The Holy Gospel, the Annunciation of Luke the Evangelist
I.
01 SINCE many have been disposed to write narratives of those
events, of which we have full assurance,
02 as they delivered them to us, who from the first were
eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;
03 it seemed proper for me also, as I had examined them all
accurately, to write out the whole, methodically, for thee, excellent
Theophilus:
04 that thou mayest know the truth of the statements, which thou
hast been taught.
05 In the days of Herod the king of Judaea, there was a certain
priest, whose name was Zachariah, of the ministration of the house of
Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was
Elisabeth.
06 And they were both upright before God, and walked in all his
commandments, and in the righteousness of the Lord, without reproach.
07 But they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren: and they
were both advanced in life.
08 And it occurred, that as he performed the priestly functions in
the order of his ministration before the Lord,
09 according to the usage of the priesthood, it fell to him to
offer the incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord,
10 and the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at
the time of incense.
11 And the angel of the Lord appeared to Zachariah, standing on the
right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was agitated, and fear fell upon
him.
13 And the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for thy prayer
is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth will bear thee a son, and thou shalt call
his name John.
14 And thou wilt have joy and gladness: and many will rejoice at
his birth.
15 For he will be great before the Lord; and he will not drink wine
nor strong drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his
mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel will he convert to the Lord
their God.
17 And he will go before him, in the spirit and power of Elijah the
prophet, and will turn the heart of the fathers unto the children, and them
that are disobedient to the knowledge of the righteous, and will prepare a
perfect people for the Lord.
18 And Zachariah said to the angel: How shall I know this ? For I
am old, and my wife is advanced in life.
19 The angel answered, and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand
before God; and I am sent to converse with thee, and to tell thee these
things.
20 Henceforth thou wilt be dumb, and unable to speak, until the day
when these things take place: because thou believedst not my words, which
will be fulfilled in their time.
21 And the people were standing and waiting for Zachariah; and they
wondered at his tarrying so long in the temple.
22 And when Zachariah came forth, he could not speak with them: and
they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he made many
signs to them, and remained speechless.
23 And when the days of his ministration were accomplished, he came
to his house.
24 And it was after those days, that Elisabeth his wife conceived.
And she secluded herself five months; and she said:
25 These things hath the Lord done for me, in the days when he
looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God into
Galilee, to a city named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel entered the house, and said to her: Peace to thee,
thou full of grace! The Lord is with thee: and blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw [him], she was agitated by his speech; and she
pondered, what this salutation could mean.
30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found
favor with God.
31 For lo, thou wilt conceive in thy womb, and wilt bear a son, and
wilt call his name Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
reign there will be no end.
34 And Mary said to the angel: How can this be, as I have not known
a man?
35 The angel replied, and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow thee; therefore he that is
born of thee is holy, and will be called the Son of God.
36 And lo, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, even she too hath conceived a
son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called
barren.
37 Because nothing is difficult for God.
38 Mary said: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me,
according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went hastily to the mountain
[district], to a city of Judaea;
40 and entered the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it was so, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,
the child leaped in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Mary: Blessed
art thou among women; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come
to me ?
44 For lo, as the voice of thy salutation fell upon my ears, with
great joy the child leaped in my womb.
45 And happy is she that believed; for there will be a fulfillment
of those things that were told her by the Lord.
46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord:
47 and my spirit rejoiceth in God the author of my life.
48 For he hath looked upon the humble condition of his hand maid;
and lo, henceforth all generations will ascribe blessedness to me.
49 And He that is mighty hath done for me great things; and holy is
his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him, for generations and
posterities.
51 He hath wrought victory with his arm; and hath scattered the
proud in the imagination of their heart.
52 He hath cast down the mighty from their thrones, and hath
exalted the lowly.
53 The hungry hath he satisfied with good things, and the rich hath
he sent away empty.
54 He hath aided Israel his servant, and remembered his mercy,
55 (as he spoke with the fathers,) with Abraham and his seed, for
ever.
56 And Mary remained with Elisabeth about three months, and
returned to her home.
57 And Elisabeth's time of bringing forth arrived; and she bore a
son.
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had
magnified his mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it occurred, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise
the child. And they called him by the name of his father, Zachariah.
60 And his mother answered and said: Not so; but John, shall he be
called.
61 And they said to her: There is no one among thy kindred called
by that name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him named.
63 And he asked for a tablet, and wrote, and said: John is his
name. And every one was surprised.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue; and he
spoke, and praised God.
65 And fear came upon all their neighbors; and these things were
talked of in all the mountain [district] of Judaea.
66 And all who heard, pondered them in their heart, and said: What
will this child be ? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and
prophesied, and said:
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited his people,
and wrought redemption for them:
69 And hath raised up a horn of redemption for us, in the house of
David his servant:
70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, who were of old,
71 that he would redeem us from our enemies, and from the hand of
all that hate us.
72 And he hath exercised his mercy to our fathers, and hath
remembered his holy covenants,
73 and the oath that he sware to Abraham our father, that he would
grant to us,
74 to be redeemed from the hand of our enemies; and that we should
worship before him, without fear,
75 all our days, in rectitude and uprightness.
76 And thou, child, wilt be called a prophet of the Most High; for
thou wilt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way,
77 that he may give the knowledge of life to his people, and
forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the compassion of the mercy of our God; whereby the
day-spring from on high will visit us,
79 to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of
death; and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit. And he was
in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
II.
01 And in those days it occurred, that a decree went forth from
Augustus Caesar, that all the people of his dominion should be enrolled.
02 And this enrollment was first made under the presidency of
Quirinus in Syria.
03 And everyone went to his own city to be enrolled.
04 And Joseph also went up from Nazareth of Galilee to Judaea, to
the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and
lineage of David,
05 with Mary his espoused, then pregnant, to be enrolled.
06 And it was while they were there, that the days for her to bring
forth were completed.
07 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
bandages, and laid him in the stall; for they had no place where they could
lodge.
08 And there were shepherds in that region, who abode there and
kept watch of their flocks by night.
09 And lo, the angel of God came to them, and the glory of the Lord
shone upon them: and they feared with great fear.
10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold I announce to
you great joy, which will be to all the world.
11 For there is born to you this day a deliverer, who is the Lord
Messiah, in the city of David
12 And this is the sign for you: Ye will find the babe wrapped in
bandages, and placed in a stall.
13 And instantly there were seen with the angel, the many hosts of
heaven, praising God, and saying:
14 Glory to God in the highest [heavens], and on earth peace and
good hope for men.
15 And it was so, that when the angels had gone from them into
heaven, the shepherds conferred with one another, and said: Let us go down
to Bethlehem, and see this thing which hath occurred, as the Lord hath made
known to us.
16 And they came hastily, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe
laid in the stall.
17 And when they saw, they made known the information which was
given to them concerning the child.
18 And all that heard, wondered at the things that were told them
by the shepherds.
19 And Mary laid up all these things, and pondered them in her
heart.
20 And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all
that they had seen and heard, as it was told them.
21 And when the eight days for the circumcision of the child were
completed, his name was called JESUS; as he was named by the angel, before
he was conceived in the womb
22 And when the days of their purification were completed,
according to the law of Moses, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him
before 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 to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law
of the Lord, A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.
25 And there was a certain man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon.
This man was upright and just, and was waiting for the consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been told him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not
see death, until he should see the Messiah of the Lord.
27 This man came, by the Spirit, into the temple; and when his
parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him as is commanded in the
law,
28 he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and said:
29 My Lord, now release thou thy servant in peace, as thou hast
said:
30 for lo, my eyes have seen thy mercy,
31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all nations,
32 a light for a revelation to the Gentiles, and a glory for thy
people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother were astonished at those things which
were spoken concerning him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold,
this [child] is set forth for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel,
and for a standard of contention;
35 (and also a dart will pierce thy own soul); that the thoughts of
the hearts of many may be disclosed.
36 And Hanna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe
of Asher, she also was aged in days, and, from her maidenhood, had lived
seven years with her husband,
37 and was a widow of about eighty and four years, and departed not
from the temple, but worshipped by day and by night with fasting and prayer
;
38 and she too stood up, in that hour, and gave thanks to the Lord,
and spoke of him to every one that waited for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 And when they had accomplished all things, according to the law
of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and was
filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.
41 And his people went up to Jerusalem every year, at the feast of
the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to the feast, as
they were accustomed.
43 And when the days were completed, they returned: but the child
Jesus remained at Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew not [of it];
44 for they supposed he was with his companions. And when they had
travelled a day's journey, they sought him among their people, and
[inquired] of every one that knew them.
45 And they did not find him. And they returned again to Jerusalem,
searching for him.
46 And after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in
the midst of the teachers, and listening to them, and asking them questions.
47 And all they that heard him, were astonished at his wisdom and
his answers.
48 And when they saw him they were amazed. And his mother said to
him: My son, why hast thou done so to us ? For lo, I and thy father have
been seeking for thee with great anxiety.
49 He said to them: Why did ye seek me ? Do ye not know, that it
behooveth me to be in my Father's house ?
50 But they did not comprehend the word that he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was
obedient to them. And his mother laid up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in stature, and in wisdom, and in grace,
before God and men.
III.
01 And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, in
the presidency of Pontius Pilate in Judaea, while Herod was Tetrarch in
Galilee, and Philip his brother Tetrarch in Ituraea and in the region of
Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene,
02 in the high priesthood of Annas and of Caiaphas; the word of God
was upon John the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness.
03 And he came into all the region about the Jordan, proclaiming
the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
04 As it is written in the book of the discourses of Isaiah the
prophet, who said: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the
way of the Lord; and make straight paths in the plain for our God.
05 All valleys shall be filled up, and all mountains and hills be
lowered; and the hillock shall be levelled down, and the rough place become
smooth.
06 And all flesh shall see the life which is of God.
07 And he said to the multitudes, who came to him to be baptized:
Ye progeny of vipers, who hath instructed you to flee from the future wrath
?
08 Bring forth, therefore, fruits comporting, with repentance. And
begin not to say in yourselves: We have Abraham for our father; for I say to
you, that God can, from these stones, raise up sons to Abraham.
09 And lo, the ax is put to the root of trees. Every tree therefore
that beareth not good fruits, is hewed down, and falleth into the fire.
10 And the multitudes asked him, and said: What, then, shall we do
?
11 He answered and said to them: Whoever hath two tunics, let him
give [one] to him that hath none; and whoever hath food, let him do the
same.
12 And publicans also came to be baptized. And they said to him:
Teacher, what shall we do?
13 And he said to them: Exact no more than ye are required to
exact.
14 And those serving in war inquired of him, and said: And what
shall we do ? He said to them: Be insolent to no one, and oppress no one,
and let your pay satisfy you.
15 And while the people were thinking of John, and all pondered in
their heart, whether he were the Messiah;
16 John answered and said to them: Behold, I baptize you with
water; but after me cometh one mightier than I, the strings of whose shoes I
am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with
fire.
17 He holdeth his winnowing shovel in his hand, and he will make
clean his threshing floor; and the wheat he gathereth into his garners, and
the chaff he will burn with fire not extinguished.
18 And many other things also, he taught and proclaimed to the
people.
19 But Herod the Tetrarch, because he was reproved by John, on
account of Herodias the wife of his brother Philip, and on account of all
the evil things he had done,
20 added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 And it occurred, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus
also was baptized. And as he prayed, the heavens were opened;
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, in the bodily likeness
of a dove: and there was a voice from heaven, which said: Thou art my
beloved Son, in whom I have delight.
23 And Jesus was about thirty years old. And he was accounted the
son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son
of Janna, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the
son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Shimei, the
son of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27 the son of Joanna, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zorubbabel, the
son of Salathiel, the son of Neri,
28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of
Elmodam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joses, the son of Eliezer, the son of Joram, the son
of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son
of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melcah, the son of Mainan, 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
Salmon, the son of Nahshon
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son
of Pharez, 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
Eber, the son of Salah,
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son
of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the
son of Mehalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of
God.
IV.
01 And Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the
Jordan. And the Spirit led him into the wilderness,
02 forty days, to be tempted by the Calumniator. And during those
days, he ate nothing; and when he had completed them, he was at last hungry.
03 And the Calumniator said to him: If thou art the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.
04 Jesus replied, and said to him: It is written, Not by bread
only, doth man live; but by every thing of God.
05 And Satan conducted him to a high mountain and showed him all
the kingdoms of the land, in a little time.
06 And the Calumniator said to him: To thee will I give all this
dominion, and the glory of it, which is committed to me, and to whom I
please, I give it:
07 if therefore thou wilt worship before me, the whole shall be
thine.
08 But Jesus replied, and said to him: It is written Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
09 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of
the temple, and said to him: If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down
hence:
10 for it is written, He will give his angels charge over thee, to
keep thee:
11 and in their arms will they sustain thee, lest thou strike thy
foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus replied and said to him: It is said, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the Calumniator had finished all his temptations, he
departed from him for a time.
