iy} - iLniBi^^iair » Gift of the family of Professor William D. Whitney 1913 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY NEW TESTAMENT A TRANSLATION INTO MODERN ENGLISH Made from the Original Greek (Westcott & Hort's Text) IN THREE PARTS PART I.— THE FIVE HISTORICAL BOOKS New York Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company Publishers of Evangelical Literature THE CAXTON PRESS NEW YORK. PREFACE. A Translation FEW English-speaking people of to-day have the oppor- Modern tunity of reading the Bible in the English of their own English, time. In the course of the last hundred years the Bible has been translated into the every-day language of the natives of most countries, but the language of our Bible is still the English of three hundred years ago. The translation now offered to the public had its origin in the discovery that the English of the Authorized Version (closely followed in that of the Revised Version), though valued by the more educated reader for its antique charm, is in many passages difficult for those who are less educated, or is even unintelligible to them. The reten tion, too, of a form of English no longer in common use not only gives the impression that the contents of the Bible have little to do with the life of our own day, but also requires the expenditure of much time and labour on the part of those who wish to understand or explain it. The Greek used by the New Testament writers was not the Classical Greek of some centuries before, but the form of the language then spoken. Moreover, the writers represent those whose utterances they record as using the words and phrases of ordinary conversation. We beheve that the New Testament will be better understood by modern readers if presented in a modern form. In this respect the present translation differs altogether in its plan from that of the Revised Version of i88t. No attempt is made in that Version to translate into the language of our own time. Its authors say : "We have faithfully adhered to the rule that the alterations to be introduced should be expressed, as far as possible, in the language of the Authorized Version, or of the Versions that preceded iL We have habitually consulted the earlier Versions. ; and in our sparing introduction of words not found in them, or in the Authorized Version, we have usually satisfied ourselves that such words were employed by standard writers of nearly the same date." Our constant effort, on the contrary, has been to exclude all words and phrases not used in current English. We have, however, followed the modern practice of using an older phraseology in the rendering of poetical passages and quotations from the Old Testa ment, and in the language of prayer. • Neither a "^^^ translation of 1611, known as the "Authorized Revision nor Version," was the outcome of many successive revisions a Paraphrase, of the translation completed by Tyndale in 1534, which was, at least to some extent, founded on that completed by Wycliffe about 1380. Further, the last named translation was not made from the original Greek, but from a Latin Version. The present translation is not a revision of any previous one, but is made directly from the Greek. Nor is it a paraphrase. A paraphrase might be useful Iv. PREFACE. as a help to the interpretation of the New Testament, but it would not be the New Testament itself. Yet, on the other hand, our work is more than a Uteral translation. No purely literal rendering can ever adequately represent the thoughts conveyed in the idioms of another language. In this translation not only every word, but also the emphasis placed upon every word, has been carefully weighed, and an effort made to give the exact force and meaning in idiomatic modern English. The Greek Since the publication of the Authorized Version of Text. i6ii, more than 1,500 manuscripts of the New Testa ment have been discovered or become accessible, and among them are the three oldest and most important. The Greek text here trans lated, that of Bishop Westcott and the late Dr. Hort, is mainly founded on these oldest manuscripts, and is widely acknowledged to be, as Dr. Philip Schaff called it, "the purest Greek text," and "the last and best edition of the Greek Testament." Parallel A large amount of time and care has been expended Passages, upon those passages of the gospels which record the same or similar events or discourses, in order to show where the same or different words have been used. Such passages abound in the first three gospels, while in the fourth they are more numerous than is commonly supposed. Dr. Westcott writes : "The English reader has a right to expect that he will find in the Revision which is placed in his hands a faithful indication of the verbal agreement or difference between the several narratives. These afford the clue, often slender and subtle, to the particular meaning of a passage." In addition to such help as that here referred to, the English reader will be able to study more easily the composition of the gospels, and to discern their relation to a common source. This important matter was neglected by King James's translators. To the Revisers of 1 88 1 the public are indebted for very careful work in this direction, in which we have gladly followed and endeavoured to surpass them. There are, however, many minute points where such an indication as that alluded to by Dr. Westcott seems impossible. Quotations '^^^ numerous and important quotations from the and Old Testament are in this translation placed in special " 0?'"'"°"^,'? type. In addition to these, a large number of " bor- rases. j-Q^gfj Qld Testament phrases," as Westcott and Hort call them, are indicated in the same way. These have been carefully compared with the Septuagint, and, where necessary, with the original Hebrew, and, in some cases, with the Aramaic versions. Passages quoted from the Apocrypha (references to which were form erly given in the Authorized Version, but have been long omitted by the printers) are here also indicated. It is believed that the lise of a different type for all such passages, which show how the writers of the New Testament often borrowed the language of the Old,, will be of considerable advantage to the careful student, without embar rassing the ordinary reader. Other quotations are in ordinary type. Proper The names of persons and places we have, as a rule, Names. left in the forms with which English readers have been PREFACE. v. made familiar by the Authorized and Revised Versions. But in the case of names which occur in the Old Testament as well as in the New, we have reverted, with some exceptions, to the more correct Hebrew forms. This principle was partly adopted by the Revisers of 1881. Measures We have given measures of space and time, and also and Coins, the values of coins, in their nearest English equivalents. In estimating the latter, the insufficient amounts usually given in the margins of our Bibles, and in popular commentaries, have been abandoned. Larger values, which more correctly represent the purchasing power of the ¦ precious metals in New Testament times, have been substituted. Bracketed A few passages, numbering fourteen in all, will be Passages, found placed between square brackets. These are judged by Westcott and Hort " not to have originally formed part of the work in whieh they occur," but to be "stray relics from the Apostolic or sub-Apostolic age." The three most important of these will be found at pages 35 and 197. Order of the In early times very great variety prevailed in the Books. arrangement of the books of the New Testament. The order depended partly on their length, partly on the relative import ance of the cities to which they were addressed, still more on the different degrees of authority attributed to the writers. The "Gospels" were always placed first, and of these the two attributed to Apostles usually had the precedence. The position of the "Acts" varied somewhat. The "Revelation," though far from being the latest book, was on account of its prophetical character almost always placed last. In the middle position came the two groups of Letters, one comprising those written to Jewish Christians by the Apostle Peter and by the Master's brothers, James and Jude, together with the Letters attributed to John, two of these last being private letters. The other group of Letters comprises nine from the Apostle Paul, addressed to seven churches in Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor, and four private Letters. The anonymous Letter " to the Hebrews" (other wise entitled "to the Alexandrians") was added to this group, usually at the end of the thirteen. Of these two groups of Letters the former had the precedence in Eastern, the latter in Western Christendom. Westcott and Hort have followed the order of two out of the three oldest Manuscripts. It might, at first sight, appear best, in a translation intended principally for general readers, to keep to t*ie common order, but this would help to perpetuate an arrangement which greatly hinders the comprehension of the Pauline Letters, placing, as it does, the earlier ones after those written in later years. On the other hand, to put the whole of the books in the order of their composition (in which the " Epistle of James " would probably stand at the beginning and the "Gospel according to John" at the end, and in which Historical Books and Letters would be curiously mixed) would be an arrangement, not very difficult in the present state of chronological learning, but more puzzling than helpful. VI. PREFACE. It has been thought best, therefore, to retain the usual grouping, but to arrange the books contained in each group in chronological order, according to the judgement of the best experts. By the adoption of this method the reader begins with the "Gospel accord ing to Mark," the earliest, shortest, and simplest of the gospels, and is enabled to trace the new matter introduced