Chapter 5

021:005 "Tell the Daughter of Zion, `See, thy King is coming to thee, gentle, and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt the foal of a beast of burden.'"

021:006 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:

021:007 they brought the she-ass and the foal, and threw their outer garments on them. So He sat on them;

021:008 and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and carpeted the road with them,

021:009 and the multitudes--some of the people preceding Him and some following--sang aloud, "God save the Son of David! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name! God in the highest Heavens save Him!"

021:010 When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown into commotion, every one inquiring, "Who is this?"

021:011 "This is Jesus, the Prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee," replied the crowds.

021:012 Entering the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there, and overturned the money-changers' tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers.

021:013 "It is written," He said, "`My House shall be called the House of Prayer', but you are making it a robbers' cave."

021:014 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He cured them.

021:015 But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done and the children who were crying aloud in the Temple, "God save the Son of David," they were filled with indignation.

021:016 "Do you hear," they asked Him, "what these children are saying?" "Yes," He replied; "have you never read, `Out of the mouths of infants and of babes at the breast Thou hast brought forth the praise which is due'?"

021:017 So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and passed the night there.

021:018 Early in the morning as He was on His way to return to the city He was hungry,

021:019 and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree withered away.

021:020 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment, "How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!"

021:021 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done;

021:022 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."

021:023 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked Him, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you this authority?"

021:024 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus, "and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things.

021:025 John's Baptism, whence was it?--had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'

021:026 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."

021:027 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," He replied, "by what authority I do these things."

021:028 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.'

021:029 "`I will not,' he replied. "But afterwards he was sorry, and went.

021:030 He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His answer was, "`I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.

021:031 Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said. "I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God in front of you.

021:032 For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.

021:033 "Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad.

021:034 When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;

021:035 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.

021:036 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner.

021:037 Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "`They will respect my son.'

021:038 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "`Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'

021:039 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

021:040 When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?"

021:041 "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."

021:042 "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus, "`The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes'?

021:043 "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit the power of it.

021:044 He who falls on this stone will be severely hurt; but he on whom it falls will be utterly crushed."

021:045 After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them;

021:046 but though they were eager to lay hands upon Him, they were afraid of the people, for by them He was regarded as a Prophet.

022:001 Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.

022:002 "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,

022:003 and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come.

022:004 "Again he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. "`My breakfast is now ready," he said, `my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made: come to the wedding.'

022:005 "They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in the country, another to his business;

022:006 and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them.

022:007 So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.

022:008 Then he said to his servants, "`The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it.

022:009 Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet invite to the wedding.'

022:010 "So they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall was filled with guests.

022:011 "Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.

022:012 "`My friend,' he said, `how is it that you came in here without a wedding robe?'

022:013 "The man stood speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "`Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.'

022:014 "For there are many called, but few chosen."

022:015 Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how they might entrap Him in His conversation.

022:016 So they sent to Him their disciples together with the Herodians; who said, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you faithfully teach God's truth; and that no fear of man misleads you, for you are not biased by men's wealth or rank.

022:017 Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"

022:018 Perceiving their wickedness, Jesus replied, "Why are you hypocrites trying to ensnare me?

022:019 Show me the tribute coin." And they brought Him a shilling.

022:020 "Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?"

022:021 "Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He rejoined, "what is Caesar's to Caesar; and what is God's to God."

022:022 They heard this, and were astonished; then left Him, and went their way.

022:023 On the same day a party of Sadducees came to Him, contending that there is no resurrection. And they put this case to Him.

022:024 "Teacher," they said, "Moses enjoined, `If a man die childless, his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a family for him.'

022:025 Now we had among us seven brothers. The eldest of them married, but died childless, leaving his wife to his brother.

022:026 So also did the second and the third, down to the seventh,

022:027 till the woman also died, after surviving them all.

022:028 At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? for they all married her."

022:029 The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God.

022:030 For in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in Heaven.

022:031 But as to the Resurrection of the dead, have you never read what God says to you,

022:032 `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead, but of living men."

022:033 All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement at His teaching.

022:034 Now the Pharisees came up when they heard that He had silenced the Sadducees,

022:035 and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a test question,

022:036 "Teacher, which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?"

