the /7 gate and
 broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who
 enter by it;
7:14 /8 because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which
 leads /9 to Life, and few are those who find it.

7:15 "Beware of the false /1 teachers--men who come to you in
 sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous
 wolves.
7:16 /2 By their fruits you will easily recognize them. Are
 grapes gathered from /3 thorns or figs from /3 brambles?
7:17 Just so every good tree produces good fruit, but a
 poisonous tree produces bad fruit.
7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a poisonous tree
 good fruit.
7:19 Every tree which does not yield good fruit is cut down and
 thrown aside for burning.
7:20 So by their fruits at any rate, you will easily recognize
 them.
7:21 "Not every one who says to me, `Master, Master,' /4 will
 enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but only those who are
 obedient to my Father who is in Heaven.
7:22 /5 Many will say to me on that day, "`Master, Master, have
 we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name expelled demons,
 and in Thy name performed many mighty works?'
7:23 "And then I will tell them plainly, "`I never knew you:
 begone from me, you doers of /6 wickedness.'
7:24 /7 "Every one who hears /8 these my teachings and acts upon
 them /9 will be found to resemble a wise man who builds his
 house upon rock;
7:25 and the heavy rain falls, the swollen torrents come, and
 the winds blow and beat against the house; yet it does not
 fall, for its foundation is on rock.
7:26 And every one who hears these my teachings and does not act
 upon them will be found to resemble a fool who builds his house
 upon sand.
7:27 The heavy rain descends, the swollen torrents come, and the
 winds blow and burst upon the house, and it falls; and
 disastrous is the fall."

7:28 When Jesus had concluded this discourse, the crowds were /1
 filled with amazement at His teaching,
7:29 for He had been teaching them as one who had authority, and
 not as their Scribes taught.
8:1 /2 Upon descending from the hill country He was followed by
 immense crowds.
8:2 And a leper came to Him, and throwing himself at His feet,
 said, /3 "Sir, if only you are willing you are able to cleanse
 me."
8:3 So Jesus put out His hand and touched him, and said, "I am
 willing: be cleansed." Instantly he was cleansed from his
 leprosy;
8:4 and Jesus said to him, "Be careful to tell no one, but go
 and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses
 appointed as evidence for them."
8:5 /4 After His entry into Capernaum a /5 Captain came to Him,
 and entreated Him.
8:6 "Sir," he said, "my /6 servant at home is lying ill with
 paralysis, and is suffering great /7 pain."
8:7 "I will come and cure him," said Jesus.
8:8 "Sir," replied the Captain, "I am not /8 a fit person to
 receive you under my roof: merely say /9 the word, and my
 servant will be cured.
8:9 For I myself am also /10 under authority, and have soldiers
 under me. To one I say `Go,' and he goes, to another `Come,'
 and he comes, and to my slave `Do this or that,' and he does
 it."
8:10 Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said
 to the people following Him, "I solemnly tell you that /11 in
 no Israelite have I found faith as great as this.

8:11 And I tell you that many will come from the east and from
 the west and will /1 recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and
 Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens,
8:12 while the natural heirs of the Kingdom will be driven out
 into the darkness outside: there will be /2 the weeping aloud
 and the gnashing of teeth."
8:13 And Jesus said to the Captain, "Go, and just as you have
 believed, so be it for you." And the servant recovered
 precisely at that time.
8:14 /3 After this Jesus went to the house of Peter, whose
 mother-in-law he /4 found ill in bed with fever.
8:15 He touched her hand and the fever left her: and then she /5
 rose and /6 waited upon Him.
8:16 /7 In the evening many demoniacs were brought to Him, and
 with a word He expelled the demons; and He cured all the sick,
8:17 in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might
 be fulfilled, <"He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the
 burden of our diseases.">
8:18 /8 Seeing /9 great crowds about Him Jesus had given
 directions to cross to the other side of the Lake,
8:19 /10 when /11 a Scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I
 will follow you wherever you go."
8:20 "Foxes have holes," replied Jesus, "and birds have /12
 nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
8:21 Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first
 to go and bury my father."
8:22 "Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the /13 dead to bury
 their own dead."

8:23 /1 Then He went on board a fishing-boat, and His disciples
 followed Him.
8:24 But /2 suddenly there arose a great storm on the Lake, so
 that the waves threatened to engulf the boat; but He was
 asleep.
8:25 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are
 drowning!"
8:26 "Why are you so easily frightened," He replied, "you men of
 little faith?" Then He rose and reproved the winds and the
 waves, and there was a perfect calm;
8:27 and the men, filled with amazement, exclaimed, "What kind
 of man is this? for the very winds and waves obey him!"
8:28 /3 On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the
 Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming /4
 from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no
 one was able to pass that way.
8:29 They cried aloud, "What hast Thou to do with us, Thou Son
 of God? Hast Thou come here to torment us before the time?"
8:30 Now at some distance from them a vast herd of swine were
 feeding.
8:31 So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they
 said, "send us into the herd of swine."
8:32 "Go," He replied. Then they came out from the men and went
 into the swine, whereupon the entire herd /5 instantly rushed
 down the cliff into the Lake and perished in the water.
8:33 The /6 swineherds fled, and went and told the whole story
 in the town, including what had happened to the demoniacs.

8:34 So at once the whole population came out to meet Jesus; and
 when they saw Him, they besought Him to leave their country.
9:1 /1 Accordingly He went on board, and crossing over came to
 /2 His own town.
9:2 Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a /3 bed.
 Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage,
 my child; your sins are pardoned."
9:3 "Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes /4
 among themselves.
9:4 /5 Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, "Why are you
 cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts?
9:5 Why, which is easier? --to say, `Your sins are pardoned,' or
 to say `Rise up and walk'?
9:6 But, to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on
 earth to pardon sins" --He then says to the paralytic, "Rise,
 and take up your bed and go home."
9:7 And he got up, and went off home.
9:8 And the crowds were awe-struck when they saw it, and
 ascribed the glory to God who had /6 entrusted such power /7 to
 a man.
9:9 /8 Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew /9
 sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, /10 "Follow me."
 And he arose, and followed Him.
9:10 And while He was reclining /11 at table, a large number of
 /12 tax-gathers and notorious sinners were of the party with
 Jesus and His disciples.
9:11 The Pharisees noticed this, and they inquired of His
 disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers
 and notorious sinners?"

9:12 He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good
 health who require a doctor, but the sick.
9:13 But /1 go and learn what this means, <`It is mercy that I
 desire, not sacrifice';> for I did not come to appeal to the
 righteous, but to sinners."
9:14 /2 At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why
 do we and the Pharisees /3 fast, but your disciples do not?"
9:15 "Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as
 the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the
 Bridegroom has been taken from them) and then they will fast.
9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven
 cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the
 old, and a worse hole would be made.
9:17 Nor do people pour new wine into old /4 wineskins.
 Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine /5 would escape, and
 the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins,
 and both are saved."
9:18 /6 While He was thus speaking, a /7 Ruler came up and /8
 profoundly bowing said, "My daughter is just dead; but come and
 put your hand upon her and she will return to life."
9:19 And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also His disciples.
9:20 But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with
 haemorrhage came behind Him and /9 touched the /10 tassel of
 His cloak;
9:21 for she said to herself, "If I but touch His cloak, I shall
 be cured."

9:22 And Jesus turned and saw her, and said, "Take courage,
 daughter; your faith has /1 cured you." And the woman was
 restored to health from that moment.
9:23 Entering the Ruler's house, Jesus saw the flute-players and
 the /2 crowd loudly wailing,
9:24 and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not
 dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.
9:25 When however the place was cleared of the crowd, Jesus went
 in, and on His taking the little girl by the hand, she /3 rose
 up.
9:26 And the report of this spread throughout all that district.
9:27 As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed Him, shouting
 and saying, "Pity us, Son of David."
9:28 And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you
 believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, /4 Sir," they
 replied.
9:29 So He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith
 let it be to you."
9:30 Then their eyes were opened. And assuming a stern tone
 Jesus said to them, "Be careful to let no one know."
9:31 But they went out and published His fame in all that
 district.
9:32 /5 And as they were leaving His presence a /6 dumb demoniac
 was brought to Him.
9:33 When the demon was expelled, the dumb man could speak. And
 the crowds exclaimed in astonishment, "Never was such a thing
 seen in Israel."

9:34 But the Pharisees maintained, "It is /1 by the power of the
 Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."
9:35 /2 And Jesus continued His circuits through all the towns
 and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming
 the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease
 and infirmity.
9:36 And when He saw the crowds He was touched with pity for
 them, because they were distressed and were fainting on the
 ground like sheep which have no shepherd.
9:37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant,
 but the reapers are few;
9:38 therefore entreat the Owner of the Harvest to send out
 reapers into His /3 fields."
10:1 /4 Then He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them
 authority over foul spirits, to drive them out; and to cure
 every kind of disease and infirmity.
10:2 Now the names of the twelve /5 Apostles were these: first,
 Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of
 Zabdi, and his brother John;
10:3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the
 tax-gatherer, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
10:4 Simon the /6 Cananaean, and Judas the /7 Iscariot, who also
 betrayed Him.
10:5 /8 These twelve Jesus /9 sent on a mission, after giving
 them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the
 Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town;
10:6 but, instead of that, go to the /10 lost sheep of Israel's
 race.
10:7 And as you go, preach and say, `The Kingdom of the Heavens
 is close at hand.'
10:8 Cure the sick, /11 raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers,
 drive out demons: you have received without payment, give
 without payment.

10:9 "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in
 your pockets;
10:10 no bag for your journey, nor change of linen, nor shoes,
 nor stick; for the labourer deserves his food.
10:11 "Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for some good
 man; and make his house your home till you leave the place.
10:12 When you enter the house, /1 salute it;
10:13 and if the house deserves it, the peace you invoke shall
 come upon it. If not, your peace shall return to you.
10:14 And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to
 your Message, as you leave that house or town, /2 shake off the
 very dust /3 from your feet.
10:15 I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the
 land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for
 that town.
10:16 /4 "Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into
 the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents,
 and as innocent as /5 doves.
10:17 /6 But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to
 appear before /7 Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their
 synagogues;
10:18 and you will even be put on trial before governors and
 kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.
10:19 But when they have delivered you up, have /8 no anxiety as
 to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very
 time it shall be given you what to say;
10:20 for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of
 your Father speaking /9 through you.
10:21 Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child;
 and children will rise against their own parents and will put
 them to death.
10:22 And you will be objects of universal hatred because you
 are called by my name; but he who holds out to /10 the End--he
 will be saved.

