Chapter II: Part 2

008:028 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him,
and said in a loud voice, "What have you to do with me,
Jesus, Son of God Most High? Do not torture me, I beseech you."

008:029 For already He had been commanding the foul spirit to come
out of the man. For many a time it had seized and held him,
and they had repeatedly put him in chains and fetters and kept
guard over him, but he used to break the chains to pieces,
and, impelled by the demon, to escape into the Desert.

008:030 "What is your name?" Jesus asked him. "Legion," he replied--
because a great number of demons had entered into him;

008:031 and they besought Him not to command them to be gone into
the Bottomless Pit.

008:032 Now there was a great herd of swine there feeding on the hill-side;
and the demons begged Him to give them leave to go into them,
and He gave them leave.

008:033 The demons came out of the man and left him, and entered
into the swine; and the herd rushed violently over the cliff
into the Lake and were drowned.

008:034 The swineherds, seeing what had happened, fled and reported
it both in town and country;

008:035 whereupon the people came out to see what had happened.
They came to Jesus, and they found the man from whom the demons
had gone out sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his
right mind; and they were terrified.

008:036 And those who had seen it told them how the demoniac was cured.

008:037 Then the whole population of the Gerasenes and of the adjacent
districts begged Him to depart from them; for their terror
was great. So He went on board and returned.

008:038 But the man from whom the demons had gone out earnestly asked
permission to go with Him; but He sent him away.

008:039 "Return home," He said, "and tell there all that God has done
for you." So he went and published through the whole town
all that Jesus had done for him.

008:040 Now when Jesus was returning, the people gave Him a warm welcome;
for they had all been looking out for Him.

008:041 Just then there came a man named Jair, a Warden of the Synagogue,
who threw himself at the feet of Jesus, and entreated Him
to come to his house;

008:042 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she
was dying. And as He went, the dense throng crowded on Him.

008:043 And a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with haemorrhage--
and had spent on doctors all she had, but none of them had
been able to cure her--

008:044 came close behind Him and touched the tassel of His robe;
and instantly her flow of blood stopped.

008:045 "Who is it touched me?" Jesus asked. And when all denied
having done so, Peter and the rest said, "Rabbi, the crowds
are hemming you in and pressing on you."

008:046 "Some one has touched me," Jesus replied, "for I feel that power
has gone out from me."

008:047 Then the woman, perceiving that she had not escaped notice,
came trembling, and throwing herself down at His feet she
stated before all the people the reason why she had touched
Him and how she was instantly cured.

008:048 "Daughter," said He, "your faith has cured you; go, and be at peace."

008:049 While He was still speaking, some one came to the Warden of
the Synagogue from his house and said, "Your daughter is dead;
trouble the Rabbi no further."

008:050 Jesus heard the words and said to him, "Have no fear.
Only believe, and she shall be restored to life."

008:051 So He came to the house, but allowed no one to go in with Him
but Peter and John and James and the girl's father and mother.

008:052 The people were all weeping aloud and beating their breasts for her;
but He said, "Leave off wailing; for she is not dead, but asleep."

008:053 And they jeered at Him, knowing that she was dead.

008:054 He, however, took her by the hand and called aloud, "Child, awake!"

008:055 And her spirit returned, and instantly she stood up;
and He directed them to give her some food.

008:056 Her parents were astounded; but He forbad them to mention
the matter to any one.

009:001 Then calling the Twelve together He conferred on them power
and authority over all the demons and to cure diseases;

009:002 and sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to
cure the sick.

009:003 And He commanded them, "Take nothing for your journey;
neither stick nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have
an extra under garment.

009:004 Whatever house you enter, make that your home, and from
it start afresh.

009:005 Wherever they refuse to receive you, as you leave that town shake
off the very dust from your feet as a protest against them."

009:006 So they departed and visited village after village,
spreading the Good News and performing cures everywhere.

009:007 Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was going on;
and he was bewildered because of its being said by some
that John had come back to life,

009:008 by others that Elijah had appeared, and by others that some
one of the ancient Prophets had come back to life.

009:009 And Herod said, "John I have beheaded; but who is this,
of whom I hear such reports?" And he sought for an opportunity
of seeing Jesus.

009:010 The Apostles, on their return, related to Jesus all they had done.
Then He took them and withdrew to a quiet retreat,
to a town called Bethsaida.

009:011 But the immense crowd, aware of this, followed Him; and receiving
them kindly He proceeded to speak to them of the Kingdom of God,
and those who needed to be restored to health, He cured.

009:012 Now when the day began to decline, the Twelve came to Him and said,
"Send the people away, that they may go to the villages
and farms round about and find lodging and a supply of food;
because here we are in an uninhabited district."

009:013 "You yourselves," He said, "must give them food."
"We have nothing," they replied, "but five loaves and a couple
of fish, unless indeed we were to go and buy provisions
for all this host of people."

009:014 (For there were about 5,000 adult men.) But He said to His disciples,
"Make them sit down in parties of about fifty each."

009:015 They did so, making them all, without exception, sit down.

009:016 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking
up to Heaven He blessed them and broke them into portions
which He gave to the disciples to distribute to the people.

009:017 So they ate and were fully satisfied, all of them; and what they
had remaining over was gathered up, twelve baskets of fragments.

009:018 One day when He was praying by Himself the disciples were present;
and He asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"

009:019 "John the Baptist," they replied; "but others say Elijah;
and others that some one of the ancient Prophets has come
back to life."

009:020 "But you," He asked, "who do you say that I am?"
"God's Anointed One," replied Peter.

009:021 And Jesus strictly forbad them to tell this to any one;

009:022 and He said, "The Son of Man must suffer much cruelty, be rejected
by the Elders and High Priests and Scribes, and be put to death,
and on the third day be raised to life again."

009:023 And He said to all, "If any one is desirous of following me,
let him ignore self and take up his cross day by day,
and so be my follower.

009:024 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever
loses his life for my sake shall save it.

009:025 Why, what benefit is it to a man to have gained the whole world,
but to have lost or forfeited his own self.

009:026 For whoever shall have been ashamed of me and my teachings,
of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His
own and the Father's glory and in that of the holy angels.

009:027 I tell you truly that there are some of those who stand
here who will certainly not taste death till they have seen
the Kingdom of God."

009:028 It was about eight days after this that Jesus, taking with
Him Peter, John, and James, went up the mountain to pray.

009:029 And while He was praying the appearance of His face underwent
a change, and His clothing became white and radiant.

009:030 And suddenly there were two men conversing with Him, who were
Moses and Elijah.

009:031 They came in glory, and kept speaking about His death,
which He was so soon to undergo in Jerusalem.

009:032 Now Peter and the others were weighed down with sleep;
but, keeping themselves awake all through, they saw His glory,
and the two men standing with Him.

009:033 And when they were preparing to depart from Him, Peter said
to Jesus, "Rabbi, we are thankful to you that we are here.
Let us put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses,
and one for Elijah." He did not know what he was saying.

009:034 But while he was thus speaking, there came a cloud which spread
over them; and they were awe-struck when they had entered
into the cloud.

009:035 Then there came a voice from within the cloud:
"This is My Son, My Chosen One: listen to Him."

009:036 After this voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They kept it to themselves, and said not a word to any one
at that time about what they had seen.

009:037 On the following day, when they were come down from the mountain,
a great crowd came to meet Him;

009:038 and a man from the crowd called out, "Rabbi, I beg you to pity
my son, for he is my only child.

009:039 At times a spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out.
It convulses him, and makes him foam at the mouth, and does
not leave him till it has well-nigh covered him with bruises.

009:040 I entreated your disciples to expel the spirit, but they could not."

009:041 "O unbelieving and perverse generation!" replied Jesus;
"how long shall I be with you and bear with you?
Bring your son here to me."

009:042 Now while the youth was coming, the spirit dashed him to the ground
and cruelly convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the foul spirit,
and cured the youth and gave him back to his father.

009:043 And all were awe-struck at the mighty power of God.
And while every one was expressing wonder at all that He
was doing, He said to his disciples,

009:044 "As for you, store these my sayings in your memory; for, before long,
the Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men."

009:045 But they did not understand His meaning: it was veiled from
them that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid
to ask Him about it.

009:046 Now there arose a dispute among them, which of them was to
be the greatest.

009:047 And Jesus, knowing the reasoning that was in their hearts,
took a young child and made him stand by His side

009:048 and said to them, "Whoever for my sake receives this little child,
receives me; and whoever receives me, receives Him who sent me.
For the lowliest among you all--he is the greatest."

009:049 "Rabbi," replied John, "we have seen a man making use of your
name to expel demons; and we forbad him, because he does
not come with us."

009:050 "Do not forbid him," said Jesus, "for he who is not against you
is on your side."

009:051 Now when the time drew near for Him to be received up again
into Heaven, He proceeded with fixed purpose towards Jerusalem,
and sent messengers before Him.

009:052 They went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make
ready for Him.

009:053 But the people there would not receive Him, because He was
evidently going to Jerusalem.

009:054 When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Master,
do you wish us to order fire to come down from Heaven
and consume them?"

009:055 But He turned and rebuked them.

009:056 And they went to another village.

009:057 And, as they proceeded on their way, a man came to Him and said,
"I will follow you wherever you go."

009:058 "The foxes have holes," said Jesus, "and the birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

009:059 "Follow me," He said to another. "Master," the man replied,
"allow me first to go and bury my father."

009:060 "Leave the dead," Jesus rejoined, "to bury their own dead;
but you must go and announce far and wide the coming of
the Kingdom of God."

009:061 "Master," said yet another, "I will follow you; but allow me
first to go and say good-bye to my friends at home."

009:062 Jesus answered him, "No one who has put his hand to the plough,
and then looks behind him, is fit for the Kingdom of God.

010:001 After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them
before Him, by twos, to go to every town or place which
He Himself intended to visit.

010:002 And He addressed them thus: "The harvest is abundant,
but the reapers are few: therefore entreat the Owner
of the harvest to send out more reapers into His fields.
And now go.

010:003 Remember that I am sending you out as lambs into the midst of wolves.

010:004 Carry no purse, bag, nor change of shoes; and salute no one
on your way."

010:005 "Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!'

010:006 And if there is a lover of peace there, your peace shall rest
upon it; otherwise come back upon you.

010:007 And in that same house stay, eating and drinking at their table;
for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not move from one
house to another.

010:008 "And whatever town you come to and they receive you,
eat what they put before you.

010:009 Cure the sick in that town, and tell them, "`The Kingdom of God
is now at your door.'

010:010 "But whatever town you come to and they will not receive you,
go out into the broader streets and say,

010:011 "`The very dust of your town that hangs about us we wipe off
as a protest. Only be sure of this, that the Kingdom of God
is close at hand.'

010:012 "I tell you that it will be more endurable for Sodom on
the great day than for that town.

010:013 "Alas for thee, Chorazin! Alas for thee, Bethsaida! For had
the miracles been performed in Tyre and Sidon which have been
performed in you, long ere now they would have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

010:014 However, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more endurable at
the Judgement than for you.

010:015 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be lifted high as Heaven? Thou shalt
be driven down as low as Hades.

010:016 "He who listens to you listens to me; and he who disregards
you disregards me, and he who disregards me disregards Him
who sent me."

010:017 When the Seventy returned, they exclaimed joyfully, "Master,
even the demons submit to us when we utter your name."

010:018 "I saw Satan fall like a lightning-flash out of Heaven," He replied.

010:019 "I have given you power to tread serpents and scorpions underfoot,
and to trample on all the power of the Enemy; and in no case
shall anything do you harm.

010:020 Nevertheless rejoice not at this, that the spirits submit to you;
but rejoice that your names are registered in Heaven."

010:021 On that same occasion Jesus was filled by the Holy Spirit
with rapturous joy. "I give Thee fervent thanks,"
He exclaimed, "O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that Thou
hast hidden these things from sages and men of understanding,
and hast revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for such has
been Thy gracious will.

010:022 All things are delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows
who the Son is but the Father, nor who the Father is but the Son,
and he to whom the Son may choose to reveal Him."

010:023 And He turned towards His disciples and said to them apart,
"Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!

010:024 For I tell you that many Prophets and kings have desired to see
the things you see, and have not seen them, and to hear
the things you hear, and have not heard them."

010:025 Then an expounder of the Law stood up to test Him with a question.
"Rabbi," he asked, "what shall I do to inherit the Life
of the Ages?"

010:026 "Go to the Law," said Jesus; "what is written there? how
does it read?"

010:027 "`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'" he replied, "`with thy
whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole strength, and thy whole mind;
and thy fellow man as much as thyself.'"

010:028 "A right answer," said Jesus; "do that, and you shall live."

010:029 But he, desiring to justify himself, said, "But what is meant
by my `fellow man'?"

010:030 Jesus replied, "A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem
to Jericho when he fell among robbers, who after both stripping
and beating him went away, leaving him half dead.

010:031 Now a priest happened to be going down that way, and on seeing
him passed by on the other side.

010:032 In like manner a Levite also came to the place, and seeing
him passed by on the other side.

010:033 But a certain Samaritan, being on a journey, came where he lay,
and seeing him was moved with pity.

010:034 He went to him, and dressed his wounds with oil and wine and
bound them up. Then placing him on his own mule he brought
him to an inn, where he bestowed every care on him.

010:035 The next day he took out two shillings and gave them to
the innkeeper. "`Take care of him,' he said, `and whatever
further expense you are put to, I will repay it you at
my next visit.'

010:036 "Which of those three seems to you to have acted like a fellow
man to him who fell among the robbers?"