by each successive Evangelist. When he comes to the Letters, he is enabled to read them with reference to the corresponding position of the Christian Church, the development of doctrine, and the varying personal history of the writers. It is probable that our translation will meet with a cold reception from many. This was the case with the Authorized Version itself, when it first made its appearance. Long after that date, many pre ferred to use the plain and vigorous " Geneva Version," which, like the present translation, was without authority from Church or State. Each successive translation, indeed, has been received with some amount of distrust by those who have preferred the retention of the familiar form of words to an accurate presentation of the meaning in more modern language. But, as Bacon asks," since things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be never altered for the better designedly, how is the evil to stop ?" Our work has extended over many years, in the course of which death has deprived us of the help of one of our first, and most valued, workers. Undertaken, as a labour of love, by a company of about twenty persons, members of various sections of the Christian Church, we now commend this translation to the good-will of all English- speaking people, and to the blessing of Almighty God. The Translators. November, 1898. Note : — The present volume contains about three-fifths of the New Testament. The remainder is in preparation. When the Revised Version of 1881 was in progress, it was proposed by the present Bishop of Worcester that it should first appear in a Tentative Edition, as had been the case with the German Revised Bible, so that it might "circulate experimentally for two or three years." The difficulties of the plan thus proposed appeared to the English Revisers to be insurm.ountable. We, however, have adopted it, and issue this Edition as a Tentative Edition only. Proof sheets, printed for private circulation in the progress of our work, have been already submitted to a large number of critics, and their suggestions have been carefully considered. The co-operation of a wider circle of readers is now cordially invited. All criti cisms and suggestions will be welcomed. They should bo addressed -.— THE TREASURER of the t.c.n.t., 10, Gordon Road, Clifton, BRISTOL. CONTENTS. The Good News ACCORDING TO MARK. pack I.— The Preparation. Chap. 1. i— 8 ... ._ i n.— The Work in Galilee. Chap. 1. 9— 9. 50 i III. — The Journey to Jerusalem. Chap. 10 20 IV.— The Last Days. Chaps. 11— 15 23 v.— The Risen Life Announced. Chap. 16. i~8 35 A Late Appendix 35 An Alternative Appendix. Chap. 16. 9 — 20.., , 35 The Good News ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. I. — The Birth, Parentage, and Infancy. Chaps. 1 — 2 37 II. — The Preparation. Chaps. 3 — i. II 40 III. —The Work i» Galilee. Chap. 4. 12— 18. 35 42 IV. — The Journey to Jerusalem. Chaps. 19 — 20 70 v.— The Last Days. Chaps. 21—27 73 VI.— The Risen Life. Chap. 28 92 The Good News ACCORDING TO LUKE. Dedication. Chap. 1. i — 4 93 I. — The Birth, Parentage, Infancy, and Boyhood Chap. 1. 5—2. 52 93 II.— The Preparation. Chap. 3. i—i. 13 99 III. —The Work in Galilee. Chap 4. 14— 9. 50 102 IV.— The Journey to Jerusalem. Chap. 9. 51—19. 28 118 v.— The Last Days. Chap. 19. 29— 23. 56 139 VL— The Risen Life. Chap. 2* 150 The Good News ACCORDING TO JOHN. Introduction. Chap. 1. I — 18 153 I. — The Preparation. Chap. 1. 19— 51 154 II. — The Work in Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria. Chaps. 2 — 11 156 IIL— The Last Days. Chaps. 12— 19 ... , 178 IV.— The Risen Life. Chap. 20 193 A Passage about an Adulteress ... 197 THE DOINGS OF THE APOSTLES. (Commonly called "The Acts.") I. — The Church among the Jews. — Doings of the Apostles Peter and John. Chaps. 1—12 198 II. — The Church among the Gentiles. — Doings of the Apostle Paul. Chaps. 13—28 - .« 222 THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO MARK. I. — The Preparation. The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ. Comingof John It is said in the Prophet Isaiah — ' Behold ! I send my Messenger before thy face ; He shall prepare thy ¦way.'' ' The voice of one loudly crying in ihe desert: •• Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. " ' It was in fulfilment of, this that John the Baptizer appeared John's in the desert, proclaiming a baptism upon repen- Proclamation. tance for forgiveness of sins. All Judaea, with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to see him ; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. John wore clothing of camels' hair, and had a belt of leather round his ¦waist, and lived upon locusts and wild honey ; and he made this proclamation — "There is Otfe Coming after me more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to stoop down and undo his shoes. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the holy Spirit." II. — The Work in Galilee. Baptism of About that time Jesus carafe from Nazareth in 9 Jesus. Gahlee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the sky 10 parting, and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down upon him, while from the sky there came a voice— H " Thou art my Son, my beloved. In thee I delight.'" 1 Ps. z. a. 2— S Mai. 3. I ; Isa. 40. 3. « 2 Kings i. 8. 7 Ps. 118. 36. 11 ^s. a. 3 : Isa. 42. I. 2 MARK, i. Temptation Immediately afterwards the Spirit impelled Jesus 12 of Jesus, ^g gjj jjj^Q ^j^g desert; and he was there in the 13 desert for forty days, tempted by Satan, and among wild beasts, while angels attended on him. Jesus begins After John had been given into custody, Jesus 14 his Work, ^gjj^ ^^ Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God— "The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is close at 15 hand ; repent, and believe the Good News." Call of four One day, as Jesus was going along by the Lake 16 Disciples. Qf Qalilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew, who were fishermen, casting a net into the lake. " Come and follow me," Jesus said, " and I will set you to 17 fish for men." 0 They left their nets at once, and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James, Zebediah's son, and his " brother John, who were in the boat mending the nets. Jesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the 20 boat with the crew, and went after him. Cure of Then they walked on into Capernaum. 21 ''^°K^n On the very first Sabbath Jesus went into the Synagogue and began to teach ; the people were 22 greatly struck with his teaching, for he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the Rabbis. Now just 23 then there was in the Synagogue a man under the power of a wicked spirit, who called out: " What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth ? Have you 24 come to destroy us ? I know who you are — the Holy One of God ! " But Jesus rebuked the spirit. 25 " Silence ! come out from him," he said. The wicked spirit threw the man into a fit, and with a loud 26 cry carae out from him; and everyone was so amazed at it 27 that people kept asking one another : "What does this mean? Strange teaching this! He gives orders with authority even to the wicked spirits, and they obey him ! " And the fame of Jesus extended at once in all directions, 28 through the whole neighbourhood of Galilee. Cure ^'^ ^°°" ^^ '^^^ ^'^^ ^^^^ ^^ Synagogue, they 29 of Peter's went, with James and John, into the house of Mother-in-law. Simon and Andrew; and as Simon's mother-in- 30 law was lying ill with fever, they at once told Jesus about her. So he went up to her, and grasping her hand, raised her up. 31 The fever left her, and she began waiting upon them. Cure of many In the evening, after sunset, people kept bring- 32 Persons, j^g (-q jesus all who were ill, and those who were 16 Dan. a. 44. M Ps. 16. 10. MARK, i— 2. S possessed; and the whole city was gathered round the 33 door. Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, 34 and drove out many evil spirits; he would not permit the spirits to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ. Jesus retires In the morning, long before daylight, Jesus got 35 for Prayer, jjp gjjjj ^ent out, and going to a lonely spot, he there began to pray. But Simon and his companions has- 36 tened after him ; and when they found him, they exclaimed: 37 " Everyone is looking for you ! " " Let us go away from here," Jesus said, " into the country 38 towns near, that I may preach in them, too ; indeed, that was my object in coming." Then he went and preached in their Synagogues all through 39 Galilee, and drove out the evil spirits. Cure of a One day a leper came to Jesus and went down 40 Leper. ^^ j^j^ knees to him, begging for pity. "If only you are willing," he said, "you are able to heal me." Jesus' heart was moved, and, stretching out his hand, he 41 touched him and said : " I am willing, be healed." Instantiy the leprosy left the man, and he was healed ; and 4 then Jesus immediately sent him away with urgent injunctions, '^^ saying to him : " Take care not to tell anything to any one ; but go and show 44 yourself to the Priest, and make the offerings in connexion with your healing, as Moses directed, for a proof of your cure to the people."The man, however, went away, and began to say so much 45 about it, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places ; and people kept coming to him from all parts. Cure of Some days later, when Jesus came back to i ^''watv^* Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home ; and such numbers of people collected 2 that after a while there was no room for them even round the door ; and he began telling them his Message. Presently 3 there came some people bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. But being unable to get him 4 near to Jesus, owing to the crowd, they removed the roofing below which Jesus was ; and when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man : 5 "My son, your sins are forgiven." But there were some of the Rabbis sitting there, debating 6 with themselves : ** Lev. 13. 49. B2 i MARK, 2. " Why does this man speak like this ? It is blasphemy ! 7 Who can forgive sins except God himself?" As soon as Jesus became conscious that they were debating 8 like this with themselves, he said to them : "Why are you debating with yourselves about this? Which 9 is easier ? — to say to the paralyzed man ' Your sins are forgiven ' ? or to say 'Get up, and take your mat, and walk' ? But that you 10 may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth" — here he addressed the paralyzed man — "To you I say, 11 get up, take your mat, and go home." "The man got up, and immediately took his mat, and went 12 out before them all ; at which they were all astounded, and praised God. "We have never seen anything like this !" they said. Call of Levi. Jesus went out again to the lake side; and all 13 the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was passing along, he saw Levi, Alphae'us' son, sitting 14 in the tax-office, and said to him : " Follow me." Levi got up and followed him. Jesus blamed Later On he was in his house at table, and a 15 for his number of tax-gatherers and godless people Companions, were at table with Jesus and his disciples ; for there were many of them who used to follow him. When 16 the Rabbis belonging to the party of the Pharisees saw that he was eating in the company of such people, they said to his disciples : " Does he eat in the company of tax-gatherers and godless people?" Hearing this, Jesus said : 17 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but only those who are ill. I did not come to invite the pious, but the godless." The Disciples Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were 18 blamed for keeping a fast, so people came and asked Jesus : not fast.ng. „.^j^y j^ ;j ^j^^^ j^^j^^^.g ^jisj-jpigg a,nd the disci ples of the Pharisees are fasting, while yours are not?" Jesus answered : lo " Is it possible for the bridegroom's friends to fast, while he is still with them ? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot. A time, however, will come, when 20 the bridegroom will be parted from them, and they will fast then — when that time comes. No one ever sews a piece of 21 unshrunk cloth on an old garment ; if he does, the patch tears away from it— the new from the old — and a still worse rent is made. And no one puts new wine into old wine-skins ; if he 22 does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. But new wine is put into fresh skins." 10 Dan. 7. 13. MARK, 2—8. 5 The Disciples Qne Sabbath Jesus was walking through the 23 ifreaidng the Cornfields. His disciples began to make their way Sabbath, across, picking the ears of corn. "Look !" the Pharisees said to him, "why are, 24 they doing what it is wrong to do on the Sabbath ?" "Have you never read," Jesus answered, "what David did 25 when he was hard-pressed and hungry, he and his companions — how he went into the House of God, in the time of Abiathar 26 the High Priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which no one but the priests have a right to eat, besides giving some to his comrades?" Then Jesus added : 27 "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath ; so the Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath." 28 Cure of a Man On another occasion Jesus went into a Syna- i with a gogue ; and there was a man there with his hand withered Hand, withered. The people watched Jesus closely, to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, in order to 2 have a charge to bring against him. " Get up and come forward," Jesus said to the man with the 3 withered hand ; while of the people he asked : 4 "Which is right? to do good on the Sabbath, or harm? to save a life, or destroy it ? " As they made no reply, Jesus, looking round at them indig- 5 nantly, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, said to the man : "Stretch out your hand 1" The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound. Immediately on coming out, the Pharisees, in concert with 6 the Herodians, laid a plot against Jesus, with a view to putting him to death. Cures by Afterwards Jesus and his disciples went away 7 Lakeside, to the lake side, followed by great numbers of people from Galilee. A great number, too, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judaea, from 8 Jerusalem itself, from Edom, from the other side of Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon. So Jesus told 9 his disciples to keep a small boat close by, for fear the crowd should crush him. For he had ciu-ed numbers 10 of people, and consequently they kept pressing up to him, that all who were afflicted might touch Jjim. The wicked 11 spirits, too, whenever they caught sight of him, flung them selves at his feet, and called out : "You are the Son of God" ! But he repeatedly warned them not to tell anyone about him. 12 Choice of the Then Jesus went up the hill, and summoned 13 twelve to him those he wished for. They went to him; Apostles, ^jjjj jjg appointed twelve — whom he also named 14 26 I Sam. at. 6. n Ps. 2. 