10:23 /1 Whenever they persecute you in one town, /2 escape to
 the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone
 the round of all the towns of Israel /3 before the Son of Man
 comes.
10:24 "The /4 learner is never superior to his teacher, and the
 /5 servant is never superior to his /6 master.
10:25 Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher,
 and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they
 have called the master of the house /7 Baal-zebul, how much
 more will they slander his servants?
10:26 /8 Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which
 will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known.
10:27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what
 is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the
 houses.
10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill
 the /9 soul; but rather /10 fear him who is able to destroy
 both /9 soul and body in Gehenna.
10:29 Do not two sparrows sell for a /11 halfpenny? Yet not one
 of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave.
10:30 But as for you, the very hairs on your heads are all
 numbered.
10:31 Away then with fear; you are more /12 precious than a
 multitude of sparrows.
10:32 "Every man who /13 acknowledges me before men I also /14
 will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.
10:33 But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown
 before my Father who is in Heaven.

10:34 /1 "Do not suppose that I came to /2 bring peace to the
 earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
10:35 For I came to set a man against his father, <a daughter
 against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
 mother-in-law;
10:36 and a man's own family will be his foes.>
10:37 /3 Any one who loves father or mother more than me /4 is
 not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more
 than me is not worthy of me;
10:38 and any one who does not take up his /5 cross and follow
 where I lead is not worthy of me.
10:39 To save your /6 life is to lose it, and to lose your life
 for my sake is to save it.
10:40 /7 "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives
 me receives Him who sent me.
10:41 Every one who receives a /8 prophet, because he is a
 prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who
 receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will
 receive a righteous man's reward.
10:42 /9 And whoever gives one of these /10 little ones /11 even
 a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I
 solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."
11:1 When Jesus had concluded His instructions to His twelve
 disciples, He left in order to teach and to /12 proclaim His
 Message in the neighbouring towns.
11:2 /13 Now John had heard in prison about the Christ's doings,
 and he sent /14 some of his disciples to inquire:

11:3 "Are you the Coming One, or is it a different person that
 we are to expect?"
11:4 "Go and report to John what you see and hear," replied
 Jesus;
11:5 "blind eyes /1 receive sight, and cripples walk; lepers are
 cleansed, and deaf ears hear; the dead /2 are raised to life,
 and the poor have the Good News proclaimed to them;
11:6 and blessed is every one who does not stumble and fall
 because of my claims."
11:7 /3 When the messengers had taken their leave, Jesus
 proceeded to say to the multitude concerning John, "What did
 you go out into the Desert to gaze at? A reed waving in the
 wind?
11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man luxuriously dressed?
 Those who wear luxurious clothes are to be found in kings'
 palaces.
11:9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you,
 and far more than a prophet.
11:10 This is he of whom it is written, <"`See I am sending My
 /4 messenger before Thy face, and he will make Thy road ready
 before Thee.'>
11:11 "I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no
 greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one
 who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater
 than he.
11:12 /5 But from /6 the time of John the Baptist till now, the
 Kingdom of the Heavens /7 has been suffering violent assault,
 and the violent have been seizing it by force.
11:13 For all the Prophets and the Law /8 taught until John.
11:14 And (if you are willing to receive it) he is the Elijah
 who /9 was to come.
11:15 Listen, every one who has /10 ears!
11:16 "But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is
 like children sitting in the open places, who call /11 to their
 playmates.

11:17 "`We have played the flute to you,' they say, `and you
 have not danced: we have sung dirges, and you have not beaten
 your breasts.'
11:18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
 `He has a demon.'
11:19 The Son of Man came /1 eating and drinking, and they
 exclaim, `See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a
 friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom
 /2 is vindicated by her /3 actions."
11:20 /4 Then began He to upbraid the towns where most of His
 mighty works had been done--because they had not repented.
11:21 /5 "Alas for /6 thee, Chorazin!" He cried. "Alas for thee,
 /7 Bethsaida! For had the mighty works been done in Tyre and
 Sidon which have been done in /8 both of you, they would long
 ere now have repented, covered with sackcloth and ashes.
11:22 Only I tell you that it will be more endurable for Tyre
 and Sidon on the day of Judgement than for you.
11:23 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted even to Heaven?
 Even to /9 Hades shalt thou /10 descend. For had the mighty
 works been done in Sodom which have been done in thee, it would
 have remained until now.
11:24 Only I tell /11 you all, that it will be more endurable
 for the land of Sodom on the day of Judgement than for thee."
11:25 /12 About that time /13 Jesus exclaimed, "I heartily
 praise Thee,

/1 Father, /2 Lord of Heaven and of earth, that Thou hast hidden
 these things from sages and men of discernment, and hast
 unveiled them to babes.
11:26 Yes, Father, for such has been Thy gracious will.
11:27 "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and
 no one fully knows the Son except the Father, nor does any one
 fully know the Father except the Son and all to whom the Son
 chooses to reveal Him.
11:28 "Come to me, all you toiling and burdened ones, and *I*
 will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am /3
 gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your
 souls.
11:30 For /4 it is good to bear my yoke, and my burden is
 light."
12:1 /5 About that time Jesus passed on the Sabbath through the
 wheatfields; and His disciples /6 became hungry, and began to
 gather ears of wheat and eat them.
12:2 But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your
 disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the
 Sabbath."
12:3 "Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he
 and his men were hungry?
12:4 how he entered the House of God /7 and ate the Presented
 Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, /8
 nor for any except the priests?
12:5 And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the
 priests in the Temple /9 break the Sabbath without incurring
 guilt?

12:6 But I tell you that there is here /1 that which is greater
 than the Temple.
12:7 And if you knew what this means, <`It is mercy I desire,
 not sacrifice'>, you would not have condemned those who are
 without guilt.
12:8 /2 For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
12:9 /3 Departing thence /4 He went to their synagogue,
12:10 where there was a man with a shrivelled /5 arm. And they
 questioned Him, /6 "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?"
 Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.
12:11 "Which of you is there," He replied, "who, if he has but a
 single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not
 lay hold of it and lift it out?
12:12 Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore
 it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
12:13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he
 stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the
 other.
12:14 But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted
 together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
12:15 Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great
 number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
12:16 But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad
 His doings,
12:17 that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
12:18 /7 <"This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly
 loved One in whom My soul /8 takes pleasure. I will put My
 spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.
12:19 He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice
 be heard in the broadways.
12:20 /9 A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He
 quench the still smouldering wick, until He has

/1 led on Justice to victory.
12:21 And on His name shall the nations /2 rest their hopes.">
12:22 /3 At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and
 /4 dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and
 see.
12:23 And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement
 and said, "Can this be /5 the Son of David?"
12:24 The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels
 demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
12:25 Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in
 which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or
 house in which there is internal strife will be brought low.
12:26 And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has /6 begun to make
 war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
12:27 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the
 demons, by whose power do your /7 disciples expel them? They
 therefore shall be your judges.
12:28 But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I
 expel the demons, it is evident that the /8 Kingdom of God /9
 has come upon you.
12:29 Again, how can any one enter the house of /10 a strong man
 and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and
 secures the strong man: then he will ransack his house.

12:30 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is
 not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
12:31 This is why I tell you that /1 men may find forgiveness
 for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious
 speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no
 forgiveness.
12:32 And whoever /2 shall speak against the Son of Man may
 obtain forgiveness; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit,
 neither in this nor in the coming age shall he obtain
 forgiveness."
12:33 "Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit
 wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for
 the tree is known by its fruit.
12:34 O vipers' /3 brood, how can you speak what is good when
 you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the
 mouth speaks.
12:35 A good man from his good store produces good things, and a
 bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
12:36 But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall
 speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
12:37 For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his
 words shall be condemned."
12:38 /4 Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the
 Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign /5 given by
 you."
12:39 "Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they
 clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the
 sign of the Prophet Jonah.
12:40 For just as <Jonah was /6 three days in the sea-monster's
 belly,> so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of
 the earth.

12:41 There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement
 together with the present generation, and will condemn it;
 because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark!
 there is /1 One greater than Jonah here.
12:42 The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement
 together with the present generation, and will condemn it;
 because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom
 of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.
12:43 /2 "No sooner however has /3 the foul spirit gone out of
 the man, then he /4 roams about in places where there is no
 water, seeking rest but finding none.
12:44 Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;' and
 he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and /5 in good
 order.
12:45 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits
 more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and
 in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at
 first. So will it be also with /6 the present wicked
 generation."
12:46 /7 While He was still addressing the people His mother and
 His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to
 speak to Him.
12:47 /8 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers
 are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
12:48 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my
 brothers?"
12:49 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my
 mother and my brothers.
12:50 To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my
 brother and my sister and my mother."

13:1 /1 That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting
 on the shore of the Lake,
13:2 when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He
 therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the
 people stood on the shore.
13:3 /2 He then spoke many things to them in /3 figurative
 language. "The sower /4 goes out," He said, "to sow.
13:4 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the
 birds come and peck it up.
13:5 Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil.
 It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth
 of earth;
13:6 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and
 through having no root it withers up.
13:7 Some falls /5 among the thorns; but the thorns spring up
 and stifle it.
13:8 But a portion falls upon good ground, and /6 gives a
 return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.
13:9 Listen, every one who has ears!" /7
13:10 /8 (And His disciples /9 came and asked Him, "Why do you
 speak to them in figurative language?"
13:11 "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know
 the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not.
13:12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall
 have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has
 shall be taken away.
13:13 I speak to them in figurative language for this reason,
 that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they
 neither hear nor understand.
13:14 And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving
 signal fulfilment: <"`You will hear and hear and by no means
 understand, and you will look and look and by no means see.