14 And Jesus returned, in the power of the Spirit, to Galilee; and
fame concerning him spread in all the region around them.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, and was lauded by every one.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he
went, as he was accustomed, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and rose
up to read.
17 And there was delivered to him the book of Isaiah the prophet.
And Jesus opened the book, and found the place where it is written:
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; and therefore he hath
anointed me to proclaim tidings to the poor; and hath sent me to heal the
contrite in heart, and to proclaim release to the captives, and sight to the
blind; and to send away the contrite with forgiveness [of their sins];
19 and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he rolled up the book, and gave it to the servitor, and went
and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were gazing upon him.
21 And he began to say to them: This day, is this scripture which
ye have heard, fulfilled.
22 And all bare him witness, and admired the gracious words which
proceeded from his mouth; and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph?
23 Jesus said to them: Perhaps, ye will speak to me this proverb,
Physician, heal thyself: and whatever we have heard of thy doing in
Capernaum, do thou here also in thy city.
24 And he said to them: Verily I say to you, There is no prophet
who is acceptable in his own city.
25 And I tell you the truth, that there were many widows in the
house of Israel, in the days of Elijah the prophet, when the heavens were
closed up three years and six months, and there was a great famine in all
the land:
26 but to no one of them was Elijah sent, except to Sarepta of
Sidon, unto a widow woman.
27 And there were many leprous in the house of Israel, in the days
of Elisha the prophet; but none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the
Syrian.
28 And when they heard these things, those in the synagogue were
all filled with wrath.
29 And they rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and brought
him to the top of the hill on which the city was built, that they might cast
him down from the rock.
30 But he passed through the midst of them, and went away.
31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee; and taught
them on sabbath days.
32 And they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was
authoritative.
33 And there was in the synagogue a man, in whom was an unclean
demon: and he cried out, with a loud voice,
34 and said: Let me alone: What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou
Nazarean? Hast thou come to destroy us ? I know thee, who thou art, the Holy
One of God.
35 And Jesus rebuked him, and said: Shut thy mouth; and come out of
him. And the demon threw him down in the midst, and came out of him, having
not harmed him at all.
36 And wonder seized every one, and they talked together, and said:
What a word is this! For, with authority and efficiency, he commandeth the
unclean spirits, and they come out
37 And his fame went out into all the surrounding region.
38 And when Jesus went out of the synagogue, he entered the house
of Simon. And the mother-in-law of Simon was afflicted with a severe fever:
and they besought him in her behalf .
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her.
And immediately she arose and ministered to them.
40 And when the sun was set, all those that had sick persons,
afflicted with divers diseases, brought them to him; and he laid his hand on
every one of them, and healed them.
41 And demons went out of many, crying out and saying: Thou art the
Messiah, the Son of God. And he rebuked them, and suffered them not to say,
that they knew him to be Messiah.
42 And at the dawn of day, he went out and retired to a desert
place. And the multitudes sought him, and went out to him, and held him
fast, that he might not retire from them.
43 And Jesus said to them: It behooveth me to announce the kingdom
of God to other cities also; for therefore was I sent.
44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
V.
01 And it occurred, that a multitude gathered about him, to hear
the word of God. And he was standing by the side of the sea of Gennesaret,
02 and he saw two ships standing near the sea, and the fishermen
were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
03 And one of them belonged to Simon Cephas: and Jesus entered and
sat in it. And he told them to draw off a little from the shore, into the
sea: and he seated himself, and taught the multitude from the ship.
04 And when he ceased from speaking, he said to Simon: Launch out
into the deep, and cast your net for a draught.
05 Simon answered, and said to him: Rabbi, all the night we have
toiled, and have caught nothing: but, at thy bidding, I will cast the net.
06 And when they had done so, they inclosed very many fishes, so
that the net was rent.
07 And they made signs to their associates, in the other ship, to
come and help them. And when they came, they filled both the ships, so that
they were near to sinking.
08 And when Simon Cephas saw [it], he fell before the feet of
Jesus, and said to him: I beseech thee, my Lord, that thou leave me, for I
am a sinful man.
09 For astonishment had seized him, and all that were with him, at
the draught of fishes which they had caught:
10 and in like manner also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who
were partners of Simon. But Jesus said: Fear thou not; henceforth thou shalt
catch men unto life.
11 And they brought the vessels to the land: and they left all and
followed him.
12 And when Jesus was in one of the cities, a man came all full of
leprosy and seeing Jesus, he fell upon his face, and besought him, and said
to him: My Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me.
13 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, and said to him:
I will [it]; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy went from him.
14 And he charged him: Speak to no one; but go and show thyself to
the priests, and offer the oblation for thy purification, as Moses hath
commanded, for a testimony to them.
15 And his fame spread abroad still more: and much people assembled
to hear him, and to be cured of their diseases.
16 And he retired into a desert, and prayed.
17 And it occurred, on one of the days when Jesus was teaching,
that Pharisees and Doctors of the law were sitting by, who had come from all
the villages of Galilee and of Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the
Lord was present to heal them.
18 And some persons brought a paralytic man, on a couch, and sought
to bring him in, and to place him before him.
19 And when they could not thus introduce him, because of the
multitude of the people, they ascended to the roof, and let him down with
the couch, from the covering, into the midst, before Jesus.
20 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic: Man,
thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the Scribes and Pharisees began to reason, and to say: Who
is this that speaketh blasphemy ? Who can forgive sins, but God only ?
22 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: What think ye
in your heart ?
23 Which is the easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to
say, Arise and walk ?
24 But that ye may know, that the Son of man is competent to
forgive sins on the earth, he said to the paralytic: I say to thee, Arise,
take up thy couch, and go to thy home.
25 And instantly, he rose up before their eyes, and took up his
couch, and went home, glorifying God.
26 And astonishment seized every one; and they Praised God; and
they were filled with awe, and said: We have seen wonders today.
27 And after these things, Jesus went out and saw a publican, named
Levi, sitting among the publicans; and he said to him: Come after me.
28 And he left every thing, and arose, and went after him.
29 And Levi made a great entertainment for him at his house; and
there was a numerous company of publicans and others who reclined with them.
30 And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, and said to his
disciples: Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answered and said to them: A physician is not sought
after for the well, but for those very sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
33 And they said to him: Why do the disciples of John fast often,
and pray, and also [those] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink ?
34 And he said to them: Ye cannot make the guests of the nuptial
chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them.
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken up
from them, and then will they fast, in those days.
36 And he spoke a similitude to them: No one teareth a patch from a
new garment, and putteth it to an old garment; lest he tear the new, and the
patch from the new cease to make the old [garment] whole.
37 And no one putteth new wine into old sacks; otherwise, the new
wine will burst the sacks, and the wine will run out, and the sacks be
ruined.
38 But they put new wine into new sacks, and both are preserved.
39 And no one drinketh old wine, and immediately calleth for new;
for he saith, The old is the delicious.
VI.
01 And on a sabbath it occurred, as Jesus walked among the tilled
grounds, that his disciples plucked ears, and rubbed them in their hands and
ate.
02 And some of the Pharisees said to them: Why do ye that, which it
is not lawful to do on the sabbath ?
03 Jesus replied, and said to them: Have ye not read what David
did, when he was hungry, he and those with him?
04 How he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the bread
of the Lord's table, and gave [it] to those that were with him; which it was
not lawful, except for the priests only, to eat ?
05 And he said to them: The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.
06 And on another sabbath, he entered a synagogue and taught. And a
man was there, whose right hand was withered.
07 And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal
on the sabbath; that they might be able to accuse him.
08 And as he knew their thoughts, he said to the man with a
withered hand: Rise and come into the midst of the congregation. And when he
came and stood [there],
09 Jesus said to them: I ask you, What is it lawful to do on the
sabbath ? that which is good ? or that which is evil ? to save life or to
destroy [it] ?
10 And he looked upon them all; and [then] said to him, Stretch
forth thy hand. And he stretched out his hand, and it was restored like the
other.
11 And they were filled with envy; and they conferred one with
another, what they should do to Jesus.
12 And in those days, Jesus retired to a mountain to pray; and he
passed the night there, in prayer to God.
13 And when the day dawned, he called his disciples, and selected
from them twelve, whom he named Legates :
14 Simon whom he named Cephas, and Andrew his brother, and James,
and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Simon
who was called Zelotes,
16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a
traitor.
17 And Jesus descended with them, and stood in the plain; and a
great company of his disciples, and a multitude of assembled people, from
all Judaea, and from Jerusalem and from the seashore of Tyre and Sidon; who
came to hear his discourse, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 and they who were afflicted by unclean spirits: and they were
healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him; for there went a
virtue out of him and healed them all.
20 And he lifted his eyes upon his disciples, and said: Blessed are
ye poor; for the kingdom of God is yours.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now; for ye will be satisfied.
Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye will laugh.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and repel you, and
revile you, and cast out your names as base, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and exult, for your reward is great in
heaven; for so did their fathers to the prophets.
24 But, woe to you that are rich; for ye have received your
consolation.
25 Woe to you that are full; for ye will hunger. Woe to you that
laugh now, for ye will weep and mourn.
26 Woe to you, when men shall speak your praise; for so did their
fathers to the false prophets.
27 And to you who hear, I say: Love your enemies; and do favors to
them that hate you;
28 and bless them that curse you; and pray for them that drag you
with violence.
29 To him that smiteth thee on thy cheek, offer the other: and from
him that taketh away thy cloak, keep not back thy tunic.
30 To every one that asketh of thee, give thou: and from him that
taketh thy property, demand it not.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, so do ye also to
them.
32 For, if ye love them that love you, what goodness is it in you ?
For even sinners love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what goodness is
it in you? For even sinners do the same.
34 And if ye lend to one from whom ye expect recompense, what
goodness is it in you ? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive
adequate recompense.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do them good; and lend ye, and
disappoint the hopes of no one: and great will be your reward, and ye will
be children of the Highest; for he is kind to the evil, and to the
unthankful.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as also your Father is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye will not be judged: condemn not, and ye will
not be condemned: release, and ye will be released.
38 Give ye, and it will be given to you; in good measure, pressed
down, and running over, will they cast into your lap. For, with what measure
ye measure, it will be measured to you.
39 And he spake a similitude to them: Can a blind man lead a blind?
Will not both fall into the ditch?
40 No disciple is better than his teacher ; for whoever is perfect,
will be like his teacher.
41 And why observest thou the straw that is in thy brother's eye,
but regardest not the beam that is in thy own eye?
42 Or how canst thou say to thy brothers, My brother, allow me to
pluck the straw from thy eye; when, lo, the beam that is in thy own eye,
thou regardest not. Hypocrite! first cast the beam out thy eye, and then thy
vision will be clear to pluck the straw from thy brother's eye.
43 There is no good tree, that beareth bad fruits; nor a bad tree,
that beareth good fruits.
44 For every tree is known by its fruits. Do men gather figs from
thorn-bushes ? So, neither do they pluck grapes from brambles.
45 A good man, from the good treasure that is in his heart,
bringeth out good things: and a bad man, from the bad treasure that is in
his heart, bringeth out bad things. For, from the abundance of the heart,
the lips speak.
46 And why call ye me, My Lord, my Lord; while ye do not that which
I command you ?
47 Every one that cometh to me, and heareth my words, and doeth
them, I will show to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man that built a house; and he dug and went deep,
and laid the foundations on a rock: and when a flood occurred, the flood
rushed upon that house, and could not move it, for its foundation rested on
a rock.
49 But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that built his
house upon the earth, without a foundation; and when the torrent rushed upon
it, it fell immediately, and the ruin of that house was great.
VII.
01 And when he had finished all these discourses in the audience of
the people, Jesus entered into Capernaum.
02 And the servant of a centurion, who was dear to him, was very
sick, and near to death.
03 And he heard of Jesus, and sent the Elders of the Jews to him,
and requested of him that he would come and save the life of his servant.
04 And when they came to Jesus, they entreated him earnestly, and
said: He is worthy that thou shouldst do this for him;
05 for he loveth our nation, and hath also built us a house of
assembly.
06 And Jesus went with them. And when he was not far from the
house, the centurion sent his friends to him, and said to him: My Lord,
trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my
roof:
07 therefore I deemed myself not worthy to approach thee myself;
but speak the word only, and my young man will be healed.
08 For I also am a man subjected to authority; and I have soldiers
under my command; and I say to this one, Go; and he goeth: and to another,
Come; and he cometh: and to my servant, Do this; and he doeth [it.]
09 And when Jesus heard these things, he admired him; and he
turned, and said to the throng that followed him: I say to you, I have not
found faith like this even in Israel.
10 And they that were sent, returned to the house; and they found
the servant that had been sick, now well.
11 And the following day, he went to a city called Nain ; and his
disciples [were]] with him, and a great multitude.
12 And as he approached the gate of the city, he saw a procession
bearing a dead man, the only son of his mother, and she a widow; and a great
company of the people of the city were with her.
13 And Jesus looked upon her, and had compassion on her; and he
said to her, Weep not.
14 And he went, and touched the bier; and they that bore him stood
still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, Arise.
15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak: and he delivered
him to his mother.
16 And awe seized all the people; and they glorified God, and said:
A great prophet hath arisen among us, and God hath visited his people.
17 And that saying respecting him went out through all Judaea and
all the surrounding region.
18 And the disciples of John told him all these things.
19 And John called two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus,
and said: Art thou he that cometh, or shall we look for another?
20 And they came to Jesus, and said to him: John the Baptizer hath
sent us to thee, and saith: Art thou he that cometh, or shall we look for
another?
21 And in that hour he healed many persons of their diseases, and
of plagues, and of unclean spirits, and gave sight to many blind persons.
22 And Jesus replied, and said to them: Go ye, and tell John all
that ye have seen and heard; that the blind see, and the lame walk, and the
leprous are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead arise, and to the poor
good news is proclaimed:
23 and blessed is he that is not stumbled in me.
24 And when John's disciples were gone, Jesus began to say to the
multitude, concerning John: What went ye into the wilderness to see ? a reed
agitated by the wind?
25 Or if not; what went ye out to see ? a man clad in soft raiment
? Lo, they that use splendid garments and luxuries, are in kings' palaces.
26 Or if not; what went ye out to see ? a prophet ? Yea, say I to
you; and more than a prophet.
27 [For] this is he, of whom it is written: Behold I send my
messenger before thy face, to prepare thy way before thee.
28 I say to you, that no prophet, among those born of women, was
greater than John the Baptizer: and yet the little one in the kingdom of
God, is greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, justified God, as they had
been baptized with John's baptism.
30 But the Pharisees and Scribes rejected the good pleasure of God,
against themselves; as they were not baptized by him.
31 To what, therefore, shall I compare this generation? and to what
are they like?
32 They are like children, that sit in the market-place, and call
to their fellows and say: We have piped to you, and ye did not dance; we
have howled to you, and ye did not weep.
33 For John the Baptizer came, not eating bread, and not drinking
wine; and ye say: He hath a demon.
34 The Son of man came, eating and drinking; and ye say: Behold, a
gluttonous man, and a wine drinker, and one fond of publicans and sinners.
35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.
36 And one of the Pharisees came, and asked him to eat with him.
And he entered the house of the Pharisee, and reclined.
37 And there was a woman in the city, who was a sinner; and when
she learned that he reclined in the Pharisee's house, she took an alabaster
box of perfume,
38 and stood behind him, at his feet, and wept; and she began to
bathe his feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head;
and she kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the perfume.
39 And when the Pharisee that invited him, saw it, he thought
within himself, and said: If this man were a prophet, he would know who she
is, and what is her reputation; for the woman that toucheth him, is a
sinner.
40 And Jesus answered, and said to him: Simon, I have something to
say to thee. He said to him: Say it, Rabbi. Jesus said to him:
41 There were two debtors to a certain creditor; the one owed him
five hundred denarii, and the other fifty denarii.
42 And as they had not the means of pay, he released them both.
Which of them, therefore will love him most ?
43 Simon replied, and said: I suppose he to whom most was released.
Jesus said to him: Thou hast judged correctly.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said to Simon: Seest thou this
woman? I entered thy house, and thou gavest [me] no water for my feet; but
she hath bathed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman, since she came in, hath
not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 Thou didst not anoint my head with perfume; but she hath
anointed my feet with perfumed ointment.
47 I therefore say to thee: Her many sins are forgiven her, for she
loveth much. But he, to whom little is forgiven, loveth little.
48 And he said to the woman: Thy sins are forgiven thee.
49 And they that were reclining, began to say in themselves: Who is
this, that even forgiveth sins?
50 And Jesus said to the woman: Thy faith hath given thee life. Go,
in peace.
VIII.
01 And after these things Jesus travelled about the cities and the
villages, and proclaimed and announced the kingdom of God. And with him were
his twelve [disciples],
02 and those women who were healed of infirmities and of unclean
spirits, Mary called Magdalena, out of whom went seven demons,
03 and Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and
many others, who ministered to them of their property.
04 And when a great multitude was assembled, and people came to him
from all the cities, he said, in similitudes:
05 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by
the side of the path, and was trodden upon, and a bird devoured it.
06 And other fell upon a rock, and sprung up forthwith; but, as it
lacked moisture, it dried up.
07 And other fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up with it,
and choked it.
08 And other fell on good and fair ground, and sprung up, and bore
fruits, a hundred for one. Having said these things, he cried: He that hath
ears to hear, let him hear.
09 And his disciples asked him: what meaneth this similitude?
10 And he said to them: To you it is given, to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of God; but to others, it is spoken in allegories; that,
while seeing, they may not see, and while hearing, may not understand.
11 But this is the similitude: The seed is the word of God.
12 And those by the side of the path, are they that hear the word,
and the enemy cometh and taketh the word out of their heart, that they may
not believe and live.
13 And those upon the rock, are they who, when they hear, receive
the word with joy: but they have no root in them, and their faith is
temporary, and in time of temptation they are stumbled.
14 And that which fell among thorns, are those who hear the word,
but are choked by cares, and by riches, and by worldly desires, and bear no
fruits.
15 And that on good ground, are those who, with a humble and good
heart, hear the word, and retain it, and with patience bring forth fruits.
16 No one lighteth a lamp, and covereth it with a vessel, or
placeth it under a bed, but setteth it upon a light-stand, that all who come
in, may see the light of it.
17 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be uncovered; nor
concealed, that shall not be known and become manifest.
18 Take heed how ye hear: for to him that hath, shall be given; and
from him that hath not, shall be taken even what he thinketh he hath.
19 And his mother and his brothers came to him, and they could not
speak with him, because of the multitude.
20 And they say to him: Thy mother and thy brothers stand without,
and wish to see thee.
21 And he answered and said: My mother and my brothers, are they
who hear the word of God, and do it.
22 And on a certain day Jesus embarked and sat in a ship, he and
his disciples. And he said to them; Let us pass over to the other side of
the sea.
23 And while they were rowing, Jesus fell asleep. And there was a
tempest of wind on the sea; and the ship was near to sinking.
24 And they came and awaked him, and said to him: Our Rabbi, our
Rabbi, we are perishing! And he arose, and rebuked the winds and the
agitations of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said to them: Where is your faith ? And they being in
awe, wondered, and said one to another: Who is this, that commandeth even
the winds, and the waves, and the sea; and they obey him ?
26 And they rowed on, and came to the country of the Gadarenes,
which lieth over against Galilee.
27 And when he went out upon the land, there, met him a man of the
city, in whom had been a demon for a long time; and he wore no clothing, and
did not reside in a house, but among the tombs.
28 And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him,
and said, with a loud voice: What have we to do with thee? Jesus, thou Son
of the exalted God. I entreat of thee, torment me not.
29 For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit, to come out of the
man: for, of a long time he had been held captive by him; and he had been
bound with chains, and held in fetters; but he had burst the bonds, and had
been driven by the demon into the desert.
30 And Jesus demanded of him: What is thy name? And he said to him:
Legion: because many demons had entered into him.
31 And they besought him, not to command them to depart into the
abyss.
32 And there was a herd of many swine grazing on the mountain. And
they besought him, that he would permit them to enter the swine. And he
permitted them.
33 And the demons went out of the man, and entered the swine; and
the whole herd ran to a precipice, and plunged into the sea, and were
strangled.
34 And when the herdmen saw what had occurred, they fled, and told
[it] in the cities and the villages.
35 And the men went out to see what was done. And they came to
Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the demons had gone, now clothed, and
modest, and sitting at the feet of Jesus; and they were awed.
36 And they that saw [it], related to them in what manner the
demoniac was cured.
37 And the whole throng of the Gadarenes requested him, that he
would depart from them: for great fear had seized them. And Jesus embarked
in a ship, and retired from among them.
38 And the man, from whom the demons had gone out, requested that
he might remain with him. But Jesus dismissed him, and said to him:
39 Return to thy home, and relate what God hath done for thee. And
he went away, and proclaimed through all the city what Jesus had done for
him.
40 And when Jesus returned, a great multitude received him; for all
were looking for him.
41 And a man, whose name was Jairus, a chief of the synagogue, fell
down at the feet of Jesus, and besought him to enter his house;
42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was
near dying. And as Jesus went with him, a great multitude pressed upon him.
43 And a certain woman, whose blood had flowed twelve years, and
who had expended all her property among physicians, and could not be cured
by any one,
44 came up behind him, and touched the border of his garment; and
immediately the flow of her blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said: Who touched me? And when all denied, Simon
Cephas and those with him said to him: Our Rabbi, crowds press upon thee and
sayest thou, Who touched me?
46 And he said: Some one touched me; for I perceive, that energy
hath gone out from me.
47 And the woman, when she saw that she had not escaped his notice,
came trembling, and fell down and worshipped him. And in the presence of all
the people, she declared for what cause she had touched him, and that she
was instantly healed.
48 And Jesus said to her: Take courage, my daughter: Thy faith hath
given thee life: Go in peace.
49 And while he was speaking, one came from the house of the chief
of the synagogue, and said to him: Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the
teacher.
50 And Jesus heard [it], and said to the father of the maid: Fear
not; believe only, and she will live.
51 And Jesus came to the house; and he suffered none to go in with
him, except Simon, and James, and John, and the father and mother of the
maid.
52 And all were weeping and wailing over her. And Jesus said: Weep
not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth
53 And they derided him, knowing that she was dead.
54 And he put every one out, and took her by the hand, and called,
and said: Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit returned, and she instantly arose. And he
directed them to give her food.
56 And her parents were astonished: and he charged them to tell no
one what had occurred.
IX.
01 And Jesus called his twelve, and gave them power and authority
over all demons and diseases, to heal [them].
02 And he sent them forth, to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to
heal the sick.
03 And he said to them: Take nothing for the journey, neither a
staff, nor a wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two tunics.
04 And into whatever house ye enter, there stay, and thence depart.
05 And against them that receive you not, when ye go out of that
city, shake off even the dust of your feet against them, for a testimony.
06 And the Legates went forth, and travelled about the villages and
cities, and preached and healed everywhere.
07 And Herod the Tetrarch heard of all the things done by him, and
he was disturbed; because some said, that John had arisen from the dead.
08 But others said, that Elijah hath appeared; and others, that a
prophet from among the ancient prophets hath arisen.
09 And Herod said: The head of John, I have cut off; but who is
this, of whom I hear these things? And he was desirous to see him.
10 And when the Legates returned, they narrated, to Jesus all they
had done. And he took them aside, to the desert part of Bethsaida.
11 And when the multitude knew [it], they followed him: and he
received them, and conversed with them respecting the kingdom of God: and
such as had need of healing, he healed.
12 And when the day began to decline, his disciples came near, and
said to him: Send away the multitude, that they may go to the villages
around us and to the towns, to lodge in them, and to procure themselves
food, for we are in a desert place.
13 Jesus said to then: Give ye them to eat. And they say: We have
no more than five loaves and two fishes; unless we go and buy food for all
this people:
14 for they were about five thousand men. Jesus said to them: Make
them recline by companies, fifty persons in a company.
15 And the disciples did so, and made them all recline.
16 And Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes, and looked
towards heaven, and blessed, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set
before the multitudes.
17 And they all ate, and were satisfied: and they took up the
fragments of remains, twelve baskets.
18 And as he was praying in private with his disciples, he asked
them, and said: Who, do the multitudes say of me, that I am ?
19 They answer and say to him: John the Baptizer; others, Elijah
and others, a prophet, one of the ancient prophets arisen.
20 He said to them: But who, do ye say, that I am? Simon answered,
and said: The Messiah of God.
21 And he chided them, and charged them, that they should say this
to no one.
22 And he said to them: The Son of man is to suffer many things,
and to be rejected by the Elders and the chief priests and Scribes; and they
will kill him; and on the third day, he will arise.
23 And he said before all the people: He that would follow me, must
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and [so] come after me.
24 For he that will preserve his life, shall lose it; but he that
shall lose his life, for my sake, will preserve it.
25 For, what will a man be profited, if he gain the whole world,
and lose his life or be deprived [of it]?
26 And whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will
the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with
his holy angels.
27 I tell you the truth, that there are some standing here, who
will not taste death, until they shall see the kingdom of God.
28 And it was about eight days after these discourses, that Jesus
took Simon and James and John, and went up a mountain to pray.
29 And while he prayed, the aspect of his countenance was changed,
and his garments became white and brilliant.
30 And lo, two men were talking with him: and they were Moses and
Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory. And they were conversing on his
departure, which was to be consummated at Jerusalem.
32 And Simon and those with him were oppressed with drowsiness; and
being scarcely awake, they saw his glory, and those two men who stood near
him.
