Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them,

Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him greatly, that he would come into his house; saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: _I pray thee_ come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and _so did_ his disciples; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, neither could be healed of any, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in _her_ body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said.

Who touched my clothes?

When all denied, Peter, and they that were with him, said, Master, Thou seest the mult.i.tude throng thee and press _thee_, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said,

Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue hath gone out of me.

And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, and falling down before him, she declared unto him all the truth, before all the people, for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And when he saw her, he said unto her,

Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

And the woman was made whole from that hour.

While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's _house certain_ which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,

Be not afraid, only believe, and she shall be made whole.

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And when Jesus came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, and them that wept and wailed greatly, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

And all wept, and bewailed her. And when he was come in, he saith unto them,

Why make ye this ado, and weep? Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.

And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the Father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entered in where the damsel was lying.

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her,

Talitha c.u.mi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.

And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway, and walked: for she was _of the age_ of twelve years. And her parents were astonished with a great astonishment. And he charged them straitly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying, _Thou_ Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them,

Believe ye that I am able to do this?

They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying,

According to your faith be it unto you.

And their eyes were opened: and Jesus straitly charged them, saying,

See _that_ no man know _it_.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the mult.i.tudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

CHAPTER XXIII.

REVISITS NAZARETH--SENDS OUT THE TWELVE WITH INSTRUCTIONS.

And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when he was come into his own country, and when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing _him_ were astonished, saying, From whence hath this _man_ these things? And what wisdom _is_ this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter? (the carpenter's son?) Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this _man_ all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them,

A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Nazareth--Residence of Jesus in Youth.]

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed _them_. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the mult.i.tudes, he was moved with compa.s.sion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples,

The harvest truly _is_ plenteous, but the laborers _are_ few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

And when he had called unto _him_ his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all devils, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. And he sent them forth by two and two: to preach the kingdom of G.o.d, and to heal the sick. These twelve, Jesus sent forth, and commanded them saying,

Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into _any_ city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

And he said unto them,

Take nothing for _your_ journey, save a staff only; provide neither gold, nor silver, nor bra.s.s in your purses, nor scrip for _your_ journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, but _be_ shod with sandals; for the workman is worthy of his meat.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against _their_ parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all _men_ for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

The disciple is not above _his_ master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more _shall they call_ them of his household?

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; and hid that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness _that_ speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, _that_ preach ye upon the house-tops.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in h.e.l.l. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes _shall be_ they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold _water_ only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.