XII.  

And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a wine-vat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went abroad. 2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. 3And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4And again he sent to them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5And he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6Having yet therefore one beloved son, he sent him also to them last, saying: They will reverence my son. 7But those husbandmen said among themselves: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. 8And they took, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. 10And have ye not read this scripture:

The stone which the builders disallowed,

The same is become the head of the corner;

11This is from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes.

12And they sought to lay hold of him, but feared the people; for they knew that he spoke the parable against them; and they left him, and went away.

13And they send to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to entrap him with a word. 14And they come and say to him: Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest for no one; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? 15Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them: Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denáry, that I may see it. 16And they brought it. And he says to them: Whose is this image, and the inscription? And they said to him: Cæsar's. 17And Jesus answering said to them: Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him.

18And there come to him Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection. And they asked him, saying: 19Teacher, Moses wrote to us, that if one's brother die, and leave a wife behind, and leave no children, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 20There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 21And the second took her, and died, and he also left no seed; and the third likewise. 22And the seven took her, and left no seed. Last of all the woman died also. 23In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise again, of which of them shall she be wife? For the seven had her for a wife. 24Jesus answering said to them: Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God? 25For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels who are in heaven. 26And concerning the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, at The Bush, how God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27He is not God of the dead, but of the living. Ye greatly err.

28And one of the scribes came to him, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he answered them well, asked him: Which commandment is first of all? 29And Jesus answered him: First is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. 31Second is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. 32And the scribe said to him: Well, Teacher; thou saidst truly that he is one, and there is no other beside him; 33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all the whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices. 34And Jesus, seeing that he answered intelligently, said to him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no one dared any longer to question him.

35And Jesus answering said, while teaching in the temple: How say the scribes that the Christ is son of David? 36For David himself said, in the Holy Spirit:

The LORD said to my Lord,

Sit on my right hand,

Till I put thy enemies under thy feet.

37David himself calls him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the great multitude heard him gladly.

38And he said to them in his teaching: Beware of the scribes, who love to go about in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, 39and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places at the feasts; 40who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

41And sitting over against the treasury, he beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. 42And one poor widow came, and cast in two mites, which are a farthing. 43And calling to him his disciples, he said to them: Verily I say to you, that this poor widow cast in more than all who are casting into the treasury. 44For all cast in out of their abundance; but she, out of her want, cast in all that she had, her whole living.

XIII.  

And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him: Teacher, see what manner of stones, and what manner of buildings! 2And Jesus said to him: Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3And as he was sitting on the mount of the Olives, over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately: 4Tell us, when will these things be? And what is the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished.

5And Jesus began to say to them: Take heed lest any one lead you astray. 6For many will come in my name, saying: I am he; and will lead many astray. 7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled, for it must come to pass; but not yet is the end. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be earthquakes in divers places, and there will be famines and commotions; these are the beginning of sorrows.

9But do ye take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils, and in the synagogues ye will be beaten; and ye will be brought before governors and kings for my sake for a testimony to them. 10And the good news must first be preached among all the nations.

11But when they lead you away to deliver you up, take not thought beforehand what ye shall speak nor premeditate; but whatever shall be given you in that hour, that speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12And the brother will deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and children will rise up against parents, and will put them to death. 13And ye will be hated by all for my name's sake; but he that has endured unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, (let him that reads, mark!) then let those in Judæa flee to the mountains. 15And he that is upon the house, let him not go down into the house, nor enter in to take anything out of his house. 16And he that is in the field, let him not turn back to take his garment.

17But woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days! 18And pray that it be not in the winter. 19For in those days will be affliction, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, neither shall be. 20And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

21And then if any one say to you: Lo, here is the Christ, or Lo, there, believe not. 22For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, so as to lead, if possible, even the chosen astray. 23But do ye take heed; I have foretold you all.

24But in those days, after that affliction, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light; 25and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds, with great power and glory. 27And then will he send forth the angels, and gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

28And learn the parable from the fig-tree. When its branch is already become tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is near. 29So also ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know that it is near, at the doors. 30Verily I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things are done. 31Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.

32But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father. 33Take heed, watch; for ye know not when the time is. 34As a man who is abroad, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, also commanded the porter that he should watch; 35watch therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house comes, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; 36lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to all, Watch.

XIV.  

Two days after, was the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2For they said: Not at the feast, lest there shall be a tumult of the people.

3And he being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of pure spikenard, very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head. 4And there were some that were much displeased among themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denáries, and given to the poor. And they murmured at her. 6And Jesus said: Let her alone; why do ye trouble her? She wrought a good work on me. 7For the poor ye have always with you, and when ye will ye can do good to them; but me ye have not always. 8She did what she could; she beforehand anointed my body for the preparation for burial. 9Verily I say to you, wherever the good news shall be preached in the whole world, this also that she did shall be told for a memorial of her.

10And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to deliver him up to them. 11And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him up.

12And on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples say to him: Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover? 13And he sends forth two of his disciples, and says to them: Go into the city, and there will meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him. 14And where he shall go in, say to the master of the house: The Teacher says, Where is the guest-chamber, in which I may eat the passover with my disciples? 15And he will show you a large upper room furnished, ready; there prepare for us. 16And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he said to them; and they made ready the passover.

17And at evening he comes with the twelve. 18And as they were reclining at table, and eating, Jesus said: Verily I say to you, that one of you will betray me, one that eats with me! 19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one: Is it I? And another said: Is it I? 20And he answering said to them: It is one of the twelve, one that dips with me into the dish. 21The Son of man indeed goes, as it is written of him; but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It were good for him if that man had not been born.

22And as they were eating, Jesus, taking a loaf, blessed, and broke, and gave it to them, and said: Take it; this is my body. 23And taking the cup, he gave thanks, and gave it to them; and they all drank of it. 24And he said to them: This is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many. 25Verily I say to you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

26And having sung, they went out into the mount of the Olives. 27And Jesus says to them: All ye will be offended; because it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

29And Peter said to him: Though all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30And Jesus says to him: Verily I say to thee, that thou this day, in this night, before a cock crows twice, wilt thrice deny me. 31But he said the more vehemently: If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. Likewise also said they all.

32And they come to a place which was named Gethsemane. And he says to his disciples: Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33And he takes with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be troubled. 34And he says to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, unto death; tarry here, and watch. 35And going forward a little, he fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36And he said: Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt.

37And he comes, and finds them sleeping. And he says to Peter: Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest thou not watch one hour? 38Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

39And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And returning, he found them again sleeping, for their eyes were heavy; and they knew not what to answer him.

41And he comes the third time, and says to them: Do ye sleep the remaining time, and take your rest? It is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us go; behold, he that betrays me is at hand.

43And immediately, while he was yet speaking, comes Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44And his betrayer had given them a signal, saying: Whom I shall kiss, that is he; lay hold of him, and lead him away securely. 45And coming, he goes straightway to him, and says: Master, Master; and kissed him.

46And they laid their hands on him, and held him fast. 47And one of those standing by drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and took off his ear. 48And Jesus answering said to them: Came ye out, as against a robber, with swords and staves to take me? 49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye did not lay hold of me; but that the Scriptures might be fulfilled! 50And all forsook him, and fled.

51And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men lay hold of him. 52And leaving behind the linen cloth, he fled from them naked.

53And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the court of the high priest, and was sitting with the officers, and warming himself at the fire.

55And the chief priests and all the council sought for testimony against Jesus, in order to put him to death; and they found none. 56For many bore false witness against him; but their testimonies agreed not together. 57And certain ones rose up, and bore false witness against him, saying: 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands. 59And not even so did their testimony agree.

60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying: Answerest thou nothing? What do these witness against thee? 61But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him: Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62And Jesus said: I am; and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. 63And the high priest, rending his clothes, says: What further need have we of witnesses? 64Ye heard the blasphemy. What think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and buffet him, and say to him: Prophesy. And the officers, with blows, took him in charge.

66And Peter being below in the court, there comes one of the maid-servants of the high priest; 67and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said: Thou also wast with Jesus the Nazarene. 68But he denied, saying: I do not know, nor do I understand what thou sayest. And he went out into the fore-court; and a cock crowed.