33 And when they began t to retire from him, Simon said to Jesus:
Rabbi, it is delightful for us to be here. And let us make here three
booths, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. But he knew not
what he said.
34 And as he thus spoke, there was a cloud; and it overshadowed
them; and they were afraid, when they saw Moses and Elijah go up into the
cloud.
35 And there was a voice from the cloud, which said: This is my
beloved Son; hear ye him.
36 And when the voice had passed, Jesus was found to be alone. And
they kept silence, and told no one in those days what they had seen.
37 And the next day, as they came down from the mountain, a great
multitude met them.
38 And a man from the throng cried out, and said: Teacher, I
beseech thee, turn thyself to me. Here is my only son:
39 and a spirit cometh upon him, and he suddenly crieth out, and
gnasheth his teeth, and foameth; and he hardly leaveth him, when he hath
crushed him.
40 And I requested thy disciples to expel him; and they could not.
41 And Jesus answered, and said: O the unbelieving and perverse
generation! How long shall I be with you, and bear with you? Bring hither
thy son.
42 And while he was bringing him, the demon threw him down, and
convulsed him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the lad, and
delivered him to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. And while every
one admired at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples:
44 Lay up these words in your minds: for the Son of man is to be
delivered into the hands of men.
45 But they understood not that speech; because it was hidden from
them, that they should not know it: and they feared to ask him concerning
that speech.
46 And the thought arose among them, which of them [was to be] the
greatest.
47 And Jesus knew the thought of their heart: and he took a child,
and placed him near to him;
48 and said to them: Whoever receiveth a child like this, in my
name, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.
For he that shall be least among you all, he will be the great one.
49 And John answered, and said: Our Rabbi, we saw a man casting out
demons in thy name; and we forbad him, because he doth not, with us, follow
thee.
50 Jesus said to them: Forbid not: for, whoever is not against you,
is for you.
51 And when the days for his ascension were completed, so it was,
that he set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers before his face; and they went, and
entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare [lodgings] for him.
53 And they received him not, because he had set his face to go up
to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw [it], they said to
him: Our Lord, wilt thou that we speak, and fire come down from heaven, and
consume them, as also did Elijah?
55 And he turned and rebuked them, and said: Ye know not of what
spirit ye are.
56 For the Son of man hath not come to destroy souls; but to
quicken [them]. And they went to another village.
57 And as they went by the way, one said to him: I will follow thee
to whatever place thou goest, my Lord.
58 Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven
have coverts; but the Son of man hath not where he may lay his head.
59 And he said to another: Come thou after me. And he said to him:
My Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.
60 And Jesus said to him: Allow the dead to bury their dead; and go
thou and proclaim the kingdom of God.
61 Another said to him: I will follow thee, my Lord; but allow me
first to bid adieu to my household, and I will come.
62 Jesus said to him: No man putting his hand to the ox-plough, and
looking backward, is fit for the kingdom of God.
X.
01 And after these things, Jesus separated from among his disciples
seventy other persons, and sent them, two and two, before his face, to every
place and city whither he was to go.
02 And he said to them: The harvest is great, and the laborers few:
pray ye, therefore, the lord of the harvest that he would send laborers into
his harvest.
03 Go ye: lo, I send you forth, as sheep among wolves.
04 Take to you no purses, nor wallets, nor shoes; and salute no man
by the way.
05 And into whatever house ye enter, first say: Peace be to this
house.
06 And if the son of peace is there, your salutation will rest upon
it; but if not, your salutation will return to you.
07 And remain in that house, eating and drinking of what it
affords; for the laborer is worthy of his hire. And pass not from house to
house.
08 And into whatever city ye enter, and they receive you; eat that
which set before you.
09 And heal them that are sick in it; and say to them: The kingdom
of God hath come near you.
10 And into whatever city ye enter, and they receive you not; go
out into the street, and say:
11 Even the dust of your city which adhereth to our feet, we shake
off against you: but this know ye, that the kingdom of God hath come near to
you.
12 I say to you, that for Sodom there will be comfort in that day,
rather than for that city.
13 Woe to thee, Chorazin; woe to thee, Bethsaida; for if in Tyre
and Sidon there had been the mighty deeds, that were in you, they would long
ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But for Tyre and Sidon there will be comfort in the day of
judgment, rather than for you.
15 And thou Capernaum, that art lifted up to heaven, shalt be
brought down to hell.
16 He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you,
despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.
17 And the seventy whom he sent forth, returned with great joy, and
say to him: Our Lord, even the demons were subject to us, in thy name.
18 And he said to them: I saw Satan fall, like the lightning from
heaven.
19 Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents, and
scorpions, and on all the power of the adversary: and nothing shall harm
you.
20 Yet rejoice not in this, that the . demons are subject to you;
but rejoice, that your names are written in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus exulted in the Holy Spirit, and said: I thank
thee, my Father, thou Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these
things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them to babes: yes,
my Father, for such was thy good pleasure.
22 And he turned himself to his disciples, and said to them: Every
thing is committed to me by my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is,
but the Father; or who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son is
pleased to reveal [him].
23 And he turned to his disciples, privately, and said: Blessed are
the eyes that see, what ye see.
24 For I say to you, that many prophets and kings desired to see
what ye see, and did not see [it]; and to hear what ye hear, and did not
hear [it].
25 And behold, a Scribe stood up to try him, and said: Teacher,
what must I do, to inherit eternal life?
26 And Jesus said to him: How is it written in the law? How readest
thou?
27 He answered and said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, and with
all thy mind; and thy neighbor, as thyself
28 Jesus said to him: Thou hast said correctly; do thus, and thou
wilt live.
29 And he, being disposed to justify himself, said: And who is my
neighbor?
30 Jesus said to him: A certain man was going down from Jerusalem
to Jericho, and robbers fell upon him, and plundered him, and smote him, and
left him with little life in him, and went their way.
31 And a certain priest went down by that way; and he saw him, and
passed on.
32 So also a Levite came, approached the spot, and saw him, and
passed on.
33 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was, and saw
him, and took pity on him,
34 and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and poured wine and
oil on them, and placed him upon his ass, and brought him to the inn, and
took care of him.
35 And on the morning of the [next] day, he took out two denarii
and gave to the host, and said: Take good care of him; and if thou expendest
any more, when I return, I will repay thee.
36 Which therefore of these three, appears to thee, to have been
neighbor to him that fell into the hands of marauders ?
37 And he said: He that had pity on him. Jesus said to him: Go, and
do thou also the like.
38 And it occurred, as they travelled by the way, that he entered a
certain village, and a woman whose name was Martha, received him at her
house.
39 And she had a sister whose name, was Mary : and she came and
seated herself at the feet of our Lord, and listened to his discourses.
40 But Martha was occupied with much service; and she came, and
said to him: My Lord, hast thou no concern, that my sister hath left me to
serve alone? Bid her assist me.
41 Jesus answered, and said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art
anxious and troubled about many things:
42 yet but one thing is necessary; and Mary hath chosen for herself
the good part, which shall not be taken from her.
XI.
01 And as he was praying in a certain place, it] occurred, that
when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Our Lord, teach us to
pray, as John also taught his disciples.
02 Jesus said to them: When ye pray, thus speak ye: Our Father who
art in heaven, hallow be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy pleasure be done,
as in heaven, so on earth;
03 give us daily the bread we need;
04 and remit to us our sins, for we also remit to all that are
indebted to us; and bring us not into trials, but deliver us from evil.
05 And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, that
shall come to him at midnight and say to him, My friend, lend me three
cakes;
06 for a friend hath come to me from a journey, and I have nothing
to set before him?
07 And his friend within shall answer, and say to him: Do not
disturb me, for lo, the door is closed, and my children with me in bed; I
cannot rise and give thee.
08 I say to you: If he give him not, on account of friendship, yet
on account of [his] importunity, he will arise and give [him] as much as he
asketh.
09 I say also to you: Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and ye
will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh,
findeth; and to him that knocketh, it is opened.
11 For which of you being a father, if his son shall ask him for
bread, will he reach to him a stone ? Or, if he ask of him a fish, will he,
instead of a fish, reach to him a serpent?
12 Or, if he ask of him an egg, will he reach to him a scorpion?
13 And if ye, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to
them that ask him ?
14 And as he was casting out a demon that was dumb, it occurred,
that when the demon had gone out, the dumb [man] conversed: and the
multitudes admired.
15 But some of them said: It is by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,
that he casteth out demons.
16 And others, to tempt him, asked of him a sign from heaven.
17 But Jesus, as he knew their thoughts, said to them: Every
kingdom that is divided against itself, will become a desolation: and a
house that is divided against itself, will fall.
18 And if Satan be divided against himself, how will his kingdom
stand ? since ye say, that I by Beelzebub cast out demons.
19 And if I, by Beelzebub, cast out demons, by whom do your sons
cast [them] out? Therefore will they be to you judges.
20 But if I, by the finger of God, cast out demons, the kingdom of
God hath come near to you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his doorway, his property rests
securely.
22 But if a stronger than he come and overpower him, he taketh away
all his arms on which he relied, and divideth the spoil of him.
23 He that is not for me, is against me; and he that gathereth not
with me, actually scattereth.
24 An unclean spirit, when he goeth out of a man, goeth wandering
in places where no water is, in order to find rest; and, as he cannot find
[it] he saith: I will return to my habitation, from which I came.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept clean and set in order.
26 Then he goeth and taketh seven other spirits, worse than
himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man
is worse than the first.
27 And while he was saying these things, a certain woman from the
crowd, lifted up her voice, and said to him: Blessed is the womb that
carried thee, and the breasts that nursed thee.
28 He said to her: Blessed are they who hear the word of God, and
keep it.
29 And when multitudes were assembled, he began to say: This evil
generation seeketh a sign; and no sign will be given it, but the sign of
Jonah the prophet.
30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son
of man be a sign to this generation.
31 The queen of the south will stand up in the judgment with the
men of this generation, and will condemn them; for she came from the other
side of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and lo, one superior to
Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this
generation, and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of
Jonah, and lo, one superior to Jonah is here.
33 No one lighteth a lamp, and putteth it in a secret place, or
under a bushel, but upon a light-stand; that they who come in, may see its
light.
34 The lamp of thy body is thy eye. Therefore, when thy eye is
sound, thy whole body will be enlightened; but if it be bad, thy body also
will be dark.
35 See to it, therefore, lest the light that is in thee, be
darkness.
36 For if thy whole body be enlightened, and no part in it be dark,
the whole will be luminous, as if a lamp enlightened thee by its radiance.
37 And while he was speaking, a certain Pharisee requested him to
dine with him: and he went in, and reclined.
38 And the Pharisee noticing him, wondered that he did not
previously baptize before dinner.
39 And Jesus said to him: Now ye Pharisees make clean the exterior
of the cup and the dish; but your interior is full of extortion and
wickedness.
40 Ye deficient in understanding! did not he who made the exterior,
make also the interior?
41 But, give ye alms from what ye possess; and lo, every thing will
be clean to you.
42 But woe to you, Pharisees ! for ye tithe mint and rue, and every
pot-herb; but pass over justice and the love of God. Now ye ought to do
these things, and not to omit those.
43 Woe to you, Pharisees! who love the chief seats in the
synagogues, and a salutation in the streets.
44 Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye are like
graves that are unknown, and men walk over them and do not know [it].
45 And one of the Scribes replied, and said to him: Teacher, while
saying these things, thou reproachest us also.
46 And he said: Woe to you also! ye Scribes, who lade men with
heavy burdens; yet ye yourselves will not touch those burdens with one of
your fingers
47 Woe to you! who build the sepulchres of the prophets, whom your
fathers slew.
48 Thus ye testify, that ye acquiesce in the deeds of your fathers;
for they slew them, and ye build their sepulchres.
49 Therefore hath wisdom said: Lo, I will send to them prophets and
legates ; and some of them they will persecute and slay;
50 that from this generation may be required, the blood of all the
prophets, which hath been shed since the world was created;
51 from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zachariah who was slain
between the temple and the altar. Yea, say I to you: It will be required of
this generation.
52 Woe to you, Scribes; for ye have taken away the keys of
knowledge: ye yourselves enter not, and them that are entering ye hinder.
53 And when he had said these things to them, the Scribes and
Pharisees began to be offended, and became angry, and carped at his
discourses,
54 and practised many wiles upon him, seeking to catch some thing
from his lips, that they might accuse him.
XII.
01 And when great multitudes were assembled by myriads, so that
they trod one upon another, Jesus began to say to his disciples: First of
all, beware for yourselves of that leaven of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy.
02 For there is nothing hidden, which will not be revealed; nor
concealed, that will not be known.
03 For whatever ye speak in the dark, will be heard in the light;
and what in secret chambers, ye whisper in the ear, will be proclaimed on
the house-tops.
04 And to you, my friends, I say: Be not afraid of them that kill
the body, and afterwards have nothing more they can do.