13:15 For this people's /1 mind /2 is stupefied, their hearing
 has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent
 their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears,
 or understanding with their minds, and turning back, /3 so that
 I might heal them.'>
13:16 "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and
 your ears, for they hear.
13:17 For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men
 have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them,
 and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.
13:18 /4 "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower.
13:19 When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and
 does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away
 what has been sown in his heart. This is he who /5 has received
 the seed by the road-side.
13:20 He who /5 has received the seed on the rocky ground is the
 man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.
13:21 It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues
 for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because
 of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.
13:22 He who /5 has received the seed among the thorns is the
 man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and
 the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it
 becomes unfruitful.
13:23 But he who /5 has received the seed on good ground is he
 who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and
 yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

13:24 /1 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the
 Heavens," He said, /2 "may be compared to a man who has sown
 good seed in his field,
13:25 but /3 during the night his enemy comes, and over the
 first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.
13:26 But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed, then
 appears the darnel also.
13:27 "So the farmer's /4 men come and ask him, "`Sir, was it
 not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the
 darnel come from?'
13:28 "`Some enemy has done this,' he said. "`Shall we go, and
 collect it?' the /4 men inquire.
13:29 "`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the
 darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.
13:30 Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at
 harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel /5
 first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but /6 bring /7
 all the wheat into my barn.'"
13:31 /8 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the
 Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man takes
 and sows in his ground.
13:32 It is /9 the smallest of all seeds, and yet when
 full-grown it is larger than any /10 herb and forms a tree, so
 that the birds come and build in its branches."
13:33 Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the
 Heavens," He said, "is like /11 yeast which a woman takes and
 buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the
 whole mass has risen."

13:34 /1 All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative
 language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to
 them,
13:35 in fulfilment of the saying of /2 the Prophet, <"I will
 open my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept
 hidden since the creation of all things.">
13:36 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the
 house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to
 us the parable of the darnel sown in the field."
13:37 "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of
 Man;
13:38 the field is the world; the good seed--these are the /3
 sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.
13:39 The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest
 is the /4 Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.
13:40 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with
 fire, so will it be at the Close of the Age.
13:41 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will
 gather out of His Kingdom all /5 causes of sin and all who
 violate His laws;
13:42 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There
 will be /6 the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.
13:43 Then will the righteous shine out /7 like the sun in /8
 their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears! /9
13:44 "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the
 open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his
 joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of
 ground.

13:45 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like /1 a jewel
 merchant who is in quest of choice pearls.
13:46 He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though
 it costs all he has, he buys it.
13:47 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net let
 down into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts.
13:48 When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and
 collect the good fish in baskets, while /2 the worthless they
 throw away.
13:49 So will it be at the /3 Close of the Age. The angels will
 go forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
13:50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be
 the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth."
13:51 "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they
 said.
13:52 /4 "Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well
 trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder
 who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."
13:53 Jesus concluded this series of parables and then departed.
13:54 /5 And He came into His own /6 country and proceeded to
 teach in their synagogue, so that they were filled with
 astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom,
 and these wondrous powers?
13:55 Is not /7 this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother
 called Mary? And are not his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and
 Judah?
13:56 And his sisters--are they not all living here among us?
 Where then did he get all this?"
13:57 So they /8 turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to
 them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his
 own country and among his own /9 family."

13:58 And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of
 their want of faith.
14:1 /1 About that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of
 Jesus,
14:2 and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist: he
 has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous Powers
 are working in him."
14:3 /2 For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains,
 and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother
 Philip's wife,
14:4 because John had persistently said to him, "It is not
 lawful for you to have her."
14:5 And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid
 of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.
14:6 /3 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias
 danced before all the company, and so pleased Herod
14:7 that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she
 asked.
14:8 So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a
 dish the head of John the Baptist."
14:9 The king was deeply vexed, yet because of his repeated oath
 and of the guests at his table he ordered it to be given her,
14:10 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
14:11 The head was brought on a dish and given to the young
 girl, and she took it to her mother.
14:12 Then John's disciples went and removed the body and buried
 /4 it, and came and informed Jesus.
14:13 /5 Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat
 to an uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard
 of it and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.
14:14 So Jesus /6 went out and saw an immense multitude, and
 felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out
 of health.

14:15 But when /1 evening was come, the disciples came to Him
 and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the
 day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages
 and buy something to eat."
14:16 "They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves
 must give them something to eat."
14:17 "We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a
 couple of fish."
14:18 "Bring them here to me," He said,
14:19 and He told all the people to sit down on the grass. Then
 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after looking up
 to heaven and blessing them, He broke up the loaves and gave
 them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed them to
 the people.
14:20 So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The /2 broken
 portions that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve
 baskets.
14:21 Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without
 reckoning women and children.
14:22 /3 Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on
 board the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him to
 dismiss the people.
14:23 When He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in
 solitude. /4 Night came on, and he was there alone.
14:24 Meanwhile the boat was /5 far out on the Lake, buffeted
 and tossed by the waves, the wind being adverse.
14:25 But /6 towards daybreak He went to them, walking over the
 waves.
14:26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the waves, they were
 greatly alarmed. "It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they
 cried out with terror.
14:27 But instantly Jesus spoke to them, and said, "There is no
 danger; /7 it is I; do not be afraid."

14:28 "Master," answered Peter, "if it is you, bid me come to
 you upon the water."
14:29 "Come," said Jesus. Then Peter climbed down from the boat
 and walked upon the water /1 to go to Him.
14:30 But when he /2 felt /3 the wind he /4 grew frightened, and
 beginning to sink he cried out, "Master, save me."
14:31 Instantly Jesus stretched out His hand and caught hold of
 him, saying to him, "O little faith, why did you doubt?"
14:32 So they climbed into the boat, and the wind lulled;
14:33 and the men on board fell down before him and said, "You
 are indeed God's Son."
14:34 /5 When they had quite crossed over, they put ashore at
 Gennesaret;
14:35 and the men of the place, recognizing Him, sent word into
 all the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him,
14:36 and they entreated Him that they might but touch the
 tassel of His outer garment; and all who did so were restored
 to perfect health.
15:1 /6 Then there came to Jesus a party of Pharisees and
 Scribes from Jerusalem, who inquired,
15:2 "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the
 Elders by not washing their hands /7 before meals?"
15:3 "Why do you, too," He retorted, "transgress God's commands
 /8 for the sake of /9 your tradition?
15:4 For God said, <`Honour thy father and thy mother';> and
 <`Let him who /10 reviles father or mother /11 be certainly put
 to death';>
15:5 but you--this is what you say: `If a man says to his father
 or mother, That is /12 consecrated, whatever it is, which
 otherwise you should have received from me--

15:6 /1 he shall be absolved from honouring his father'; /2 and
 so you have abrogated God's /3 Word for the sake of your
 tradition.
15:7 Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy of you,
15:8 <"`This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while
 their heart is far away from Me;
15:9 but it is in vain they worship Me, while they lay down
 precepts which are mere human rules.'">
15:10 Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said,
 "Hear and understand.
15:11 It is not what goes into a man's mouth that /4 defiles
 him; but it is what comes out of his mouth--*that* defiles a
 man."
15:12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that
 the Pharisees were greatly /5 shocked when they heard those
 words?"
15:13 "Every plant," He replied, "which my Heavenly Father has
 not planted will be rooted up.
15:14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides /6 of the blind;
 and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into some
 /7 pit."
15:15 "Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.
15:16 "Are even you," He answered, "still without intellingence?
15:17 Do you not understand that whatever enters the mouth
 passes into the stomach and is afterwards ejected from the
 body?
15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the
 heart, and it is these that defile the man.
15:19 For out of the heart proceed wicked /8 thoughts, murder,
 adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech.
15:20 These are the things which defile the man; but eating with
 unwashed hands does not defile."

15:21 /1 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew into the vicinity of
 Tyre and Sidon.
15:22 Here a Canaanitish woman of the district came out and /2
 persistently cried out, "Sir, Son of David, pity me; my
 daughter is cruelly harassed by a demon."
15:23 But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples
 interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she
 keeps crying behind us."
15:24 "I have only been sent to the /3 lost sheep of the house
 of Israel," He replied.
15:25 Then she /4 came and /5 threw herself at His feet and
 entreated Him. "O Sir, help me," she said.
15:26 "It is not right," He said, "to take the children's bread
 and throw it to the /6 dogs."
15:27 /7 "Be it so, Sir," she said, /8 "for even the dogs eat
 the scraps which fall from their /9 masters' tables."
15:28 "O woman," replied Jesus, "great is your faith: be it done
 to you as you desire." And from that moment her daughter was
 restored to health.
15:29 Again, moving thence, Jesus went along by the Lake of
 Galilee; and ascending /10 the hill, He /11 sat down there.
15:30 Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them those
 who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or /12 dumb, and many
 besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He
 cured them,

15:31 so that the people were amazed to see the dumb speaking,
 /1 the maimed with their hands perfect, the lame walking, and
 the blind seeing; and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.
15:32 /2 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My
 heart yearns over this mass of people, for it is now /3 the
 third day that they have been with me and they have nothing to
 eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should
 faint on the road."
15:33 "Where can we," asked the disciples, "get bread enough in
 this remote place to satisfy so vast a multitude?"
15:34 "How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they
 said, "and a few small fish."
15:35 So He bade all the people sit down on the ground,
15:36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after
 giving thanks He broke them up and then distributed them to the
 disciples, and they to the people.
15:37 And they all ate and were satisfied. The broken portions
 that remained over they took up--seven full /4 hampers.
15:38 Those who ate were 4,000 adult men, without reckoning
 women and children.
15:39 /5 He then dismissed the people, went on board the boat,
 and came into the district of Magadan.
16:1 Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; and, to make
 trial of Him, they asked Him to show them a sign /6 in the sky.
16:2 /7 He replied, /8 "In the evening you say, `It will be fine
 weather, for the sky is red;'
16:3 and in the morning, `It will be rough weather to-day, for
 the sky is red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the
 aspect of the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot.
16:4 /9 A wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign;
 but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah." and
 He left them and went away.

16:5 When the disciples arrived at the other side /1 of the
 Lake, they found that they /2 had forgotten to bring any bread;
16:6 and when Jesus said to them, "See to it: beware of the /3
 yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,"
16:7 they reasoned among themselves, saying, /4 "It is because
 we have not brought any bread."
16:8 Jesus perceived this and said, "Why are you reasoning among
 yourselves, you men of little faith, because /5 you have no
 bread?
16:9 Do you not yet understand? nor even remember the 5,000 and
 the five loaves, and how many basketfuls you carried away,
16:10 nor the 4,000 and the seven loaves, and how many hampers
 you carried away?
16:11 How is it you do not understand that it was not about
 bread that I spoke to you? But beware of the yeast of the
 Pharisees and Sadducees."
16:12 Then they perceived that He had not warned them against
 bread-yeast, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and
 Sadducees.
16:13 /6 When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Caesarea
 Philippi, Jesus /7 questioned His disciples. "Who do people /8
 say that the Son of Man is?" He asked.
16:14 "Some say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah;
 others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets."
16:15 "But you, who do you say that I am?" He asked again.
16:16 "You," replied /9 Simon Peter, "are the Christ, the Son of
 the /10 ever-living God."

16:17 "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah," said Jesus; "for /1
 mere human nature has not revealed this to you, but my Father
 in Heaven.
16:18 And I declare to you that you are /2 Peter, and that upon
 this /2 Rock I will build my Church, and the /3 might of Hades
 shall not triumph over it.
16:19 I will give /4 you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens;
 and whatever you bind on earth shall /5 remain bound in Heaven,
 and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in Heaven."
16:20 Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the
 Christ.
16:21 From this time /6 Jesus began to explain to His disciples
 that He /7 must go to Jerusalem, and suffer much cruelty from
 the Elders and the High Priests and the Scribes, and be put to
 death, and on the third day /8 be raised to life again.
16:22 Then Peter /9 took Him aside and began taking Him to task.
 "Master," he said, /10 "God forbid; this /11 will not be your
 lot."
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, /12
 Adversary; you are a /13 hindrance to me, because your thoughts
 are not God's thoughts, but men's."
16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any one desires to
 follow me, let him renounce self and take up his cross, and so
 be my follower.
16:25 For whoever desires to save his /14 life

/1 shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake /1
 shall find it.
16:26 Why, what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the
 whole world but /2 forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give
 /3 to buy back his life?
16:27 For the Son of Man is soon to come in the glory of the
 Father with /4 His angels, and then will He requite every man
 according to his actions.
16:28 I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing
 here will certainly not taste death till they have /5 seen the
 Son of Man coming in His Kingdom."
17:1 /6 Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the
 brothers James and John, and brought them up /7 a high mountain
 to a solitary place.
17:2 There in their presence His form underwent a change; His
 face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the
 light.
17:3 And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them conversing
 with Him.
17:4 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, /8 we are thankful to
 you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents
 here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
17:5 He was still speaking when a luminous cloud /9 spread over
 them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said,
 "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen
 to Him."
17:6 On hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their faces
 and were filled with terror.
17:7 But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse
 yourselves and have no fear."
17:8 So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.

17:9 As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command
 upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen
 till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."
17:10 "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the Scribes say that
 Elijah must first come?"
17:11 "Elijah was indeed to come," He replied, "and would reform
 everything.
17:12 But I tell you that he has already come, and they did not
 recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before
 long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way."
17:13 Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the
 Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.
17:14 /1 When they had returned to the people, there came to Him
 a man who fell on his knees before Him and besought Him.
17:15 "Sir," he said, "have pity on my son, for he is an
 epileptic and is very ill. Often he falls into the fire and
 often into the water.
17:16 I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not
 been able to cure him."
17:17 /2 "O unbelieving and /3 perverse generation!" replied
 Jesus; "how long shall I be with you? how long shall I endure
 you? Bring him /4 to me."
17:18 Then Jesus reprimanded the demon, and it came out and left
 him; and the boy was cured from that moment.
17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him,
 "Why could not we expel the demon?"
17:20 "Because your faith is so small," He replied; "for I
 solemnly declare to you that if you have faith /5 like a
 mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain, `Remove from this
 place to that,' and it will remove; and nothing shall be
 impossible to you.
17:21 /6 But an evil spirit of this kind is only driven out by
 prayer and fasting."
17:22 /7 As they were /8 travelling about in Galilee, Jesus said
 to them, "The Son of Man is about to be

/1 betrayed into the hands of men;
17:23 they will put Him to death, but on the third day He will
 be raised to life again." And they were exceedingly distressed.
17:24 /2 After their arrival at Capernaum the collectors of the
 half-shekel came and asked Peter, "Does not your Teacher pay /3
 the half-shekel?"
17:25 "Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But
 before he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From
 whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax?
 from their own children, or from others?"
17:26 "From others," he replied. "Then /4 the children go free,"
 said Jesus.
17:27 "However, lest we /5 cause them to sin, go and throw a
 hook into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up. When
 you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it: bring that
 coin and give it to them /6 for yourself and me."
18:1 /7 Just /8 then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who
 /9 ranks higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"
18:2 So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand
 in the midst of them,
18:3 said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you /10 turn
 and become like little children, you will in no case be
 admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.
18:4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child,
 he it is who /11 is superior to others in the Kingdom of the
 Heavens.

18:5 And whoever for my sake receives one young child such as
 this, receives me.
18:6 /1 But whoever shall /2 occasion the fall of one of these
 little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to
 have a /3 millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in
 the depths of the sea.
18:7 "Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They
 cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!
18:8 If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall into sin,
 cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter /4
 into Life crippled in hand or foot than to remain in possession
 of two sound hands or feet but be thrown into the fire /5 of
 the Ages.
18:9 And if your eye is causing you to fall into sin, tear it
 out and away with it; it is better for you to enter into Life
 with only one eye, than to remain in possession of two eyes but
 be thrown into the /6 Gehenna of fire.
18:10 /7 "Beware of ever despising one of these little ones, for
 I tell you that in Heaven /8 their angels /9 have continual
 access to my Father who is in Heaven.
18:11 /10 []
18:12 What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred
 sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the
 ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is
 straying?
18:13 And if he succeeds in finding it, in solemn truth I tell
 you that he rejoices over it more than he does over the
 ninety-nine that have not gone astray.
18:14 Just so it is not the will /11 of your Father in Heaven
 that one of these little ones should be lost.

18:15 "If your brother /1 acts wrongly /2 towards you, go and
 point out his fault to him when only you and he are there. If
 he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
18:16 But if he will not listen to you, go again, and ask one or
 two to go with you, that every word spoken may be attested by
 two or three witnesses.
18:17 If he refuses to hear them, appeal to /3 the Church; and
 if he refuses to hear even /3 the Church, /4 regard him just as
 you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
18:18 I solemnly tell you that whatever you /5 as a Church bind
 on earth will in Heaven be held as bound, and whatever you
 loose on earth will in Heaven be held to be loosed.
18:19 I also solemnly tell you that if two of you here on earth
 agree together concerning anything whatever that they shall
 ask, the boon will come to them from my Father who is in
 Heaven.
18:20 For where there are two or three assembled in my name,
 there am I /6 in the midst of them."
18:21 /7 At this point Peter came to Him with the question,
 "Master, how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and
 I forgive him? seven times?"
18:22 "I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but /8
 seventy times seven times.
18:23 "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens /9 may be
 compared to /10 a king who determined to have a settlement of
 accounts with his /11 servants.
18:24 But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought
 before him who owed /12 10,000 talents,
18:25 and was unable to pay. So his /13 master ordered that he
 and his wife and children and everything that he had should be
 sold, and payment be made.

18:26 The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at
 his feet and entreated him. "`Only give me time,' he said, `and
 I will pay you the whole.'
18:27 "Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him
 free and forgave him the /1 debt.
18:28 But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with
 one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 /2 shillings; and
 seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he
 exclaimed, "`Pay me all you owe.'
18:29 "His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and
 entreated him, "`Only give me time,' he said, `and I will pay
 you.'
18:30 "He would not, however, but went and threw him into prison
 until he should pay what was due.
18:31 His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened,
 were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master
 without reserve all that had happened.
18:32 At once his master called him and said, "`Wicked servant,
 I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:
18:33 ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow
 servant, just as I had pity on you?'
18:34 "So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the
 /3 jailers until he should pay all he owed him.
18:35 "In the same way /4 my Heavenly Father will deal with you,
 if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."
19:1 /5 When Jesus had finished these discourses, He removed
 from Galilee and came into that /6 part of Judaea which lay
 beyond the Jordan.
19:2 And a vast multitude followed him, and He cured them there.

19:3 /1 Then came /2 some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to
 the proof by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his
 wife /3 whenever he chooses?"
19:4 "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them
 <`made them'> from the beginning <`male and female,
19:5 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and
 mother and /4 be united to his wife, and the two shall be /5
 one'?>
19:6 Thus they are no longer two, but /5 `one'! What therefore
 God has joined together, let not man separate."
19:7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to
 give her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"
19:8 "Moses," He replied, /6 "in consideration of the /7
 hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives,
 but it has not been so from the beginning.
19:9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any
 reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, /8
 commits adultery."
19:10 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife,"
 said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."
19:11 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this
 teaching, but /9 only those on whom the grace has been
 bestowed.
19:12 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from
 marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others
 who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the
 Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
19:13 /10 Then young children were brought to Him for Him to put
 His hands on them and pray; but the disciples interfered.
19:14 Jesus however said, "Let the little children come to me,
 and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike
 that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs."

19:15 So He laid His hands upon them and went away.
19:16 /1 "Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, "what that
 is good shall I do in order to win the Life /2 of the Ages?"
19:17 /3 "Why do you ask me," He replied, "about what is good?
 There is only One who is truly good. But if you desire to enter
 into Life, keep the Commandments."
19:18 /4 "Which Commandments?" he asked. Jesus answered, <"`Thou
 shalt not kill;' `Thou shalt not commit adultery;' `Thou shalt
 not steal;' `Thou shalt not lie in giving evidence;'
19:19 `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Thou shalt love
 thy fellow man as much as thyself.'">
19:20 "All of these," said the young man, "I have /5 carefully
 kept. What do I still lack?"
19:21 "If you desire to be perfect," replied Jesus, "go and sell
 all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have
 wealth in Heaven; and come, follow me."
19:22 On hearing those words the young man went away much cast
 down; for he had much property.
19:23 So Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly tell you that
 it is with difficulty that a rich man will enter the Kingdom of
 the Heavens.
19:24 Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a /6 camel to go through
 the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of
 God."

19:25 These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked,
 "Who then can be saved?"
19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is
 impossible, but with God everything is possible."
19:27 Then Peter said to Jesus, "See, *we* have forsaken
 everything and followed you; what then will be *our* reward?"
19:28 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that /1 in the New
 Creation, when the Son of Man has taken His seat on /2 His
 glorious throne, all of you who have followed me shall also sit
 on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
19:29 And whoever has forsaken houses, or brothers or sisters,
 or father /3 or mother, or children or lands, for my sake,
 shall receive /4 many times as much and shall have as his
 inheritance the Life /5 of the Ages.
19:30 "But many who are now first will be last, and many who are
 now last will be first.
20:1 "For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like /6 an employer who
 went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his
 vineyard,
20:2 and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a
 day, sent them into his vineyard.
20:3 About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in
 the market-place.
20:4 To these also he said, "`You also, go into the vineyard,
 and whatever is right I will give you.'
20:5 "So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock,
 he went out and did the same.
20:6 And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering,
 and he asked them, "`Why /7 have you been standing here all day
 long, doing nothing?'

20:7 "`Because /1 no one has hired us,' they replied. "`You
 also, go into the vineyard,' he said.
20:8 "When evening came, the master said to his steward, "`Call
 the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and
 finish with the first.'
20:9 "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they
 received a shilling apiece;
20:10 and when the first came, they expected to get more, but
 they also each got /2 the shilling.
20:11 So when they had received it, they grumbled against the
 employer, saying,
20:12 "`These who came last /3 have done /4 only one hour's
 work, and /5 you have put them on a level with us who have
 worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'
20:13 "`My friend,' he answered to one of them, `I am doing you
 no injustice. /6 Did you not agree with me for a shilling?
20:14 Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer
 just as much as I give you.
20:15 Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own
 property? Or are you envious because I am /7 generous?'
20:16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last." /8
20:17 /9 Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the
 twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to
 them,
20:18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man
 will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will
 condemn Him to death,
20:19 and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and
 scourged and crucified; and on the third day He /10 will be
 raised to life."
20:20 /11 Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with
 her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.

20:21 "What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied,
 "that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one
 at your left in /1 your Kingdom."
20:22 "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus;
 "can you drink /2 out of the cup /2 from which I am about to
 drink?" "We can," they replied.
20:23 "You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at
 my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it
 belongs to those for whom it has been /3 prepared by my
 Father."
20:24 The /4 other ten heard of this, and their indignation was
 aroused /5 against the two brothers.
20:25 But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the
 rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men
 exercise authority over them.
20:26 Not so /6 shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be
 great among you shall be your servant,
20:27 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your
 bondservant;
20:28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,
 and to give His life as the /7 redemption-price /8 for many."
20:29 /9 As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd
 following Him,
20:30 two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was
 Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David,
 pity us."
20:31 The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried
 all the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.
20:32 So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I do
 for you?" He asked.
20:33 "Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.

20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and
 immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
21:1 /1 When they were come near Jerusalem and had arrived at
 Bethphage and the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the
 disciples on in front,
21:2 saying to them, "Go to the village you see facing you, and
 as you enter it you will find a she-ass tied up and a foal with
 her. Untie her and /2 bring them to me.
21:3 And if any one says anything to you, say, /3 `The Master
 needs them,' and he will at once send them."
21:4 This /4 took place in order that the Prophet's prediction
 might be fulfilled:
21:5 <"Tell the /5 Daughter of Zion, `See, thy King is coming /6
 to thee, gentle, /7 and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt
 the /8 foal of a beast of burden.'">
21:6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:
21:7 they brought the she-ass and the foal, and threw their
 outer garments on them. So He sat on them;
21:8 and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along
 the road, while others /9 cut branches from the trees and /9
 carpeted the road with them,
21:9 and the multitudes--some of the people preceding Him and
 some following--sang aloud, /10 <"God save the Son of David!
 Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name! God in the
 highest Heavens save Him!">

21:10 When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown
 into commotion, every one inquiring, "Who is this?"
21:11 "This is Jesus, the Prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee,"
 replied the crowds.
21:12 /1 Entering /2 the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were
 buying and selling there, and overturned the money-changers'
 tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers.
21:13 "It is written," He said, <"`My House shall be called /3
 the House of Prayer',> but you are making it <a robbers'
 cave.">
21:14 And /4 the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple,
 and He cured them.
21:15 But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the
 wonderful things that He had done and the children who were
 crying aloud in the Temple, <"God save the Son of David,"> they
 were filled with indignation.
21:16 "Do you hear," they asked Him, "what these children are
 saying?" "Yes," He replied; "have you never read, <`Out of the
 mouths of infants and of babes at the breast Thou hast brought
 forth the praise which is due'?">
21:17 So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and
 passed the night there.
21:18 /5 Early in the morning /6 as He was on His way to return
 to the city He was hungry,
21:19 and seeing /7 a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to
 it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no
 fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree
 withered away.

21:20 /1 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in
 astonishment, "How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered
 away!"
21:21 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an
 unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as
 this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this
 mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall
 be done;
21:22 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your
 prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."
21:23 /2 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the
 High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked
 Him, "By /3 what authority are you doing /4 these things? and
 who gave you this authority?"
21:24 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus,
 "and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what
 authority I do these things.
21:25 John's Baptism, whence was it? --had it a heavenly or a
 human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If
 we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why
 then did you not believe him?'
21:26 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear,
 for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."
21:27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." /5 "Nor do I
 tell you," He replied, "by what authority I do these things."
21:28 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two
 /6 sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My /7 son,
 go and work in the vineyard to-day.'
21:29 "`I will not,' he replied. "But afterwards he was sorry,
 and went.

21:30 He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His
 answer was, "`I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.
21:31 Which of the two did as his father desired?" /1 "The
 first," they said. "I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that
 the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the
 Kingdom of God /2 in front of you.
21:32 For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and
 you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious
 sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this
 example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to
 believe him.
21:33 /3 "Listen to another parable. There was a householder who
 planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in
 it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to
 vine-dressers, and went abroad.
21:34 When vintage-time approached, he sent his /4 servants to
 the vine-dressers to receive his share of the /5 grapes;
21:35 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they
 cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.
21:36 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than
 the first; and these they treated in the same manner.
21:37 Later still he sent to them /6 his son, /7 saying, "`They
 will respect my son.'
21:38 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one
 another, "`Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his
 inheritance.'
21:39 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and
 killed him.
21:40 When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do
 to those vine-dressers?"
21:41 "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the
 reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers
 who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."

21:42 "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus,
 <"`The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the
 Cornerstone: this Cornerstone /1 came from the Lord, and is
 wonderful in our eyes'?>
21:43 "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God
 will be taken away from you, and given to a nation /2 that will
 exhibit the power /3 of it.
21:44 He who /4 falls on this stone will be severely hurt; but
 he on whom it falls will be utterly crushed."
21:45 After listening to His parables the High Priests and the
 Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them;
21:46 but though they were eager to lay hands upon Him, they
 were afraid of the people, for by them He was regarded as a
 Prophet.
22:1 /5 Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.
22:2 "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, /6 "may be compared
 to /7 a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,
22:3 and sent his /8 servants to call the invited guests to the
 wedding, but they were unwilling to come.
22:4 "Again he sent other servants with a message to those who
 were invited. "`My /9 breakfast is now ready," he said, `my
 bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is
 made: come to the wedding.'

22:5 "They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in
 the country, another to his business;
22:6 and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them,
 and murdered them.
22:7 So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops and
 destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.
22:8 Then he said to his servants, "`The wedding banquet is
 ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it.
22:9 Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet
 invite to the wedding.'
22:10 "So they went out into the roads and gathered together all
 they /1 could find, both bad and good, and the /2 banqueting
 hall was filled with guests.
22:11 "Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he
 discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.
22:12 "`My friend,' he said, `how is it that you came in here
 without a wedding robe?'
22:13 "The man /3 stood speechless. Then the king said to the
 servants, "`Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the
 darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the
 gnashing of teeth.'
22:14 "For there are many called, but few chosen."
22:15 /4 Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how they
 might entrap Him in His conversation.
22:16 So they sent to Him their disciples together with the
 Herodians; /5 who said, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful
 and that you faithfully teach God's truth; and that no fear of
 man misleads you, for you /6 are not biased by men's wealth or
 rank.
22:17 Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for us
 to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"
22:18 Perceiving their wickedness, Jesus replied, "Why are you
 hypocrites trying to ensnare me?

22:19 Show me the tribute coin." And they brought Him a
 shilling.
22:20 "Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?"
22:21 "Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He rejoined,
 "what is Caesar's to Caesar; and what is God's to God."
22:22 They heard this, and were astonished; then left Him, and
 went their way.
22:23 /1 On the same day a party of Sadducees came to Him,
 contending that there is no resurrection. And they put this
 case to Him.
22:24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses enjoined, <`If a man die
 childless, his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a
 family for him.'>
22:25 Now we had among us seven brothers. The eldest of them
 married, but died childless, leaving his wife to his brother.
22:26 So also did the second and the third, down to the seventh,
22:27 till the woman also died, after surviving them all.
22:28 At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven
 will she be? for they all married her."
22:29 The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through
 ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God.
22:30 For in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women
 given in marriage, but they are like /2 angels in Heaven.
22:31 But as to the Resurrection of the dead, have you never
 read what God says to you,
22:32 <`I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
 of Jacob'?> He is not the God of dead, but of living men."
22:33 All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement
 at His teaching.
22:34 /3 Now the Pharisees came up when they heard that He /4
 had silenced the Sadducees,
22:35 and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a
 test question,
22:36 "Teacher, /5 which is the /6 greatest Commandment in the
 Law?"

22:37 <"`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'"> He answered, /1
 <"`with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind.'>
22:38 This is the greatest and foremost Commandment.
22:39 And the second is similar to it: <`Thou shalt love thy
 fellow man /2 as much as thyself.'
22:40 The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in
 these two Commandments."
22:41 /3 While the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus
 put a question to them.
22:42 "What think you about the Christ," He said, "whose son is
 He?" "David's," they replied.
22:43 "How then," He asked, "does David, /4 taught by the
 Spirit, call Him Lord, when he says,
22:44 <"`The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand until I
 have put thy foes beneath thy feet'?>
22:45 "If therefore David calls Him Lord, how can He be his
 son?"
22:46 No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did
 any one venture again to put a question to Him.
23:1 /5 Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His disciples.
23:2 "The Scribes," He said, "and the Pharisees /6 sit in the
 chair of Moses.
23:3 Therefore do and observe everything that they command you;
 but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others
 what to do, they do not do it themselves.
23:4 /7 Heavy /8 and cumbrous burdens they bind together and
 load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not
 with one finger do they choose to lift them.
23:5 And everything they do they do with a view to being
 observed by men; for they widen their /9 phylacteries and make
 the tassels large,
23:6 and love the best seats at a dinner party or in the
 synagogues,

23:7 and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to
 be addressed by men as `Rabbi.'
23:8 "As for you, do not accept the title of `Rabbi,' for one
 alone is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
23:9 And call no one on earth your Father, for One alone is your
 Father--the Heavenly Father.
23:10 And do not accept the name of `leader,' for your Leader is
 one alone--the Christ.
23:11 He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant;
23:12 and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who
 abases himself shall be exalted.
23:13 "But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for
 you lock the door of the Kingdom of the Heavens against men;
 you yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those to enter
 who are seeking to do so.
23:14 /1 []
23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you
 scour sea and land in order to win one convert--and when he is
 gained, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as
 yourselves.
23:16 "Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "`Whoever swears
 by /2 the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the
 gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.'
23:17 "Blind fools! /3 Why, which is greater? --the gold, or the
 Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?
23:18 And you say, "`Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing;
 but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the
 oath.'
23:19 "You are blind! Why, which is greater? --the offering, or
 the altar which makes the offering holy?
23:20 He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by
 everything on it;
23:21 he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by
 Him who /4 dwells in it;
23:22 and he who swears by Heaven swears both by the throne of
 God and by Him who sits upon it.

23:23 /1 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for
 you pay the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have
 neglected the weightier requirements of the Law--just
 judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought
 to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others
 undone.
23:24 You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp
 down the camel!
23:25 /2 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for
 you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within
 they are full of greed and /3 self-indulgence.
23:26 Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup /4
 or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.
23:27 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you
 are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which
 pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's
 bones and of all that is unclean.
23:28 The same is true of you: outwardly you seem to the human
 eye to be good and honest men, but, within, you are full of
 insincerity and /5 disregard of God's Law.
23:29 /6 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for
 you repair the sepulchres of the Prophets and /7 keep in order
 the tombs of the righteous,
23:30 and your boast is, "`If we had lived in the time of our
 forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in
 the murder of the Prophets.'
23:31 "So that you bear witness against yourselves that you are
 descendants of those who murdered the Prophets.
23:32 Fill up the measure of your forefathers' guilt.
23:33 O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you /8 to escape /9
 condemnation to /10 Gehenna?
23:34 /11 "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise
 men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death--nay,
 crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and
 chase from town to town;

23:35 that all the innocent blood /1 shed upon earth may come on
 you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah
 the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary
 and the altar.
23:36 I tell you in solemn truth that all these things will come
 upon the present generation.
23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou who murderest the Prophets
 and stonest those who have been sent to thee! how often have I
 desired to gather thy children to me, just as a hen gathers her
 chickens under her wings, and you would not come!
23:38 See, your house /2 will now be left to you /3 desolate!
23:39 For I tell you that you will never see me again until you
 say, /4 <`Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord.'">
24:1 Jesus had left /5 the Temple and was going on His way, when
 His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple /6
 buildings.
24:2 "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell
 you that there will not be left here one stone upon another
 that will not be pulled down."
24:3 Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated
 there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others,
 and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign
 of your /7 Coming and of the Close of the /8 Age?"
24:4 "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus;
24:5 "for many will come /9 assuming my name and saying `I am
 the Christ;' and they will mislead many.

24:6 And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars.
 Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the /1 End is
 not yet.
24:7 <For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom
 against kingdom,> and there will be famines and earthquakes in
 various places;
24:8 but all these miseries are but like the early pains of
 childbirth.
24:9 "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and
 will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all
 the nations because you are called by my name.
24:10 Then <will many /2 stumble and fall,> and they will betray
 one another and hate one another.
24:11 Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes
 astray;
24:12 and because of the prevalent /3 disregard of God's law the
 love of /4 the great majority will grow cold;
24:13 but those who stand firm to /1 the End shall be saved.
24:14 And /5 this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed
 throughout /6 the whole world to set the evidence before all
 the /7 Gentiles; and then /1 the End will come.
24:15 /8 "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet
 Daniel) the <`Abomination of Desolation',> standing in the Holy
 Place" --let the reader observe those words--
24:16 "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;
24:17 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in
 his house;
24:18 nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his
 outer garment.
24:19 And /9 alas for the women who at that time are with child
 or have infants!

24:20 "But pray that your flight may not be /1 in winter, nor on
 /2 the Sabbath;
24:21 for it <will be> a time of great <suffering, such as never
 has been from the beginning of the world till now,> and
 assuredly /3 never will be again.
24:22 And if those days had not /4 been cut short, no one would
 escape; but for the sake of /5 God's own People those days /6
 will be cut short.
24:23 /7 "If at that time any one should say to you, `See, here
 is the Christ!' or `Here!' give no credence to it.
24:24 For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets,
 displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive,
 were it possible, even God's own People.
24:25 Remember, I have forewarned you.
24:26 If therefore they should say to you, `See, He is in the
 Desert!' do not go out there: or `See, He is indoors in the
 room!' do not believe it.
24:27 For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen
 to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man.
24:28 Wherever the dead body is, there will the /8 vultures
 flock together.
24:29 "But immediately after those times of distress <the sun
 will /9 be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the
 stars will fall from the firmament, and the /10 forces which
 control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.>
24:30 Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky;
 and <then will all the /11 nations of the earth

/1 lament,> when they /2 see the Son of Man <coming on the
 clouds of the sky> /3 with great power and glory.
24:31 And He will send out His angels /4 <with a loud
 trumpet-blast,> and <they will /5 bring together His own People
 to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of
 the world to the other.>
24:32 "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As
 soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting
 into leaf, you all know that summer is near.
24:33 So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure
 that /6 He is near--at your very door.
24:34 I tell you in solemn truth that /7 the present generation
 will certainly not pass away without all these things having
 first taken place.
24:35 /8 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my
 words will not pass away.
24:36 "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not
 even the angels of heaven, /9 nor the Son, but the Father
 alone.
24:37 /10 `For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at
 the Coming of the Son of Man.
24:38 At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and
 drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when
 Noah entered the Ark,
24:39 nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and
 swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of
 Man.
24:40 Then will two men be in the open country: one /11 will be
 /12 taken away, and one left behind.
24:41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one /11 will be
 /12 taken away, and one left behind.

24:42 Be /1 on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day
 on which your Lord is coming.
24:43 /2 But of this be assured, that if the master of the house
 had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would
 have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken
 into.
24:44 Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when
 you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.
24:45 "Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent /3 servant to
 whom his /4 master has entrusted the control of his household
 to give them their rations at the appointed time?
24:46 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes
 shall find so doing!
24:47 In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the
 management of all his wealth.
24:48 But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his
 heart, `My master is a long time in coming,'
24:49 and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he
 eats and drinks with drunkards;
24:50 the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is
 not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been
 informed;
24:51 he will /5 treat him with the utmost severity and assign
 him a place among the /6 hypocrites: there will be the weeping
 and the gnashing of teeth.
25:1 "Then will the Kingdom of the Heavens /7 be found to be
 like ten bridesmaids who took their torches and went out to
 meet the bridegroom.
25:2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
25:3 For the foolish, when they took their torches, did not
 provide themselves with oil;
25:4 but the wise, besides their /8 torches, took oil in their
 /9 flasks.
25:5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile
 they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
25:6 But at midnight there is a loud cry, "`The bridegroom! Go
 out and meet him!'

25:7 "Then all those bridesmaids roused themselves and trimmed
 their torches.
25:8 "`Give us some of your oil,' said the foolish ones to the
 wise, `for our torches are going out.'
25:9 "`But perhaps,' replied the wise, `there will not be enough
 for all of us. Go to the shops rather, and buy some for
 yourselves.'
25:10 "So they went to buy. But meanwhile the bridegroom came;
 those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the
 wedding banquet; and the door was shut.
25:11 "Afterwards the other bridesmaids came and cried, "`Sir,
 Sir, open the door to us.'
25:12 "`In solemn truth I tell you,' he replied, `I do not know
 you.'
25:13 "Keep awake therefore; for you know neither the day nor
 the hour.
25:14 /1 "Why, it is like a man who, when going on his travels,
 called his /2 bondservants and entrusted his property to their
 care.
25:15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another
 one--to each according to his individual capacity; and then
 started from home.
25:16 Without delay the one who had received the five talents
 went and employed them in business, and gained five more.
25:17 In the same way he who had the two gained two more.
25:18 But the man who had received the one went and dug a hole
 and buried his /3 master's money.
25:19 /4 "After a long lapse of time the master of those
 servants returned, and had a reckoning with them.
25:20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought
 five more, and said, "`Sir, it was five talents that you
 entrusted to me: see, I have gained five more.'
25:21 "`You have done well, /5 good and /6 trustworthy servant,'
 replied his master; `you have been trustworthy in the
 management of a little, I will put you in charge of much:

/1 share your master's joy.'
25:22 "The second, who had received the two talents, came and
 said, "`Sir, it was two talents you entrusted to me: see, I
 have gained two more.'
25:23 "`Good and trustworthy servant, you have done well,' his
 master replied; `you have been trustworthy in the management of
 a little, I will put you in charge of much: /1 share your
 master's joy.'
25:24 "But, next, the man who had the one talent in his keeping
 came and said, "`Sir, /2 I knew you to be a severe man, reaping
 where you had not sown and garnering /3 what you had not
 winnowed.
25:25 So being afraid I went and buried your talent in the
 ground: there you have what belongs to you.'
25:26 "`You wicked and slothful servant,' replied his master,
 `did you know that I reap where I have not sown, and garner
 what I have not winnowed?
25:27 Your duty then was to deposit my money in some bank, and
 so when I came I should have got back my property with
 interest.
25:28 So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man
 who has the ten.'
25:29 (For to every one who has, more shall be given, and he
 shall have abundance; but from him /4 who has nothing, even
 what he has shall be taken away.)
25:30 `But as for this worthless servant, put him out into the
 darkness outside: *there* will be the weeping and the gnashing
 of teeth.'
25:31 /5 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the
 angels with Him, then will He sit upon His glorious throne,
25:32 and /6 all the nations will be gathered into His presence.
 And He will separate /7 them from one another, just as a
 shepherd separates the sheep from the

/1 goats;
25:33 and will make the sheep stand at His right hand, and the
 goats at His left.
25:34 "Then the King will say to those at His right, "`Come, my
 Father's blessed ones, receive your inheritance of the Kingdom
 which has been /2 divinely intended for you ever since the
 creation of the world.
25:35 For when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was
 thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was homeless, you gave me a
 welcome;
25:36 when I was ill-clad, you clothed me; when I was sick, you
 visited me; when I was in prison, you came to see me.'
25:37 "`When, Lord,' the righteous will reply, `did we see /3
 Thee hungry, and feed Thee; or thirsty, and give Thee drink?
25:38 When did we see Thee homeless, and give Thee a welcome? or
 ill-clad, and clothe Thee?
25:39 When did we see Thee sick or in prison, and come to see
 Thee?'
25:40 "But the King will answer them, "`In solemn truth I tell
 you that in so far as you rendered such services to one of the
 humblest of these my brethren, you rendered them to myself.'
25:41 "Then will He say to those at His left, "`Begone from me,
 with the curse resting upon you, into the Fire /4 of the Ages,
 which has been /5 prepared for the Devil and his angels.
25:42 For when I was hungry, you gave me nothing to eat; when
 thirsty, you gave me nothing to drink;
25:43 when homeless, you gave me no welcome; ill-clad, you
 clothed me not; sick or in prison, you visited me not.'
25:44 "Then will they also answer, "`Lord, when did we see Thee
 hungry or thirsty or homeless or ill-clad or sick or in prison,
 and not come to serve Thee?'
25:45 "But he will reply, "`In solemn truth I tell you that in
 so far as you withheld such services from one of the humblest
 of these, you withheld them from me.'
25:46 "And these shall go away into the /6 Punishment /4 of the
 Ages, but the righteous into the Life /4 of the Ages."

26:1 /1 When Jesus had ended all these discourses, He said to
 His disciples,
26:2 "You know that in /2 two days' time the Passover comes. And
 the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
26:3 Then the High Priests and Elders of the People assembled in
 the court of the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas,
26:4 and consulted how to get Jesus into their power by
 stratagem and put Him to death.
26:5 But they said, "Not during the Festival, lest there be a
 riot among the people."
26:6 /3 Now when Jesus was come to Bethany and was at the house
 of Simon the Leper,
26:7 /4 a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly,
 sweet-scented ointment, which she poured over His head as He
 reclined at table.
26:8 "Why such waste?" indignantly exclaimed the disciples;
26:9 "for this might have been sold for a considerable sum, and
 the money given to the poor."
26:10 But Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Why are you vexing
 her? For she has done a most gracious act towards me.
26:11 The poor you always have with you, but me you have not
 always.
26:12 In pouring this ointment over me, her object was to
 prepare me for burial.
26:13 In solemn truth I tell you that wherever in the whole
 world this Good News shall be proclaimed, this deed of hers
 shall be spoken of in memory of her."
26:14 /5 At that time one of the Twelve, the one called Judas
 Iscariot, went to the High Priests
26:15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I betray him
 to you?" So they weighed out to him thirty shekels,

26:16 and from that moment he was on the look out for an
 opportunity to betray Him.
26:17 /1 On the first day of the Unleavened Bread the disciples
 came to Jesus with the question, "Where shall we make
 preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
26:18 "Go into the city," He replied, "to a certain man, and
 tell him, `The Teacher says, My time is close at hand. It is at
 your house that I shall keep the Passover with my disciples.'"
26:19 The disciples did as Jesus directed them, and got the
 Passover ready.
26:20 /2 When evening came, He /3 was at table with the twelve
 /4 disciples,
26:21 /5 and the meal was proceeding, when Jesus said, "In
 solemn truth I tell you that one of you will betray me."
26:22 Intensely grieved they began one after another to ask Him,
 "Can it be I, Master?"
26:23 "The one who has dipped his fingers in the bowl with me,"
 He answered, "is the man who will betray me.
26:24 The Son of Man is indeed going as is written concerning
 Him; but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!
 It had been a happy thing for that man if he had /6 never been
 born."
26:25 Then Judas, the disciple who was betraying Him, asked,
 "Can it be I, Rabbi?" /7 "It is you," He replied.
26:26 /8 During the meal Jesus took /9 a Passover biscuit,
 blessed it and broke it. He then gave it to the disciples,
 saying, "Take this and eat it: it /10 is my body."

26:27 And He /1 took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to
 them saying, "Drink from it, all of you;
26:28 for this is my blood which is to be poured out for many
 for the remission of sins--the blood which ratifies /2 the
 Covenant.
26:29 /3 I tell you that I will never again take the produce of
 the vine till that day when I shall drink /4 the new wine with
 you in my Father's Kingdom."
26:30 /5 So they sang /6 the hymn and went out to the Mount of
 Olives.
26:31 /7 Then said Jesus, "This night all of you will stumble
 and fail in your fidelity to me; for it is written, <`I will
 strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be
 scattered in all directions.'>
26:32 But after I have risen to life again I will go before you
 into Galilee."
26:33 "All may stumble and fail," said Peter, "but I never
 will."
26:34 "In solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that this
 very night, /8 before the cock crows, you will three times
 disown me."
26:35 "Even if I must die with you," declared Peter, "I will
 never disown you." In like manner protested all the disciples.

26:36 /1 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane.
 And He said to the disciples, "Sit down here, whilst I go
 yonder and there pray."
26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zabdi. Then
 He began to be full of anguish and distress,
26:38 and He said to them, "My soul is /2 crushed with anguish
 to the very point of death; wait here, and keep awake with me."
26:39 Going forward a short distance He fell on His face and
 prayed. "My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this /3
 cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou
 willest."
26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and
 He said to Peter, "Alas, none of you could keep awake with me
 for even a single hour!
26:41 Keep awake, and pray that you may not enter into
 temptation: /4 the spirit is /5 right willing, but the /6 body
 is frail."
26:42 Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My
 Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my
 drinking it, Thy will be done."
26:43 He came and again found them asleep, for /7 they were very
 tired.
26:44 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a
 third time, again using the same words.
26:45 Then He came to the disciples and said, "Sleep on and
 rest. See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is
 to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.
26:46 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. My betrayer is close at
 hand."
26:47 /8 He had scarcely finished speaking when Judas came--one
 of the Twelve--accompanied by a great crowd of men armed with
 swords and bludgeons, sent by the High Priests and Elders of
 the People.

26:48 Now the betrayer had agreed upon a sign with them, to
 direct them. He had said, "The one whom I kiss is the man: lay
 hold of him."
26:49 So he went straight to Jesus and said, /1 "Peace to you,
 Rabbi!" And he kissed Him /2 eagerly.
26:50 "Friend," said Jesus, /3 "carry out your intention." Then
 they came and laid their hands on Jesus and seized Him firmly.
26:51 But one of those with Jesus drew his sword and struck the
 High Priest's /4 servant, cutting off his ear.
26:52 "Put back your sword again," said Jesus, "for all who /5
 draw the sword shall perish by the sword.
26:53 Or do you suppose I cannot entreat my Father and He would
 instantly /6 send to my help more than twelve legions of
 angels?
26:54 In that case how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled which
 declare that thus it must be?"
26:55 Then said Jesus to the crowds, "Have you come out as if to
 fight with a robber, with swords and bludgeons to apprehend me?
 Day after day I /7 have been sitting teaching in the Temple,
 and you did not arrest me.
26:56 /8 But all this has taken place in order that the writings
 of the Prophets may be fulfilled." At this point the disciples
 all left Him and fled.
26:57 /9 But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him
 away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes
 and the Elders had assembled.

26:58 And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came
 even to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered
 and sat down among the /1 officers to see the issue.
26:59 Meanwhile the High Priests and the whole Sanhedrin were
 seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to
 death;
26:60 but they could find none, although many false witnesses
 came forward. At length there came two
26:61 who testified, "This man said, `I am able to pull down the
 Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new
 one.'"
26:62 Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no
 answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence
 against you?"
26:63 Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest
 addressed Him. "In the name of the /2 ever-living God," he
 said, /3 "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are
 the Christ, the Son of God."
26:64 /4 "I am He," replied Jesus. "But I tell you that, /5
 later on, you will see <the Son of Man sitting at the right
 hand> of Omnipotence, <and coming on the clouds of the sky.">
26:65 Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed,
 "Impious language! What further need have we of witnesses! See,
 you have now heard the impiety.
26:66 What is your verdict?" "He deserves to die," they replied.
26:67 Then they spat in His face, and struck Him--some with the
 fist, some /6 with the open hand--
26:68 while they taunted Him, saying, "Christ, /7 prove yourself
 a Prophet by telling us who it was that struck you."