69And the maid-servant, seeing him, began again to say to those standing by: This is one of them. 70And he again denied it.

And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilæan. 71But he began to invoke curses, and to swear: I do not know this man of whom ye speak. 72And a cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the word, how Jesus said to him: Before a cock crows twice, thou wilt thrice deny me. And as he thought thereon, he wept.

XV.  

And straightway, in the morning, the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole council, having held a consultation, bound Jesus and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. 2And Pilate asked him: Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said to him: Thou sayest it. 3And the chief priests accused him of many things.

4And Pilate asked him again, saying: Answerest thou nothing? Behold what things they testify against thee. 5But Jesus no longer made any answer; so that Pilate marveled.

6And at the feast he released to them one prisoner, whomsoever they asked. 7And there was the one called Barabbas, bound with his companions in sedition, who in the sedition had committed murder. 8And coming up, the multitude began to make request, according as he had always done for them. 9And Pilate answered them, saying: Will ye that I release to you the King of the Jews? 10For he knew that through envy the chief priests had delivered him up. 11But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release to them Barabbas. 12And Pilate answering, said again to them: What will ye then that I shall do to him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13And they cried again: Crucify him. 14And Pilate said to them: What evil then has he done? And they cried the more exceedingly: Crucify him.

15And Pilate, wishing to satisfy the multitude, released to them Barabbas; and he delivered up Jesus, after scourging him, to be crucified. 16And the soldiers led him away into the court, which is Prætorium; and they call together the whole band. 17And they clothe him with purple, and having platted a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18And they began to salute him: Hail, King of the Jews! 19And they smote him on the head with a reed, and spit upon him, and kneeling down, did homage to him. 20And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put on him his own garments.

And they lead him out to crucify him. 21And they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who was passing by, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 22And they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is interpreted, Place of a skull. 23And they gave him wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not. 24And having crucified him, they divide his garments, casting lots upon them, what any one should take. 25And it was the third hour; and they crucified him. 26And the inscription of the accusation against him was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27And with him they crucify two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left. 28And the scripture was fulfilled, which says: And he was reckoned with transgressors. 29And they that passed by railed at him, wagging their heads, and saying: Aha, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days; 30save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31Likewise also the chief priests, mocking one with another, together with the scribes, said: Others he saved, himself he can not save. 32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reproached him.

33And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamasabachthani? Which is interpreted: My God, my God, why didst thou forsake me? 35And some of those standing by, hearing it, said: Behold, he calls Elijah. 36And one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying: Let alone; let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down. 37And Jesus, uttering a loud cry, expired. 38And the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom. 39And the centurion who was standing near, over against him, seeing that he so cried out and expired, said: Truly this man was the Son of God.

40And there were also women looking on afar off; among whom was also Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome; 41who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

42And evening having now come, since it was the preparation (which is the day before the sabbath), 43Joseph from Arimathæa, an honorable counselor, who also was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44And Pilate marveled, if he were already dead; and calling to him the centurion, he asked him if he had been long dead. 45And having learned it from the centurion, he gave the dead body to Joseph. 46And having bought fine linen, and taken him down, he wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre. 47And Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, beheld where he was laid.

XVI.  And the sabbath being past, Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2And very early, on the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, when the sun was risen. 3And they said to one another: Who will roll away the stone for us, out of the door of the sepulchre? 4And looking up, they see that the stone has been rolled away. For it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe; and they were affrighted. 6And he says to them: Be not affrighted. Ye are seeking Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. 7But go, say to his disciples, and to Peter, that he goes before you into Galilee. There shall ye see him, as he said to you. 8And they went out, and fled from the sepulchre; for trembling and astonishment seized them. And they said nothing to any one; for they were afraid.

9And having risen early, on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary the Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and reported it to those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, hearing that he is alive, and was seen by her, believed not.

12After that he appeared in another form to two of them, as they walked, going into the country. 13They also went and reported it to the rest; nor did they believe them.

14Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they reclined at table, and upbraided their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who saw him after he was risen. 15And he said to them: Go into all the world, and preach the good news to every creature. 16He that believes and is immersed shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned. 17And these signs shall accompany those who have believed; in my name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19The Lord therefore, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of God; 20and they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed.