The Gospel According to Luke

1

Considering how many people have undertaken to compose a narrative of those things that are most truly believed among us, 2 as those who saw with their own eyes and were servants to what they related have handed down to us, 3 I myself felt it apt, having precisely followed all things from the top, to write you from beginning to end (most excellent Theophilus) 4 so that you may come to know that these things, of which instruction has been instituted, are the truth.

5 In the days of Herod kind of Judaea there was a certain priest named Zacharias of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, following in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. 7 And they did not have a child, since Elisabeth was barren and they were both advanced in their days.

8 And it so happened, as Zacharias was acting as priest in the order of his routine before God according to the custom of the priests, 9 it was his turn to burn the incense, and he went into the temple of the Lord, 10 and all the multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, speaking at the right-hand side of the incense altar. 12 And Zacharias was disturbed, seeing this, and fear fell upon him. 13 And the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zacharias, for your request has been heard. And your wife Elisabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. 14 And he will be to you joy and exultation, and many shill rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and liquor he shall not drink. 16 And the holy spirit shall fill him even from his mother’s womb, and many of the sons of Israel shall turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before them in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their sons, and the unbelieving to the wisdom of the righteous, that he may prepare the Lord a perfect people.”

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “By what shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife advanced in her days.”

19 And answering, the angel said to him, “I am Gabriel, one who stands before God, and I am sent to speak to you and proclaim this good news to you. 20 And behold, you will be silent, and incapable of speaking, until the day in which these things shall be done, since you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their due time.”

21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and saw that he lingered in the temple. 22 And having come out, he could not speak to them. And they knew that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he was signing to them, and remained mute.

23 And it so happened, that as the days of his office were complete he left to his own home. 24 And after those days Elisabeth his wife conceived and hid herself away for five months, 25 saying, “Thus has the Lord done for me in the days when he looked back at me, to bring away my reproach among men.”

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God into a city of Galilee whose name was Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, from the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And the angel went in to her and said, “Hail, well-graced one: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.”

29 And she, seeing him, was disturbed at his words, and mused as to what manner of greeting this might be.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found grace with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and shall be called the son of the most high, and the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob in eternity, and his reign shall have no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, when I have never known a man?”

35 And replying, the angel said to her, “The holy spirit will come over you, and the power of the most high overshadow you; therefore also the holy one who shall be born from you shall be called the son of God. 36 And behold Elisabeth your cousin; she has also conceived a son, in her old age, and this is now the sixth month, for a woman who had been called sterile. 37 For every word shall not be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; may it be for me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39 And Mary, rising up, in those days went up into the mountain land with diligence, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it so happened that as Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby jumped for joy in her womb.

42 And Elisabeth was filled with the holy spirit, and cried out at the top of her voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed the fruit of your womb.

43 “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting was in my ears, the child in my womb jumped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed; for those things that the Lord has said to her shall be accomplished.” 46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord;
47 and my spirit has exulted in God my savior.
48 For he has looked upon the humility of his handmaiden;
for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he has made me great, who is strong,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy will be to generation after generation
of those who fear him.
51 He has made strength in his arm;
he scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has deposed the mighty from their thrones,
and lifted up the humble.
53 The hungry he fills with good things,
and the rich he sends away empty.
54 He has supported Israel his servant,
that his mercy may be remembered
55 (as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his seed) forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her for about three months, and returned to her own house.

57 And the time was complete for Elisabeth to bring forth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had greatened his mercy with her, and they congratulated her. 59 And it so happened on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the boy, and they called him by the name of his father Zacharias. 60 And replying, his mother said, “Certainly not! But he shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her, “There is no one that you know who is called by this name.”

62 And they signaled his father, what he would have them call him. 63 And having requested a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, “John is his name.” 64 And they all marveled.

And at once his mouth was unfastened, and his tongue, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 And fear fell upon all his neighbors, and upon all the mountain land of Judaea they proclaimed all these words, 66 and all who heard put them to heart, saying, “Now what manner of boy shall this be!” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zacharias his father was filled with the holy spirit, and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and made redemption for his people,
69 and created a horn to our well-being
in the house of David his servant,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of the holy ones
who from the beginning of time were his prophets,
71 salvation from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 that he may work mercy as with our fathers
and be mindful of his holy Testament,
73 the oath that he swore
to Abraham our father to give to us,
74 that he would fearlessly free us
from the hand of our enemies, to serve him
75 in holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our lives.

76 “And you, my boy,
shall be called the prophet of the most high,
for you will go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of the salvation of his people,
toward the remission of sins
78 by the heart of the mercy of our God,
in whom has visited us the dawning from above
79 that he may illumine those
who have sat in the darkness and the shadow of death,
to direct our feet in the way of peace.”

80 And the boy grew, and grew strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his being revealed to Israel.

2

And it so happened in those days, a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that the whole world be registered. 2 This registration was first done when Cyrenius presided over Syria. 3 And everyone went to be registered, each in his own city; 4 and Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judaea, to the city of David, which was called Bethlehem (for he was of the house and family of David) 5 to register with his fiancée Mary, who was pregnant. 6 And it so happened, as they were there, that the days of her bringing forth were complete, 7 and she bore her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger (as there was no place for them in the guestroom).

8 And shepherds were in that same region, keeping watch and maintaining a guard over their flocks by night; 9 and behold, an angel of the Lord stood beside them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Do not fear; for behold, I proclaim to you the good news of great joy; 11 for to you is born today a savior, that is, Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12 And this will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and set in a manger.” 13 And suddenly, it so happened that with the angel the multitude of the army of heaven was praising God, and saying, 14 “Glory in the highest to God, and in the earth peace to those of good will.”

15 And it so happened, as the angels departed from them into heaven, the men, the shepherds would speak among themselves, “Let us cross over to Bethlehem, so that we may also see this word which has been done, which the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 And they came in a rush, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby laid down in the manger.

17 And having seen, they told everyone they knew of the word which had been spoken to them of this boy. 18 And all who heard marveled also of these things that the shepherds said to them. 19 And Mary kept all these words, conferring in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things that they had seen and heard, as had been told to them.

21 And after eight days had passed, that the boy should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which the angel had named him before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And after the days of their purification were complete, according to the law of Moses, they took him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 23 as it is written in the law of the Lord, that every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, 24 and that they may give a sacrifice according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy spirit was upon him. 26 And he had been told by the holy spirit that he would not see death unless he should first see the Christ of the Lord. 27 And in the spirit he came into the temple. 28 And as his parents brought in the boy Jesus, to do according to the custom of the law of the Lord for him, he then took him in his arms, 29 and praised God, saying,

“Now, Lord, dismiss your servant in peace,
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
which you prepared before the face of all the peoples,
31 a light to the revelation of the nations,
and a glory to your people Israel.”

32 And his father and mother were marveling at these things that were said of him. 33 And Simeon blessed them, and said to his mother Mary, “Behold, this one is placed in the ruin and the resurrection of many in Israel, and in a sign that shall be spoken against— 34 and a sword shall run through your very heart—that thoughts may be revealed from the hearts of many.”

35 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; 36 she was well advanced in her years, and had remained with her husband seven years from her widowhood, 37 and she had been widowed for almost eighty-four years now; she never left the temple, serving with prayers and fasting night and day. 38 And that very hour she came up and gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all who were awaiting redemption in Jerusalem.

39 And having performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. 40 And the boy grew and became strong in the spirit, and wisdom filled him, and the grace of God was upon him.

41 And every year his parents would go to Jerusalem, in the days of the passover feast. 42 And twelve years having passed, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the days of the feast. 43 And the days being completed, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice. 44 But they, assuming him to be with the group, traveled a day’s journey and looked for him among their relatives and among their acquaintances. 45 And not finding him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him. 46 And it so happened after three days that they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them, and questioning them. 47 And all who heard him were dumbfounded at his understanding, and his answers. 48 And seeing him, they marveled, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Behold, your father and I were searching for you, sorrowing.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Or did you not know that I must be in these things which are of my father’s?” 50 And they did not understand the word which he spoke to them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. 52 And his mother kept all these words in her heart. 53 And Jesus grew in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.

3

And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysania the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being high priests, 2 it so happened, the word of the Lord came upon John the son of Zacharias in the desert. 3 And he came into all the countryside by the Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance into the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying,
A voice shouting in the desert:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
and every mountain and hill brought down,
and the crooked ways shall be straightened,
and the rough flattened,
6 and then shall all flesh see the salvation of God.

7 Therefore he said to the crowds who went out to be baptized by him, “Seed of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance, and do not undertake to say, ‘We have Abraham for a father’, for I say to you, God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones. 9 And already the axe is held at the roots of the tree; therefore every tree not bearing good fruit shall be cut off, and thrown into fire.”

10 And the crowd asked him saying, “Then what shall we do?”

11 And he answered and said to them, “Whoever has two shirts should give to whoever has none, and whoever has food should do likewise.”

12 And also there came publicans to be baptized, and they said to him, “Master, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Require nothing more than is due you.”

14 And there also questioned him soldiers, saying, “And us, what shall we do?”

And he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone, nor blackmail them; and be content with your allowance.”

15 And the people waited, and thought in their hearts about John, if he might not be that Christ. 16 And answering John said to everyone, “I indeed baptize you in water, but there comes a stronger than me, of whom I am not worthy to unfasten his sandal strap; he will baptize you in the holy spirit and fire, 17 whose fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather the wheat in his barn, and the chaff burn in inextinguishable fire.” 18 And with many other things he proclaimed the good news to the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being exposed by him about Herodias the wife of his brother, of every evil thing Herod did, 20 furthermore, he added this above all of them, and locked John away in prison.

21 And it so happened, when he had baptized all people, he also baptized Jesus, and praying, the heaven opened up 22 and the holy spirit came down in a bodily form like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved son; in you I am pleased.”

23 And this Jesus began to be almost thirty years of age, and was reckoned the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannes, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Naum, the son of Hesli, the son of Nagge, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathia, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Juda, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Resa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Thosan, the son of Helmadan, the son of Her, 29 the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorem, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Juda, the son of Joseph, the son of Jona, the son of Heliachim, 31 the son of Melcha, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmah, the son of Naashon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Selah, 36 the son of Kenan, the son of Arpakshad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jered, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

4

And Jesus, full of the holy spirit, returned to Jordan, and was taken by the spirit into the desert for forty days, and tempted by the devil. 2 And for those days he ate nothing; and when they were over, after that he was famished.

