His Life Part 18

The Pharisees therefore said unto him, "Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true."

Jesus answered and said unto them, "Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true. I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."

They said therefore unto him, "Where is thy Father?"

Jesus answered, "Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also."

These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.

He said therefore again unto them, "I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come."

The Jews therefore said, "Will he kill himself, that he saith, 'Whither I go, ye cannot come?'"

And he said unto them, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

They said therefore unto him, "Who art thou?"

Jesus said unto them, "Even that which I have also spoken unto you from the beginning I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you; howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world."

They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father.

Jesus therefore said, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him."

As he spake these things, many believed on him.

THE FREEDOM OF THE SOUL.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, "If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

They answered unto him, "We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man; how sayest thou, 'Ye shall be made free'?"

Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father."

They answered and said unto him, "Our father is Abraham."

Jesus saith unto them, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from G.o.d: this did not Abraham. Ye do the works of your father."

They said unto him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even G.o.d."

Jesus said unto them, "If G.o.d were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from G.o.d; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the l.u.s.ts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of G.o.d heareth the words of G.o.d: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of G.o.d."

The Jews answered and said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?"

Jesus answered, "I have not a demon: but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death."

The Jews said unto him, "Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, 'If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself?"

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your G.o.d; and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, 'I know him not,' I shall be like unto you, a liar; but I know him, and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad."

The Jews therefore said unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?"

Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you. Before Abraham was born, I am."

They took up stones therefore to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

THE MINISTRY IN PEREA

THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY.

And he arose and cometh into the borders of Judaea and beyond the Jordan; and great mult.i.tudes followed him; and he healed them there.

And the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. And he said unto them, "The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'

And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall turn to you again. And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, 'The kingdom of G.o.d is come nigh unto you.' But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, 'Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of G.o.d is come nigh.' I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me."

THE RETURN OF THE SEVENTY.

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name."

And he said unto them, "I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you: but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

THE MEEK AND LOWLY.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes; yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him."

And turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

THE UNREPENTANT CITIES.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee."

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And he said unto him, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?"

And he answering said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."