XIII.  

There were present at that season some who brought him word concerning the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. 2And answering he said to them: Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they have suffered such things? 3I tell you, nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish. 4Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, suppose ye that they were sinners above all the men who dwell in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.

6He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7And he said to the vine-dresser: Behold, three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none. Cut it down; why does it also encumber the ground? 8And he answering says to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and cast in manure. 9And if it bear fruit —; and if not, hereafter thou shalt cut it down.

10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and wholly unable to raise herself up. 12And Jesus seeing her, called her to him, and said to her: Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13And he laid his hands on her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14And the ruler of the synagogue answering (being indignant because Jesus healed on the sabbath), said to the multitude: There are six days in which it is proper to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath. 15And the Lord answered him, and said: Hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or ass from the manger, and lead him away to water him? 16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound, lo, eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath? 17And as he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

18He said therefore: To what is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I liken it? 19It is like to a grain of mustard, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and became a great tree, and the birds of the air lodged in its branches.

20And again he said: To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

22And he went through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

23And a certain one said to him: Lord, are there few that are saved? 24And he said to them: Strive to enter in through the strait gate; for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able. 25When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us, and he answering shall say to you, I know you not whence ye are; 26then will ye begin to say, We ate and drank in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets. 27And he will say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all workers of unrighteousness. 28There will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And, behold, there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.

31On that day there came certain Pharisees, saying to him: Depart, and go hence; for Herod desires to kill thee. 32And he said to them: Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am perfected. 33But yet, I must go to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following; because it may not be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

34Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that kills the prophets, and stones those sent to her; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35Behold, your house is left to you desolate. And I say to you: Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

XIV.  

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief of the Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath, that they watched him. 2And, behold, there was a certain man before him who had the dropsy. 3And Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not? And they were silent. 4And taking hold of him, he healed him, and let him go. 5And to them he said: Who is there of you, whose ox or ass shall fall into a pit, and he will not straightway draw him up on the sabbath day? 6And they could not answer him again to these things.

7And he spoke a parable to those who were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the first places; saying to them: 8When thou art bidden by any one to a wedding, recline not in the first place at table, lest one more honorable than thou may have been bidden by him; 9and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give place to this man; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when thou art bidden, go and recline in the lowest place; that when he that bade thee comes, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have honor in the presence of those who recline at table with thee. 11For every one that exalts himself shall be humbled; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

12And he said also to him who bade him: When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brothers, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14And happy shalt thou be, because they can not recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.

15And a certain one of those who reclined at table with him, hearing these things, said to him: Happy is he, who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! 16And he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and bade many. 17And he sent his servant, at the hour of the supper, to say to those who were bidden: Come, for all things are now ready. 18And they all, with one mind, began to excuse themselves. The first said to him: I bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee let me be excused. 19And another said: I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to make trial of them; I pray thee let me be excused. 20And another said: I married a wife; and therefore I can not come.

21And the servant came, and reported these things to his lord. 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 lame, and blind. 22And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou didst command, and yet there is room. 23And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled; 24for I say to you, that none of those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper.

25And great multitudes were going with him; and turning, he said to them: 26If any one comes to me, and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own life besides, he can not be my disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, can not be my disciple. 28For who of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down, and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? 29Lest haply, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, 30saying: This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not first sit down and consult, whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Else, while he is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy, and desires conditions of peace.

33So then, whoever of you forsakes not all that he has can not be my disciple. 34Salt therefore is good; but if even the salt has become tasteless, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35It is fit neither for the land, nor for the dunghill; they cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

XV.  

And there were drawing near to him all the publicans and the sinners to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receives sinners, and eats with them.

3And he spoke this parable to them, saying: 4What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he finds it? 5And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And coming home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me; because I found my sheep which was lost. 7I say to you, that so there will be joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who have no need of repentance.

8Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till she finds it? 9And having found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying: Rejoice with me; because I found the piece which I lost. 10So, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.

11And he said: A certain man had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of the property that falls to me. And he divided to them his living. 13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and went abroad into a far country, and there wasted his substance in riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a grievous famine in that country; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine ate; and no one gave to him. 17And coming to himself, he said: How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him: Father, I sinned against heaven, and before thee. 19I am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.

20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said to him: Father, I sinned against heaven, and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants: Bring forth a robe, the best, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet; 23and bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry. 24Because this my son was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

25Now his elder son was in the field. And as he came, and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And calling to him one of the servants, he inquired what these things meant. 27And he said to him: Thy brother is come; and thy father killed the fatted calf, because he received him back, safe and sound. 28And he was angry, and would not go in; and his father came out, and entreated him. 29And he answering said to his father: Lo, so many years do I serve thee, and never transgressed thy command; and to me thou never gayest a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30But when this thy son came, who devoured thy living with harlots, thou didst kill for him the fatted calf. 31And he said to him: Child, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad; because this thy brother was dead and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

XVI.  