3 And the devil said to him, “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to turn into bread.”

4 And Jesus replied to him saying, “Not on bread alone does a person live, but on all the words of God.”

5 And the devil led him away to a tall mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth in the blink of an eye, 6 and said to him, “To you will I give power over the entirety of this, and all of its power, for it is given to me, and I can give it to anyone I please. 7 So if you will fall down before me, all of this will be yours.”

8 And answering, Jesus said to him, “Get back, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.

9 And he led him into Jerusalem, and stood him upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written that

He has commanded his angels of you, to serve you,
11 and in their hands they shall carry you,
lest sometime you should scrape your foot on a stone.

12 And answering, Jesus said to him, “It is said, Do not tempt the Lord your God.

13 And all the temptations being completed, the devil left him for a while. 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee, and his fame went out through the whole region. 15 And he taught in the synagogues, and was glorified by all of them.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he was raised, and entered, as he usually did, into a synagogue on the sabbath day, and got up to read. 17 And the book of Isaiah the prophet was brought to him. And he rolled back the book, and found the place where it was written,

18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he anointed me to evangelize the poor;
he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim release to the captive
and sight to the blind,

19 to set free the bruised,
to proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.

20 And the book being closed up, he returned it to the minister and sat down. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today these scriptures are fulfilled in your ears.”

22 And they all bore witness of him, and marveled at the graceful words which came from his mouth, and said, “Is not this person the son of Joseph?”

23 And he said to them, “No doubt you will tell me the old saw, ‘Doctor, cure yourself—whatever we have heard of you doing in Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’” 24 And he said, “Amen, I say to you, No prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 In truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the heaven was closed for three years and six months when there was a great famine in all the land, 26 and to none of them was Elijah sent, but into Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman, a widow. 27 And there were many in Israel afflicted with leprosy under Elisha the prophet, and none of them did he make clean but Naaman, a Syrian.”

28 And those who heard him were filled with rage, 29 and they got up and threw him out of the city, and brought him to the edge of the hill on which their city had been built, to throw him off, 30 but he passed through them, and continued on his way.

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where he would teach them on the sabbaths. 32 And they were dumbfounded at his teachings, for his word was in power.

33 And in the synagogue was a man having a demonic unclean spirit, and he screamed at the top of his voice, 34 saying, “Be gone from us; what is it between you and us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to slay us? I know you, who you are—the holy one of God.”

35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold your tongue and get out of him.”

And when the demon had thrown him into the midst he came out of him, hurting him nothing. 36 And amazement fell over all of them, and they spoke among themselves, saying, “What manner of word is this! For in power and might he commands unclean spirits, and they leave!” 37 And they would spread the fame of him in every place, to the very ends of the country.

38 And when Jesus had risen from the synagogue, he entered into the home of Simon. And Simon’s mother-in-law had come down with a great fever, and they asked him on her behalf. 39 And standing over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her; and at once, getting up, she began to serve them.

40 Now as the sun was setting, they would lead to him all who had various sicknesses and diseases, so that by so much as placing one hand on them they would be healed. 41 And also there went out demons from many, screaming, and saying, “You are Christ!” And rebuking them, he gave them no leave to speak, for they knew him to be Christ.

42 And the morning having dawned, he left, and went to a deserted place, and the crowds were looking for him. They seized him and detained him, so that he could not leave them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to other cities as well, for therefore was I sent.”

44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

5

It also so happened when the crowd swarmed around him to hear the word of God, and he stood at the lake of Genessaret. 2 And he saw two boats standing at the edge of the lake, and the fishers came down from them and washed their nets. 3 And coming into one boat, which was Simon’s, he asked him to move out from the land a little bit. 4 And sitting, he taught the crowd from the boat. And as he finished speaking he said to Simon, “Take it into the deeper water, and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 And answering Simon said to him, “Teacher, all night we have been working, and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”

6 And having done so, they caught an enormous amount of fish and their nets began to break. 7 And they signaled to their associates who were in another boat to come and help them. And they came, and filled up both ships, so that they were sinking.

8 Seeing this, Simon Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 9 For astonishment had befallen him and all who were with them because of the catch of fish which they took; 10 likewise also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were associates of Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 And having led the boats to land, they left everything behind and followed him.

12 And it so happened that he was in one city, and behold, a man full of leprosy, and seeing Jesus he fell on his face and asked him, saying, “Lord, if you want you can cleanse me.”

13 And stretching out a hand he touched him saying, “I do want. Be clean.” And at once the leprosy left him. 14 And he commanded him that he should tell no one, “But go show yourself to the priests, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded in its witness.”

15 And there went forth a great word of him, and there came together great crowds to hear him, and so that he would heal them of their ailments. 16 And he retreated into the desert and prayed.

17 And it so happened one day, that he was teaching, and there were pharisees sitting, and teachers of the law who came from every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was there to heal them. 18 And behold, men carrying on a bed a man who was a paralytic, and they sought him to bring him in and to put before him. 19 And not finding a means to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up onto the roof, and lowered him down by the tiles with the bed in the midst before Jesus. 20 Seeing so much faith, he said, “Mister, your sins shall be forgiven to you.”

21 And the scribes and Pharisees began to muse and say, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except God alone?”

22 But when Jesus noticed their musings, answering he said to them, “What are you musing in your hearts? 23 Whether it is easier to say ‘Your sins will be forgiven to you’, or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ 24 But that you people may know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, take your bed and go to your house.”

25 And at once getting up before him, he picked up where he had lain and went to his house, glorifying God. 26 And they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen unbelievable things today.”

27 And after these things he went out and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything behind and getting up he followed him.

29 And Levi prepared a great feast in his house; and there was a great crowd of publicans and others who sat with them.

30 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured against his disciples saying, “Why do you people eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

31 And answering, Jesus said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill. 32 I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

33 And they said to him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the Pharisees’, but yours eat and drink?”

34 And he said to them, “Can you make the sons of the bridal chamber fast while the groom is with them? 35 But the day will come, and the groom will be taken away; then they will fast in those days.”

36 And he also told them a parable: “No one takes a piece of new clothing and stitches it onto old clothing, or else the new one will be ripped and the old will not fit the piece taken out of the new. 37 And nobody puts new wine in old bottles, or else the new bottles will break and it will flow out and the bottles will be lost. 38 But new wine is to be put into new bottles and both will be preserved. 39 And no one who drinks old wine at once wants new, for he says, the old is better.”

6

And it so happened on the next sabbath after the first, as he went through the fields and his disciples plucked the heads of the grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And some of the Pharisees said to him, “Why do you people do what is not permitted on the sabbath?”

3 And answering Jesus said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered the house of God and took the loaves of the presence and ate them, and gave to those who were with him, which is not permitted to eat, except only by the priests?” 5 And he said to them, “The son of man is lord even of the sabbath.”

6 And it so happened on another sabbath that he went into a synagogue and taught. And there was a man there, and his right hand was dried up. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched to see if he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they would find something to accuse him of.

8 But he knew their musings, and said to the man whose hand was dried up, “Get up and stand in the midst.” And he got up and stood. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you if it would be permitted on the sabbath to do good or to do evil, that a soul be saved or lost?” 10 And having looked around everyone, he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” And he did, and his hand was restored, whole like the other.

11 And they were filled with insanity, and spoke together about what they would do to Jesus.

12 And it so happened in those days, he went out to a mountain to pray, and was there all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them which he also called Apostles: 14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also was the traitor.

17 And going down with them he stood in an open field, and the crowd of his disciples, and the numerous multitude of people from all Judaea and Jerusalem and the coast and Tyre and Sidon 18 who came to hear him and to be cured of their diseases, and who were vexed by unclean spirits and to be healed. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power went forth from him and healed them all.

20 And he, lifting up his eyes to his disciples, would say:

“Blessed are you poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.

21 “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and ostracize you and reproach you and throw your name out as evil because of the son of man. 23 Rejoice on that day, yes, jump for joy! For behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things their fathers did to the prophets.

24 “On the other hand, woe to you rich people, who have your consolation already.

25 “Woe to you who are full, for you will starve.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

26 “Woe when all people bless you. For according to these things their fathers did to the false prophets.

27 “But to you I say who listen: have love for your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who slander you and pray for those who do you harm. 29 And to whoever slaps you on the cheek turn also the other. And from the one who takes your coat from you do not stop him from taking your shirt. 30 And give to all who ask you, and from those who take your things do not ask them back. 31 And how you want people to do to you, you also, do to them likewise.

32 “But if you love those who love you, what thanks is it to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good for those who do good for you, what thanks is it to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you should ever give to those from whom you expect to receive, what thanks is it to you? For even sinners lend to sinners, that they may receive the same. 35 Rather, love your enemies; do good, and lend expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the most high, who is himself kind even to ungrateful and wicked people. 36 So be merciful, as your father is also merciful; 37 do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; 38 give and it shall be given to you; a good measure, pressed and shaken together and overflowing they shall give in your lap. For in whichever measure you measure it will be remeasured to you.”

39 And he told them this parable: “How can a blind person lead a blind person? Will they not both fall into a ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his master; but everyone shall be perfect if he is as his master.

41 “And which of you sees the speck in your brother’s eye, and the timber which is in your own eye you do not consider? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me pluck out the speck which is in your eye’, and you do not see the timber that is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the timber out of your own eye, and then you will perceive to pull out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

43 “For there is no good tree that bears evil fruit, nor an evil tree bearing good fruit; 44 for each tree is recognized by its own fruit. For neither do they collect figs from thorns, nor from bramble bushes do they gather grapes. 45 A good person from the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil person from the evil treasure brings forth evil. For from the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46 “And why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like— 48 he is like a man building a house who digs deep and sets down a foundation upon rock; and there was a flood, the river beat against his house, and it could not move it, for it was built on rock. 49 But whoever hears and does not do is like a man building his house upon the ground without foundation; against which the river beat, and at once it fell over, and the ruin of his house was great.”

7

And having finished all his words in the ears of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 And a centurion’s servant was ill and dying, who was dear to the centurion. 3 And having heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews asking him to come and save his servant. 4 And when they had come to Jesus they begged him insistently, saying, “He is worthy that you do this to him. 5 For he loved our people and built us a synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them.

And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him saying to him, “Lord, do not vex us; for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; 7 therefore I also did not deem myself worthy to come to you, but say the word and my servant will be made whole. 8 For I myself am a man placed under power, having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go’, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’, and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does.”

9 And hearing this Jesus marveled at him, and turning to the crowds following him, he said, “I say to you, not in Israel do I find such faith.”

10 And returning to the house, those who were sent found the servant healthy, who had been ill.

11 And it so happened the next day, he went into a city which was called Naim, and many disciples went with him and a large crowd. 12 And having come to the gate of the city, behold, a deceased person was being carried out, the only son of his widowed mother. And a great crowd from the city was with her, 13 who, when the Lord saw, was moved with mercy upon her, and said to them, “Do not weep.”

14 And he came and touched the bier. And those who were carrying him stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” 15 And the one who was dead sat back up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

16 And fear fell over all of them, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us, and God has visited his people.” 17 And this word went out into all of Judaea of him, and all around the countryside.

18 And John’s disciples told him of all these things.19 And John called two of his disciples and sent them to him saying, “Are you the coming one or do we wait for another?” 20 And the men, coming to him, said, “John the baptist sent us to say to you, ‘Are you the coming one or do we wait for another?’”

21 And in that hour he had cured many of their illnesses and plagues and evil spirits and had given sight to many blind people. 22 And answering, he said to them, “Go and report back to John what you have seen and heard—that the blind see, the lame walk, the leprous are being cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the good news is preached to the poor, 23 and blessed is whoever shall not be offended at me.”

24 And as the messengers of John left, he began to speak of John to the crowds: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed stirred up by the wind? 25 No, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are in fine and expensive clothes are in the presence of kings. 26 No, really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Indeed, I say to you, and something more than a prophet. 27 This is the one of whom it is written:

Behold, I send my messenger before your face
who shall prepare your way ahead of you.

28 For I say to you, there is no greater prophet among those born of women than John the baptist. On the other hand, the least in the kingdom of God is greater than him.”

29 And all people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God in themselves, not being baptized by him.

31 And the Lord said, “To whom therefore shall I compare the people of this generation? And what are they like? 32 They are like boys sitting in the marketplace and speaking to each other and saying,

‘We played you the flute,
and you have not danced.
We played you a dirge,
and you have not wept.’
33 For John the baptist came, neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you people said, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The son of man came eating and drinking and you say, ‘Behold a man, a glutton and a wino, a friend of publicans and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by her children.”

36 And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee and sat down. 37 And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, knowing that he was sitting in the house of the Pharisee, got an alabaster container of ointment, 38 and standing behind him, weeping at his feet, began to wash his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair on her head, and she would kiss his feet and anoint them with oil. 39 And the Pharisee who had called him, seeing this, said to himself, “If this person were a prophet, he would know who and what is this woman who touched him, for she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus, answering, said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

And he said, “Master, say it.”

41 “This creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 As they both had no way to repay, he forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which one loved him more?”

43 Simon, answering, said, “I presume, the one whom he forgave more.”

And he said to him, “You have determined correctly.” 44 And turning to the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss, but since she entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Because of this I say to you, her sins, as many as they are, shall be forgiven, since she loved much. But the one who was forgiven less loves less.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins shall be forgiven to you.”

49 And the others who were sitting there began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has made you whole; go in peace.”

8

And it so happened next, that he again went through the cities and towns preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God, and the twelve with him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of malign spirits and infirmities—Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons departed, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza the procurator of Herod, and Susanna, and many other women who would provide for him as they were able.

4 And as a large crowd was coming, and went to him from every city, he spoke by parable: 5 “There went out one who sowed, sowing his seed. And as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and was trampled, and the birds of heaven ate it. 6 And some fell upon rock; and as it sprouted it dried up, for it did not have moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up at the same time suffocated it. 8 And some fell on good land, and sprouting up bore fruit by the hundred.” These things he would shout as he spoke: “Whoever has ears for hearing should hear.”

9 And his disciples would question him, saying, “What was this parable?”

10 And he said, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the others, in parables so that

seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.

11 “And this is the parable: the seed is the word of God. 12 And what fell beside the road, these are those who heard, and then the devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, lest believing they should be saved. 13 And what fell upon rock, these are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. And they do not have roots, so for a time they believe, and in time fall into temptation. 14 And those which fell into thorns, these are those which hear, and the worries and riches and pleasures of life go and suffocate them, and they do not bear fruit. 15 And those which fell on the good land: these are those who in good and honest hearts hear the word, retain it, and fruit they bring forth in patience.

16 “And no one having lit a lamp covers it with a dish or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a candlestick so that those who come in may see the light. 17 For there is not anything hidden which will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known and become apparent.

18 “See therefore to how you hear. For to whomever has, there shall be given him, and to whomever does not have, even what he may seem to have shall be taken away from him.”

19 And there came to him his mother and brothers, and they could not go up to him due to the crowd. 20 And it was announced to him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside wanting to see you.”

21 And answering he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

22 And it so happened one day, that he went up into a boat, and his disciples, and said to them, “We shall go across the lake.”

And they went up. 23 And as they sailed it he fell asleep and a storm of wind came down upon the lake, and they were covered in water, and in danger for their lives. 24 And they came and woke him, saying, “Master, master, we perish.”

And he got up, rebuked the wind and the tempest of water, and they ceased, and a calm fell. 25 And he said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And quaking with fear they marveled among themselves, saying, “Now who is this, who even commands the winds and the sea and they obey him?”

26 And they navigated to the region of the Gazarenes, which is against Galilee. 27 And as he came out of the ship onto the land, a certain man from the city ran up to them, who had had a demon for quite some time, and wore no clothing, nor did he live in a house, but among the tombs. 28 He, when he saw Jesus, yelling, fell down before him, and said at the top of his voice, “What is it with you and me, Jesus, son of the most high? I beseech you, do not torture me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For much time it had seized him, and he would break the shackles and chains with which he was bound, and the demon would drive him out into the desert.

30 And Jesus questioned him, saying, “What is your name?”

And he said, “Legion”, for many demons had entered into him. 31 And he asked him not to order them to go into the abyss. 32 Now there was there a herd of many hogs grazing on a mountain; and they asked him to allow them to enter them. And he allowed them. 33 So the demons left the man and went into the hogs; and the herd charged off a cliff into the lake and was suffocated.

34 Those who were grazing them, seeing what had happened, fled and announced it in the cities and towns. 35 And they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demon had left, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were scared.

36 And also those who had seen told how he was made whole who was troubled by the demon. 37 And all the multitude of the Gazarenes begged him to leave them, for they were greatly afraid.

And he went back up into the boat. 38 For the man from whom the demon left had asked to be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Go back to your house and tell how much God has done for you.” And he went out into the whole city proclaiming how much Jesus had done for him.

40 And it so happened when Jesus went back, the crowd welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him. 41 And behold, a man came, whose name was Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, begging him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only-begotten daughter of about twelve years of age, and she was dead.

Now as he went, he could not move for the crowd. 43 And a woman who had been having a continual flow of blood for the past twelve years, who had spent all her substance on doctors and could not be cured by any of them, 44 came up behind him and touched the hem of his robe, and at once the flow of her blood stood still. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is it that touched me?”

Everyone denying it, Peter said, and those who were with him, “Teacher, the crowd is pushing on you from all sides, and you say, ‘Who touched me’?”

46 And Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I also know that power went forth from me.”

47 And the woman, seeing that she could not hide, came trembling, and fell down before his feet, and explained to him why she touched him, in front of all the people; and how she had at once been made whole. 48 And he said to her. “Have faith, daughter; your faith has made you whole; go in peace.”

49 As he was speaking, someone came from the house of the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead; do not vex the master.”

50 And Jesus, hearing this word, replied to the father of the little girl, “Do not fear; just believe and she will be healed.”

51 And when they had come to the house, he did not allow anyone to come in with him except for Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the little girl. 52 And everyone was weeping and mourning her. And he said to them, “Do not weep; the girl is not dead but asleep.” 53 And they jeered him, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he threw everyone outside, and took her hand, and shouted, saying, “Little girl, get up.” 55 And her spirit returned and she got up right away. And he directed them to give her something to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

9

And calling the twelve, he gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to cure the unwell. 3 And he said to them, “Do not pick up anything along the way, not a rod, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money, nor have two shirts. 4 And in whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave. 5 And whoever does not receive you, as you leave that city, shake off even the dust from your shoes in a testimony upon them.”

6 And going, forth they went around from town to town, proclaiming the good news and curing in every place.

7 And Herod the tetrarch heard everything that he did, and was perplexed, because some said that John had risen from the dead; 8 and some that Elijah had appeared; and others that one of the prophets from long ago had risen. 9 And Herod said, “John I have beheaded; now who is this of which I hear so much?” And he wanted to see him.

10 And the apostles returned telling him everything they did; and taking them he went off separately into a desert place of the city which was called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowd recognized him, they followed him; and he received them, and spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and those who needed a cure he healed.

12 And night began to fall and the twelve coming to him said to him, “Send the crowds away to go out into the villages and towns around to spend the night and find something to eat, for we are in this desert place.”

13 And he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said to them, “We have no more than five loaves of bread and two fish unless we are to go out and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 For there were about five thousand men.

And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down by groups of fifty”, 15 and they did so.

And they had everyone sit down, 16 and he took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed it, and broke and distributed to his disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were filled. And what was left over was taken down, twelve baskets of pieces.

18 And it so happened as he was praying alone, his disciples were with him also, and he asked them, saying, “What do the crowds say that I am?”

19 And they replied and said, “John the baptist; and others, Elijah, and yet others, that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.”

20 And he said to them, “And you, what do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter, answering, said, “The Christ of God.”

21 And he, rebuking them, ordered them not to say this to anyone, 22 saying that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be murdered, and rise again on the third day.