05 But I will show you, of whom to be afraid: of him who, after he
hath killed, hath authority to cast into hell. Yea, say I to you: be afraid
of him.
06 Are not five sparrows sold for two assarii? and not one of them
is forgotten before God.
07 And as for you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore; for ye are superior to many sparrows.
08 And I say to you, that every one that shall confess me before
men, the Son of man will also confess him before the angels of God.
09 But he that shall deny me before men, shall himself be denied
before the angels of God.
10 And every one that shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him: but he that shall reproach the Holy Spirit, it will
not be forgiven him.
11 And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, before chiefs
and men in authority, be not anxious how ye shall make defence, or what ye
shall say;
12 for the Holy Spirit will, in that hour, instruct you what to
say.
13 And one of the assembly said to him: Teacher, tell my brother,
to divide the inheritance with me.
14 But Jesus said to him: Man, who established me a judge and
distributor over you ?
15 And he said to his disciples: Beware of all avarice, for life
consisteth not in abundance of riches.
16 And he spoke to them a similitude: The land of a certain rich
man brought forth produce in abundance.
17 And he considered with himself, and said: What shall I do; for I
have not where I can store up my produce ?
18 And he said : This will I do; I will pull down my storehouses,
and build them larger; and there will I store up all my corn and my good
things:
19 and I will say to my soul: My soul, thou hast good things in
abundance, which are stored up for many years; take thy ease; eat, drink,
and live in pleasure.
20 But God said to him: Thou void of reason! This night, thy soul
will be required of thee; and to whom will belong these things provided by
thee ?
21 Such is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich
in God.
22 And he said to his disciples: Therefore I tell you, Be not
anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor for your body, what ye shall
put on.
23 For the life is more important than food, and the body than
raiment.
24 Consider the ravens, which sow not, nor reap, nor have cellars
and storehouses; yet God provideth them food. How much more important now
are ye, than the birds!
25 And which of you, by taking pains, can add one cubit to his
stature ?
26 And if ye are impotent for that which is least, why are ye
anxious about the rest ?
27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, nor do they
spin. Yet I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory, was clothed
like one of these.
28 And if God so clothe the herb, which to-day exists in the field,
and to-morrow falls into the oven, how much more you, ye little in faith?
29 And inquire not, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor
let your mind wander upon these things.
30 For all these things the people of the world seek after; and
your father knoweth that, for you also, these things are needful.
31 But seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things will be
added to you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for your Father is disposed to give you
the kingdom
33 Sell your property, and give alms: make for yourselves bags that
do not become old, and a treasure that is not transient, in the heavens;
where no thief approacheth, and no moth eateth.
34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning.
36 And be ye like persons who are waiting for their lord, when he
shall return from the house of feasting, that, when he shall come and knock,
they may open to him immediately.
37 Happy are those servants, whom their lord, when he cometh, shall
find so doing. Verily I say to you: He will gird his loins, and make them
recline, and will pass around and serve them.
38 And if in the second watch, or in the third, he shall come and
so find [them], happy are those servants.
39 And this know ye, that if the lord of the house had known at
what watch the thief would come, he would have been awake and would not have
suffered his house to be broken into.
40 Therefore be ye also ready; for at an hour that ye think not,
the Son of man cometh.
41 Simon Cephas saith to him: Our Lord, speakest thou this
similitude to us, or also to all men ?
42 Jesus said to him: Who then is that faithful and wise steward,
whom his lord will place over all his domestics, to give them their portion
in due time?
43 Happy is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find
so doing.
44 Verily I say to you: He will place him over all his possessions.
45 But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to smite the servants and the maidens of his lord;
and shall begin to eat and to drink and be drunk;
46 the lord of that servant will come in a day he thinketh not, and
in an hour he knoweth not, and will cut him in two; and will assign him his
portion with them that are unfaithful.
47 And the servant that knew his lord's pleasure, and did not
prepare for him according to his pleasure, shall be beaten with many
[stripes].
48 But he that knew not, yet did that which deserved stripes, shall
be beaten with few stripes. For to whomsoever much is given, from him will
much be required; and to whom much is committed, the more will be required
at his hand.
49 I have come to cast fire on the earth; and I would, that it
already burned.
50 And I have a baptism to be baptized with; and I am much pressed
until it be accomplished.
51 Suppose ye, that I have come to produce tranquillity on the
earth ? I tell you, No: but division.
52 For from this time, there will be five [persons] in one house,
who will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 For a father will be divided against his son, and a son against
his father; a mother against her daughter, and a daughter against her
mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law.
54 And he said to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising out
of the west, ye at once say: Rain is coming; and it is so.
55 And when a south wind bloweth, ye say: It will be hot: and it is
so.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye know how to distinguish the aspect of the
heavens and the earth; and why can ye not distinguish the present time?
57 And why do ye not, of yourselves, judge correctly ?
58 And when thou goest with thy adversary to the ruler, while on
the way, make effort to be released by him; lest he bring thee to the judge
and the judge deliver thee to the exactor, and the exactor cast thee into
prison.
59 For verily I say to thee: Thou wilt not come out thence, until
thou pay the last mite.
XIII.
01 And at that time, some came and told him of those Galileans,
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
02 And Jesus replied, and said to them: Suppose ye, that these
Galileans were sinners beyond all the Galileans, because this occurred to
them?
03 No. And I say to you, That all of you also, unless ye repent,
will likewise perish.
04 Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew
them, suppose ye, that they were sinners beyond all the men inhabiting
Jerusalem?
05 No. And I say to you, That except ye resent, ye like them will
all of you perish.
06 And he spoke this similitude: A man had a fig-tree that was
planted in his vineyard: and he came, seeking fruits upon it, and found
none.
07 And he said to the cultivator: Lo, these three years, I have
come seeking fruits on this fig-tree, and I find none. Cut it down: why
should it cumber the ground?
08 The cultivator said to him: My Lord, spare it this year also,
until I shall work about it, and manure it.
09 And if it bear fruits, [well;] and if not, thou wilt cut it
down: why should it live?
10 And when Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, on the
sabbath,
11 a woman was there who had had a spirit of infirmity eighteen
years; and she was bent over, and could not straighten herself at all.
12 And Jesus saw her, and called her, and said to her: Woman, thou
art released from thy infirmity.
13 And he put his hand upon her; and immediately she straightened
her self up, and glorified God.
14 And the chief of the synagogue, being angry that Jesus had
healed on the sabbath, answered, and said to the multitude: There are six
days, on which it is lawful to work; on them come ye, and be healed, and not
on the sabbath day.
15 But Jesus replied, and said to him: Thou hypocrite ! Doth not
every one of you, on the sabbath, loose his ox or his ass from the stall,
and lead him to water?
16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom the Calumniator hath
bound, lo, these eighteen years, ought she not to be loosed from this bond
on the sabbath day?
17 And when he had said these things, all those that stood up
against him were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced in all the miracles
that were wrought by his hand.
18 And Jesus said: To what is the kingdom of God like? and with
what shall I compare it?
19 It is like a grain of mustard, which a man took and cast into
his garden; and it grew, and became a large tree; and a bird of heaven made
her nest in its branches.
20 Jesus said again: With what shall I compare the kingdom of God?
21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three seahs of
meal, until the whole was fermented.
22 And he travelled through the villages and cities, teaching and
going towards Jerusalem.
23 And a person asked him, whether they were few who would have
life?
24 And Jesus said to them: Strive to enter the narrow gate: for I
say to you, many will seek to enter, and will not be able.
25 From the time that the lord of the house shall rise and close
the door, then ye will stand without, and knock at the door; and ye will
begin to say: Our Lord, our Lord, open to us and he will answer, and say: I
tell you, I know you not, whence ye are.
26 And ye will begin to say: We have eaten and drunken before thee;
and thou hast taught in our streets.
27 And he will say to you: I know you not, whence ye are: depart
from me, ye doers of falsehood.
28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye will see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God;
and yourselves will be thrust out.
29 And they will come from the east and from the west, and from the
south and from the north, and will recline in the kingdom of God.
30 And lo, there are last that will be first, and there are first
that will be last.
31 On the same day came some of the Pharisees, and said to him: Go,
depart hence; for Herod purposeth to kill thee.
32 Jesus said to them: Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out
demons and perform cures, to-day and to-morrow, and on the third day I shall
be consummated.
33 But I must labor to-day and to-morrow, and on the following day
I will go; because it cannot be, that a prophet should perish away from
Jerusalem.
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent to thee; how many times would I have gathered thy
children, as a hen that gathereth her young under her wings, and ye would
not?
35 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you: Ye
will not see me, until ye will say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of
the Lord.
XIV.
01 And it occurred, that, as he entered the house of one of the
chief Pharisees to eat bread, on the sabbath day, they watched him.
02 And lo, a dropsical man was before him.
03 And Jews answered, and said to the Scribes and Pharisees: Is it
lawful to heal on the sabbath?
04 And they were silent. And he took him, and healed him, and
dismissed him.
05 And he said to them: Which of you, if his son or his ox fall
into a pit on the sabbath day, doth not immediately lift and draw him out?
06 And they could give him no answer to that.
07 And he spoke a similitude to the guests that were present, as he
noticed how they chose places on the highest couches.
08 When thou art invited by any one to a house of feasting, go not
and recline on the highest couch; lest there should be invited there, one
more honorable than thou;
09 and he that invited both him and thee come and say to thee, Give
place to this man; and thou be ashamed, when thou risest, and takest a lower
couch.
10 But when thou art invited, go and recline on the lowest [couch];
that when he who invited thee come, he may say to thee: My friend, come up
higher and recline. And thou wilt have honor, before all that recline with
thee.
11 For, every one that exalteth himself, will be humbled: and every
one that humbleth himself, will be exalted.
12 And he said to him that invited him: When thou makest a dinner
or a supper, invite not thy friends, nor thy brothers, nor thy relatives,
nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also invite thee, and thou have this
recompense.
13 But when thou makest a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the
lame, the blind.
14 And thou wilt be blessed. For they cannot recompense thee; but
thy recompense will be at the resurrection of the just.
15 And when one of those reclining heard these things, he said to
him: Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Jesus said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and
invited many.
17 And at the time for supper, he sent his servant to say to those
invited: Lo, every thing is ready for you; come.
18 And they all to a man, began to excuse themselves. The first
said to him: I have bought a field, and am constrained to go out and see it.
I pray thee, allow me to be excused.
19 Another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to
inspect them. I pray thee, allow me to be excused.
20 Another said: I have married a wife, and on this account I
cannot come.
21 And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the
lord of the house was angry: and he said to his servant, Go out quickly into
the market-places and streets of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and
the diseased, and the lame, and the blind.
22 And the servant said: My lord, it is done as thou commandedst;
and still there is room.
23 And the lord said to his servant: Go out to the by-paths, and
among the hedges, and constrain them to come in; that my house may be
filled.
24 For I declare to you, that not one of those men that were
invited, shall taste of my supper.
25 And when great multitudes were travelling with him, he turned
himself, and said to them:
26 He that cometh to me, and hateth not his father and his mother,
and his brothers and his sisters, and his wife and his children, and his own
life also, cannot become a disciple to me.
27 And he that doth not take up his cross and come after me, cannot
become a disciple to me.
28 For, which of you, wishing to build a tower, doth not first sit
down and compute the expense, whether he have the means to complete it ?
29 lest, when he hath laid the foundation, and is unable to finish,
all that see it begin to deride him;
30 and say: This man began to build, and was unable to finish.
31 Or what king, that is going to contend in battle with his
neighbor king, doth not first consider, whether he is able, with ten
thousand, to meet him that is coming against him with twenty thousand ?
32 and if not; while he is yet far from him, he sendeth envoys, and
sueth for peace.
33 So every one of you who doth not give up all his possessions,
cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is a good thing: but if the salt itself hath become
insipid, wherewith shall it be salted?
35 It is fit for neither the earth, nor the dunghill. They cast it
away. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
XV.
01 And publicans and sinners came to him, to hear him.
02 And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, and said: This man
receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
03 And Jesus spoke to them this similitude:
04 What man among you, that hath a hundred sheep, if he lose one of
them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the desert, and go and seek for
that which is lost, until he find it?
05 And when he findeth it, he rejoiceth, and taketh it upon his
shoulders;
06 and he cometh home, and he calleth together his friends and
neighbors, and saith to them: Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep
that was lost.
07 I say to you, that there will thus be joy in heaven, over one
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just ones, to whom
repentance was not necessary.
08 Or what woman is there, who, if she have ten drachmas, and lose
one of them, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search for it
carefully, until she find it?
09 And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and
neighbors, and saith to them: Rejoice with me, for I have found my drachma
that was lost.
10 I say to you, That there will thus be joy, before the angels of
God, over one sinner that repenteth.
11 And Jesus said to them again: A certain man had two sons.
12 And his younger son said to him: My father, give me the portion
that falleth to me from thy house. And he divided to them his property.
