And he sent away the mult.i.tudes, and entered into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan.

THE PHARISEES AND SADUCCEES DEMAND A SIGN.

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him.

But he answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say, 'It will be fair weather,' for the heaven is red. And in the morning, 'It will be foul weather to-day,' for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times."

And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith. "Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation."

And he left them, and again entering into the boat departed to the other side.

And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

And they reasoned one with another, saying, "We have no bread."

And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, "O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread? Do ye not yet perceive, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up?"

They say unto him, "Twelve."

"And when the seven among the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces took ye up?"

And they say unto him, "Seven."

And he said unto them, "How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

THE BLIND MAN HEALED.

And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him. And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Seest thou aught?"

And he looked up, and said, "I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking."

Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly. And he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even enter into the village."

JESUS THE MESSIAH

PETER'S CONFESSION.

And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.

And it came to pa.s.s, as he was praying apart, the disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, "Who do the mult.i.tudes say that I am?"

And they answering, said, "Some say John the Baptist; some Elijah; and others, Jeremiah; and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again."

And he said unto them, "But who say ye that I am?"

And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d."

And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.

THE Pa.s.sION AND RESURRECTION FORETOLD.

From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake the saying openly.

And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee."

But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of G.o.d, but the things of men."

And he called unto him the mult.i.tude with his disciples, and said unto them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it. For what doth it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? For what should a man give in exchange for his life? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in his own glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of G.o.d come with power."

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

And it came to pa.s.s about eight days after these sayings, that he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up into the mountain to pray. And as he was praying he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became glistering, white as the light, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.

And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pa.s.s, as they were parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah:" not knowing what he said.

While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

And behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and be not afraid."

And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

And as they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again from the dead.

And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, "How is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come?"

And he said unto them, "Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all things: and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be set at nought? But I say unto you, that Elijah is come, and they have also done unto him whatsoever they would even as it is written of them."

Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

THE EPILEPTIC BOY.

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great mult.i.tude about them, and scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the mult.i.tude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked them, "What question ye with them?"