7. e MARK, 3—5. 'Apostles'— that he might have them about him, and that he might send them out to preach, giving them also power 15 to drive out evil spirits. So he appointed the Twelve. They 16 were Peter (which was the additional name Jesus gave to Simon), James the son of Zebediah and his brother John (to 17 whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means the Thunderers), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, 18 James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and 19 Judas Iscariot, who was the man that betrayed him. The Relations After this Jesus went into a house ; and again 20 interftre. such a crowd collected that he and those with him could not even get their food. When his 21 relations heard of it, they went to secure him. " He is out of his mind !" they exclaimed. The Rabbis, too, 22 . who had come down from Jerusalem said : of acting " He has Baal-zebub in him, and he drives the by the Help of evil spirits out by the help of Baal-zebub, their S't^"- chief.'' So Jesus called them to him, and to answer them used an 23 illustration : "How can Satan drive Satan out? When a kingdom is at 24 variance within itself, it cannot last ; and when a household is 25 at variance within itself, it will be unable to last. So if Satan 26 is in opposition to and at variance with himself, he cannot last ; on the contrary he comes to an end. Indeed no one can get 27 into a strong man's house, and carry off his goods, without first securing him. Not till then will he plunder his house. Beheve me, men will be forgiven everything — their sins, and 28 all their slandersithat they utter ; but whoever slanders the holy 29 Spirit remains unforgiven to the end — yes, and has to answer for an enduring sin." This was said in answer to the charge that he had a wicked 30 spirit in him. The true Presently Jesus' mother and his brothers came 31 Brotherhood. up_ and Standing outside, sent to ask him to come to them. There was a crowd sitting round him, and they 32 said to him : " Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." "Who is my mother? and my brothers?" was his reply. 33 Then, having looked round on the people sitting in a circle 34 round him, he said : " Here are my mother and my brothers ! Whoever does the 35 will of God is my brother and sister and mother." fh^e'^s'w"/ Afterwards Jesus began to teach again by the i ower. [^i^g side; and since a very great crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it MARK, i. 7 on the water, while all the people remained upon the shore at the water's edge. Then he taught them many truths 2 in stories ; and in the course of his teaching he said to them : "Listen to me. There was once a man who went out to 3 sow ; and presently, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell 4 along the path ; and the birds came, and ate it up. Some of it, 5 too, fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil ; and having no depth of soil, it sprang up at once. When the sun 6 rose, it was scorched ; and as it had no' root, it withered away. Spme of the seed fell among thorn-bushes, which shot up, and 7 so completely choked it, that it gave no crop. Some fell into 8 good soil ; and shooting up and growing, gave a crop, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much." Then Jesus added : 9 " Let every one who has ears to listen with, listen." Explanation Later on, when he was left to himself, the 10 of the Twelve joined his followers in asking him about Parabje of his stories. ower. „.p^ you," answered Jesus, "the secret of the 11 Kingdom of God has been imparted; but for the people yonder who are outside it, everything is put in the form of stories, that — ¦ 12 ' Though they have eyes, thev may see without perceiving ; And though they have ears, they may hear without understanding: Lest some day they should turn and be forgiven.^ You do not understand this story!" Jesus exclaimed; "then 13 how will you learn the meaning of- all the other stories ? What the man sows is the Message. What is meant by ^ the seed falling along the path is this — where the Message ^ is sown, and as soon as people have heard it, Satan imme diately comes, and carries away the Message that has been sown in, them. So, too, with the seed sown on the rocky 16 places. What is meant is this — when, as soon as people hear the Message, they joyfully accept it at once ; but as they have 17 no root, they stand for only a short time ; consequentiy when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, they fall away at once. It is otherwise with the seed sown among 18 the thorn-bushes. What is meant is this— when people have heard the Message, but the anxieties of life, and the snares of 19 wealth, and all sorts of other ambitions come in, and so completely choke it that nothing comes of i« Lastly, what is 20 meant by the seed sown on the good ground is this — when people hear the Message, and welcome it, and produce fruit, either thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much." Lesson from Then Jesus went on to say : 21 a Lamp. "Is a lamp brought in to be covered over or put under a bench, instead of being put on the lamp stand? There is indeed nothing kept secret without the 23 12 Isa. 6. 