010:037 "The one who showed him pity," he replied. "Go," said Jesus,
"and act in the same way."

010:038 As they pursued their journey He came to a certain village,
where a woman named Martha welcomed Him to her house.

010:039 She had a sister called Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's
feet and listened to His teaching.

010:040 Martha meanwhile was busy and distracted in waiting at table,
and she came and said, "Master, do you not care that my sister
is leaving me to do all the waiting? Tell her to assist me."

010:041 "Martha, Martha," replied Jesus, "you are anxious and worried
about a multitude of things;

010:042 and yet only one thing is really necessary. Mary has chosen
the good portion and she shall not be deprived of it."

011:001 At one place where He was praying, when He rose from His knees
one of His disciples said to Him, "Master, teach us to pray,
just as John taught his disciples."

011:002 So He said to them, "When you pray, say, `Father may Thy name
be kept holy; let Thy Kingdom come;

011:003 give us day after day our bread for the day;

011:004 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive every one
who fails in his duty to us; and bring us not into temptation.'"

011:005 And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall
go to him in the middle of the night and say, "`Friend, lend me
three loaves of bread;

011:006 for a friend of mine has just come to my house from a distance,
and I have nothing for him to eat'?

011:007 "And he from indoors shall answer, "`Do not pester me.
The door is now barred, and I am here in bed with my children.
I cannot get up and give you bread.'

011:008 "I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves
because he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency
he will rouse himself and give him as many as he requires.

011:009 "So I say to you, `Ask, and what you ask for shall be given
to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall
be opened to you.'

011:010 For every one who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds;
and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened.

011:011 And what father is there among you, who, if his son asks
for a slice of bread, will offer him a stone? or if he asks
for a fish, will instead of a fish offer him a snake?

011:012 or if he asks for an egg, will offer him a scorpion?

011:013 If you then, with all your human frailty, know how to give
your children gifts that are good for them, how much more
certainly will your Father who is in Heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask Him!"

011:014 On once occasion He was expelling a dumb demon;
and when the demon was gone out the dumb man could speak,
and the people were astonished.

011:015 But some among them said, "It is by the power of Baal-zebul,
the Prince of the demons, that he expels the demons."

011:016 Others, to put Him to the test, asked Him for a sign in the sky.

011:017 And, knowing their thoughts, He said to them, "Every kingdom
in which civil war rages goes to ruin: family attacks family
and is overthrown.

011:018 And if Satan really has engaged in fierce conflict with himself,
how shall his kingdom stand?--because you say that I expel
demons by the power of Baal-zebul.

011:019 And if it is by the power of Baal-zebul that I expel the demons,
by whom do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall
be your judges.

011:020 But if it is by the power of God that I drive out the demons,
it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

011:021 "Whenever a strong man, fully armed and equipped, is guarding
his own castle, he enjoys peaceful possession of his property;

011:022 but as soon as another stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him,
he takes away that complete armour of his in which he trusted,
and distributes the plunder he has collected.

011:023 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever is not
gathering with me is scattering abroad.

011:024 "When a foul spirit has left a man, it roams about in the Desert,
seeking a resting-place; but, unable to find any, it says,
`I will return to the house I have left;"

011:025 and when it comes, it finds the house swept clean and
in good order.

011:026 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more
malignant than itself, and they enter and dwell there;
and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it
was at first.

011:027 As He thus spoke a woman in the crowd called out in a loud voice,
"Blessed is the mother who carried you, and the breasts
that you have sucked."

011:028 "Nay rather," He replied, "they are blessed who hear God's Message
and carefully keep it."

011:029 Now when the crowds came thronging upon Him, He proceeded
to say, "The present generation is a wicked generation:
it requires some sign, but no sign shall be given to it except
that of Jonah.

011:030 For just as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh,
so the Son of Man will be a token to the present generation.

011:031 The Queen of the South will awake at the Judgement together
with the men of the present generation, and will condemn them;
because she came from the extremity of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon; but mark! One greater than Solomon is here.

011:032 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!
One greater than Jonah is here.

011:033 "When any one lights a lamp, he never puts it in the cellar
or under the bushel, but on the lampstand, that people who come
in may see the light.

011:034 The lamp of the body is the eye. When your eyesight is good,
your whole body also is lighted up; but when it is defective,
your body is darkened.

011:035 Consider therefore whether the light that is in you is anything
but mere darkness.

011:036 If, however, your whole body is penetrated with light,
and has no part dark, it will be so lighted, all of it,
as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light."

011:037 When He had thus spoken, a Pharisee invited Him to breakfast
at his house; so He entered and took His place at table.

011:038 Now the Pharisee saw to his surprise that He did not wash His
hands before breakfasting.

011:039 The Master however said to him, "Here we see how you Pharisees
clean the outside of the cup or plate, while your secret
hearts are full of greed and selfishness.

011:040 Foolish men! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

011:041 But as to what is within, give alms, and instantly all is
clean in you.

011:042 "But alas for you Pharisees! for you pay tithes on your mint
and rue and every kind of garden vegetable, and are indifferent
to justice and the love of God. These are the things you
ought to have attended to, while not neglecting the others.

011:043 Alas for you Pharisees! for you love the best seats in the synagogues,
and you like to be bowed to in places of public resort.

011:044 Alas for you! for you are like the tombs which lie hidden,
and the people who walk over them are not aware of their existence."

011:045 Hereupon one of the expounders of the Law exclaimed, "Rabbi,
in saying such things you reproach us also."

011:046 "Alas too for you expounders of the Law!" replied Jesus,
"for you load men with cumbrous burdens which you yourselves
will not touch with one of your fingers.

011:047 Alas for you! for you repair the tombs of the Prophets,
whom your forefathers killed.

011:048 It follows that you bear testimony to the actions of
your forefathers and that you fully approve thereof.
They slew, you build.

011:049 "For this reason also the Wisdom of God has said, `I will send
Prophets and Apostles to them, of whom they will kill some
and persecute others,'

011:050 so that the blood of all the Prophets, that is being shed
from the creation of the world onwards, may be required
from the present generation.

011:051 Yes, I tell you that, from the blood of Abel down to the blood
of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the House,
it shall all be required from the present generation.

011:052 "Alas for you expounders of the Law! for you have taken away
the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered,
and those who wanted to enter you have hindered."

011:053 After He had left the house, the Scribes and Pharisees commenced
a vehement attempt to entangle Him and make Him give off-hand
answers on numerous points,

011:054 lying in wait to catch some unguarded expression from His lips.

012:001 Meanwhile the people had come streaming towards Him by tens
of thousands, so that they were trampling one another under foot.
And now He proceeded to say to His disciples first,
"Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is to say,
beware of hypocrisy.

012:002 There is nothing that is covered up which will not be uncovered,
nor hidden which will not become known.

012:003 Whatever therefore you have said in the dark, will be heard
in the light; and what you have whispered within closed doors
will be proclaimed from the house-tops.

012:004 "But to you who are my friends I say, "`Be not afraid of those
who kill the body and after that can do nothing further.

012:005 I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after killing has
power to throw into Gehenna: yes, I say to you, fear him.

012:006 Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? and yet not one of them
is a thing forgotten in God's sight.

012:007 But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. Away with fear:
you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.'

012:008 "And I tell you that every man who shall have acknowledged
me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before
the angels of God.

012:009 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before
the angels of God.

012:010 "Moreover every one who shall speak against the Son of Man,
may obtain forgiveness; but he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit
will never obtain forgiveness.

012:011 And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates
and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter
of your defence, nor what you are to say;

012:012 for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment
what you must say."

012:013 Just then a man in the crowd appealed to Him. "Rabbi," he said,
"tell my brother to give me a share of the inheritance."

012:014 "Man," He replied, "who has constituted me a judge or
arbitrator over you?"

012:015 And to the people He said, "Take care, be on your guard
against all covetousness, for no one's life consists in
the superabundance of his possessions."

012:016 And He spoke a parable to them. "A certain rich man's lands,"
He said, "yielded abundant crops,

012:017 and he debated within himself, saying, "`What am I to do?
for I have no place in which to store my crops.'

012:018 "And he said to himself, "`This is what I will do:
I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and in them
I will store up all my harvest and my wealth;

012:019 and I will say to my life, "`Life, you have ample possessions
laid up for many years to come: take your ease,
eat, drink, enjoy yourself.'

012:020 "But God said to him, "`Foolish man, this night your life
is demanded from you; and these preparations--for whom
shall they be?'

012:021 "So is it with him who amasses treasure for himself, but has
no riches in God."

012:022 Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason
I say to you, `Dismiss all anxious care for your lives,
inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you
are to put on.'

012:023 For life is a greater gift than food, and the body is a greater
gift than clothing.

012:024 Observe the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and have
neither store-chamber nor barn. And yet God feeds them.
How far more precious are you than the birds!

012:025 And which of you is able by anxious thought to add a moment
to his life?

012:026 If then you are unable to do even a very little thing,
why be over-anxious about other matters?

012:027 Observe the lilies, how they grow. They neither labour nor spin.
And yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour
was as beautifully dressed as one of these.

012:028 But if God so clothes the vegetation in the fields, that blooms
to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much
more certainly will He clothe you, you men of feeble faith!

012:029 "Therefore, do not be asking what you are to eat nor what you
are to drink; and do not waver between hope and fear.

012:030 For though the nations of the world pursue these things,
as for you, your Father knows that you need them.

012:031 But make His Kingdom the object of your pursuit, and these things
shall be given you in addition.

012:032 "Dismiss your fears, little flock: your Father finds a pleasure
in giving you the Kingdom.

012:033 Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves with purses
that will never wear out, a treasure inexhaustible in Heaven,
where no thief can come nor moth consume.

012:034 For where your wealth is stored, there also will your heart be.

012:035 "Have your girdles on, and let your lamps be alight;

012:036 and be yourselves like men waiting for their master--
on the look-out till he shall return from the wedding feast--
that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door instantly.

012:037 Blessed are those servants, whom their Master when He comes
shall find on the watch. I tell you in solemn truth,
that He will tie an apron round Him, and will bid them recline
at table while He comes and waits on them.

012:038 And whether it be in the second watch or in the third that He
comes and finds them so, blessed are they.

012:039 Of this be sure, that if the master of the house had known
what time the robber was coming, he would have kept awake
and not have allowed his house to be broken into.

012:040 Be you also ready, for at an hour when you are not expecting
Him the Son of Man will come."

012:041 "Master," said Peter, "are you addressing this parable to us,
or to all alike?"

012:042 "Who, then," replied the Lord, "is the faithful and intelligent
steward whom his Master will put in charge of His household
to serve out their rations at the proper times?

012:043 Blessed is that servant whom his Master when He comes shall
find so doing.

012:044 I tell you truly that He will put him in authority over
all His possessions.

012:045 But if that servant should say in his heart, `My Master is a long
time in coming,' and should begin to beat the menservants
and the maids, and to eat and drink, drinking even to excess;

012:046 that servant's Master will come on a day when he is not expecting
Him and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish
him severely, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful.

012:047 And that servant who has been told his Master's will
and yet made no preparation and did not obey His will,
will receive many lashes.

012:048 But he who had not been told it and yet did what deserved
the scourge, will receive but few lashes. To whomsoever
much has been given, from him much will be required;
and to whom much has been entrusted, of him a larger amount
will be demanded.

012:049 "I came to throw fire upon the earth, and what is my desire?
Oh that it were even now kindled!

012:050 But I have a baptism to undergo; and how am I pent up till
it is accomplished!

012:051 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? No, I tell
you that I came to bring dissension.

012:052 For from this time there will be in one house five persons
split into parties. Three will form a party against two
and two will form a party against three;

012:053 father against son and son against father; mother attacking daughter
and daughter her mother, mother-in-law her daughter-in-law,
and daughter-in-law her mother-in-law."

012:054 Then He said to the people also, "When you see a cloud rising
in the west, you immediately say, `There is to be a shower;'
and it comes to pass.

012:055 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, `It will be
burning hot;' and it comes to pass.

012:056 Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky.
How is it you cannot read this present time?

012:057 "Why, too, do you not of yourselves arrive at just conclusions?

012:058 For when, with your opponent, you are going before the magistrate,
on the way take pains to get out of his power; for fear that,
if he should drag you before the judge, the judge may hand
you over to the officer of the court, and the officer lodge
you in prison.

012:059 Never, I tell you, will you get free till you have paid
the last farthing."

013:001 Just at that time people came to tell Him about the Galilaeans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

013:002 "Do you suppose," He asked in reply, "that those Galilaeans
were worse sinners than the mass of the Galilaeans,
because this happened to them?

013:003 I tell you, certainly not. On the contrary, if you are not
penitent you will all perish as they did.

013:004 Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, do you
suppose they had failed in their duty more than all the rest
of the people who live in Jerusalem?

013:005 I tell you, certainly not. On the contrary, if you do not
repent you will all perish just as they did."

013:006 And He gave them the following parable. "A man," He said,
"who had a fig-tree growing in his garden came to look
for fruit on it and could find none.

013:007 So he said to the gardener, "`See, this is the third year I have
come to look for fruit on this fig-tree and cannot find any.
Cut it down. Why should so much ground be actually wasted?'

013:008 "But the gardener pleaded, "`Leave it, Sir, this year also,
till I have dug round it and manured it.

013:009 If after that it bears fruit, well and good; if it does not,
then you shall cut it down.'"

013:010 Once He was teaching on the Sabbath in one of the synagogues

013:011 where a woman was present who for eighteen years had been
a confirmed invalid: she was bent double, and was unable
to lift herself to her full height.

013:012 But Jesus saw her, and calling to her, He said to her, "Woman,
you are free from your weakness."

013:013 And He put His hands on her, and she immediately stood upright
and began to give glory to God.

013:014 Then the Warden of the Synagogue, indignant that Jesus
had cured her on a Sabbath, said to the crowd, "There are
six days in the week on which people ought to work.
On those days therefore come and get yourselves cured,
and not on the Sabbath day."

013:015 But the Lord's reply to him was, "Hypocrites, does not each of you
on the Sabbath untie his bullock or his ass from the stall
and lead him to water?

013:016 And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan
had bound for no less than eighteen years, was she not to be
loosed from this chain because it is the Sabbath day?"

013:017 When He had said this, all His opponents were ashamed,
while the whole multitude was delighted at the many glorious
things continually done by Him.

013:018 This prompted Him to say, "What is the Kingdom of God like?
and to what shall I compare it?

013:019 It is like a mustard seed which a man drops into the soil
in his garden, and it grows and becomes a tree in whose
branches the birds roost."

013:020 And again He said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?

013:021 It is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel
of flour, to work there till the whole is leavened."

013:022 He was passing through town after town and village after village,
steadily proceeding towards Jerusalem,

013:023 when some one asked Him, "Sir, are there but few who are
to be saved?"

013:024 "Strain every nerve to force your way in through the narrow gate,"
He answered; "for multitudes, I tell you, will endeavour
to find a way in and will not succeed.

013:025 As soon as the Master of the house shall have risen and shut the door,
and you have begun to stand outside and knock at the door
and say, "`Sir, open the door for us'--"`I do not know you,'
He answers; `you are no friends of mine.'

013:026 "Then you will plead, "`We have eaten and drunk in your company
and you have taught in our streets.'

013:027 "But He will reply, "`I tell you that you are no friends of mine.
Begone from me, all of you, wrongdoers that you are.'

013:028 "There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom
of God, and yourselves being driven far away.

013:029 They will come from east and west, from north and south,
and will sit down at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.

013:030 And I tell you that some now last will then be first,
and some now first will then be last."

013:031 Just at that time there came some Pharisees who warned Him,
saying, "Leave this place and continue your journey;
Herod means to kill you."

013:032 "Go," He replied, "and take this message to that fox:
"`See, to-day and to-morrow I am driving out demons and
effecting cures, and on the third day I finish my course.'

013:033 "Yet I must continue my journey to-day and to-morrow and
the day following; for it is not conceivable that a Prophet
should perish outside of Jerusalem.

013:034 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 just as a hen gathers
her brood under her wings, and you would not come!

013:035 See, your house is left to you. But I tell you that you will
never see me again until you say, `Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord!'"

014:001 One day--it was a Sabbath--He was taking a meal at the house
of one of the Rulers of the Pharisee party, while they were
closely watching Him.

014:002 In front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy.

014:003 This led Jesus to ask the lawyers and Pharisees, "Is it
allowable to cure people on the Sabbath?"

014:004 They gave Him no answer; so He took hold of the man, cured him,
and sent him away.

014:005 Then He turned to them and said, "Which of you shall have
a child or an ox fall into a well on the Sabbath day,
and will not immediately lift him out?"

014:006 To this they could make no reply.

014:007 Then, when He noticed that the invited guests chose the best seats,
He used this as an illustration and said to them,

014:008 "When any one invites you to a wedding banquet, do not take
the best seat, lest perhaps some more honoured guest than you
may have been asked,

014:009 and the man who invited you both will come and will say to you,
`Make room for this guest,' and then you, ashamed, will move
to the lowest place.

014:010 On the contrary, when you are invited go and take the lowest place,
that when your host comes round he may say to you, `My friend,
come up higher.' This will be doing you honour in the presence
of all the other guests.

014:011 For whoever uplifts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be uplifted.

014:012 Also to His host, who had invited Him, He said, "When you
give a breakfast or a dinner, do not invite your friends
or brothers or relatives or rich neighbours, lest perhaps
they should invite you in return and a requital be made you.

014:013 But when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame,
and the blind;

014:014 and you will be blessed, because they have no means of requiting you,
but there will be requital for you at the Resurrection
of the righteous."

014:015 After listening to this teaching, one of His fellow guests said
to Him, "Blessed is he who shall feast in God's Kingdom."

014:016 "A man once gave a great dinner," replied Jesus, "to which
he invited a large number of guests.

014:017 At dinner-time he sent his servant to announce to those who had
been invited, "`Come, for things are now ready.'