022:037 "`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'" He answered, "`with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind.'

022:038 This is the greatest and foremost Commandment.

022:039 And the second is similar to it: `Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thyself.'

022:040 The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in these two Commandments."

022:041 While the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus put a question to them.

022:042 "What think you about the Christ," He said, "whose son is He?" "David's," they replied.

022:043 "How then," He asked, "does David, taught by the Spirit, call Him Lord, when he says,

022:044 "`The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand until I have put thy foes beneath thy feet'?

022:045 "If therefore David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?"

022:046 No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did any one venture again to put a question to Him.

023:001 Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His disciples.

023:002 "The Scribes," He said, "and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses.

023:003 Therefore do and observe everything that they command you; but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others what to do, they do not do it themselves.

023:004 Heavy and cumbrous burdens they bind together and load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not with one finger do they choose to lift them.

023:005 And everything they do they do with a view to being observed by men; for they widen their phylacteries and make the tassels large,

023:006 and love the best seats at a dinner party or in the synagogues,

023:007 and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as `Rabbi.'

023:008 "As for you, do not accept the title of `Rabbi,' for one alone is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.

023:009 And call no one on earth your Father, for One alone is your Father-- the Heavenly Father.

023:010 And do not accept the name of `leader,' for your Leader is one alone--the Christ.

023:011 He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant;

023:012 and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.

023:013 "But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you lock the door of the Kingdom of the Heavens against men; you yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those to enter who are seeking to do so.

023:014 []

023:015 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

023:016 "Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "`Whoever swears by the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.'

023:017 "Blind fools! Why, which is greater?--the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?

023:018 And you say, "`Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the oath.'

023:019 "You are blind! Why, which is greater?--the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy?

023:020 He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it;

023:021 he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by Him who dwells in it;

023:022 and he who swears by Heaven swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

023:023 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have neglected the weightier requirements of the Law--just judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others undone.

023:024 You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel!

023:025 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

023:026 Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.

023:027 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean.

023:028 The same is true of you: outwardly you seem to the human eye to be good and honest men, but, within, you are full of insincerity and disregard of God's Law.

023:029 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you repair the sepulchres of the Prophets and keep in order the tombs of the righteous,

023:030 and your boast is, "`If we had lived in the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder of the Prophets.'

023:031 "So that you bear witness against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the Prophets.

023:032 Fill up the measure of your forefathers' guilt.

023:033 O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you to escape condemnation to Gehenna?

023:034 "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death--nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town;

023:035 that all the innocent blood shed upon earth may come on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.

023:036 I tell you in solemn truth that all these things will come upon the present generation.

023:037 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee! how often have I desired to gather thy children to me, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not come!

023:038 See, your house will now be left to you desolate!

023:039 For I tell you that you will never see me again until you say, `Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

024:001 Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings.

024:002 "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down."

024:003 Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?"

024:004 "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus;

024:005 "for many will come assuming my name and saying `I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many.

024:006 And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet.

024:007 For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places;

024:008 but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

024:009 "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

024:010 Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

024:011 Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray;

024:012 and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

024:013 but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved.

024:014 And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come.

024:015 "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the `Abomination of Desolation', standing in the Holy Place"-- let the reader observe those words--

024:016 "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;

024:017 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;

024:018 nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment.

024:019 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

024:020 "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath;

024:021 for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again.

024:022 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short.

024:023 "If at that time any one should say to you, `See, here is the Christ!' or `Here!' give no credence to it.

024:024 For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People.

024:025 Remember, I have forewarned you.

024:026 If therefore they should say to you, `See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or `See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it.

024:027 For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

024:028 Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together.

024:029 "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.

024:030 Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory.

024:031 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other.

024:032 "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near.

024:033 So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door.

024:034 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.

024:035 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.

024:036 "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

024:037 `For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

024:038 At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark,

024:039 nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

024:040 Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind.

024:041 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind.

024:042 Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming.

024:043 But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into.

024:044 Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.

024:045 "Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time?

024:046 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing!

024:047 In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth.

024:048 But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, `My master is a long time in coming,'

024:049 and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards;

024:050 the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed;