Chapter II: Part 2

012:040 For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly,
so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.

012:041 There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement
together with the present generation, and will condemn it;
because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark!
there is One greater than Jonah here.

012:042 The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement 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.

012:043 "No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man,
then he roams about in places where there is no water,
seeking rest but finding none.

012:044 Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;'
and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean,
and in good order.

012:045 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more
wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in
the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first.
So will it be also with the present wicked generation."

012:046 While He was still addressing the people His mother and His
brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring
to speak to Him.

012:047 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are
standing outside, and desire to speak to you."

012:048 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"

012:049 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother
and my brothers.

012:050 To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother
and my sister and my mother."

013:001 That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting on
the shore of the Lake,

013:002 when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him.
He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all
the people stood on the shore.

013:003 He then spoke many things to them in figurative language.
"The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

013:004 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds
come and peck it up.

013:005 Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil.
It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no
depth of earth;

013:006 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat,
and through having no root it withers up.

013:007 Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up
and stifle it.

013:008 But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return,
some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.

013:009 Listen, every one who has ears!"

013:010 (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak
to them in figurative language?"

013:011 "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know
the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not.

013:012 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall
have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has
shall be taken away.

013:013 I speak to them in figurative language for this reason,
that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they
neither hear nor understand.

013:014 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.

013:015 For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has
become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent
their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears,
or understanding with their minds, and turning back,
so that I might heal them.'

013:016 "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see,
and your ears, for they hear.

013:017 For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have
longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them,
and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

013:018 "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower.

013:019 When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does
not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has
been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed
by the road-side.

013:020 He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man
who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.

013:021 It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues
for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution,
because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

013:022 He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man
who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age
and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message,
and it becomes unfruitful.

013:023 But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears
and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one
a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

013:024 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of
the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown
good seed in his field,

013:025 but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed
he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.

013:026 But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed,
then appears the darnel also.

013:027 "So the farmer's men come and ask him, "`Sir, was it not
good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does
the darnel come from?'

013:028 "`Some enemy has done this,' he said. "`Shall we go,
and collect it?' the men inquire.

013:029 "`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the darnel
you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.

013:030 Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time
I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first,
and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat
into my barn.'"

013:031 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of
the Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man
takes and sows in his ground.

013:032 It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown it
is larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the birds
come and build in its branches."

013:033 Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of
the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes
and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till
the whole mass has risen."

013:034 All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language,
and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,

013:035 in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will open
my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept
hidden since the creation of all things."

013:036 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house,
His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us
the parable of the darnel sown in the field."

013:037 "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man;

013:038 the field is the world; the good seed--these are the sons
of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.

013:039 The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest
is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.

013:040 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire,
so will it be at the Close of the Age.

013:041 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather
out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

013:042 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace.
There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.

013:043 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their
Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!

013:044 "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in
the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and,
in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys
that piece of ground.

013:045 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchant
who is in quest of choice pearls.

013:046 He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though it
costs all he has, he buys it.

013:047 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net let
down into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts.

013:048 When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collect
the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away.

013:049 So will it be at the Close of the Age. The angels will go
forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous,

013:050 and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be
the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth."

013:051 "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

013:052 "Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained
for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings
out of his storehouse new things and old."

013:053 Jesus concluded this series of parables and then departed.

013:054 And He came into His own country and proceeded to teach in
their synagogue, so that they were filled with astonishment
and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom,
and these wondrous powers?

013:055 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?
And are not his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah?

013:056 And his sisters--are they not all living here among us?
Where then did he get all this?"

013:057 So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them,
"There is no prophet left without honour except in his own
country and among his own family."

013:058 And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their
want of faith.

014:001 About that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

014:002 and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist:
he has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous
Powers are working in him."

014:003 For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains,
and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his
brother Philip's wife,

014:004 because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful
for you to have her."

014:005 And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid
of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.

014:006 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced
before all the company, and so pleased Herod

014:007 that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she asked.

014:008 So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish
the head of John the Baptist."

014:009 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,

014:010 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

014:011 The head was brought on a dish and given to the young girl,
and she took it to her mother.

014:012 Then John's disciples went and removed the body and buried it,
and came and informed Jesus.

014:013 Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat to an
uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard of it
and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.

014:014 So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion
for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.

014:015 But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said,
"This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is
now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy
something to eat."

014:016 "They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves must
give them something to eat."

014:017 "We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a
couple of fish."

014:018 "Bring them here to me," He said,

014:019 and He told all the people to sit down on the grass.
Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after
looking up to heaven and blessing them, He broke up the loaves
and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed
them to the people.

014:020 So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The broken portions
that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets.

014:021 Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without reckoning
women and children.

014:022 Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on board
the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him
to dismiss the people.

014:023 When He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in solitude.
Night came on, and he was there alone.

014:024 Meanwhile the boat was far out on the Lake, buffeted and tossed
by the waves, the wind being adverse.

014:025 But towards daybreak He went to them, walking over the waves.

014:026 When the disciples saw Him walking on the waves, they were
greatly alarmed. "It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they
cried out with terror.

014:027 But instantly Jesus spoke to them, and said, "There is no danger;
it is I; do not be afraid."

014:028 "Master," answered Peter, "if it is you, bid me come to you
upon the water."

014:029 "Come," said Jesus. Then Peter climbed down from the boat
and walked upon the water to go to Him.

014:030 But when he felt the wind he grew frightened, and beginning
to sink he cried out, "Master, save me."

014:031 Instantly Jesus stretched out His hand and caught hold of him,
saying to him, "O little faith, why did you doubt?"

014:032 So they climbed into the boat, and the wind lulled;

014:033 and the men on board fell down before him and said, "You are
indeed God's Son."

014:034 When they had quite crossed over, they put ashore at Gennesaret;

014:035 and the men of the place, recognizing Him, sent word into all
the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him,

014:036 and they entreated Him that they might but touch the tassel
of His outer garment; and all who did so were restored
to perfect health.

015:001 Then there came to Jesus a party of Pharisees and Scribes
from Jerusalem, who inquired,

015:002 "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders
by not washing their hands before meals?"

015:003 "Why do you, too," He retorted, "transgress God's commands
for the sake of your tradition?

015:004 For God said, `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Let him
who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

015:005 but you--this is what you say: `If a man says to his father
or mother, That is consecrated, whatever it is, which otherwise
you should have received from me--

015:006 he shall be absolved from honouring his father'; and so you
have abrogated God's Word for the sake of your tradition.

015:007 Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy of you,

015:008 "`This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while their
heart is far away from Me;

015:009 but it is in vain they worship Me, while they lay down precepts
which are mere human rules.'"

015:010 Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said,
"Hear and understand.

015:011 It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him;
but it is what comes out of his mouth--that* defiles a man."

015:012 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the
Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?"

015:013 "Every plant," He replied, "which my Heavenly Father has not
planted will be rooted up.

015:014 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind;
and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall
into some pit."

015:015 "Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

015:016 "Are even you," He answered, "still without intellingence?

015:017 Do you not understand that whatever enters the mouth passes
into the stomach and is afterwards ejected from the body?

015:018 But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart,
and it is these that defile the man.

015:019 For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murder, adultery,
fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech.

015:020 These are the things which defile the man; but eating with
unwashed hands does not defile."

015:021 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew into the vicinity of
Tyre and Sidon.

015:022 Here a Canaanitish woman of the district came out and persistently
cried out, "Sir, Son of David, pity me; my daughter is cruelly
harassed by a demon."

015:023 But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed,
and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps
crying behind us."

015:024 "I have only been sent to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel," He replied.

015:025 Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him.
"O Sir, help me," she said.

015:026 "It is not right," He said, "to take the children's bread
and throw it to the dogs."

015:027 "Be it so, Sir," she said, "for even the dogs eat the scraps
which fall from their masters' tables."

015:028 "O woman," replied Jesus, "great is your faith: be it done
to you as you desire." And from that moment her daughter
was restored to health.

015:029 Again, moving thence, Jesus went along by the Lake of Galilee;
and ascending the hill, He sat down there.

015:030 Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them
those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb,
and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet.
And He cured them,

015:031 so that the people were amazed to see the dumb speaking, the maimed
with their hands perfect, the lame walking, and the blind seeing;
and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.

015:032 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart
yearns over this mass of people, for it is now the third day
that they have been with me and they have nothing to eat.
I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should faint
on the road."

015:033 "Where can we," asked the disciples, "get bread enough in this
remote place to satisfy so vast a multitude?"

015:034 "How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they said,
"and a few small fish."

015:035 So He bade all the people sit down on the ground,

015:036 and He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks
He broke them up and then distributed them to the disciples,
and they to the people.

015:037 And they all ate and were satisfied. The broken portions
that remained over they took up--seven full hampers.

015:038 Those who ate were 4,000 adult men, without reckoning
women and children.

015:039 He then dismissed the people, went on board the boat,
and came into the district of Magadan.

016:001 Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; and, to make
trial of Him, they asked Him to show them a sign in the sky.

016:002 He replied, "In the evening you say, `It will be fine weather,
for the sky is red;'

016:003 and in the morning, `It will be rough weather to-day, for the sky
is red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the aspect
of the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot.

016:004 A wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign;
but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah."
and He left them and went away.

016:005 When the disciples arrived at the other side of the Lake,
they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread;

016:006 and when Jesus said to them, "See to it: beware of the yeast
of the Pharisees and Sadducees,"

016:007 they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we
have not brought any bread."

016:008 Jesus perceived this and said, "Why are you reasoning
among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you
have no bread?

016:009 Do you not yet understand? nor even remember the 5,000 and
the five loaves, and how many basketfuls you carried away,

016:010 nor the 4,000 and the seven loaves, and how many hampers
you carried away?

016:011 How is it you do not understand that it was not about bread
that I spoke to you? But beware of the yeast of the
Pharisees and Sadducees."

016:012 Then they perceived that He had not warned them against bread-yeast,
but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

016:013 When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus
questioned His disciples. "Who do people say that the Son
of Man is?" He asked.

016:014 "Some say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah;
others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets."

016:015 "But you, who do you say that I am?" He asked again.

016:016 "You," replied Simon Peter, "are the Christ, the Son of
the ever-living God."

016:017 "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah," said Jesus; "for mere human
nature has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven.

016:018 And I declare to you that you are Peter, and that upon this
Rock I will build my Church, and the might of Hades shall
not triumph over it.

016:019 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens;
and whatever you bind on earth shall remain bound in Heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in Heaven."

016:020 Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.

016:021 From this time Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He
must go to Jerusalem, and suffer much cruelty from the Elders
and the High Priests and the Scribes, and be put to death,
and on the third day be raised to life again.

016:022 Then Peter took Him aside and began taking Him to task.
"Master," he said, "God forbid; this will not be your lot."

016:023 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Adversary;
you are a hindrance to me, because your thoughts are not
God's thoughts, but men's."

016:024 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.

016:025 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever
loses his life for my sake shall find it.

016:026 Why, what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole
world but forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give to buy
back his life?

016:027 For the Son of Man is soon to come in the glory of the Father
with His angels, and then will He requite every man according
to his actions.

016:028 I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing here
will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Son
of Man coming in His Kingdom."

017:001 Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothers
James and John, and brought them up a high mountain to
a solitary place.

017:002 There in their presence His form underwent a change;
His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white
as the light.

017:003 And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them conversing with Him.

017:004 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we are thankful to you that we
are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

017:005 He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them;
and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said,
"This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight.
Listen to Him."

017:006 On hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their faces
and were filled with terror.

017:007 But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves
and have no fear."

017:008 So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.

017:009 As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them.
"Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till
the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

017:010 "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the Scribes say that Elijah
must first come?"

017:011 "Elijah was indeed to come," He replied, "and would
reform everything.

017:012 But I tell you that he has already come, and they did
not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose.
And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them
in a similar way."

017:013 Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist
about whom He had spoken to them.

017:014 When they had returned to the people, there came to Him a man
who fell on his knees before Him and besought Him.

017:015 "Sir," he said, "have pity on my son, for he is an epileptic
and is very ill. Often he falls into the fire and often
into the water.

017:016 I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been
able to cure him."