13 And after a few days, the younger son collected together all
that fell to him, and went to a distant place and there squandered his
property, by living in dissipation.
14 And when he had consumed all that he had, there occurred a great
famine in that place; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and connected himself with one of the citizens of
that place: and he sent him into the field to tend swine.
16 And he longed to fill his belly with those pods which the swine
ate: and no one gave to him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said: How many hired servants
are now at my father's house, who have bread enough, and I am here perishing
with hunger.
18 I will arise and go to my father, and say to him: My father, I
have sinned against heaven, and before thee;
19 and am no longer worthy to be called thy son. Make me like one
of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose and went towards his father. And he was yet at a
distance, when his father saw him; and he pitied him, and ran, and fell upon
his neck and kissed him.
21 And his son said to him: My father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son.
22 But his father said to his servants: Bring forth the best robe,
and clothe him, and put a ring on his hand, and supply him with shoes.
23 And bring forth and slay the fatted bullock; and let us eat, and
be merry.
24 For, this my son was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is
found. And they began to be merry.
25 But his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near
to the house, he heard the sound of the singing of many.
26 And he called to one of the boys, and asked him what it meant.
27 And he said to him: Thy brother hath come; and thy father hath
killed the fatted bullock, because he hath received him in health.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: and his father went out
and entreated him.
29 And he said to his father: Lo, these many years have I labored
in thy service, and never transgressed thy command; and thou never gavest me
a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 But for this thy son, when he had dissipated thy property with
harlots, and came [home], thou hast slain the fatted bullock for him.
31 His father said to him: My son, thou hast been ever with me, and
all that I have, is thine.
32 But it was proper for us to be merry, and to rejoice; because
this thy brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.
XVI.
01 And he spoke a parable to his disciples. There was a certain
rich man, who had a steward; and accusations were brought to him of him,
that he squandered his property.
02 And his lord called him, and said to him: What is this that I
hear of thee? Render to me an account of thy stewardship; for thou canst no
longer be my steward.
03 And the steward said with himself: What shall I do, since my
lord is about to take from me the stewardship? To dig, I am unable; and to
become a beggar, I am ashamed.
04 I know what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship,
they may receive me to their houses.
05 And he called each one of his lord's debtors; and he said to the
first, How much owest thou to my lord?
06 And he said to him, One hundred measures of oil. And he said to
him: Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write Fifty measures.
07 And he said to another: And how much owest thou to my lord? And
he said to him, One hundred cors of wheat. And he said to him: Take thy
bill, and sit down, and write Eighty cors.
08 And our Lord praised the unrighteous steward, for having acted
sagaciously: for the children of this world are more sagacious than the
children of light, in this their generation.
09 And I also say to you: Make to yourselves friends, with this
unrighteous mammon; so that when it is finished, they may receive you to
their everlasting tabernacles.
10 He that is faithful in the little, is also faithful in the much;
and he that is unjust in the little, is also unjust in the much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous
mammon, who will intrust to you the reality ?
12 And if ye have not been found faithful in that which is not
yours, who will give to you that which is yours?
13 There is no servant, who can serve two lords. For, either he
will hate the one and love the other, or he will honor the one and despise
the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees, when they heard all these things, because
they loved money, derided him.
15 And Jesus said to them: Ye are such as justify yourselves before
men; but God knoweth your heart: for that which is exalted among men, is
abominable before God.
16 The law and the prophets were until John: since then, the
kingdom of God is proclaimed, and every one presseth it to enter in.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one
letter to pass from the law.
18 Whoever putteth away his wife, and taketh another, committeth
adultery; and whoever taketh her that is put away, committeth adultery.
19 And there was a certain rich man, who was clothed in fine linen
and scarlet, and passed every day in splendid luxury.
20 And there was a certain poor man, whose name was Lazarus; and he
was laid at the gate of the rich man, smitten with ulcers.
21 And he desired to fill his belly with the fragments that fell
from the rich man's table: and the dogs also came and licked his ulcers.
22 And so it was, that the poor man died; and angels transported
him to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.
23 And being tormented in hell, he raised his eyes from afar off,
and saw Abraham, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he called with a loud voice, and said: Abraham, my father,
have pity on me; and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in
water, and moisten my tongue; for, lo, I am tormented in this flame.
25 And Abraham said to him: My son, remember, that thou receivedst
thy good things in thy lifetime, and Lazarus his evil things: and now,
behold he is here at rest, and thou art tormented.
26 And with all these, there is a great barrier between us and you;
so that they who would pass from here to you, cannot; neither [can they]
pass from there to us
27 He said to him: I pray thee, therefore, my father, that thou
wouldst send him to my father's house;
28 for I have five brothers; that he may go and protest to them;
lest they also come to this place of torment.
29 Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets, let them
hear them.
30 But he said to him: No, my father Abraham: but if one shall go
to them from the dead, they will repent.
31 Abraham said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
they will not believe, though one should rise from the dead.
XVII.
01 And Jesus said to his disciples: It cannot be, but that offences
will come: but woe to him, by whom they come.
02 Better for him were it, if a millstone were suspended to his
neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these
little ones to stumble.
03 Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother transgress, rebuke him;
and if he repent, forgive him.
04 And if he shall offend against thee seven times in a day, and,
seven times in a day, shall turn himself to thee, and say, I repent; forgive
him.
05 And the Legates said to our Lord: Increase our faith.
06 He said to them: If ye had faith like a grain of mustard seed,
ye might say to this mulberry-tree, Be thou torn up by the roots, and be
thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you.
07 Which of you, having a servant driving a yoke of oxen, or
tending sheep, will say to him when he cometh from the field, Pass on at
once, and recline for supper?
08 But he will say to him: Prepare for me what I may sup upon, and
gird thy loins and serve me, until I have eaten and drunken; and afterwards
thou shalt eat and drink.
09 Hath he thanks for him, because the servant did what was
commanded him? I think not.
10 So also ye, when ye have done all the things commanded you, say:
We are unprofitable servants, for we have done only what we were obligated
to do.
11 And it occurred as Jesus advanced towards Jerusalem, that he
passed among the Samaritans into Galilee.
12 And when he drew near to enter a certain village, there met him
ten leprous men; and they stood at a distance,
13 and raised their voice, and said: Our Rabbi, Jesus, have
compassion upon us.
14 And when he had looked upon them, he said to them: Go, show
yourselves to the priests. And as they were going, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed, returned, and
with a loud voice, glorified God.
16 And he fell on his face, at the feet of Jesus, and thanked him.
And he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answered, and said: Were they not ten who were
cleansed? Where are the nine?
18 Have they so gone as not to come and give glory to God; except
this one, who is of another nation ?
19 And he said to him; Arise, and go: thy faith hath given thee
life.
20 And as [some] of the Pharisees asked him, When the kingdom of
God would come; he answered, and said to them: The kingdom of God will not
come with observables.
21 And they will not say: Behold, here it is! or, Behold, it is
there! For lo, the kingdom of God is within you
22 And he said to his disciples: The days will come, when ye will
long to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye will not see [them].
23 And if they shall say to you: Lo, here he is! or, Lo, there he
is! go not forth.
24 For, as the lightning darteth from the heavens, and illuminateth
all beneath the heavens; so will the Son of man be, in his day.
25 But, previously, he is to suffer many things, and to be rejected
by this generation.
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of
the Son of man.
27 They ate and drank, they took wives and were given to husbands,
until the day that Noah entered the ark; and the flood came, and destroyed
every one.
28 And again, as it was in the days of Lot; they ate and drank,
bought and sold, planted and built.
29 But in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, the Lord rained fire
and sulphur from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Thus will it be, in the day when the Son of man shall be
revealed.
31 In that day, let him that is on the house-top, and his goods in
the house, not come down to take them: and let him that is in the field, not
return [after what is] behind him.
32 Remember Lot's wife.
33 He that desireth to preserve his life, will lose it; and he that
will lose his life, shall preserve it.
34 I tell you, that, in that night, two will be in one bed; one
will be taken, and the other left.
35 And two females will be grinding together; one will be taken,
and the other left.
36 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken, and the other
left.
37 They answered, and said to him: Whither, our Lord? He said to
them: Where the body is, there will the eagles assemble themselves.
XVIII.
01 And he spoke to them a similitude also, that men should pray at
all times, and not become weary.
02 There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, and
regarded not men.
03 And there was a certain widow in that city; and she came to him,
and said: Vindicate me against my adversary.
04 And he would not, for a long time: but afterwards, he said to
himself: Though I fear not God, and regard not men,
05 yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will vindicate her; that
she may not be always coming and troubling me.
06 And our Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith.
07 And will not God, much more, vindicate his chosen, who call upon
him by day and by night; and have patience with them ?
08 I tell you, He will vindicate them speedily. Yet the Son of man
will come; and will he find faith on the earth ?
09 And he spake this similitude, against certain persons, who had
confidence in themselves that they were righteous, and despised every one.
10 Two men went up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and
the other a publican.
11 And the Pharisee stood by himself, and prayed thus: God, I thank
thee that I have not been like the rest of men, rapacious, oppressive, and
adulterous; nor like this publican.
12 But I fast twice in a week, and tithe all I possess.
13 And the publican stood afar off, and would not even lift his
eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, and said: God, be merciful to me,
a sinner.
14 I say to you, that this [man] went down to his house justified,
rather than the Pharisee. For every one that exalteth himself, will be
humbled; and every one that humbleth himself, will be exalted.
15 And they brought to him infants, that he might touch them: and
his disciples saw them, and rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them, and said to them: Suffer little children
to come to me, and forbid them not; for of those that are like them, of such
is the kingdom of heaven.
17 Verily I say to you, That he who shall not receive the kingdom
of God, as a little child, will not enter it.
18 And one of the chiefs asked him, and said to him: Good Teacher,
what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?
19 Jesus said to him: Why callest thou me, good? For, there is none
good, except one; God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not kill; and thou
shalt not commit adultery; and thou shalt not steal; and thou shalt not
testify a false testimony; honor thy father and thy mother.
21 He said to him: All these have I kept, from my childhood.
22 And when Jesus heard these [words], he said to him: One thing is
lacking to thee: go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou
wilt have a treasure in heaven; and come after me.
23 And he, when he heard these [words], was dejected; for he was
very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was dejected, he said: How difficult
[it is], for those that have wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle, than a
rich man the kingdom of God.
26 They who heard [it], said to him: Who then can have life?
27 And Jesus said: Those things which, with men, cannot be, with
God, can be.
28 Simon Cephas said to him: Lo, we have left every thing, and come
after thee.
29 Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you: There is no man, who
hath left houses, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the
sake of the kingdom of God,
30 that shall not receive manifold in the present time, and, in the
coming world, eternal life.
31 And Jesus took his twelve, and said to them: Behold, we are
going up to Jerusalem; and all the things written in the prophets,
concerning the Son of man, will be fulfilled.
32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles; and they will
mock him, and spit in his face;
33 and will scourge him, and will treat him with ignominy, and will
kill him; and, the third day, he will arise.
34 But not one of these things, did they understand; but this
subject was hidden from them, and they knew not the things told to them. And
as they came near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the side of the
way, begging.
36 And he heard the noise of the multitude that passed, and
inquired what it was.
37 They say to him: Jesus the Nazarean is passing by.
38 And he called out, and said: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me.
39 And they that went before Jesus rebuked him, that he might be
silent. But he cried out the more, Son of David, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be called to him. And when
he came to him, he asked him,
41 and said to him: What wilt thou, that I do for thee? And he
said: My Lord, that I may see.
42 And Jesus said to him: See thou; thy faith hath vivified thee.
43 And immediately he saw. And he followed after him, and glorified
God. And all the people who beheld, gave glory to God.
XIX.
01 And as Jesus entered and passed through Jericho,
02 [there was] a certain man, whose name was Zaccheus, who was
rich, and chief of the publicans;
03 and he wished to see Jesus, who he was; and could not, on
account of the crowd; because Zaccheus was small in stature.
04 And he ran forward of Jesus, and climbed a wild fig-tree, in
order to see him; for he was to pass that way.
05 And when Jesus came to the place, he saw him, and said to him:
Make haste and come down, Zaccheus; for I must be at thy house to-day.
06 And he hastened, and came down, and received him with gladness.
07 And when they all saw [it], they murmured, and said: He hath
gone in to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
08 And Zaccheus stood up, and said to Jesus: Behold, my Lord, the
half of my riches I give to the poor; and to every man, whom I have wronged
in any thing, I restore fourfold.
09 Jesus said to him: This day, life is to this house; for he also
is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man came, to seek and to vivify that which was
lost.
11 And when they heard these things, he proceeded to utter a
similitude; because he was near to Jerusalem, and they supposed that the
kingdom of God was to be soon developed.
12 And he said: A certain man of high birth was going to a distant
place, to obtain royalty, and return again.