And he said also to the disciples: There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused to him as wasting his goods. 2And having called him, he said to him: What is this that I hear of thee? Give account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. 3And the steward said within himself: What shall I do? for my master takes away from me the stewardship. I am not able to dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5And having called to him each one of his master's debtors, he said to the first: How much owest thou to my master? 6And he said: A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7Then he said to another: And how much owest thou? And he said: A hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him: Take thy bill, and write fourscore. 8And the master commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; because the sons of this world are, in their generation, wiser than the sons of light. 9And I say to you: Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it fails, they may receive you into the everlasting habitations. 10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11If therefore ye were not faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if ye were not faithful in that which is another's, who will give to you your own? 13No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye can not serve God and Mammon.

14And the Pharisees also; who were covetous, heard all these things; and they derided him. 15And he said to them: Ye are they who justify themselves before men; but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination before God.

16The law and the prophets were until John; from that time the good news of the kingdom of God is published, and every man presses into it. 17And it is easier that heaven and earth should pass away, than that one tittle of the law should fail.

18Every one who puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when put away from a husband commits adultery.

19There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died; and he was borne away by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried; 23and in the underworld, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said: Child, remember that in thy lifetime thou receivedst thy good things in full, and Lazarus in like manner his evil things; but now here, he is comforted and thou art tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great gulf is fixed; that they who would pass from hence to you may not be able, nor those from thence pass over to us. 27And he said: I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house. 28For I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, that they may not also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham says to him: They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them. 30And he said: Nay, father Abraham; but if one should go to them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one should rise from the dead.

XVII.  And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that causes of offense should not come; but woe to him through whom they come! 2It were better for him that a mill stone were placed about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to offend.

3Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn to thee saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.

5And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith. 6And the Lord said: If ye had faith as a grain of mustard, ye would say to this sycamine-tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and planted in the sea; and it would have obeyed you.

7And who of you, having a servant plowing, or feeding cattle, will say to him immediately, when he has come in from the field, Come and recline at table; 8and will not rather say to him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken, and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9Does he thank that servant, because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10So also ye, when ye shall have done all the things that were commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.

11And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, that he went through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he was entering into a certain village, there met him ten leprous men, who stood afar off. 13And they lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14And seeing it, he said to them: Go, show yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15And one of them, seeing that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God, 16and fell down on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him; and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said: Were not the ten cleansed? And where are the nine? 18Were none found returning to give glory to God, except this stranger? 19And he said to him: Arise, and go; thy faith has made thee whole.

20And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them and said: The kingdom of God comes not with observation; 21nor shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22And he said to the disciples: Days will come, when ye will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye will not see it. 23And they will say to you, See here; or, See there; go not away, and follow not. 24For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines unto the other part under heaven, so will the Son of man be in his day. 25But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected on the part of this generation.

26And as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all. 28In like manner also as it was in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29but the same day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed all. 30After the same manner will it be, in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

31In that day, he who shall be on the house-top, and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not turn back. 32Remember Lot's wife. 33Whoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whoever may lose his life shall preserve it.

34I say to you, in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken, and the other will be left. 35Two women will be grinding together; one will be taken, and the other left. 37And they answering say to him: Where, Lord? And he said to them: Where the body is, there also will the eagles be gathered together.

XVIII.  

And he spoke also a parable to them, to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2saying: There was in a certain city a certain judge, who feared not God, nor regarded man. 3And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary. 4And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself: Though I fear not God, nor regard man, 5yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me.

6And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God avenge his chosen, who cry to him day and night, though he is long suffering in respect to them? 8I say to you, that he will avenge them speedily. But yet, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

9And he spoke this parable to some who trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others. 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: God be merciful to me, the sinner. 14I say to you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For every one that exalts himself shall be humbled; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

15And they brought to him also infants, that he might touch them; and the disciples seeing it rebuked them. 16But Jesus calling them to him, said: Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17Verily I say to you, whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter therein.

18And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good save one, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother. 21And he said: All these I kept from my youth. 22And Jesus hearing it said to him: Yet lackest thou one thing; sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 23And hearing this, he became very sorrowful; for he was exceedingly rich. 24And Jesus seeing him became very sorrowful, said: How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they who heard it said: And who can be saved? 27And he said: The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.

28And Peter said: Lo, we forsook all, and followed thee. 29And he said to them: Verily I say to you, there is no one that forsook house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

31And taking with him the twelve, he said to them: Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things written by the prophets for the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon, 33and they will scourge him, and put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again. 34And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hidden from them, and they knew not the things that were said.

35And it came to pass, that as he came near to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the way-side, begging. 36And hearing a multitude passing by, he inquired what this was. 37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. 38And he called aloud, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. 39And they who went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried much the more: Son of David, have mercy on me. 40And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he was come near, he asked him, 41saying: What wilt thou that I shall do to thee? And he said: Lord, that I may receive sight. 42And Jesus said to him: Receive sight; thy faith has made thee whole. 43And immediately he received sight, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.