THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

1 [10:1]AND calling his twelve disciples, he gave them power over impure spirits to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every infirmity. [10:2] And the names of the twelve apostles are these; First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; [10:3]Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James, the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, called Thaddeus; [10:4]Simon, the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. [10:5]These twelve Jesus sent out and charged them, saying; Go not into a way of gentiles, and enter not into a city of Samaritans, [10:6]but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; [10:7]and as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. [10:8] Cure the sick, cleanse lepers, cast out demons; you have received gratuitously, gratuitously give. [10:9]Take not gold, nor silver, nor copper for your purses, [10:10]nor a provision sack for the way, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor staves; for the laborer is worthy of his support; [10:11]and into whatever city or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there remain till you leave.

[10:12]And when you go into a house, salute it; [10:13]and if the house is worthy, your blessing shall come upon it; but if the house is not worthy, your blessing shall return to you. [10:14]And if any one does not receive you, nor hear your words, when you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet. [10:15]I tell you truly, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in a day of judgment, than for that city.

2 [10:16]Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves. [10:17]But beware of men; for they will deliver you to Sanhedrims, and scourge you in their synagogues, [10:18]and you shall be brought before governors, and kings, for my sake, for a testimony to them and the nations. [10:19]But when they have delivered you up be not anxious how you shall speak, or what you shall say, for it shall be given you in that hour what to say; [10:20]for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you. [10:21]And a brother shall deliver a brother to death, and a father a son; and children shall rise up against their parents and put them to death; [10:22]and you shall be hated by all men for my sake. But he that endures to the end shall be saved. [10:23]And when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For I tell you truly, that you will not finish the cities of Israel till the Son of man shall come.

3 [10:24]A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. [10:25]It is sufficient for the disciple to be as his teacher, and the servant as his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they call the members of his family by that name. [10:26]Fear them not, therefore, for there is nothing concealed that shall not be revealed, nor hid that shall not be known.

[10:27]What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light, and what you hear in the ear, preach on the house-tops. [10:28]And fear not those who kill the body and are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in h.e.l.l.

4 [10:29]Are not two sparrows sold for an a.s.sarion [1.5 mills]? and one of them cannot fall to the ground without your Father. [10:30]Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. [10:31]Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. [10:32]Every one, therefore, who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father in heaven; [10:33]and whoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father in heaven.

5 [10:34]Think not that I have come to send peace on the earth. I have not come to send peace, but a sword. [10:35]I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law; [10:36]and a man's enemies shall be those of his own house. [10:37]He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; [10:38]and he that does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [10:39]He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. [10:40]He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. [10:41]He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. [10:42]And whoever shall give one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, I tell you truly, he shall by no means lose his reward. [11:1]And when Jesus had finished his charge to his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities.

CHAPTER VIII.

JOHN THE BAPTIST QUESTIONING CHRIST'S MESSIAHSHIP.

1 [11:2]AND John hearing in the prison of the works of Christ, sending by his disciples, [11:3]said to him, Are you he that was coming, or look we for another? [11:4]And Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John what you see and hear; [11:5]the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news preached to them; [11:6]and blessed is he that is not offended with me.

2 [11:7]And when they had gone, Jesus began to say to the mult.i.tudes, concerning John, What went you out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [11:8]But what went you out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Behold, they that wear fine clothes are in the houses of kings. [11:9]But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. [11:10]For this is he of whom it is written; Behold, I send my messenger before your face, to prepare your way before you. [11:11]I tell you truly, there has not arisen among those born of woman a greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [11:12]And from the days of John the Baptist till now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. [11:13]For all the prophets and the law prophesied till John. [11:14]And if you will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come.

3 [11:15]He that has ears, let him hear. [11:16]To what shall I liken this generation? It is like little children sitting in the markets, who call to their companions, [11:17]and say, We have played on pipes for you, and you have not danced; we have mourned, and you have not lamented. [11:18]For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon; [11:19]the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a glutton, and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified by her children.

4 [11:20]Then he began to rebuke those cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they changed not their minds.

[11:21]Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their minds long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

[11:22]But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in a day of judgment than for you. [11:23]And you, Capernaum, which are exalted even to heaven, shall go down even to hades; for if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. [11:24]But I tell you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in a day of judgment, than for you.

5 [11:25]At that time Jesus answering said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them to babes. [11:26]Yes, Father, for so it has seemed good in thy sight. [11:27]All things are given me by my Father; and no one knows the Son but the Father; and no one knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

[11:28]Come to me all you that labor hard and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [11:29]Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls; [11:30]for my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

CHAPTER IX.

CHRIST'S DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH.

1 [12:1]AT that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pick the heads and eat. [12:2]And the Pharisees seeing it, said to him, Behold, your disciples do what it is not lawful to do on the sabbath. [12:3]But he said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him? [12:4]how he entered into the house of G.o.d and eat the show bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but only for the priests? [12:5]Or have you not read in the law, that the priests profane the sabbath in the temple, and are blameless? [12:6]But I tell you that here is an object greater than the temple. [12:7]But if you had known what, I wish for mercy and not a sacrifice, means, you would not have condemned the innocent; [12:8]for the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.

2 [12:9]And departing thence he went into their synagogue, [12:10]and behold a man having a withered hand [was there]. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath? that they might accuse him. [12:11]And he said to them, What man is there of you having one sheep, who if this falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? [12:12]How much then is a man better than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do good on the sabbath. [12:13] Then he said to the man, Stretch out your hand; and he stretched it out, and it was restored as sound as the other; [12:14]and the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to destroy him.

3 [12:15]But Jesus knowing it departed thence, and great mult.i.tudes followed him; and he cured them all, [12:16]and charged them not to make him known; [12:17]that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying; [12:18]Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased; I will put my spirit on him, and he shall declare judgment to the nations. [12:19]He shall not strive nor cry aloud, nor shall any one hear his voice in the streets. [12:20]A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not extinguish, till he sends forth judgment to victory.

[12:21]And in his name shall nations hope.

CHAPTER X.

CHRIST'S MIRACLES ATTRIBUTED TO DEMONS. HIS RELATIONS.

1 [12:22]THEN a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he cured him, so that the blind and dumb spoke and saw. [12:23]And all the mult.i.tudes wondered and said, Is this the Son of David? [12:24]But the Pharisees hearing it, said, This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, a ruler of the demons. [12:25]But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed; and no city or house divided against itself can stand.

[12:26]If Satan casts out Satan he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? [12:27]And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. [12:28] But if I by the Spirit of G.o.d cast out demons, then the kingdom of G.o.d has come upon you. [12:29]Or how can one enter into the house of a strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

2 [12:30]He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters. [12:31]Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven men. [12:32] And if one speaks a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him; but if one speaks against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him either in this life or in that to come.

[12:33]Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

[12:34]Offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things?

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. [12:35]The good man, out of his good treasury, casts forth good things; and the evil man, out of his evil treasury, casts forth evil things. [12:36]But I tell you, that for every idle word which men speak they shall render an account in a day of judgment; [12:37] for by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

3 [12:38]Then answered some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. [12:39]But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of the prophet Jonah. [12:40]For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. [12:41]The men of Nineveh shall rise up 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. [12:42]The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than Solomon is here.

[12:43]But when the impure spirit has gone out of a man, it goes through dry places seeking a rest, and finds none. [12:44]Then it says, I will return to my house from which I went out; and coming, it finds it empty, swept, and adorned. [12:45]Then it goes and takes with itself seven other spirits worse than itself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation.

4 [12:46]And while he was speaking to the mult.i.tudes, behold his mother and his brothers stood without, desiring to speak to him. [12:47]And some one said to him, Behold your mother and your brothers stand without, desiring to speak to you. [12:48]And he answered and said to him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?

[12:49]and stretching out his hand to his disciples, he said, Behold my mother, and my brothers! [12:50]For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

CHAPTER XI.

CHRIST'S PARABLES ON THE LAKE OF GALILEE.

1 [13:1]AND on that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. [13:2] And great mult.i.tudes came together to him; and he went into the ship and sat down; and all the mult.i.tude stood on the sh.o.r.e.

[13:3]And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying; Behold, a sower went out to sow; [13:4]and as he sowed, some fell by the way, and the birds came and devoured it. [13:5]And some fell on rocky places, where it had not much earth, and it came up immediately, because it had no depth of earth; [13:6]and when the sun arose it was scorched, and because it had no root it was dried up. [13:7]And some fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. [13:8]But some fell on good ground, and bore fruit; some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty-fold. [13:9]He that has ears let him hear.

2 [13:10]And his disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? [13:11]And he answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given; [13:12]for whoever has, to him shall be also given, and he shall abound; but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even what he has. [13:13]For this reason I speak to them in parables; because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor understand. [13:14]And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says; Hearing you shall hear and not understand, and seeing you shall see and not perceive; [13:15]for the hearts of this people have become hard, and they hear imperfectly with their ears, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I should heal them. [13:16]But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. [13:17]For I tell you truly, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear and have not heard it.

3 [13:18]Hear, therefore, the parable of the sower. [13:19]When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and takes away the seed sown in his heart. This is he that received seed by the way. [13:20]He that received seed on the rocky places is he that hears the word and immediately receives it with joy [13:21]but has no root in himself, but is only a temporary [disciple]; and when affliction or persecution arises on account of the word, he is immediately offended. [13:22]And he that received seed among thorns is he that hears the word, and the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

[13:23]But he that received the seed in the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it, who also bears fruit, and produces some one hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty-fold.

4 [13:24]And he delivered them another parable, saying; The kingdom of heaven is like a man sowing good seed in his field; [13:25]and while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed poisonous darnel in the midst of the wheat, and went away. [13:26]But when the stalk grew up and bore fruit, then the poisonous darnel appeared. [13:27]And the servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Whence then has it poisonous darnel? [13:28]And he said to them, An enemy has done this. And they said to him, Do you wish us to go and take them out? [13:29]And he said, No; lest in taking out the poisonous darnel, you pull up the wheat with it; [13:30]let both grow together till the harvest, and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, Collect first the poisonous darnel, and bind it in bundles to be burnt; but collect the wheat in my storehouse.

5 [13:31]He delivered them another parable, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field, [13:32]which is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown is the greatest of plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and lodge on its branches. [13:33]He spoke another parable to them; The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three sata [33 quarts] of flour, till the whole was leavened.

[13:34]All these things spoke Jesus to the mult.i.tudes in parables; and without a parable spoke he not to them; [13:35]that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will declare things which have been concealed from the foundation of the world.

6 [13:36]Then leaving the mult.i.tudes; he went into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the poisonous darnel of the field. [13:37]And he answered and said to them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; [13:38]the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the poisonous darnel are the children of the wicked one; [13:39] the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the consummation of the world; and the reapers are angels. [13:40]As, therefore, poisonous darnel is collected and burned with fire, so shall it be at the consummation of the world. [13:41]The Son of man will send his angels, and they shall collect out of his kingdom all offenses, and all that commit wickedness, [13:42]and cast them into a furnace of fire; and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [13:43] Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears, let him hear.

7 [13:44]The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field, which a man found, and concealed, and went away with joy, and sold all that he had and bought that field. [13:45]Again; the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, [13:46]who, finding one very costly, went and sold all that he had and bought it. [13:47]Again; the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, and collecting [fish] of every kind, [13:48]which, when it was full, men drew to the sh.o.r.e, and sifting down put up the good in vessels and cast the bad away. [13:49]So shall it be at the consummation of the world. The angels shall come forth and separate the evil from the midst of the good, [13:50]and cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [13:51]Have you understood all these thing? They said to him, Yes, Lord. [13:52]And he said to them, Every scribe therefore that is instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like a householder who casts out of his treasury things new and old.

8 [13:53]And when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence, [13:54] and coming to his native country he taught them in their synagogues, so that they were astonished and said, Whence has this man this wisdom and these mighty works? [13:55]Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? [13:56]And are not his sisters all with us? Whence then has this man all these things? [13:57]And they were offended with him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his native country, and in his own house; [13:58] and he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

CHAPTER XII.

THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.--CHRIST FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND, AND WALKING ON THE LAKE.

1 [14:1]AT that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, [14:2]and said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is raised from the dead; and on that account the mighty works are performed by him. [14:3]For Herod having seized John, had bound him, and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. [14:4]For John had said to him, It is not lawful for you to have her. [14:5]And he wished to kill him; but feared the people, because they regarded him as a prophet. [14:6]And Herod's birthday being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, [14:7]on account of which he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask; [14:8]and she, having been put forward by her mother, said, Give me here on a plate the head of John the Baptist.