13 And he called his ten servants, and gave them ten pounds: and he
said to them, Traffic until I come.
14 But the inhabitants of his city hated him; and they sent envoys
after him, saying: We wish this man not to reign over us.
15 And when he had obtained the royalty, and had returned, he
commanded those servants to be called, to whom he had committed his money;
that he might know what each of them had gained by trading.
16 And the first came, and said: My Lord, thy pound hath gained ten
pounds.
17 He said to him: Well done, good servant! As thou hast been
faithful over a little, thou shalt have authority over ten towns.
18 And the second came, and said: My lord, thy pound hath produced
five pounds.
19 He said likewise to him: Thou also shalt have authority over
five towns.
20 And another came, and said: My lord, lo, this is thy pound,
which hath been with me, laid up in fine linen.
21 For I was afraid of thee, because thou art a hard man, and
takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou
sowedst not.
22 He said to him: Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, thou
evil servant. Thou knewest me, that I am a hard man, and that I take up what
I laid not down, and reap what I sowed not!
23 Why didst thou not put my money into the broker's hands, that
when I came, I might have demanded it with interest?
24 And he said to them that stood before him: Take from him the
pound, and give it to him with whom are the ten pounds.
25 They say to him: Our lord, there are with him ten pounds.
26 He said to them: I tell you, that to every one that hath, will
be given; and from him that hath not, even what he hath will be taken away.
27 But as for those my enemies, who would not have me to reign over
them, bring them and slay them before me.
28 And when Jesus had spoken these things, he went forward, to go
to Jerusalem.
29 And when he arrived at Bethphage and Bethany, near to the mount
called the place of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 and said to them: Go ye to the village that is over against us,
and as ye enter [it], ye will find a colt tied, on which no man ever rode;
loose [him] and bring [him].
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? say to him: Our
Lord needeth him.
32 And they went who were sent, and they found, as he said to them.
33 And as they loosed the colt, the owner of him said to them: Why
do ye loose that colt?
34 And they said: Because our Lord needeth him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus. And they cast their garments upon
the colt, and set Jesus upon him.
36 And as he went, they spread their garments in the way.
37 And when he came near to the descent of the place of Olives, the
whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice, and to praise God, with a
loud voice, for all the mighty deeds which they had seen.
38 And they said: Blessed be the king, that cometh in the name of
the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory on high.
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the crowd, said to him:
Rabbi, rebuke thy disciples.
40 He said to them: I tell you, that, if these should be silent,
the stones would cry out.
41 And as he drew near, and beheld the city, he wept over it:
42 and said: O, hadst thou known the things that are of thy peace,
at least in this thy day: but now they are hidden from thy eyes.
43 For the days will come upon thee, when thy enemies will
encompass thee, and besiege thee on every side.
44 And they will destroy thee, and thy children within thee; and
will not leave in
thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation.
45 And when he entered the temple, he began to expel those who
bought and sold in it.
46 And he said to them: It is written, My house is a house of
prayer; but ye have made it a den of robbers.
47 And he taught daily in the temple: and the chief priests and
Scribes and Elders of the people, sought to destroy him.
48 But they found not, what they could do to him; for all the
people hung upon him to hear him.
XX
01 And on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the
temple, and preaching, the chief priests and Scribes, with the Elders, came
upon him,
02 and said to him: Tell us, by what authority thou doest these
things? And who is it, that gave thee this authority?
03 Jesus answered, and said to them: I also will ask you a word,
and tell ye me.
04 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men ?
05 And they reasoned with themselves, and said: If we say, From
heaven; he will say to us, And why did ye not believe him?
06 But if we say, From men; all the people will stone us; for they
are persuaded that John was a prophet.
07 And they said to him: We do not know, whence it was.
08 Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you, by what authority I
do these things.
09 And he began to utter this similitude to the people: A certain
man planted a vineyard, and leased it to cultivators, and went abroad for a
long time.
10 And in time, he sent his servant to the cultivators, that they
might give him of the fruits of the vineyard. But the cultivators beat him,
and sent him away empty.
11 And again he sent another servant; and him also they beat, and
treated with rudeness, and sent empty away.
12 And again he sent the third. And they wounded him, and cast him
out.
13 The lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my
dear son. Perhaps they will look upon him, and be ashamed.
14 But when the cultivators saw him, they reasoned with themselves,
and said: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will
be ours.
15 And they cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. What
therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them ?
16 He will come, and destroy those cultivators, and will lease the
vineyard to others. And when they heard [it], they said: This shall not be.
17 And he looked upon them, and said: What is that which is
written, The stone, which the builders rejected, is become the chief corner
stone ?
18 And whoever shall fall upon this stone, will be broken; and on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will crush him in pieces.
19 And the chief priests and Scribes sought to lay hands on him, at
that time; but they were afraid of the people; for they knew, that he spoke
this similitude against them.
20 And they sent to him spies, who feigned themselves righteous
men, that they might insnare him in discourse, and deliver him up to a
court, and to the authority of the president.
21 And they questioned him, and said to him: Teacher, we know that
thou speakest and teachest correctly, and hast no respect of persons, but
teachest the way of God in truth.
22 Is it lawful for us to pay head-money to Caesar, or not?
23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said: Why tempt ye me?
24 Show me a denarius. Whose is this image and superscription upon
it? They said to him, Caesar's.
25 Jesus said to them: Then, give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and
to God what is God's.
26 And they could not catch from him a word [of accusation] before
the people: and they were surprised at his answers, and were silent.
27 And some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came and questioned him,
28 and said to him: Teacher, Moses wrote to us, that if a man's
brother die, who had a wife without children, his [surviving] brother shall
take his wife, and raise up seed to his [deceased] brother.
29 Now, there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and
died without children.
30 And the second took her to wife; and he died without children.
31 And again, the third took her, and in like manner also all the
seven; and they died, and left no children.
32 At last, the woman likewise died.
33 In the resurrection, therefore, of which of them will she be the
wife, for the seven took her?
34 Jesus said to them: The children of this world take wives, and
wives are given to husbands.
35 But they who are worthy of that world, and of the resurrection
from the dead, do not take wives, nor are wives given to husbands.
36 Neither can they die any more; for they are as the angels, and
are the children of God, because they are children of the resurrection.
37 But that the dead will arise, even Moses showed; for, at the
bush, he maketh mention, while he saith: The Lord, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 Now God is not [the God] of the dead, but of the living; for
they all live to him.
39 And some of the Scribes answered, and said to him: Teacher, thou
hast spoken well.
40 And they did not again venture to question him, on any matter.
41 And he said also to them: How do the Scribes say of Messiah,
that he is the son of David?
42 And David himself said, in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to
my Lord, seat thyself at my right hand,
43 until I shall place thy foes under thy feet.
44 If David, therefore, called him, My Lord; how is he his son?
45 And while all the people heard, he said to his disciples:
46 Beware of the Scribes, who choose to walk in long robes, and
love a salutation in the streets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and
the chief couches at suppers:
47 who eat up the houses of widows, under pretence that they
prolong their prayers. They will receive a greater condemnation.
XXI.
01 And Jesus looked upon the rich, who cast their oblations into
the treasury.
02 And he saw also a certain poor widow, who cast in two mites.
03 And he said: Truly I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast
in more than any one.
04 For all they, from what was superfluous to them, have cast into
the receptacle of oblations to God; but she, from her penury, hath cast in
all that she possessed.
05 And when some spoke of the temple, as adorned with goodly stones
and oblations, Jesus said to them:
06 [As for] these things, on which ye gaze, the days will come, in
which there will not be left a stone upon a stone, that is not cast down.
07 And they questioned him, and said: Teacher, when will these
things be? And what is the sign that they are near to take place?
08 And he said to them: See, that ye be not deceived; for many will
come in my name, and will say: I am Messiah and the time is near. But go ye
not after them.
09 And when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not afraid;
for these things are previously to take place, but the end is not yet come.
10 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom;
11 and great earthquakes will occur in several places, and famines,
and pestilences; and there will be terrors, and trepidations, and great
signs from heaven will be seen, and there will be great tempests.
12 But before all these things, they will lay hands upon you, and
will persecute you, and will deliver you up to councils and to prison, and
will arraign you before kings and governors, on account of my name.
13 But it will be to you for a testimony.
14 And settle it in your hearts, that ye will not previously seek
instruction for making a defence.
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your enemies
will be unable to withstand.
16 And your parents, and your brothers, and your relatives, and
your friends, will deliver you up, and cause some of you to die.
17 And ye will be hated by every one, on account of my name.
18 But a hair of your head shall not perish.
19 And by your patience, will ye preserve your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem with an army encompassing it,
then know ye, that its destruction draweth nigh.
21 Then let them who shall be in Judaea, flee to the mountain
[district]; and let them, who are in the midst of it, flee away; and those
in the fields, not enter it.
22 For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that nurse
children, in those days; for then will be great distress in the land, and
wrath upon this people.
24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be carried
captive to every place. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles shall be completed.
25 And there will be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars; and distress of nations on the earth; and clasping of hands, from
astonishment at the noise of the sea;
26 and dismay that driveth out the souls of men, from fear of that
which is to come on the earth; and the powers of heaven will be moved.
27 And then will they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with
much power, and with great glory.
28 And when these things shall begin to be, take courage, and lift
up your heads, for your deliverance draweth nigh.
29 And he uttered a similitude to them. Look at the fig-tree, and
all the trees.
30 When they bud forth, ye at once understand from them that summer
approacheth.
31 So also, when ye shall see all these things take place, know ye
that the kingdom of God is near.
32 Verily I say to you, That this generation will not pass away,
until all these things occur.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away; but my word will not pass away.
34 Take heed to yourselves, that your hearts be, at no time,
stupefied by gluttony and ebriety and worldly care; and so that day come
upon you unawares.
35 For, like a hunter's snare, it will spring upon all them that
dwell upon the face of the whole land.
36 Be ye therefore vigilant, at all times, and prayerful; that ye
may be worthy to escape the things that are to take place, and may stand
before the Son of man .
37 And, in the daytime he taught in the temple, and at night he
went out and lodged in the mount, called the Place of Olives.
38 And all the people came early to him in the temple, to hear his
discourse.
XXII.
01 And the feast of unleavened cakes, which is called the passover,
drew near.
02 And the chief priests and Scribes sought how they might kill
him, for they were afraid of the people.
03 And Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the
number of the twelve.
04 And he went and conferred with the chief priests and Scribes,
and the military commanders of the temple, how he might betray him to them.
05 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
06 And he promised them, and sought opportunity to betray him to
them, in the absence of the multitude.
07 And the day of unleavened cakes arrived, on which it was
customary for the passover to be slain.
08 And Jesus sent Cephas and John, and said to them; Go, prepare
for us the passover, that we may eat it.
09 And they said to him: Where wilt thou, that we prepare ?
10 He said to them: Lo, when ye enter the city, there will a man
meet you, bearing a vessel of water. Go after him;
11 and where he entereth, say ye to the lord of the house: Our
Rabbi saith, Is there a place of refreshment, in which I may eat the
Passover, with my disciples?
12 And lo, he will show you a large upper room that is furnished;
there prepare ye.
13 And they went, and found as he had said to them: and they made
ready the passover.
14 And when the time arrived, Jesus came and reclined; and the
twelve Legates with him.
15 And he said to them: I have greatly desired to eat this passover
with you, before I suffer.
16 For I say to you, That henceforth I shall not eat it, until it
be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 [And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said: Take this, and
divide it among you.
18 For I say to you, That I shall not drink of the product of the
vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.*]
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to them,
and said: This is my body, which is given for your sakes. This do ye, in
remembrance of me.
20 And in like manner also concerning the cup, after they had
supped, he said: This cup is the new testament in my blood, which, for your
sakes, is poured out !
21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is on the table.
22 And the Son of man goeth, as it was determined; but woe to that
man, by whom he is betrayed.
23 And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it
was, that would do this.
24 And there was contention also among them, who among them would
be greatest.
25 And Jesus said to them: The kings of the nations, are their
lords; and those exercising authority over them, are called benefactors.
26 But ye, not so: but he that is great among you, must be as the
least; and he that is chief, as the servitor.
27 For, which is the greater, he that reclineth, or he that
serveth? Is not he that reclineth? But I am among you, as he that serveth.
28 Ye are they who have continued with me in my trials:
29 and I promise to you, as my Father hath promised to me, a
kingdom:
30 that ye may eat and drink at the table of my kingdom, and may
sit on thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 And Jesus said to Simon: Simon, lo, Satan hath desired to sift
thee, as wheat:
32 but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith may not fail. And
thou also, in time, turn; and confirm thy brethren.
33 And Simon said to him: My Lord, with thee I am ready, both for
prison and for death.
34 Jesus said to him: 1 tell thee, Simon, the cock will not crow
this day, until thou hast three times denied that thou knowest me.
35 And he said to them: When I sent you without purses, without
wallets and shoes, lacked ye any thing? They say to him: Nothing.
36 He said to them: Henceforth, let him that hath a purse, take it;
and so likewise a wallet. And let him that hath no sword, sell his garment,
and buy himself a sword.
37 For I say to you, That this also, which was written, must be
fulfilled in me: I shall be numbered with transgressors. For, all that
relates to me, will be fulfilled.
38 And they said to him: Our Lord, lo, here are two swords. He said
to them: They are sufficient.
39 And he went out, and proceeded, as was his custom, to the mount
of the place of Olives; and his disciples followed him.
40 And when he arrived at the place, he said to them: Pray ye, that
ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he retired from them, about a stone's throw; and kneeled
down, and prayed,
42 and said: Father, if it please thee, let this cup pass from me.
Yet not my pleasure, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, who strengthened
him.
44 And as he was in fear, he prayed earnestly; and his sweat was
like drops of blood; and it fell on the ground.
45 And he arose from his prayer, and came to his disciples: and he
found them sleeping, from sorrow.
46 And he said to them: Why sleep ye? Arise, and pray, lest ye
enter into temptation.
47 And while he was speaking, lo, a multitude, and he that was
called Judas, one of the twelve, came at their head. And he came up to
Jesus, and kissed him. For he had given them this sign: Whom I shall kiss,
he it is.
48 Jesus said to him: Judas, is it with a kiss thou betrayest the
Son of man?
49 And when they that were with him, saw what occurred, they said
to him: Our Lord, shall we smite them with the sword?
50 And one of them smote a servant of the high priest, and took off
his right ear.
51 And Jesus answered and said: Sufficient, thus far. And he
touched the ear of him that was smitten, and healed him.
52 And Jesus said to those who had come upon him, the chief priests
and Elders and military captains of the temple: Have ye come out against me,
as against a robber, with swords, and with clubs, to take me ?
53 I was with you daily in the temple, and ye laid not hands upon
me. But this is your hour, and the reign of darkness.
54 And they took him, and conducted him to the house of the high
priest. And Simon followed after him, at a distance.
55 And they kindled a fire in the middle of the court, and sat
around it; and Simon also sat among them.
56 And a certain maid saw him sitting at the fire, and she looked
upon him, and said: This man also was with him.
57 But he denied, and said: Woman, I have not known him.
58 And a little after, another [person] saw him, and said to him:
Thou too art one of them. And Cephas said: I am not.
59 And an hour after, another contended and said: Certainly, this
man also was with him, for he likewise is a Galilean.
60 Cephas said: Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately,
while he was speaking, the cock crew.
61 And Jesus turned, and looked upon Cephas. And Simon remembered
the word of our Lord, which he spoke to him: Before the cock shall crow,
thou wilt deny me three times.
62 And Simon went out, and wept bitterly.
63 And the men who had taken Jesus, insulted him , and blinded him,
64 and smote him on his face, and said: Prophesy thou, who smote
thee?
65 And many other things they revilingly uttered, and spoke against
him.
66 And when the day dawned, the Elders and chief priests and
Scribes assembled together; and they led him to the place of their meeting,
67 and said to him: If thou art the Messiah, tell us. He said to
them: If I tell you, ye will not believe in me.
68 And if I should ask you, ye will not return me an answer; nor
will ye release me.
69 From this time, the Son of man will sit on the right hand of the
majesty of God.
70 And they all said: Thou art then, the Son of God? Jesus said to
them: Ye say that I am.
71 They say: What further need have we of witnesses? For we have
heard from his own mouth.
* Adler says, verses 17, 18, are wanting in all
MSS. of the Peshito.
XXIII.
01 And the whole company of them arose, and carried him before
Pilate.
02 And they began to accuse him, and said: We have found this man
seducing our people, and forbidding to pay the capitation money to Caesar,
and declaring himself to be king Messiah.
03 And Pilate interrogated him, and said to him: Art thou king of
the Jews ? He said to him: Thou hast said.
04 And Pilate said to the chief priests and the company: I find no
crime upon this man.
05 And they vociferated, and said: He raiseth disturbance among our
people, by teaching in all Judaea, commencing from Galilee, and quite to
this place.
06 And Pilate, when he heard the name Galilee, inquired if the man
were a Galilean.
07 And having learned that he was from under Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod; for he was at Jerusalem on those days.
08 And Herod rejoiced greatly when he saw Jesus, for he had been
desirous to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things of
him, and he hoped to see some sign from him.
09 And he asked him many questions; but Jesus gave him no reply.
10 And the chief priests and Scribes stood up, and accused him
vehemently.
11 And Herod and his warriors contemned him. And when he had mocked
him, he clothed him in a purple robe, and sent him to Pilate.
12 And on that day, Pilate and Herod became friends to each other;
for there had previously been enmity between them.
13 And Pilate called the chief priests and the rulers of the
people,
14 and said to them: Ye have brought this man before me, as a
disturber of your people; and lo, I have examined him before you, and I find
in the man no crime, among all that ye charge upon him.
15 Neither yet Herod: for I sent him to him, and lo, nothing
deserving death hath been done by him.
16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
17 For it was a custom, that he should release one at the festival.
18 And all the company vociferated, and said: Away with this man;
and release to us Barabbas.
19 He was one who had been thrown into prison, on account of a
sedition and murder which had occurred in the city.
20 And Pilate, being disposed to release Jesus, conversed with them
again.
21 But they cried out, and said: Crucify him; crucify him.
22 And he said to them the third time: But, what evil hath he done?
I find no crime in him deserving of death. I will scourge him, therefore,
and release him.
23 But they were urgent, with a loud voice; and demanded of him,
that they might crucify him.
24 And Pilate decreed, that their request be granted.
25 And he released to them him, who for sedition and murder had
been cast into prison, for whom they petitioned; and he delivered up Jesus
to their pleasure.
26 And as they led him away, they seized Simon the Cyrenian, coming
from the fields. and laid upon him the cross, to bear [it] after Jesus.
27 And there followed after him a great multitude of people; and
those women [also] who wailed and lamented over him.
28 And Jesus turned to them, and said to them: Daughters of
Jerusalem, weep not for me; but weep rather for yourselves, and for your
children.
29 For lo, the days are coming, in which they will say: Happy the
barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.
30 Then will they begin to say to the mountains, Fall upon us! and
to the hills, Cover us!
31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what will be in the
dry ?
32 And there went along with him two others, malefactors, to be
crucified.
33 And when they came to a certain place which is called a Skull,
they crucified him there; and the two malefactors, the one on his right
hand, and the other on his left.
34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do. And they divided his garments, casting a lot upon them.
35 And the people stood and looked on; and the rulers also derided
him, and said: He quickened others; let him quicken himself, if he is the
Messiah, the chosen of God.
36 And the soldiers like wise mocked him, coming to him and
offering him vinegar,
37 and saying to him: If thou art the king of the Jews, quicken
thyself.
38 And there was likewise a superscription over him, written in
Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors who were crucified with him,
reproached him, and said: If thou art the Messiah, rescue thyself, and
rescue us.
40 But his fellow [Malefactor] rebuked him, said to him: Art thou
not afraid even of God, seeing thou art under the same sentence?
41 And we justly; for we have a retribution according to our
deserts, and according to our deeds; but nothing hateful hath been done by
him.
42 And he said to Jesus: My Lord, remember me, when thou comest
into thy kingdom.
43 Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you, That this day thou shalt
be with me in paradise.
44 And it was about the sixth hour; and darkness was over all the
land, until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the door of the
temple was rent through its middle.
46 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: My Father, into thy
hand I commit my spirit. Thus he spake, and expired.
47 And when the centurion saw what occurred, he glorified God and
said: Certainly, this was a righteous man.
48 And all the multitudes who had assembled at this spectacle, on
seeing what occurred, returned, smiting upon their breasts.
49 And there were standing at a distance, all they that knew Jesus,
and those women who came with him from Galilee; and they beheld these
things.
50 And there was a certain man, whose name was Joseph, a
counsellor, from Ramath a city of Judaea, who was a good man and righteous;
51 and he had not consented to their decision and deed; and he was
waiting for the kingdom of God.
52 This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in a winding-sheet of linen;
and laid it in an excavated sepulchre, in which no one had hitherto been
laid.
54 And it was the day of preparation, and the sabbath began to
dawn.
55 And those women who came with him from Galilee, approached, and
viewed the sepulchre, and the manner in which the body was deposited.
56 And they returned, and prepared perfumes and aromatics; and they
rested on the sabbath, as it is commanded.
XXIV.
01 And on the first day of the week, in the morning, while it was
yet dark, they came to the sepulchre, and brought the aromatics they had
prepared. And there were other women with them.
02 And they found the stone rolled from the sepulchre.
03 And they entered, and found not the body of Jesus.
04 And as they wondered at this, behold, two men stood opposite
them; and their raiment was effulgent.
05 And they were in fear, and bowed their faces to the ground. And
the men said to them: Why seek ye the living among the dead?
06 He is not here; he is risen. Remember how he conversed with you,
when he was in Galilee,
07 and said, That the Son of man was to be delivered into the hands
of sinful men, and to be crucified, and to rise on the third day.
08 And they remembered his words.
09 And they returned from the sepulchre, and related all these
things to the eleven, and to the rest.
10 Now they were Mary Magdalena, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of
James, and the others with them, who related these things to the Legates.
11 And these words appeared in their eyes as dreams: and they
believed them not.
12 But Simon arose, and ran to the sepulchre, and looked in, and
saw the linen lying by itself: and he went away wondering in himself at what
had occurred.
13 And lo, two of them, on the same day, were going to a village
named Emmaus, distant sixty furlongs from Jerusalem.
14 And they talked together of all that had occurred.
15 And as they conversed, and questioned each other, Jesus came,
and drew near, and walked with them.
16 And their eyes were held, that they did not recognize him.
17 And he said to them: What are these discourses, which ye hold
with each other, as ye walk and are sad?
18 And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said to
him: Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, that thou knowest not the things
that have occurred there in these days?
19 He said to them: What things? They say to him: In regard to
Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, and mighty in discourse and in
action, before God, and before all the people.
20 And the chief priests and Elders delivered him up to a sentence
of death, and crucified him.
21 But we expected that he was to deliver Israel. And lo, three
days [have passed], since all these things occurred.
22 And moreover, certain women of ours astonished us; for they went
early to the sepulchre;
23 and as they did not find the body, they came and said to us: We
saw angels there, and they said that he is alive.
24 And also some of us went to the sepulchre; and they found, as
the women reported; but him they saw not.
25 Then Jesus said to them: O deficient in understanding, and slow
of heart to believe all the things that the prophets uttered.
26 Were not these things to be; that the Messiah should suffer and
that he should enter into his glory ?
27 Then he began from Moses, and from all the prophets, and
expounded to them concerning himself from all the scriptures.
28 And they drew near to the village to which they were going; and
he made them feel, as if he would go to a more distant place.
29 And they urged him, and said to him: Tarry with us, for the day
inclineth towards dark. And he went in to remain with them.
30 And it occurred, while he reclined with them, that he took
bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And instantly, their eyes were opened, and, they knew him. And
he took himself from them.
32 And they said one to another: Did not our heart burn*
within us, while he talked with us by the way, and explained to us the
scriptures?
33 And they arose, the same hour, and returned: to Jerusalem. And
they found the eleven assembled, and those with them,
34 who were saying: Certainly, our Lord hath risen; and he hath
appeared to Simon.
35 And they also related what occurred by the way, and how he
became known to them, when he broke bread.
36 And while they were talking of these things, Jesus stood in the
midst of them, and said to them: Peace be with you! It is I; be not afraid.
37 And they were in trepidation and fear, for they supposed they
saw a spirit.
38 Jesus said to them: Why are ye agitated? And why do imaginations
arise in your hearts?
39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is myself. Handle me, and
know; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And as he said thus, he showed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they still believed not, for their joy, and were
astonished; he said to them: Have ye here any thing to eat ?
42 And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of honeycomb.
43 And he took, [and] ate before them.
44 And he said to them: These are the things which I said to you
while I was with you, That all things written of me, in the law of Moses and
in the prophets and in the psalms, must be fulfilled.
45 Then he opened their mind to understand the scriptures.
46 And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it was right
for Messiah to suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day;
47 and that, in his name, repentance for the remission of sins
should be preached among all nations, and that the commencement be at
Jerusalem.
48 And ye are the witnesses of these things.
49 And I will send upon you the promise of my Father. But remain ye
at Jerusalem until ye shall be clothed with energy from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifted his hands, and
blessed them.
51 And it occurred, while he blessed them, that he was separated
from them, and ascended to heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great
joy.
53 And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing
God.
Amen.
Completion of the holy Gospel of Luke the Evangelist.
* The printed copies read, was burning; but an old
MS. at Oroomiah reads, was heavy, or dull. Perkin's Residence in Persia,
p.16.