014:018 "But they all without exception began to excuse themselves.
The first told him, "`I have purchased a piece of land,
and must of necessity go and look at it. Pray hold me excused.'

014:019 "A second pleaded, "`I have bought five yoke of oxen, and am
on my way to try them. Pray hold me excused.'

014:020 "Another said, "`I am just married. It is impossible for
me to come.'

014:021 "So the servant came and brought these answers to his master,
and they stirred his anger. "`Go out quickly,' he said,
`into the streets of the city--the wide ones and the narrow.
You will see poor men, and crippled, blind, lame: fetch them
all in here.'

014:022 "Soon the servant reported the result, saying, "`Sir, what you
ordered is done, and there is room still.'

014:023 "`Go out,' replied the master, `to the high roads and hedge-rows,
and compel the people to come in, so that my house may be filled.

014:024 For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall
taste my dinner.'"

014:025 On His journey vast crowds attended Him, towards whom He
turned and said,

014:026 "If any one is coming to me who does not hate his father
and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,
yes and his own life also, he cannot be a disciple of mine.

014:027 No one who does not carry his own cross and come after me can
be a disciple of mine.

014:028 "Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not sit down
first and calculate the cost, asking if he has the means
to finish it?--

014:029 lest perhaps, when he has laid the foundation and is unable
to finish, all who see it shall begin to jeer at him,

014:030 saying, `This man began to build, but could not finish.'

014:031 Or what king, marching to encounter another king in war,
does not first sit down and deliberate whether he is able
with ten thousand men to meet the one who is advancing against
him with twenty thousand?

014:032 If not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends
messengers and sues for peace.

014:033 Just as no one of you who does not detach himself from all
that belongs to him can be a disciple of mine.

014:034 "Salt is good: but if even the salt has become tasteless,
what will you use to season it?

014:035 Neither for land nor dunghill is it of any use; they throw
it away. Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"

015:001 Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere
in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;

015:002 and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly
to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners,
and joins them at their meals!"

015:003 So in figurative language He asked them,

015:004 "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost
one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture
and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?

015:005 And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder,
glad at heart.

015:006 Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together,
and says, `Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--
the one I had lost.'

015:007 I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven
over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine
blameless persons who have no need of repentance.

015:008 "Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them,
does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully
till she finds it?

015:009 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends
and neighbours, and says, "`Congratulate me, for I have found
the coin which I had lost.'

015:010 "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence
of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."

015:011 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.

015:012 The younger of them said to his father, "`Father, give me
the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided
his wealth between them.

015:013 No long time afterwards the younger son got all together
and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money
in debauchery and excess.

015:014 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible
famine throughout that country, and he began to feel
the pinch of want.

015:015 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants
of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;

015:016 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine
were eating, but no one gave him any.

015:017 "But on coming to himself he said, "`How many of my father's
hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am
dying of hunger!

015:018 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have
sinned against Heaven and before you:

015:019 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours:
treat me as one of your hired men.'

015:020 "So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still
a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran
and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly.

015:021 "`Father,' cried the son, `I have sinned against Heaven
and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called
a son of yours.'

015:022 "But the father said to his servants, "`Fetch a good coat quickly--
the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his
finger and shoes for his feet.

015:023 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;

015:024 for my son here was dead and has come to life again:
he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.

015:025 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned
and came near home, he heard music and dancing.

015:026 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.

015:027 "`Your brother has come,' he replied; `and your father
has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home
safe and sound.'

015:028 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came
out and entreated him.

015:029 "`All these years,' replied the son, `I have been slaving for you,
and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders,
and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me
to enjoy myself with my friends;

015:030 but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up
your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat
calf for him.'

015:031 "`You my dear son,' said the father, `are always with me,
and all that is mine is also yours.

015:032 We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother
of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost
and has been found.'"

016:001 He said also to His disciples: "There was a rich man
who had a steward, about whom a report was brought to him,
that he was wasting his property.

016:002 He called him and said, "`What is this I hear about you?
Render an account of your stewardship, for I cannot let you
hold it any longer.'

016:003 "Then the steward said within himself, "`What am I to do?
For my master is taking away the stewardship from me.
I am not strong enough for field labour: to beg,
I should be ashamed.

016:004 I see what to do, in order that when I am discharged from
the stewardship they may give me a home in their own houses.'

016:005 "So he called all his master's debtors, one by one, and asked
the first, `How much are you in debt to my master?'

016:006 "`A hundred firkins of oil,' he replied. "`Here is your account,'
said the steward: `sit down quickly and change it
into fifty firkins.'