23 And he said to everyone, “If anyone wants to come after me, he should deny himself, and pick up his cross every day, and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to make his life safe will himself lose it, but whoever will lose his life because of me will make it safe. 25 For what does it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose himself, and be destroyed? 26 For whoever will be ashamed of me and my words, the son of man will be ashamed of him when he shall come in his majesty and the majesty of the father and the holy angels. 27 And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

28 And it so happened after these words about eight days, and he took Peter and John and James and went up a mountain to pray. 29 And it so happened as he prayed that the appearance of his face was different, and his clothing white and brilliant. 30 And behold, two men were speaking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, who were seen in glory; 31 and they spoke of his departure, which he would soon fulfill in Jerusalem.

32 And Peter and those who were with him were weighed down by sleep. And waking up, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. 33 And it so happened as they departed from him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good for us to be here; and we shall make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he was saying.

34 And as he said these things, clouds formed and overshadowed them, and they were afraid entering into the clouds. 35 And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved son; hear him.” 36 And when the voice sounded, they found Jesus alone, and kept silent and told no one in those days anything of which they had seen.

37 And it so happened the next day as they were coming down from the mountain, that a great crowd came running up to them. 38 And behold, a man in the crowd shouted out, saying, “Master, I beseech you, look upon my son, for he is my only-begotten; 39 and behold, a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he screams and it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and it crushes him, and with difficulty will it depart from him; 40 and I asked your disciples to expel him, and they could not.”

41 And Jesus answering said, “O generation faithless and perverse, how long will I be with you and stand you! Bring me your son.”

42 And as he was coming the demon ripped him and threw him into violent convulsions. 43 And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 44 And all marveled in the greatness of God.

And as everyone was marveling at all that he did, he said to his disciples, “Put these words in your ears. For the son of man shall soon be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 And they were ignorant of this word, and it was hidden from them, so that they not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him of this word.

46 And there came a musing among them, which of them was the greater. 47 And Jesus, seeing the musing of their hearts, took a boy and stood him next to him, 48 and said to them, “Whoever shall take in this boy in my name receives me. And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For whoever is the least among all of you will be himself great.”

49 And John answering said, “Teacher, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we stopped him because he did not follow us.”

50 And Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against us is for us.”

51 And it so happened when the day had come of his being taken up, that he had his face set to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent envoys before his face; and they went out and came into a city of the Samaritans to prepare for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because he was facing Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them like Elijah did?”

55 And Jesus, having turned around, rebuked them, saying, “You do not know of whose spirit you are. 56 For the son of man did not come to destroy lives but to save them.”

And they went into another village. 57 And it so happened as they were walking down the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you may go.”

58 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky nests, but the son of man does not have anywhere to rest his head.”

59 And he said to another, “Follow me.”

And he said, “Lord, let me first go back and bury my father.”

60 And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 And another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those who are of my house.”

62 Jesus said to him, “No one putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

10

And after these things the Lord designated another seventy-two and sent them in pairs before his face into every city and place where he was intending to go. 2 So he said to them: “The harvest is indeed great, but the workers few. Therefore ask the lord of the harvest to send workers into the harvest. 3 Go; behold, I send you like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a bag, nor money, nor shoes, and do not greet anyone along the way. 5 In whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house,’ 6 and if the son of peace shall be there, your peace shall rest upon it; otherwise it will return to you. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking what they set before you, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move about from house to house. 8 And in whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what they shall set before you, 9 and heal the sick which are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come to you.’ 10 And in whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, as you go out into its streets, 11 say, ‘Even the dust which clings to us from your city we wipe off in your midst; furthermore know this, that the kingdom of God has come to you.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin, woe to you, Bethsaida; for if these mighty works that were done in you were done in Tyre or Sidon, then long ago they would have repented and been sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But rather, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than you.

15 “And you, Capernaum, lifted up to heaven, will sink into hell.

16 “Whoever hears you hears me and whoever scorns you scorns me; and whoever scorns me scorns the one who sent me.”

17 And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subjected to us in your name.”

18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan like a lightning-bolt, falling from heaven.

19 “Behold, I am giving you power to step on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 However, in this do not rejoice, because the spirits shall be subjected to you; but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

21 In that hour he rejoiced in the holy spirit and said, “I thank you, father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to little children. Indeed, father, for such was pleasing before you.

22 “All things have been handed to me by my father, and no one knows who the son is but the father, nor who the father is but the son and those to whom the son wishes to reveal him.”

23 And having turned to his disciples, he said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you are seeing. 24 For I say to you that many prophets and kings wished to see what you see, and did not see; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear.”

25 And behold, a certain lawyer came up, tempting him, and saying, “Master, what am I to do, to possess eternal life?”

26 And he said to him, “In the law, what is written? How do you read it?”

27 He, answering, said, “You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and from all your soul, and from all your strength, and from all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 And Jesus, answering, said, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who robbed him of his very clothes, and left him there wounded and half-dead. 31 And it chanced that a certain priest was going down the same road, and seeing him, he crossed the road and went on his way. 32 Likewise also, a Levite, when he was by the place, and saw him, crossed the road and went on his way. 33 And a certain Samaritan, as he was traveling, came by him; and seeing him, he was moved with mercy. 34 And he came up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine upon them, and putting him on his own animal, he brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And at once the next day he gave the innkeeper two denarii and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more it shall cost you, I will pay you back when I return.’ 36 Now which of the three seems to you as a neighbor to the one who had fallen among thieves?”

37 And he said, “The one who had mercy on him.”

So Jesus said to him, “Go, and do the same yourself.”

38 And it so happened as he was going to enter into a certain village, that a certain woman, Martha by name, took him into her house, 39 and her sister, whose name was Mary, was sitting at the feet of the Lord, and would listen to his word. 40 But Martha was distracted about much serving, and came up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve? So tell her to help me.”

41 And answering, the Lord said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and in turmoil over many things, 42 but only one thing matters, and Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

11

And it so happened when he was in a certain place praying, as he finished, a certain of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as also John taught his disciples.”

2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our father in heaven,
may your name be made holy,
3 may your kingdom come,
may your will be done,
as on heaven, so also upon the earth.
Our allowance of bread give us today,
4 and forgive us our sins,
as we also forgive our debtors;
and do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.”

5 And he said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and will go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has come from afar to me, and I do not have anything to set before him’? 7 And inside, he will answer and say, ‘Do not bother me; the door is already closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give to you.’ 8 And if he shall continue to knock, I say to you, if he also does not get up and give to him because he is his friend, because he keeps bothering him he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “And I myself say to you: Ask, and there will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and you will be opened to. 10 For all who ask receive, and those who seek find, and those who knock are opened to.

11 “And which of you, being a father, if his son should ask him for bread, will give him a stone? Or instead of a fish, he would give him a serpent? 12 Or if he should ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? 13 So if you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give the holy spirit to those who ask him!”

14 And he was expelling a demon, and it was mute. And when he had expelled the demon, the mute person spoke, and the crowd marveled. 15 But one of them said, “In Beelzebul the prince of demons he expels demons.” 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

17 And he, knowing their musings, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 And if Satan himself were to be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? (For you people say that I cast out demons in Beelzebul.) 19 And if I myself expel demons in Beelzebul, then how do your sons expel them? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if I expel demons in the finger of God, certainly the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 “When a strong man, armed, guards his hall, his possessions are in peace. 22 But if someone stronger shall come upon him and defeat him, he will take all his weapons away in which he trusted, and divide his loot.

23 “The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

24 “When an unclean spirit leaves a person, he walks through waterless places seeking rest; and not finding, he says, ‘I will go back to my house from where I left.’ 25 And when he shall come, he will look and find it cleaned and decorated. 26 Then he will go and take seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they will go in and live there, and in the end it will be worse for that person than before.”

27 And it so happened as he said these things, that a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him, “Blessed is the womb which carried you, and the breasts which nursed you.”

28 And he said to her, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

29 And as the crowd gathered together, he began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks a sign, and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, the son of man will also be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south will rise in judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The Ninevite men will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel; but on a candlestick, so that those who may enter will see its light.

34 “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye shall be simple, all your body will also be clear; but if it shall be wicked, even your body will be dark. 35 Therefore, see that the light which is within you not be darkness. 36 If therefore your whole body shall be clear, not having any part dark, it will be all clear, as when a glowing candle illumines you.”

37 And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him, and Jesus went in and sat down. 38 And the Pharisee marveled, seeing that he had not first washed before dining. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean what is on the outside of cups and plates, but what is within you is full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools, did not the one who made the outside even make what is inside? 41 But rather, what you people have additionally, give to charity, and behold, all things will be clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees who give the tenth of mint and rue and every herb, and you neglect the judgment and the love of God; and these you should have done, and not left off the rest. 43 Woe to you Pharisees who love the best seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the market. 44 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, for you are like invisible tombs, and people walk on top, unaware.”

45 And a certain of the lawyers, answering, said to him, “Master, by saying these things you also insult us.”

46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers too; for you burden people with burdens that they cannot bear, and you yourselves will not lift a finger to help them.

47 “Woe to you, who build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers murdered them. 48 No doubt you bear witness that you people agree with the works of your fathers, for they slaughtered them and you build their tombs! 49 And because of this the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles and they will kill and hunt down some of them, 50 so that all the blood of the prophets may be required of them, which flowed from the beginning of the world to this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple.’ Yes, I say to you, it will be required of this generation.

52 “Woe to you lawyers, who hold the key of knowledge; you yourselves do not enter, and those who would enter you do not allow.”

53 And when he had said these things to them, the Pharisees and lawyers began to interrogate him all the more seriously, and to provoke him to speak of more things, 54 ambushing him, and looking to catch something from his mouth, to accuse him.

12

And when such an innumerable crowd of people had come together to him that they were stepping on each other, he began to say to his disciples, “First be on watch to yourselves for the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For nothing is covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Rather, what you shall say in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you speak in the ear in small rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.

4 “And I say to you, my friends, Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body, and afterward have no more they can do. 5 But I will show you who to fear: fear the one who after he kills you has the power to put you into Gehenna; indeed, I tell you, fear him.

6 “Do they not sell five sparrows for a dime, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not fear; you are of more worth than many sparrows.

8 “And I say to you, Everyone who shall confess me before people, the son of man shall also confess in him before the angels of God; 9 and whoever shall deny me before people, he shall deny before the angels of God. 10 And to all who speak a word on the son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall blaspheme upon the holy spirit, it shall not be forgiven.

11 “And when they drag you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and authorities, do not be worried as to how or what you should respond, or what you should say. 12 For the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour what you must say.”

13 And a certain person from the crowd said to him, “Master, tell my brother to split the inheritance with me.”

14 And he said to him, “Mister, who placed me as a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “See and beware of greed, for one’s life is not in the abundance of that which he possesses.” 16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying, “The field of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, 17 and he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, for I have no place to gather together my fruit?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my silos and build greater; and there I will gather together all my grain and all my goods, 19 and I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many good things laid aside for many years; rest, eat, drink, rejoice.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! Tonight your soul shall be required of you; and those things which you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So will it be to those who gather together treasures and are not rich in God.”

22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I say to you, Do not be worried over your lives, what you will eat, nor of your bodies, how you shall dress yourselves. 23 The life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the crows, for they neither sow nor reap, to whom is no warehouse nor barn, and God feeds them; how much greater are you than many birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a single foot to his height? 26 So if you cannot do the least of this, why worry about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow; they do not labor, nor do they spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. 28 And if the grass, which today is in the field, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, God so clothes, how much more so, you faithless lot! 29 And do not you seek what to eat or what to drink; nor hold yourselves in suspense 30 (for all these things the people of the world seek); but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 Rather, seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock; for it has pleased your father to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you own and give to charity; make yourselves bags which do not age, treasure not lacking in heaven; that a thief cannot steal, nor rust corrode. 34 For where your treasure is, there also your heart shall be.

35 “Keep yourselves dressed and your lamps burning, 36 and you will be like people awaiting their lord when he returns from a wedding, so that when he shall come and knock, at once they will open for him. 37 Blessed shall be those servants, whom when their lord comes, he shall find them keeping watch; amen, I say to you, he will clothe himself and make them sit down to table and come by and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the middle of the night, or if in the wee hours of the morning he should come and so find them—blessed are those servants.

39 “And know this: that if the head of the family knew when the thief were to come, he would have been watching and not let him dig into his house. 40 And you, be ready, for you cannot discern at what hour the son of man shall come.”

41 And Peter also said, “Lord, do you say this parable to us, or also to everyone?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who do you think is the faithful steward, and the prudent one, whom the lord sets over his family, to give them their measure of grain in its due time? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom, when the lord shall come, he finds him so doing. 44 Truly, I tell you that he shall set him over everything he owns. 45 But if that servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delayed in coming’, and begins to hit the servants and maids, and eat, drink and get drunk, 46 the lord of that servant will come on a day which he is not expecting, and an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and place his pieces with the infidels. 47 And that servant, who knew the will of the lord and did not prepare, and did not do as he wished, he shall be flayed many times; 48 but the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, he will be beaten less. And of all that are given much much will be required; and of those who have been committed much, they shall ask more.

49 “I have come to cast a fire upon the earth, and what do I want if it is already lit? 50 And I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how much does it pressure me, until it is done!

51 “Do you suppose that I have come to cast peace upon the earth? No, I tell you, but division; 52 for there will be henceforth five in one house divided three against two and two against three divided; 53 the father against the son and the son against his father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother.”

54 And also, he said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rise up out of the west, at once you say, ‘A shower is coming’, and so it is. 55 And when a south wind blows, you say that there will be a scorching wind, and there is. 56 Hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of heaven and earth, and you do not discern this time?

57 “And also, why do you not judge among yourselves what is just? 58 Now when you go with your adversary to the magistrate, along the way take action that you may be delivered from him, lest something he shall haul you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you in jail. 59 I tell you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the very last dime.”

13

And there were certain present at that time, telling him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And answering, Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans that such happened to them? 3 No, I say to you; but unless you have a change of heart, you will all likewise perish. 4 Likewise the eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you presume that they too had been debtors above all people living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I say to you; but unless you have a change of heart, you will all likewise perish.”

6 And he would tell them this parable: “A certain person had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and he did not find any. 7 So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Behold, I have come these three years looking for fruit on this fig tree and do not find any. Cut it down; why should it take up this land?’ 8 And he, answering, said to him, ‘Lord, give it one more year, during which I will dig around it and manure it, 9 and if it should bear fruit...but if not then you can cut it down.’”

10 And he was teaching in one of their synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And behold, a woman who had a spirit of infirmity the past eighteen years, and was hunched over, and could not by any means lift herself back up. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her to himself, and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” 13 And he laid his hand on her, and at once she was straightened out, and glorified God.

14 And the chief of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus healed on the sabbath, answered and said to the crowd, “There are six days in which one must work; so on these come and be healed, and not on the day of the sabbath.”

15 And the Lord, answering, said to him, “You hypocrite! Does any one of you on the sabbath not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead him to drink? 16 And this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, behold, eighteen years now—should she not be unbound from these chains this sabbath day?” 17 And when he had said this, all his adversaries turned red with embarrassment and all the people rejoiced upon all the glorious things that he did.

18 Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like, and what shall I liken it to? 19 It is like a grain of mustard which a man took into his garden, and it grew and became a great tree, and the birds of heaven nest in its branches.”

20 And again he said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until all of it was leavened.”

22 And he went through the cities and towns, teaching, and again making for Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, are there only a few who will be saved?”

24 And he said to them, “Try to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, seek to enter, and cannot. 25 And when the homeowner gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside, and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us!’ and he will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from’, 26 and you will start saying, ‘We ate and drank before you, and you taught in our streets!’ 27 And he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from! Get away from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 And in that place there will be the weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves kicked out, 29 and they will come from the east and west and north and south and sit down to dine in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

31 In that day some of the Pharisees came up to him and said, “Leave and get out of here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

32 And he said to them, “Go and say to that fox, ‘Behold, I expel demons, and do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I will be finished. 33 However, I must walk today and tomorrow and the next day, for a prophet ought not perish outside Jerusalem.’ 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who slaughters the prophets and stones those who are sent to you, how many times have I wanted to gather up your children, as a bird nestles them under her feathers! But you would not let me. 35 Behold, your house shall be left deserted. And I tell you this, you will not see me, until it so happens that you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

14

And it so happened that he entered into the house of a certain chief of the Pharisees on the sabbath to eat bread, and he was watching him. 2 And behold, a certain man with edema was before him. 3 And answering, Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it not permitted to heal on the sabbath?” 4 And they said nothing. And he took him, healed him, and sent him away. 5 And he answered them, saying, “Who among you, if your donkey or ox should fall into a well, would not right away pull it out on the sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer him to these things.

7 And he spoke a parable to the invitees, noticing how they chose the best seats, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, do not sit in the best place, lest sometime he has invited someone more honored than you, 9 and when the one who called both you and him should come, he will say to you, ‘Give him room’; and then you start, embarrassed, to take the lowest place. 10 But when you shall be called, go, sit in the last place, that when the one who invited you shall come, he might say to you, ‘Friend, come up higher’; then it will be glory to you before those who are sitting down at the table with you, 11 for all who lift themselves up will be brought down, and those who bring themselves down will be lifted up.”

12 And he said to the one who had invited him: “When you prepare a feast or dinner, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor your neighbors, nor the rich, lest sometime they too re-invite you, and make repayment to you. 13 But when you make a reception, call the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, for they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

15 And when one of the people at the table heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is the one who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”

16 And he said to him, “A certain man prepared a great dinner, and called many. 17 And he sent his servant at the hour of the dinner to invitees, ‘Come, for everything is already prepared.’ 18 And at once they all began to make excuses.

“The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go and look at it; I ask that you have me excused.’

19 “And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must try them out; I ask that you have me excused.’

20 And another said, ‘I have just gotten married, and therefore I cannot come.’

21 And returning, the servant announced to his lord these things. Then the head of the family, furious, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleyways of the city, and bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind and the deaf.’

22 And the servant said, ‘Lord, I have did as you commanded, and there is still space.’

23 And the lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the avenues and the hedgerows and make them come, so that my house will be full. 24 And I tell you, not one of the men I called will taste my dinner.’”

25 And there went great crowds with him; and turning around he said to them, 26 “If anyone will come to me and not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and above all his own life he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever will not take up his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 “For which of you wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and compute the cost, whether he has enough to finish it, 29 lest after he shall lay the foundation, and cannot finish, everyone who sees, begins to jeer at him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build, and cannot complete it’? 31 Or what king, going to engage in war against another king, will not first sit down and think over whether he can meet with ten thousand troops someone who is coming to him with twenty thousand? 32 Otherwise while he is still a long way off, he will send an ambassador to ask for peace. 33 Therefore, thus every one of you who does not renounce everything he owns cannot be my disciple.

34 “Salt is good; but if this salt should become tasteless, how shall it be re-salted? 35 It is not useful for being thrown on the ground, nor in the manure pile, but it is thrown outside. Whoever has ears to hear should hear.”

15

And all the publicans and sinners were coming to him to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes would murmur, saying, “This one receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 And he told them this parable, saying, “Which man of you who has a hundred sheep, and if he should lose one of them, 4 will not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go search for the one which was lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he shall find it, he will take it up in his arms, 6 and coming to his house, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ 7 I tell you that there will likewise be joy in heaven over one sinner with a change of heart, than over ninety-nine righteous ones who needed not repent.

8 “Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she should lose one drachma, will not light a lamp, and sweep the house and search diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she shall find it, she will call together her lady-friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I lost.’ 10 Indeed, I tell you, there will be joy before the angels of God over one sinner who has a change of heart.”

11 And he said: “A certain man had two sons, 12 and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of the estate which falls to me.’ And he divided his property with them.

13 “And not many days later, the younger son, having gathered everything together, journeyed into a faraway country, and there squandered everything he owned on living luxuriously. 14 And after he had consumed everything, a great famine happened in that country, and he began to feel want. 15 And he went out, and joined up with one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him out into his fields to tend the hogs. 16 And he longed to fill his stomach with the husks that the pigs ate, and no one would give him any. 17 And in himself he turned back, saying, ‘How many hirelings in my father’s house have plenty of bread, and I perish with hunger! 18 But I will rise and go to my father, and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

20 “And getting up, he came to his father. And when he was still some way away, his father saw him, and was moved by mercy, and running to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But his father said to his servants, ‘Hurry, and bring the best robe, and put it on him, and place my ring in his hand, and shoes on his feet, 23 and bring out the fatted calf, and sacrifice it with fire, and we will eat and celebrate, 24 for this my son was dead and lives again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing; 26 and he called one of his servants and asked what was going on in there. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, for he has received him safe and sound.’

28 “And he was indignant, and would not come in. So his father came out and called him. 29 And he, answering, said to his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you, and never went against your orders, and you never gave me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends, 30 but after this son of yours, who devoured your estate with prostitutes, came back, you killed the fatted calf!’

31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything of mine is yours; 32 you ought also to celebrate and rejoice, for this your brother was dead and lives again; he was lost, and is found.’”

16

And he said to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and he was accused to him, that he had squandered his goods. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear of you? Give an account of your stewardship; from now on you cannot serve as steward.’

3 “And the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do, for my lord has taken away my stewardship? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do, so that when I shall be removed from my stewardship, they will take me into their homes.’

5 “So he called each of his lord’s debtors, and to the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my lord?’

6 “And he said, ‘Six hundred gallons of oil.’

“And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write three hundred.’

7 “Then he said to another, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’

“He said, ‘A thousand bushels of wheat.’

“And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eight hundred.’

8 “And the lord praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted prudently; for the sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of light are in their generation. 9 And I tell you this myself: Make for yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, so that when you fail, they will receive you in eternal tabernacles. 10 The one who is faithful in the least is in much also faithful; and the one who is unrighteous in small things is also unrighteous in greater matters. 11 Therefore, if you are not faithful in the Mammon of unrighteousness, who will give you what is true? 12 And if you are not faithful in what was another’s, who shall give you what is yours?

13 “No one can serve two lords; for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will cling to one and contempt the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon.”

14 And the Pharisees also heard all these things, and being greedy, they jeered him. 15 And he said to them, “It is you who justify yourselves before the people, but God knows what is in your hearts; for what is highly thought-of among the people is an abomination before God.

16 “The Law and Prophets were until John, and since that time the good news has been proclaimed of the kingdom of God, and everyone is forcing a way into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one point of the Law to fall.

18 “Everyone who dismisses his wife and takes another will be committing adultery; and whoever takes a woman dismissed by her husband will be committing adultery.

19 “There was a certain rich man who was dressed in fine purple clothes and made merry every day splendidly. 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, covered with scabs, 21 and longing to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the table of the rich man; but also, the dogs came and licked his scabs. 22 And it so happened that the beggar died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s lap. And the rich man died as well, and was buried, 23 and in hell, lifting up his eyes, being in torment, he saw Abraham from a distance, and Lazarus in his lap, 24 and screamed, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to touch the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in torment in this flame.’

25 “And Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you received good things in your life, and likewise Lazarus bad; and now he shall be consoled, and you tormented; 26 and beyond all this, between us and you people there is a great chasm fixed in place, so that those who would want to cross over and go to you cannot, nor can they be brought over from there.’

27 “And he said, ‘Therefore I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father 28 (for I have five brothers) to witness to them, so that they may not come into this place of torment.’

29 “And Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they can listen to them.’

30 “And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone from the dead should go to them, they would have a change of heart.’

31 “And he said to him, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, were someone to resurrect from the dead.’”

17

And he said to the disciples, “It is impossible that scandal should not come; but woe to the one by whom it comes. 2 It would be better for him if a donkey’s millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the ocean than that one of these little ones should be offended. 3 See to yourselves: If your brother should sin against you, rebuke him, but if he should repent, forgive him. 4 And if seven times in one day he should sin against you, and seven times in one day be turned back to you, saying, ‘I have had myself a change of heart’, forgive him.”

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

6 But the Lord said to them, “If you people had so much faith as a single seed of mustard, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Pull yourself up by the roots, and transplant yourself in the sea’, and it would obey you.

7 “And which of you, having a servant plowing or shepherding who comes back from the field, will say to him, ‘Go over there now and eat’, 8 and will not rather say to him, ‘Prepare for me to eat, and clothe up and wait on me while I eat and drink, and afterward eat and drink yourself?’ 9 Does he thank that servant for having done what he commanded him? 10 I do not think so. And you also, when you should do all that you have been told, say, ‘We are but useless slaves; we do but what we ought to do.’”

11 And it so happened, that he was going to Jerusalem, and he had to cross through Samaria and Galilee. 12 And when he would enter a certain town, ten leprous men, who stood at a distance, came running up to him, 13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, teacher, have mercy on us.”

14 Seeing them, he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”

And it so happened, as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, seeing that he had been cleansed, turned back and glorified God at the top of his voice, 16 and he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him; and he happened to be a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus, answering, said, “Were not ten cleansed? And where are the other nine? 18 There were not found returning to give glory to God, except for this foreigner.” 19 And he said to him, “Rise; go, for your faith has made you whole.”

20 And some Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God would come, and he replied to them, saying, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look over here!’ or ‘Look over there!’—for behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”

22 And he said to his disciples, “There comes a day, when you will desire to see one of the days of the son of man, and not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look over here’, and ‘Look over there’; do not go; do not follow; 24 for as a flash of lightning, which shines from one end under heaven, flashes to the other end under heaven, so will it be for the son of man in that day. 25 And first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation. 26 And as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be in the day of the son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they took wives and gave them in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark and the flood came and they all perished. 28 And likewise it so happened in the days of Lot; they ate, drank, bought, sold, planted, built, 29 but the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and they all died; 30 according to these things shall it be on the day when the son of man shall be revealed. 31 On that day, whoever may be on the roof, and his things in the house, should not go down to pick them up; and likewise whoever may be in the field should not return back. 32 Be mindful of Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever would seek to make his life safe will lose it; and whoever will lose it, he will be caused to live. 34 I tell you, on that night, there will be two people in one bed—one will be taken away, and one left behind. 35 There will be two women grinding together—one will be taken away, and one left behind.”

36 And they, answering, said to him, “Where, Lord?”

37 And he said to him, “Wherever there may be a corpse, there too the vultures shall gather.”

18

And he spoke this parable to them, how they must always pray and not be lacking, 2 saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor had reverence for people. 3 And there was a certain widow in that city, and she would come to him, saying, ‘Vindicate me of my adversary.’ 4 And for some time he would not.

“But afterward, he said within himself, ‘Although I neither fear God nor have reverence for people, 5 because this widow will keep bothering me, I will vindicate her, lest in the end by her coming she wear me down completely.’”

6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said. 7 And will God not vindicate the ones he has chosen who are crying out to him day and night, though he is patient with them? 8 I tell you that he will vindicate them quickly. Rather, do you think that the son of man, when he shall come, will find faith upon the earth?”

9 And he spoke also to those who confided in themselves that they were righteous, and scorned others, this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee, standing, prayed thusly with himself: ‘God, I give you thanks, for I am not like other people—thieves, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this publican— 12 I fast twice on the sabbath and give a tenth of all I own.’

13 “And the publican, standing at a distance, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but hit his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am.’

14 “I tell you, this one went down to his house more justified than the other; for all who bring themselves up will be brought down, and those who bring themselves down will be brought up.”

15 And they would bring little children to him, so that he could touch them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 And Jesus, calling them to himself, said, “Let the children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Amen, I say to you, whoever will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter into it.”

18 And a certain prince questioned him, saying, “Good master, doing what shall I possess eternal life?”

19 But Jesus said to him, “Who do you call me good? There is no one good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: do not commit murder, do not commit adultery, do not commit theft, do not speak false testimony, honor your father and your mother.”

21 And he said, “I have observed all these things since my childhood.”

22 And Jesus, having heard this, said to him, “Then only one thing remains to you: all that you own, sell and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

23 And he, hearing this, became sad; for he was very rich. 24 And Jesus, seeing him become saddened, said, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 And those who heard said, “And who can be saved?”

27 And he said to them, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

28 And Peter said, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you.”

29 And he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has left behind home or parents or brothers or wife or children because of the kingdom of God 30 who will not receive much more in this time, and in the coming age eternal life.”

31 And Jesus took the twelve and said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that have been written by the prophets of the son of man will be carried out; 32 for he will be betrayed by the people, and mocked, and treated with spite, and spit on; 33 and after they flay him they will murder him, and on the third day he will rise again.” 34 And they understood none of this. And this word was hidden from them, and they did not understand what he was saying.

35 And it so happened as he approached Jericho, a certain blind man stood beside the road begging. 36 And hearing the crowd going by, he asked them what this could be. 37 And they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing through. 38 And he shouted and said, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” 39 And those who went ahead would rebuke him and tell him to shut his mouth. But he shouted out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 And Jesus, standing there, commanded them to bring him to him. And as he came near he asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”

And he said, “Lord, that I may receive sight.”

42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive sight; your faith has made you whole.”

43 And at once he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, seeing this, gave praise to God.

19

And as he was walking, he entered Jericho. 2 And behold, a man named Zacchaeus; and he was chief of the publicans, and rich; 3 and he sought to see Jesus, for he was there; and he could not, because of the crowd, for he was short. 4 And running ahead, he climbed a sycamore tree to see him as he passed by. 5 And when he had come to the place, Jesus looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down at once; for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And at once he came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when everyone saw, they murmured, saying, “He intends to spend the night in the home of a sinner.”

8 And Zacchaeus stood up and said to Jesus, “Behold, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I pay back fourfold.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has happened in this house, seeing as he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the son of man has come to seek out and save the perishing.”

11 And as they heard, he spoke in addition a parable, since he was near Jerusalem, and because they deemed that the kingdom of God would be revealed immediately. 12 Therefore he said, “A certain nobleman went out into a very distant country to receive to himself a kingdom and return. 13 And he called ten of his servants, gave them each ten minas, and said to them, ‘Invest until I come.’

14 “And his citizens hated him; and they sent messengers after him, saying, ‘We will not have this person to reign over us.’

15 “And it so happened that he came back, having received the kingdom; and he ordered the servants to be called, whom he had given the money, so that he would know how much they had earned from their investments.

16 “And the first came and said, ‘Lord, your mina has earned ten minas.’

17 “And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; as you have been faithful in little, you will have power over ten cities.’

18 “And another came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’

19 “And he said, ‘And you, be over five cities.’

20 “And another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold, your mina which I laid up in a napkin; 21 for I feared you, as you are a stern man; you take what you have not put down, and reap what you did not sow.’

22 “He said to him, ‘I judge you from your own mouth, you worthless servant! You knew that I was a stern man, taking what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown; 23 and why did you not put my money in the bank, and then when I returned I would have gotten it back with interest?’ 24 And to those who were standing there, he said, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

25 “And they said to him, ‘But, Lord, he already has ten minas.’

26 “I tell you, to all who have there shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away. 27 ‘And rather, as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and kill them before me.’”

28 And having said these things, he went ahead, and up toward Jerusalem. 29 And it so happened, as he approached Bethphage and Bethany, by the mountain which was called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the town which is against you, in which as you enter you will find a colt tied up, on which no person has sat; untie it and bring it. 31 And if anyone should ask you why you are untying it, tell them this, that the Lord needs it.”

32 And those who were sent left, and found, just as he had said, the colt standing. 33 And as they untied the colt, its master said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 And they said, “Because its lord needs it.”

35 And they led it to Jesus. And throwing their clothes on the colt, they set Jesus on top. 36 And as he was going, they spread out their clothes in the street, 37 and as he yet approached the foot of the mount Olivet, the entirety of the disciples began, rejoicing, to praise God at the top of their voices, upon all the mighty deeds that they had seen, 38 saying,

Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord;
peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”

39 And certain Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Master, rebuke your disciples.”

40 But he replied and said, “I tell you, if they keep silent, at once the stones will shout.”

41 And as he approached, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying, 42 “If you, even you, had known, even in this your day, what belonged to your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days are coming to you, and your enemies will dig a trench around you and surround you, and press against you from every side, 44 and they will raze you to the very ground, and even your children who are within you, and they will not leave you one stone upon another; for you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

45 And having entered the temple, he began to eject the buyers therein, and the sellers, 46 saying to them, “It is written, My house is a house of prayer; and you, you have turned it into a cave of thieves!”

47 And every day he was teaching in the temple, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and the foremost of the people sought to destroy him, 48 and found no way to do so, for all the people were rapt, listening to him.

20

And it so happened one day, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and proclaiming the good news, that chief priests and scribes came together with the elders 2 and spoke to him, saying, “Tell us, in what power do you do these things? Or who is it that gave you this power?”

3 And Jesus, answering, said to them, “I myself will ask you one word also, and answer me. 4 The baptism of John: was it from heaven, or from the people?”

5 And they mused among themselves, saying, “If we should say from heaven, he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we should say from the people, the whole populace will stone us, for they are convinced that John is a prophet.” 7 And they answered him that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you in what power I do these things.”

9 And he began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard and leased it out to tenants, and went on a journey for a long time. 10 And in due time he sent a servant to the farmers, for them to give the fruit of the vines; and they flayed him and sent them away empty-handed. 11 And he sent them another servant; and they even flayed him, and shamed him, and sent him away empty. 12 And he sent them a third; and they wounded him and threw him out. 13 And the lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send them my beloved son; perhaps when they see him, they will respect him.’ 14 And when the tenants saw him, they mused among themselves, saying, ‘This one is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the estate will be ours.’ 15 And having thrown him out of the vineyard, they killed him. Now what will the lord of the vineyard do? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.”

When they heard this, they said, “Never!”

17 And he, perceiving this, said, “Then what is this that is written?

The stone which the builders rejected,
it has become the keystone.
18 Everyone who falls upon that stone will be shattered; and whomever it shall fall upon, it will grind him to powder.”

19 And the chief priests and scribes sought to lay their hands on him at that hour, but feared the populace; for they recognized that he had spoken that parable about them.

20 And watching him, they sent people to bait him, who would pretend to be just, to catch him in his words, and hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 And they would ask him, saying, “Master, we know that you speak rightly, and teach, and do not respect the human person, but teach the way of God in truth. 22 Is it permitted us to pay the head tax to Caesar, or not?”

23 And understanding their shrewdness, he said to them, “Why do you tempt me? 24 Show me a denarius; whose image and inscription does it have?”

They, answering, said to him, “Caesar’s.”

25 And he said to them, “Then repay what is Caesar’s to Caesar; and what is God’s to God.”

26 And they could not grasp his word before the people; and marveling at his response, they remained silent.

27 And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, 28 and they questioned him, saying, “Master, Moses wrote us, that if any brother should die having a wife, and he should die without children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed to him. 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless. 30 And the second took her and himself died childless. 31 And the third took her, and likewise the rest of the seven, and left no children, and died. 32 At the end of all these things the woman also died. 33 Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as a wife.”

34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age take wives and marry; 35 but those who are worthy of the next age and the resurrection from the dead neither take wives nor marry, 36 neither do they die further; they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, as they are sons of the resurrection. 37 But when the dead shall rise again, Moses also revealed by the bush, as the Lord said, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 38 but he is not God of the dead, but the living, for all are alive to him.”

39 And some of the scribes replied, saying, “Master, you have spoken well.” 40 And therefore, they dared not ask him anything.

41 And he said to them, “How can they say that Christ is the son of David? 42 And David himself said in the book of the Psalms,

The Lord said to my lord,
Sit on my right,

43 until I place your enemies
as a stool for your feet.
44 So David called him Lord; and how is he his son?”

45 And as all the people listened, he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the forum, and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best seats at parties, 47 who devour the houses of widows while speaking long prayers; these will receive the greater damnation.”

21

And looking up, he saw the rich people who put their offerings into the treasury. 2 And he also saw a certain very poor widow putting two bits into it. 3 And he said, “I tell you the truth, that this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For all of them put their offerings to God from that which they had extra; but she, out of her poverty, has put in all the livelihood she had.”

5 And as some were speaking of the temple, what beautiful stones and gifts it was adorned with, he said, 6 “These things which you see, there will come a day in which not one stone will be left on top of another that will not be destroyed.”

7 And they asked him, saying, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what sign with which these things will happen?” 8 And he said, “See that you not be led astray; for many will come in my name saying ‘It is I, and the time is coming’; do not go after them. 9 And when you will hear of wars and seditions, do not fear; these things must happen first, but the end will not be soon thereafter.”

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be mighty earthquakes in places, and famines and pestilences, and there will be terror and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things they will lay hands on you and hunt you down, hauling you into the synagogues and jails, betraying you to kings and rulers because of my name; 13 but it shall turn to you in witness. 14 So put it in your hearts not to premeditate how you will respond, 15 for I shall give you a mouth and knowledge which all who oppose you cannot resist nor contradict. 16 And also, you will be betrayed by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will have you put to death; 17 and you will be hated by all people because of my name; 18 but not a hair on your heads will perish. 19 Maintain your souls in your patience.

20 “And when you shall see troops surround Jerusalem, then know that its desolation is nigh; 21 then those who are in Judaea should escape to the hills, and those who are in its midst come out into the countryside; and those who are in the countryside not enter therein, 22 for these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 “And woe to the pregnant and nursing in those days! For there shall be a great distress upon the earth, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all nations, and the nations shall tread Jerusalem underfoot, until the time of the nations shall be fulfilled. 25 And there will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars, and upon the earth distress of the nations, in desperation, as the sea roars and the waves crash; 26 people freezing with fear, and their awaiting what shall come over the globe of the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be displaced, 27 and then they will see the son of man coming upon a cloud with power and great majesty. 28 And when these things shall start to occur, look up, and lift up your heads, for your liberation is at hand.”

29 And he told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all trees; 30 when they begin to bud, you know that summer is nigh. 31 Thus also you, when you shall see these things occur, know that the kingdom of God is nigh. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation shall not pass until all things have been done. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will not pass away.

34 “And beware for yourselves lest sometime your hearts should be burdened by dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and so that day will catch you unawares; 35 for it shall come like a trap upon all who sit upon the face of all the earth. 36 Therefore watch, praying all the time that you may be worthy of fleeing all these things that shall be, and to stand before the son of man.”

37 And he was teaching in the temple every day; and by night he would leave and make camp on the mountain which was called Olivet. 38 And all people came early to him in the temple, to hear him.

22

Now the days of the feast of flat bread were approaching, which was called the passover. 2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how to slay Jesus, but feared the people. 3 And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, who was one of the number of the twelve; 4 and he left, and spoke with the chief priests and magistrates, how he might betray him to them. 5 And they rejoiced, and made a pact to give him money. 6 And he promised, and sought the opportunity to betray him to them, the crowd being absent.

7 And the day of flat bread came, in which the passover must be sacrificed. 8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, “Go, prepare us the passover, so that we may eat.”

9 And they said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”

10 And he said to them, “Behold, as you go into the city a certain man will come running up to you, carrying a jug of water; follow him into the house in which he shall enter, 11 and say to the head of the house, ‘The master says to you, Where is the guest room, where I can eat the passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large furnished dining hall; there prepare.”

13 And as they went out, they found just as he had said to them, and they prepared the passover. 14 And as the hour came, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “With a desire I desired to eat this passover with you, before I suffer. 16 For I say to you, after this, I shall eat no more of it until it shall be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17 And taking up the cup he gave thanks and said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come.”

19 And taking up the bread, giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which shall be given for you; do this in my commemoration.”

20 Likewise also the cup, after they had dined, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which shall be poured out for you. 21 However, behold, the hand which betrays me is with me at the table. 22 And indeed the son of man goes as it has been determined; however, woe to the man by whom he shall be betrayed.” 23 And they began to inquire among themselves as to which of them it would be, who would do this.

24 And it so happened also, a contention among them, as to which of them would be seen to be the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the nations dominate them, and those who have power over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so you; but whoever is greater among you shall be as the lesser; and the one who is a chief, as a servant. 27 For which is the greater, the one who sits to dine, or the one who serves? Not the one who sits to dine? But I am in your midst as one who serves; 28 and you are the ones who have remained with me in my temptations. 29 And I appoint you, as my father has appointed me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink upon my table in my kingdom, and sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has staked his claim on you to winnow you like wheat; 32 but I have asked on your behalf, that your faith not be lacking; and when you turn back, confirm your brothers.”

33 And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to even go to jail and to death with you.”

34 And he said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until three times you deny that you know me.”

35 And he said to them, “When I sent you without bag or purse or shoes, did you lack anything?”

36 And they said, “Nothing.”

So he said to them, “But now, whoever has a bag, take it, and likewise purse; and whoever lacks should sell his shirt and buy a sword. 37 For I tell you that as it is written, it must be fulfilled: And with the iniquitous he was reckoned. For those things which are written of me have an end.”

38 And they said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.”

And he said to them, “That will suffice.”

39 And he went out, and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he had come to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you not enter into temptation.”

41 And he moved away from them a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you wish, remove this cup from me; however, may not my will but yours be done.”

43 And an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed all the more earnestly, 44 and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 And as he rose from prayer and came to his disciples, he found them asleep for sorrow. 46 And he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you not enter into temptation.”

47 And as he was speaking to them, behold, a crowd; and the one who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went ahead of them, came up to Jesus and kissed him. 48 And Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the son of man with a kiss?”

49 And when those who were around him saw what was coming, they said to him, “Lord, should we hit them with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck a servant of the chief priest and cut off his right ear.

51 And Jesus, answering, said, “No more.” And touching his ear, he healed him.

52 And Jesus said to the chief priests, magistrates of the temple and elders who had come to him, “Have you come with swords and clubs, as to a thief? 53 I was in the temple with you every day and you never stretched out a hand against me; but this is your hour, and the power of the darkness.” 54 And they seized him, took him away and led him to the house of the chief priest.

And Peter followed from a distance. 55 And as a bonfire was lit in the middle of the atrium, and they were sitting around it, Peter was in their midst. 56 And when a certain maid saw him sitting by the firelight, she fixed her eyes on him and said, “He too was with him.”

57 And he denied him, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

58 And a little while later, another person, seeing him, said, “You are one of them too.”

And Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

59 And an hour later a certain other affirmed, saying, “Truly this one was also with him; for he is a Galilean.”

60 And Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying.”

And that instant, as he was speaking, a rooster crowed, 61 and the Lord turned around and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the words of the Lord, how he had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 62 And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

63 And the men who held him jeered him and beat him, 64 and blindfolded him, and slapped him across the face, and questioned him, saying, “Prophesy: who is it that hit you?” 65 And many other things they said to him in blasphemy.

66 And as soon as it was day the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together and led him into their council, saying, “If you are Christ, tell us.”

67 And he said to them, “If I were to tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I were also to question you, you will not answer me, nor free me. 69 But from this time, the son of man will be sitting to the right of the power of God.”

70 And they all said to him, “Then you are the son of God, after all?”

And he said, “It is you who say that I am.”

71 And they said, “What more testimony do we need? For we have heard it from his own mouth.”

23

And rising up, all the crowd of them led him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We caught this one subverting our nation and forbidding to pay tax to Caesar, saying of himself that he is Christ, a king.”

3 And Pilate questioned him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

And he, answering, said, “Whatever you say.”

4 And Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no case against this man.”

5 And they were all the more insistent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching through the whole of Judaea from Galilee to here.”

6 And Pilate, hearing Galilee, asked if the man were a Galilean. 7 And when he knew that he was under the authority of Herod, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also in Jerusalem in those days. 8 And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, having heard many things about him; and he hoped to see him do some sign. 9 And he questioned him with many words, but he replied nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood there bitterly accusing him. 11 And Herod scorned him, along with his troops; and jeering him, they clothed him with a brilliant robe, and sent him back to Pilate. 12 And that day, Herod and Pilate became friends; for before that, they were enemies to each other.

13 And Pilate, having called the chief priests and magistrates and people, 14 said to them, “You have brought me this man as if he were a perverter of the people, and behold, I, questioning him before you, have found no crime in this man of which you accuse him. 15 Nor Herod either; for I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him. 16 Therefore, I will rebuke him and free him.” 17 (For he had to release to them one person on the feast day.)

18 But the whole crowd shouted out at once, saying, “Take him away, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 Now he had been thrown in prison for a sedition which he carried out in the city, and for murder.

20 And again, Pilate spoke to them, wishing to free Jesus. 21 But they retorted, saying, “Crucify, crucify him!”

22 And a third time he said to them, “For what evil has he done? I have found no case for death in him; I will therefore beat him and then free him.”

23 But they insisted at the top of their voices that he be crucified; and their voices, and those of the chief priests, prevailed.

24 And Pilate judged that their petition be done, 25 and released to them the one who had been placed in prison for murder and sedition, that they had asked for, and handed Jesus over to their will.

26 And when they were leading him away, they seized a certain Cyrenese named Simon, coming from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

27 And many people would follow him, and women, weeping and mourning him. 28 And Jesus turned to the women, and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For behold, there shall come a day in which you will say, ‘Blessed are the sterile, and the wombs which have not borne, and the breasts which have not nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us’, 31 for if these things should be done to young wood, what will they do to the dry?”

32 And they brought two others also with him, evildoers, to be executed. 33 And after they had come to the place which was called The Skull, they crucified him; and thieves, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

And they divided his clothing and gambled over it. 35 And the people stood gawking, and the rulers jeered him with them, saying, “He saved others; he can save himself if he is the Christ, God’s chosen one.”

36 And the soldiers also jeered him, and offered him vinegar, 37 saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 And there was an inscription written above him in Greek, Latin and Hebrew script: “This is the king of the Jews.”

39 And one of those who was being hanged, a thief, blasphemed him, saying, “If you are Christ, save yourself and us.”

40 And the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God? For you are in the same damnation. 41 And we indeed justly receive the worth of our deeds; but he has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me, when you shall come in your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

44 And it was now about noon, and a darkness fell over the whole earth until the middle of the afternoon, 45 and the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple ripped down the center. 46 And screaming at the top of his voice, Jesus said, “Father, in your hands I place my spirit.” And having said this, he gave up the spirit.

47 And a centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified God, saying, “Truly this was a righteous man.”

48 And the whole crowd of them, who had come together to this spectacle, and had seen what happened, hit their chests and turned back. 49 And all his acquaintances stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, watching these things.

50 And behold, a man named Joseph, a counselor, who was good and just 51 (he had not agreed to the counsel and deeds of them); he came from Arimathaea, a city of Judaea, and he himself was awaiting the kingdom of God; 52 he came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, 53 and he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and set it in a hewn tomb in which no one had ever been laid.

54 And the day was the preparation, and the sabbath was dawning. 55 And the women following, who had come with him from Galilee, saw the tomb, and how his body had been laid down. 56 And returning, they prepared perfumes and ointments; and they rested that sabbath, according to the commandment.

24

Early on the first day after the sabbath, they came to the tomb carrying the perfumes that they had prepared, and others with them; 2 and they found the stone rolled back from the tomb. 3 And having entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it so happened, as they were perplexed about this matter, behold, two men stood next to them, in glowing robes.

5 And as they were being afraid, and bowing their faces down to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen; remember how he spoke to you while he was yet in Galilee, 7 saying that the son of man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, and crucified, and rise again on the third day.” 8 And they remembered his words.

9 And they returned from the tomb, announcing these things to the eleven, and to everyone else. 10 And it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the wife of James, and certain other woman who had been with him, who said these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like the ravings of madmen, and they did not believe them.

12 And Peter, getting up, ran to the tomb; and bending down, he saw the cloths set by themselves, and he left, wondering to himself, marveling at what had happened.

13 And behold, two of them went that day into a town which was about sixty stadia away from Jerusalem, called Emmaus. 14 And they were conversing among themselves about all these things that had happened. 15 And it so happened as they were conversing and discussing these things, that Jesus approached and went with them, 16 but their eyes had been dimmed, and they did not recognize him.

17 And he said to them, “What are these words that you toss about between yourselves, as you are walking and being sad?”

18 And one, named Cleopas, answered and said to him, “Are you but a traveler in Jerusalem, and you do not know what has happened these past few days?”

19 And he said to him, “What?” And they said, “About Jesus the Nazarene, who was a man, a prophet, strong in word and deed before God and all the people; 20 and how our chief priests and rulers betrayed him into the damnation of death and crucified him; 21 and we were hoping that he would be the one who would redeem Israel, and now today, it has been three days since all these things took place. 22 But also, certain of our women surprised us, for they had gone to the tomb before it was light, 23 and did not find his body, and they came saying to themselves that they had seen a vision of angels telling them he was alive. 24 And some of us went out to the tomb and then found it just as the women had said, and they did not find him.”

25 And he said to them, “Oh, you fools and slow of heart to believe in all the things which the prophets spoke of! 26 Did not Christ have to suffer, and enter into his glory?” 27 And from Moses and all the prophets he began to interpret to them in all the scriptures those things which regarded him.

28 And they came to the town where they were going, and he appeared to be going further. 29 And they urged him, saying, “Remain with us; for it is late, and the day is falling.” And he went in and remained with them.

30 And it so happened as he sat down with them to eat, that he took bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said to themselves, “Was not our heart burning within us as he spoke to us along the road, and opened the scriptures to us?”

33 And rising, that hour they returned to Jerusalem, and finding the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, 34 they said, “The Lord has indeed risen and appeared to Simon.” 35 And they described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized him by the breaking of the bread.

36 And as they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in their midst and said, “Peace to you.” 37 And they were disturbed and frightened, supposing him to be a ghost. 38 And he said to them, “Why is it that you are disturbed, and musings rise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and feet, for it is I; touch and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bone as you see that I have.” 40 And having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And as they still did not believe for joy and were marveling, he said, “Do you have anything here for me to eat?” 42 And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and part of a honeycomb, 43 and he took, and ate in front of them.

44 And he said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, how all things had to be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms of me.”

45 Then he opened their minds, so that they understood the scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and to preach repentance in his name, and remission of sins in all nations, starting at Jerusalem. 48 And you people are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I send the promise of my father upon you; and you, sit in the city of Jerusalem until you shall be armed with power from above.”

50 And he led them outside as far as Bethany, and raising his hands, he blessed them. 51 And it so happened as he was blessing them, he receded from them and was taken into heaven. 52 And they, worshiping him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were always in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.