26:69 Peter meanwhile was sitting outside in the court of the
 palace, when /1 one of the maidservants came over to him and
 said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaean."
26:70 He denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what
 you mean."
26:71 Soon afterwards he went out and stood in the gateway, when
 another girl saw him, and said, addressing the people there, /2
 "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."
26:72 Again he denied it with an oath. "I do not know the man,"
 he said.
26:73 A short time afterwards the people /3 standing there came
 and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your
 brogue shows it."
26:74 Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not know the
 man." Immediately a cock crowed,
26:75 and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, how He had said,
 "Before the cock crows you will three times disown me." And he
 went out and wept /4 aloud, bitterly.
27:1 /5 When morning came all the High Priests and the Elders of
 the people consulted together against Jesus to put Him to
 death;
27:2 and binding Him they led Him away and handed Him over to
 Pilate the Governor.
27:3 /6 Then when Judas, /7 who had betrayed Him, saw that He
 was condemned, smitten with remorse he brought back the thirty
 shekels to the High Priests and Elders
27:4 and said, "I have sinned, in betraying to death one who is
 innocent." "What does that matter to us?" they replied; it is
 your business."

27:5 Flinging the shekels into the Sanctuary he left the place,
 and went and hanged himself.
27:6 When the High Priests had gathered up the money they said,
 "It is illegal to put it into the Treasury, because it is the
 price of blood."
27:7 So after consulting together they spent the money in the
 purchase of the Potter's Field as a burial place for people not
 belonging to the city;
27:8 for which reason that piece of ground received the name,
 which it still bears, of `the Field of Blood.'
27:9 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by the Prophet
 Jeremiah, <"And I took the thirty shekels, the price of the
 prized one on whom Israelites had set a price,
27:10 and /1 gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord
 directed me.">
27:11 /2 Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Governor, and
 the latter put the question, "Are you the King of the Jews?" /3
 "I am their King," He answered.
27:12 When however the High Priests and the Elders kept bringing
 their charges against Him, He said not a word in reply.
27:13 "Do you not hear," asked Pilate, "what a mass of /4
 evidence they are bringing against you?"
27:14 But He made no reply to a single accusation, so that the
 Governor was greatly astonished.
27:15 /5 "Now it was the Governor's custom at the Festival to
 release some one prisoner, whomsoever the populace desired;
27:16 and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called /6
 Barabbas.
27:17 So when they were now assembled Pilate appealed to them.
 "Whom shall I release to you," he said, /6 "Barabbas, or Jesus
 the so-called Christ?"

27:18 For he knew that it was from envious hatred that Jesus had
 been brought before him.
27:19 While he was sitting on the tribunal a message came to him
 from his wife. "Have nothing to do with that innocent man," she
 said, "for during the night I have suffered terribly in a dream
 through him."
27:20 The High Priests, however, and the Elders /1 urged the
 crowd to ask for Barabbas and to demand the death of Jesus.
27:21 So when the Governor /2 a second time asked them, "Which
 of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!"
27:22 "What then," said Pilate, "shall I do with Jesus, the
 so-called Christ?" With one voice they shouted, "Let him be
 crucified!" /3
27:23 "Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they
 kept on furiously shouting, "Let him be crucified!"
27:24 /4 So when he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on
 the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water
 and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am /5 not
 responsible for this murder: you must answer for it."
27:25 "His blood," replied all the people, "be on us and on our
 children!"
27:26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he ordered to
 be /6 scourged, and gave Him up to be crucified.
27:27 Then the Governor's soldiers took Jesus into the
 Praetorium, and called together the whole /7 battalion /8 to
 make sport of Him.

27:28 Stripping off His garments, they put on Him a general's
 short /1 crimson cloak.
27:29 They twisted a wreath of thorny twigs and put it on His
 head, and they put a sceptre of cane in His right hand, and
 kneeling to Him they shouted in mockery, /2 "Long live the King
 of the Jews!"
27:30 Then they spat upon Him, and taking the cane they
 repeatedly struck Him on the head with it.
27:31 /3 At last, having finished their sport, they took off the
 cloak, clothed Him again in His own garments, and led Him away
 for crucifixion.
27:32 Going out they met a Cyrenaean named Simon; whom they
 compelled to carry His cross,
27:33 and so they came to a place called Golgotha, which means
 `Skull-ground.'
27:34 Here they gave Him a mixture of /4 wine and gall to drink,
 but having tasted it He refused to drink it.
27:35 /5 After crucifying Him, they divided His garments among
 them by lot,
27:36 and sat down there on guard.
27:37 Over His head they placed a written statement of the
 charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27:38 At the same time two robbers were crucified with Him, one
 at His right hand and the other at His left.
27:39 /6 And the passers-by reviled Him. They shook their heads
 at Him
27:40 and said, "You who would pull down the Sanctuary and build
 a new one within three days, save yourself. If you are God's
 Son, come down from the cross."
27:41 In like manner the High Priests also, together with the
 Scribes and the Elders, taunted Him.
27:42 "He saved others," they said, /7 "himself he cannot save!
 He is the King of Israel! Let him now come down from the cross,
 and we will believe in him.
27:43 His trust is in God: let God deliver him now, if He will
 have him; for he said, `I am God's Son.'"
27:44 Insults of the same kind were heaped on Him even by the /8
 robbers who were being crucified with Him.

27:45 /1 Now from noon until three o'clock in the afternoon
 there was darkness over the whole /2 land;
27:46 but about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
 <"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"> that is to say, <"My God, My
 God, why hast Thou forsaken me?">
27:47 /3 "The man is calling for Elijah," said some of the
 bystanders.
27:48 One of them ran forthwith, and filling a sponge with /4
 sour wine put it on the end of a cane and offered it Him to
 drink;
27:49 while the rest said, "Let us see whether Elijah is coming
 to deliver him."
27:50 But Jesus uttered another loud cry and then yielded up His
 spirit.
27:51 /5 Immediately the curtain of the Sanctuary /6 was torn in
 two /7 from top to bottom: the earth quaked; the rocks split;
27:52 the tombs opened; and many of God's people who were asleep
 in death /8 awoke.
27:53 And coming out of their tombs after Christ's resurrection
 they entered the holy city and showed themselves to many.
27:54 As for the Captain and the soldiers who were with Him
 keeping guard over Jesus, when they witnessed the earthquake
 and the other occurrences they were filled with terror, and
 exclaimed, "Assuredly he was God's Son."
27:55 And there were a number of women there looking on from a
 distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to
 His necessities;

27:56 among them being Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James
 and /1 Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zabdi.
27:57 /2 Towards sunset there came a wealthy inhabitant of
 Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself also had become a
 disciple of Jesus.
27:58 He went to Pilate and begged to have the body of Jesus,
 and Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
27:59 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean sheet of
 fine linen.
27:60 He then laid it in his own /3 new tomb which he had hewn
 in the solid rock, and after rolling a great stone against the
 door of the tomb he went home.
27:61 Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were both present
 there, sitting opposite to the sepulchre.
27:62 On the next day, the day after the Preparation, the High
 Priests and the Pharisees came in a body to Pilate.
27:63 "Sir," they said, "we recollect that during his lifetime
 that impostor pretended that after two days he was to rise to
 life again.
27:64 So give orders for the sepulchre to be securely guarded
 till the third day, for fear his disciples should come by night
 and steal /4 the body, and then tell the people that he has
 come back to life; and so the last imposture will be more
 serious than the first."
27:65 /5 "You can have a guard," said Pilate: "go and make all
 safe, as best you can."
27:66 So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the
 stone besides setting the guard.
28:1 /6 After the Sabbath, in the early dawn of the first day of
 the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to see the
 sepulchre.
28:2 But to their amazement there /7 had been a great
 earthquake; for an angel of the Lord had descended from Heaven,
 and had come and rolled back the stone, and was sitting upon
 it.

28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
 snow.
28:4 For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became
 like dead men.
28:5 /1 But the angel said to the women, "As for you, /2 dismiss
 your fears. I know that it is Jesus that you are looking
 for--the crucified One.
28:6 He is not here: He has /3 come back to life, as He
 foretold. Come and see the place /4 where He lay.
28:7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen
 from the dead and is going before you into Galilee: there you
 shall see Him. Remember, I have told you."
28:8 /5 They quickly left the tomb and ran, still terrified but
 full of unspeakable joy, to carry the news to His disciples.
28:9 /6 And then suddenly they saw Jesus coming to meet them.
 "Peace be to you," He said. And they came and clasped His feet,
 /7 bowing to the ground before Him.
28:10 Then He said, "Dismiss all fear! Go and take word to my
 brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see me."
28:11 While they went on this errand, some of the guards came
 into the city and reported to the High Priests every detail of
 what had happened.
28:12 So the latter held a conference with the Elders, and after
 consultation with them they heavily bribed the soldiers,
28:13 telling them to say, "His disciples came during the night
 and stole /8 his body while we were asleep."
28:14 "And if this," they added, /9 "is reported to the
 Governor, we will satisfy him and screen you from punishment."

28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed;
 and this story was noised about among the Jews, and is current
 to this day.
28:16 /1 As for the eleven disciples, they proceeded into
 Galilee, to the hill where Jesus had arranged to meet them.
28:17 There they saw Him and /2 prostrated themselves before
 Him. Yet some doubted.
28:18 Jesus however came near and said to them, "All /3 power in
 Heaven and /4 over the earth has been given to me.
28:19 Go /5 therefore and make disciples of all the nations;
 baptize them /6 into the name of the Father, and of the Son,
 and of the Holy Spirit;
28:20 and teach them to obey every command which I have given
 you. And remember, I am with you always, day by day, until the
 /7 Close of the /8 Age."