017:017 "O unbelieving and perverse generation!" replied Jesus;
"how long shall I be with you? how long shall I endure you?
Bring him to me."

017:018 Then Jesus reprimanded the demon, and it came out and left him;
and the boy was cured from that moment.

017:019 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him, "Why could
not we expel the demon?"

017:020 "Because your faith is so small," He replied; "for I solemnly
declare to you that if you have faith like a mustard-seed,
you shall say to this mountain, `Remove from this place to that,'
and it will remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

017:021 But an evil spirit of this kind is only driven out by
prayer and fasting."

017:022 As they were travelling about in Galilee, Jesus said to them,
"The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men;

017:023 they will put Him to death, but on the third day He will be
raised to life again." And they were exceedingly distressed.

017:024 After their arrival at Capernaum the collectors of the half-shekel
came and asked Peter, "Does not your Teacher pay the half-shekel?"

017:025 "Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But before
he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From whom
do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax?
from their own children, or from others?"

017:026 "From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus.

017:027 "However, lest we cause them to sin, go and throw a hook
into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up.
When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it:
bring that coin and give it to them for yourself and me."

018:001 Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who ranks
higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"

018:002 So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand
in the midst of them,

018:003 said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and
become like little children, you will in no case be admitted
into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

018:004 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child,
he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

018:005 And whoever for my sake receives one young child such
as this, receives me.

018:006 But whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little
ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have
a millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths
of the sea.

018:007 "Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot
but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!

018:008 If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall into sin,
cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter
into Life crippled in hand or foot than to remain in possession
of two sound hands or feet but be thrown into the fire
of the Ages.

018:009 And if your eye is causing you to fall into sin, tear it out
and away with it; it is better for you to enter into Life
with only one eye, than to remain in possession of two eyes
but be thrown into the Gehenna of fire.

018:010 "Beware of ever despising one of these little ones, for I
tell you that in Heaven their angels have continual access
to my Father who is in Heaven.

018:011 []

018:012 What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred 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?

018:013 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.

018:014 Just so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one
of these little ones should be lost.

018:015 "If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go and point
out his fault to him when only you and he are there.
If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

018:016 But if he will not listen to you, go again, and ask one or
two to go with you, that every word spoken may be attested
by two or three witnesses.

018:017 If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and if
he refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as you
regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

018:018 I solemnly tell you that whatever you 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.

018:019 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.

018:020 For where there are two or three assembled in my name,
there am I in the midst of them."

018:021 At this point Peter came to Him with the question, "Master,
how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and I
forgive him? seven times?"

018:022 "I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy
times seven times.

018:023 "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared
to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts
with his servants.

018:024 But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before
him who owed 10,000 talents,

018:025 and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and his
wife and children and everything that he had should be sold,
and payment be made.

018:026 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.'

018:027 "Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free
and forgave him the debt.

018:028 But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one
of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing
him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed,
"`Pay me all you owe.'

018:029 "His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him,
"`Only give me time,' he said, `and I will pay you.'

018:030 "He would not, however, but went and threw him into prison
until he should pay what was due.

018:031 His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened,
were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master
without reserve all that had happened.

018:032 At once his master called him and said, "`Wicked servant,
I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:

018:033 ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant,
just as I had pity on you?'

018:034 "So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the jailers
until he should pay all he owed him.

018:035 "In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if you
do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."

019:001 When Jesus had finished these discourses, He removed from Galilee
and came into that part of Judaea which lay beyond the Jordan.

019:002 And a vast multitude followed him, and He cured them there.

019:003 Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to the proof
by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his wife
whenever he chooses?"

019:004 "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them `made them'
from the beginning `male and female,

019:005 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?

019:006 Thus they are no longer two, but `one'! What therefore God
has joined together, let not man separate."

019:007 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give
her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

019:008 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your
nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not
been so from the beginning.

019:009 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except
her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."

019:010 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife,"
said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."

019:011 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching,
but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed.

019:012 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage,
others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have
disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

019:013 Then young children were brought to Him for Him to put His
hands on them and pray; but the disciples interfered.

019:014 Jesus however said, "Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike
that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs."

019:015 So He laid His hands upon them and went away.

019:016 "Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, "what that is good
shall I do in order to win the Life of the Ages?"

019:017 "Why do you ask me," He replied, "about what is good?
There is only One who is truly good. But if you desire
to enter into Life, keep the Commandments."

019:018 "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;'

019:019 `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Thou shalt love thy
fellow man as much as thyself.'"

019:020 "All of these," said the young man, "I have carefully kept.
What do I still lack?"

019:021 "If you desire to be perfect," replied Jesus, "go and sell
all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have
wealth in Heaven; and come, follow me."

019:022 On hearing those words the young man went away much cast down;
for he had much property.

019:023 So Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly tell you that it
is with difficulty that a rich man will enter the Kingdom
of the Heavens.

019:024 Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

019:025 These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked,
"Who then can be saved?"

019:026 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible,
but with God everything is possible."

019:027 Then Peter said to Jesus, "See, *we* have forsaken everything
and followed you; what then will be *our* reward?"

019:028 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that in the New Creation,
when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne,
all of you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve
thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

019:029 And whoever has forsaken houses, or brothers or sisters,
or father or mother, or children or lands, for my sake,
shall receive many times as much and shall have as his
inheritance the Life of the Ages.

019:030 "But many who are now first will be last, and many who are
now last will be first.

020:001 "For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an employer who went
out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,

020:002 and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day,
sent them into his vineyard.

020:003 About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering
in the market-place.

020:004 To these also he said, "`You also, go into the vineyard,
and whatever is right I will give you.'

020:005 "So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock,
he went out and did the same.

020:006 And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering,
and he asked them, "`Why have you been standing here all
day long, doing nothing?'

020:007 "`Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "`You also,
go into the vineyard,' he said.

020:008 "When evening came, the master said to his steward, "`Call the men
and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish
with the first.'

020:009 "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received
a shilling apiece;

020:010 and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they
also each got the shilling.

020:011 So when they had received it, they grumbled against
the employer, saying,

020:012 "`These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you
have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole
day and have borne the scorching heat.'

020:013 "`My friend,' he answered to one of them, `I am doing you
no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?

020:014 Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer
just as much as I give you.

020:015 Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property?
Or are you envious because I am generous?'

020:016 "So the last shall be first, and the first last."

020:017 Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve
disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,

020:018 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man
will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes.
They will condemn Him to death,

020:019 and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourged
and crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life."

020:020 Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons,
and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.

020:021 "What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied,
"that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one
at your left in your Kingdom."

020:022 "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus;
"can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?"
"We can," they replied.

020:023 "You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my
right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it
belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

020:024 The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused
against the two brothers.

020:025 But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise
authority over them.

020:026 Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great
among you shall be your servant,

020:027 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;

020:028 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,
and to give His life as the redemption-price for many."

020:029 As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,

020:030 two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus
who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."

020:031 The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all
the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.

020:032 So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I do
for you?" He asked.

020:033 "Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.

020:034 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately
they regained their sight and followed Him.

021:001 When they were come near Jerusalem and had arrived at Bethphage
and the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the disciples
on in front,

021:002 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 bring them to me.

021:003 And if any one says anything to you, say, `The Master needs them,'
and he will at once send them."

021:004 This took place in order that the Prophet's prediction
might be fulfilled:

021:005 "Tell the Daughter of Zion, `See, thy King is coming to thee,
gentle, and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt the foal
of a beast of burden.'"

021:006 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:

021:007 they brought the she-ass and the foal, and threw their outer
garments on them. So He sat on them;

021:008 and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along
the road, while others cut branches from the trees and carpeted
the road with them,

021:009 and the multitudes--some of the people preceding Him
and some following--sang aloud, "God save the Son
of David! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name!
God in the highest Heavens save Him!"

021:010 When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown
into commotion, every one inquiring, "Who is this?"

021:011 "This is Jesus, the Prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee,"
replied the crowds.

021:012 Entering the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying
and selling there, and overturned the money-changers'
tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers.

021:013 "It is written," He said, "`My House shall be called the House
of Prayer', but you are making it a robbers' cave."

021:014 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple,
and He cured them.

021:015 But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the 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.

021:016 "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'?"

021:017 So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and passed
the night there.

021:018 Early in the morning as He was on His way to return to the city
He was hungry,

021:019 and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it,
but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said,
"no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately
the fig-tree withered away.

021:020 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment,
"How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!"

021:021 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an
unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle
as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to
this mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,'
it shall be done;

021:022 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers,
if you have faith, you shall obtain."

021:023 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching,
the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him
and asked Him, "By what authority are you doing these things?
and who gave you this authority?"

021:024 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus,
"and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority
I do these things.

021:025 John's Baptism, whence was it?--had it a heavenly or a
human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves.
"If we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say,
`Why then did you not believe him?'

021:026 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear,
for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."

021:027 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you,"
He replied, "by what authority I do these things."

021:028 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two sons.
He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My son, go and work
in the vineyard to-day.'

021:029 "`I will not,' he replied. "But afterwards he was sorry, and went.

021:030 He came to the second and spoke in the same manner.
His answer was, "`I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.

021:031 Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said.
"I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers
and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God
in front of you.

021:032 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.

021:033 "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.

021:034 When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the
vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;

021:035 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they
cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.

021:036 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first;
and these they treated in the same manner.

021:037 Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "`They will
respect my son.'

021:038 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to
one another, "`Here is the heir: come, let us kill him
and get his inheritance.'

021:039 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard,
and killed him.

021:040 When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do
to those vine-dressers?"

021:041 "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."

021:042 "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus, "`The Stone
which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone:
this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful
in our eyes'?

021:043 "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be
taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit
the power of it.

021:044 He who falls on this stone will be severely hurt; but he on
whom it falls will be utterly crushed."

021:045 After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees
perceived that He was speaking about them;

021:046 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.

022:001 Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.

022:002 "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared
to a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,

022:003 and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding,
but they were unwilling to come.

022:004 "Again he sent other servants with a message to those who
were invited. "`My breakfast is now ready," he said, `my bullocks
and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made:
come to the wedding.'

022:005 "They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in the country,
another to his business;

022:006 and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them,
and murdered them.

022:007 So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops
and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.

022:008 Then he said to his servants, "`The wedding banquet is ready,
but those who were invited were unworthy of it.

022:009 Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet
invite to the wedding.'

022:010 "So they went out into the roads and gathered together all
they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall
was filled with guests.

022:011 "Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them
he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.

022:012 "`My friend,' he said, `how is it that you came in here without
a wedding robe?'

022:013 "The man 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.'

022:014 "For there are many called, but few chosen."

022:015 Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how they might
entrap Him in His conversation.

022:016 So they sent to Him their disciples together with the Herodians;
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 are not biased by men's wealth or rank.

022:017 Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for us
to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"

022:018 Perceiving their wickedness, Jesus replied, "Why are you
hypocrites trying to ensnare me?

022:019 Show me the tribute coin." And they brought Him a shilling.

022:020 "Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?"

022:021 "Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He rejoined,
"what is Caesar's to Caesar; and what is God's to God."

022:022 They heard this, and were astonished; then left Him,
and went their way.

022:023 On the same day a party of Sadducees came to Him, contending that
there is no resurrection. And they put this case to Him.

022:024 "Teacher," they said, "Moses enjoined, `If a man die childless,
his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a family for him.'

022:025 Now we had among us seven brothers. The eldest of them married,
but died childless, leaving his wife to his brother.

022:026 So also did the second and the third, down to the seventh,

022:027 till the woman also died, after surviving them all.

022:028 At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will
she be? for they all married her."

022:029 The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through ignorance
of the Scriptures and of the power of God.

022:030 For in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women given
in marriage, but they are like angels in Heaven.

022:031 But as to the Resurrection of the dead, have you never read
what God says to you,

022:032 `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."

022:033 All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement
at His teaching.

022:034 Now the Pharisees came up when they heard that He had
silenced the Sadducees,

022:035 and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as
a test question,

022:036 "Teacher, which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?"

022:037 "`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'" He answered, "`with thy
whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind.'

022:038 This is the greatest and foremost Commandment.

022:039 And the second is similar to it: `Thou shalt love thy fellow
man as much as thyself.'

022:040 The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in
these two Commandments."