The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Part 2

[63] And it came to pa.s.s, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: [64] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

CHAPTER 4.

[1] When he was come down from the mountain, great mult.i.tudes followed him.

[2] And he went round about the villages, teaching.

[3] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[4] 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.

[5] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

[6] And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

[7] And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, [8] And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

[9] Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

[10] And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

[11] There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

[12] And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

[13] Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

[14] And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

[15] Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

[16] My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

[17] There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

[18] And the mult.i.tude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

[19] And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

[20] And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

[21] For whosoever shall do the will of G.o.d, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

[22] In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable mult.i.tude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

[23] For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

[24] Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

[25] And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

[26] But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into h.e.l.l; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

[27] Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten before G.o.d?

[28] But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

[29] And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

[30] And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

[31] And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of all manner of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

[32] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: [33] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

[34] And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

[35] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

[36] But G.o.d said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

[37] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward G.o.d.

[38] And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

[39] The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

[40] Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and G.o.d feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

[41] And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

[42] If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

[43] Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

[44] If then G.o.d so clothe the gra.s.s, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

[45] And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

[46] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

[47] But rather seek ye the kingdom of G.o.d; and all these things shall be added unto you.

[48] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

[49] Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

[50] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

[51] Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; [52] And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding feast; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

[53] Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

[54] And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

[55] And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

[56] Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

[57] Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

[58] And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

[59] Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

[60] Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

[61] But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; [62] The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder.

[63] And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

[64] But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

[65] And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

[66] And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pa.s.s.

[67] Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

[68] Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

[69] When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

[70] I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

CHAPTER 5.

[1] There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

[2] And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

[3] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

[4] Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

[5] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

[6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

[7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why c.u.mbereth it the ground?

[8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

[10] And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

[11] And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

[12] And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

[13] Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

[14] But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

[15] But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye t.i.the mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pa.s.s over judgment and the love of G.o.d: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

[16] Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

[17] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

[18] Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

[19] And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

[20] Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

[21] And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: [22] Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

[23] The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

[24] And great mult.i.tudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a s.h.i.+p, and sat; and the whole mult.i.tude stood on the sh.o.r.e.

[25] And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; [26] And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: [27] Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: [28] And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

[29] And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: [30] But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.