Chapter 4

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: