CHAPTER XVI.

CHRIST DEFENDS THE DIVINE CHARACTER OF HIS MIRACLES, AND DENOUNCES THE PHARISEES.

1 [11:14]AND he cast out a demon, and it was dumb. And when the demon had gone out, the dumb spoke; and the mult.i.tudes wondered. [11:15]But some of them said, He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons; [11:16]and others, trying him, asked of him a sign from heaven.

[11:17]But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is desolated, and house falls upon house.

[11:18]And if Satan is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. [11:19]But if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?

they, therefore, shall be your judges. [11:20]But if by a finger of G.o.d I cast out demons, then the kingdom of G.o.d has come upon you.

[11:21]When a strong man armed keeps his court, his goods are in peace; [11:22]but when a stronger man than he comes upon him, and overcomes him, he takes away all his arms in which he trusted, and distributes his spoils. [11:23]He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters.

2 [11:24]When an impure spirit has gone out of a man, it pa.s.ses through places dest.i.tute of water, seeking a rest; and not finding one, says, I will return to my house from which I came out. [11:25]And coming, it finds it swept and adorned. [11:26]Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than itself; and they come and dwell there; and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.

3 [11:27]And when he was saying these things, a certain woman from the mult.i.tude lifted up her voice, and said to him, Blessed is the mother that bore you, and the b.r.e.a.s.t.s which you nursed! [11:28]And he said, Yes indeed, blessed are those that hear the word of G.o.d and keep it.

4 [11:29]And mult.i.tudes being a.s.sembled, he said, This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah. [11:30]For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of man be to this generation. [11:31]The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

[11:32]The men of Nineveh shall arise in the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they changed their minds at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

5 [11:33]No one lights a candle and puts it in a secret place, or under a modius [1.916 gallon measure], but on a candlestick, that all who go in may see the light. [11:34]The light of the body is the eye; when, therefore, your eye is sound, your whole body is light; but when your eye is evil, your whole body is dark. [11:35]See, therefore, that the light which is in you be not darkness. [11:36]If, therefore, your whole body is light, not having any part dark, the whole will be light, as when a candle lights you clearly.

6 [11:37]And when he was speaking, a certain Pharisee asked him to breakfast with him; and he went in and immediately sat down.

[11:38]And the Pharisee seeing him, wondered that he was not first baptized before breakfast. [11:39] And the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and plate, but your inside is full of plunder and wickedness. [11:40]Senseless men! did not he that made the outside make also the inside? [11:41]But give the things within in charity, and behold, all things are pure to you.

7 [11:42]But woe to you, Pharisees! for you t.i.the mint, and rue, and every kind of plant, and omit justice and the love of G.o.d. These things you ought to do, and not to omit those. [11:43]Woe to you, Pharisees! for you love the first seat in the synagogues, and salutations in the markets. [11:44]Woe to you! for you are like concealed tombs; and men walk over them and know it not.

8 [11:45]And one of the lawyers answered and said to him, Teacher, in saying these things you reproach us also. [11:46]And he said, Woe to you, lawyers! for you load men with burdens difficult to be borne, and you yourselves will not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

[11:47]Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them; [11:48]therefore you are witnesses, and approve the deed of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build.

[11:49]Therefore also the wisdom of G.o.d said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute, [11:50]

that the blood of all the prophets which has been poured out since the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, [11:51]from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the house. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. [11:52]Woe to you, lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you do not enter in yourselves, and you forbid those entering.

9 [11:53]And when he had gone out thence the scribes and Pharisees were extremely angry, and questioned him on many subjects, [11:54]watching him, to catch something from his mouth.

CHAPTER XVII.

CHRIST'S DOCTRINE OF HYPOCRISY, OF THE PROVIDENCE OF G.o.d, OF WORLDLY CARES, AND OF THE TIMES.

1 [12:1]AT that time, the mult.i.tude being a.s.sembled by ten thousands, so that they trod one on another, he said to his disciples, Beware, first, of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy; [12:2]for there is nothing concealed that shall not be revealed, nor hid that shall not be known. [12:3]Whatever, therefore, you have said in the darkness, shall be heard in the light; and what you have spoken to the ear in private rooms, shall be proclaimed on the houses. [12:4]And I tell you, my friends, fear not those that kill the body, and after this have [power] to do nothing more. [12:5]But I will show you whom to fear; Fear him, who after killing has power to cast into h.e.l.l; yes, I tell you, Fear him. [12:6]Are not five sparrows sold for two a.s.sarions [3 cents], and one of them is not forgotten before G.o.d? [12:7]But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, for you are of more value than many sparrows.

2 [12:8]And I tell you, that whoever shall confess me before men, him will the Son of man confess before the angels of G.o.d; [12:9]but he that has denied me before men, shall be denied before the angels of G.o.d.

[12:10]And every one that speaks a word against the Son of man shall have forgiveness; but he that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven. [12:11]And when they bring you to the synagogues, and powers, and authorities, be not anxious how you shall defend yourselves, or what you shall say; [12:12]for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that hour what you ought to say.

3 [12:13]And one of the mult.i.tude said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the inheritance. [12:14]And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? [12:15]And he said to them, See, and beware of all covetousness; for one's life depends not on the abundance of his property. [12:16]And he told them a parable, saying, The farm of a certain rich man produced abundantly; [12:17]and he reasoned in himself, saying, What shall I do, for I have no place where I shall bring together my fruits? [12:18]And he said, I will do this; I will take down my storehouses and build greater; and there will I bring together all my produce and my goods; [12:19]and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years rest, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. [12:20]But G.o.d said to him, Foolish man, this night they shall require your soul from you; and who then will have the goods which you have provided? [12:21]So is every one that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich in G.o.d.

4 [12:22]And he said to his disciples, I tell you, therefore, be not anxious for your soul what you shall eat, nor for the body what you shall put on. [12:23]Is not the soul more than the food, and the body than the clothing? [12:24]Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap, and they have no private room, no storehouse; and G.o.d feeds them.

How much are you better than the birds! [12:25]And which of you can add a cubit to his stature? [12:26]And if you cannot do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? [12:27]Consider the lilies; how they neither spin nor weave; but I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them. [12:28]And if G.o.d so clothes the gra.s.s in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, men of little faith? [12:29]And seek not what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and be not of a doubtful mind; [12:30]for all these things do the nations of the world seek; and your Father knows that you need them. [12:31]But seek his kingdom, and these shall be added to you. [12:32]Fear not, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. [12:33]Sell your property and bestow charity; make yourselves purses that become not old, and a treasury that fails not, in heaven, where no thief approaches, nor moth destroys; [12:34]for where your treasury is, there will your heart be also.

5 [12:35]Stand with your loins girded, and your candles lighted, [12:36]and be like men waiting for the coming of their lord, when he shall return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. [12:37] Blessed are those servants whom their lord when he comes shall find watching. I tell you truly, that he will gird himself, and cause them to recline, and he will come and wait upon them. [12:38]And if he comes in the second watch, and comes in the third watch, and finds them thus, blessed are they. [12:39]But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief comes, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. [12:40]Be you also ready; for in an hour when you think not the Son of man comes.

6 [12:41]And Peter said to him, Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or also to all? [12:42]And the Lord said, Who then is a faithful, a wise steward, whom the lord shall place over his family, to give them their proper food in due time? [12:43]Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. [12:44]I tell you truly, that he will set him over all his property. [12:45]But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays to come, and begins to beat the younger servants, and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, [12:46]the lord of that servant will come in a day that he looks not for him, and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and give him his part with the faithless. [12:47]And that servant who knew his lord's will and prepared not himself, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; [12:48]but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. And from any one to whom much is given, much will be demanded; and of him with whom men have deposited much, they will ask more.

7 [12:49]I have come to send a fire on the earth; and what will I if it is already kindled? [12:50]But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it is fully accomplished! [12:51]Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, no; but rather division. [12:52]For from this time there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two shall be divided against three; [12:53]a father against a son, and a son against a father; a mother against the daughter, and a daughter against the mother; a mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.

8 [12:54]And he also said to the mult.i.tudes, When you see a cloud rise in the west you immediately say, There comes a shower; and it is so.

[12:55]And when the south wind blows you say, There will be heat; and there is. [12:56] Hypocrites! You know how to distinguish the appearance of the earth and sky, and how do you not distinguish this time? [12:57]And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?

[12:58]For when you go with your adversary to a ruler, on the way labor to be released from him, lest he take you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison; [12:59] I tell you that you shall not go out thence till you have paid even the last lepton [2 mill].

CHAPTER XVIII.

CHRIST COMMENTING ON THE SLAUGHTER OF CERTAIN GALILEANS, CURING A DEMONIAC ON THE SABBATH, THE SAVED, ETC.

1 [13:1]AND some were present at that time, telling him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. [13:2]And he answered and said to them, Do you think those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? [13:3]I tell you, No; but unless you change your minds you shall all in like manner be destroyed. [13:4]Or those eighteen on whom the tower in the Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think they were sinners above all men that live at Jerusalem? [13:5]I tell you, No; but unless you change your minds you shall all in like manner be destroyed.

2 [13:6]And he spoke this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

[13:7]And he said to his vine dresser, Behold, I have come three years seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none; cut it down; why should it make the ground unproductive? [13:8] And he answered and said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I dig about it, and put on manure; [13:9]and if it bears fruit, well; but if not, at a future time you shall cut it down.

3 [13:10]And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath, [13:11] and behold, there was a woman who had been subject to a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent down, and was not able to lift herself up at all. [13:12]And Jesus seeing her, called to her and said, Woman, you are released from your infirmity; [13:13]and he put his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified G.o.d. [13:14]And the synagogue ruler answered, being angry because Jesus had performed a cure on the sabbath, and said to the mult.i.tude, There are six days in which you ought to work; in them, therefore, come and be cured, and not on the sabbath. [13:15]Then the Lord answered him and said, Hypocrites, does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his a.s.s from the manger, and lead him away to drink? [13:16]And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, behold, eighteen years, to be released from this bond on the sabbath?

[13:17]And when he had said these things all his enemies were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced on account of all the glorious works performed by him.

4 [13:18]And he said, What is the kingdom of G.o.d like? and to what shall I liken it? [13:19]It is like a mustard seed which a man took and cast into his garden; and it grew and became a great tree, and the birds of heaven lodged in its branches. [13:20]Again he said, To what shall I liken the kingdom of G.o.d? [13:21]It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three sata [33 quarts] of flour, till the whole was leavened.

5 [13:22]And he went through the cities and villages teaching, and making his way towards Jerusalem. [13:23]And some one said to him, Lord, are there few who are saved? And he said to them, [13:24]Strive to enter in by the narrow gate; for many, I tell you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. [13:25] When the householder has risen and shut the door, and you stand without and knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us, and he will answer and say to you, I know you not whence you are, [13:26]then you will say, We eat and drank in your presence, and you have taught in our streets; [13:27]and he will say to you, I know not whence you are; depart from me, all doers of wickedness. [13:28] There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of G.o.d, and you cast out. [13:29]And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall recline in the kingdom of G.o.d. [13:30]And behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.

6 [13:31]On the same day some of the Pharisees came to him, saying, Go out and depart hence, for Herod wishes to kill you. [13:32]And he said to them, Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons, and finish [performing] cures to-day and to-morrow, and on the third day I shall finish my course. [13:33]But I must go on to-day and to-morrow, and the day following; for it is not possible for a prophet to be destroyed out of Jerusalem. [13:34]Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, and you would not! [13:35]Behold, your house is left to you. And I tell you, that you shall not see me, till [the day] shall come when you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

CHAPTER XIX.

CHRIST DINING WITH A RULER ON THE SABBATH, THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER, QUALIFICATIONS FOR DISCIPLESHIP.

1 [14:1]AND he came into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath; and they watched him closely.

[14:2]And behold, there was a man before him having the dropsy.

[14:3]And Jesus answered and said to the lawyers and Pharisees, Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath, or not? [14:4]And they were silent. And he took and cured him, and dismissed him. [14:5]And he answered and said to them, If a son or an ox of any of you shall fall into a pit, will he not immediately take him out on the sabbath day? [14:6]And they could not answer to these things.

2 [14:7]And he spoke a parable to the invited, when he observed how they selected the first places at the table; saying to them, [14:8]When you are invited by any one to a wedding, do not sit down in the first place, lest at some time a more honorable man than you should have been invited by him, [14:9] and he that invited you and him come and say to you, Give this man a place; and then with shame you take the last place. [14:10]But when you are invited, go and sit down in the last place, that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, Friend, go up higher; then you shall have honor in the presence of those that recline with you; [14:11]for every one that exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

3 [14:12]And he said also to him that had invited him, When you make a breakfast, or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also at some time invite you in return, and a compensation be made to you. [14:13]But when you make a feast, invite the poor, crippled, lame, blind, [14:14]and you shall be blessed; for they cannot compensate you; for you shall be compensated at the resurrection of the just.

4 [14:15]And one of those reclining with him, hearing these things, said to him, Blessed is he that eats bread in the kingdom of G.o.d.

[14:16]And he said to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. [14:17]And he sent his servant at the time of the supper to say to the invited, Come, for all things are now ready. [14:18]And they all with one consent excused themselves. The first said to him, I have bought a field and I must go to see it; I pray you have me excused. [14:19]And another said, I have bought five yokes of oxen and I go to try them; I pray you have me excused. [14:20]And another said, I have married a wife, and on this account I cannot come. [14:21]And the servant came and reported to his lord these things. Then the master of the house; being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and maimed, and blind, and lame. [14:22]And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you commanded, and yet there is room. [14:23]And the Lord said to the servant, Go out into the ways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled; [14:24]for I tell you that none of those men that were invited shall taste of my supper.

5 [14:25]And great mult.i.tudes were travelling with him; and turning around he said to them, [14:26]If any one comes to me, and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and still more his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

[14:27]And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. [14:28]For what man of you wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the expense, whether he has the means to finish? [14:29]lest having laid its foundation, and not being able to finish, all who see ridicule him, [14:30]saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. [14:31]Or what king going to engage in war with another king, does not first sit down and consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? [14:32]And if not, while he is yet a great way off, sending an emba.s.sy he desires conditions of peace. [14:33]So, therefore, no one of you can be my disciple who does not forsake all that he has. [14:34]Salt, therefore, is good; but if the salt has lost its strength, with what shall it be seasoned? [14:35] It is not fit for land, nor for manure; they cast it away. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

CHAPTER XX.