10. 8 MARK, 5— B. prospect of its being brought to light, and nothing was ever considered a secret but with the prospect that it would come to light. Let any one who has ears to listen with, listen. 23 How to Take care," he continued, "what you listen to. 24 Listen. -pjjg measure that you give will be given to you ; and you will get something over. For those who retain 25 anything will have more given them ; while those who retain nothing will have even what they had taken away from them." Parable ofthe Jesus also Said : 26 Seed growing "The Kingdom of God is like a man sowing unobserved, ggg^j ^j^ ^j^e ground, and then sleeping at night 27 and getting up by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing — he does not know how. The ground bears the crop 28 of itself — first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear ; but as soon as the crop is ready, the man at once 29 puts in the sickle because harvest has come!' Parable ofthe Jesus went On to say : 30 Mustard Seed. "Where can we find anything to which to liken the Kingdom of God? or by what story can we explain it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard seed. This seed, 31 when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than any other that is sown, yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes 32 larger than any herb, and puts out such gre.^t branches that even the ¦wild birds can roost in its shelter." With many such stories Jesus used to tell the people his 33 Message, as far as they were able to receive it ; and to them he 34 never spoke except in stories ; but to his disciples he explained everything in private. Jesus stills On the evening of the same day, Jesus proposed 35 a storm, ^j^^^ ^j^gy g^o^i^ ^.^ggg j^e lake. So, leaving the 36 crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat, other boats also going with him. A great 37 squall began, and the waves kept dashing into the boat, so that she was actually filling. But Jesus himself was in the stern, 38 asleep upon the cushion ; and the disciples roused him and said : "Teacher ! do not you care that our lives are in danger?" Jesus got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the lake : 39 "Hush! Be still!" Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed. "Why are you so cowardly?" he exclaimed. "Haveyouno 40 faith yet?" But th^y were struck with great awe, and said to one another : 41 "Who can this be that even the wind and the water obey him ? " Cure of a Afterwards they got to the other side of the i Madman. Jake — the country of the Gerasenes ; and as soon 2 fis Jesus had got out of the boat, he met a man coming 29 yoel 3. 13. 32 Dan. 4. 12. MARK, S. 9 out of the tombs, who was under the power of a wicked spirit, and who made his home in the tombs. No one could 3 secure him, . even with a chain ; for though he had many 4 times been left secured with fetters and chains, he had snapped the chains and shattered the fetters, and no one was able to master him. Night and day alike, he was con- 5 tinually calling out in the tombs and on the hills, and cutting himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, 6 he ran and bent low before him, calling out loudly : 7 " What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God ? For God's sake do not torment me ! " For Jesus was saying : 8 " Come out from the man, you wicked spirit." "What is your name ?" Jesus asked. 9 "My name," he said, "is Legion, for there are numbers of us ; " and he begged Jesus again and again not to send them 10 away out of that country. There was a large drove of 11 pigs there, feeding on the hill side. So the spirits begged Jesus 12 to send them into the pigs, that they might take possession of them; and Jesus gave them leave. They came out, and took 13 possession of the pigs; and the drove, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep slope into the lake, and were drowned there. On this the herdsmen ran away, and 14 carried the news to the town, and to the country round ; and the people went to see what had happened. When they came 15 to Jesus, they found the possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right senses — the very man who had had the ' Legion ' in him — and they were awe-struck. Then those who had seen 16 it related to them all that had happened to the possessed man, as well as about the pigs ; upon which they began to beg Jesus 17 to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, 18 the possessed man begged him to let him stay with him. 19 But Jesus refused. "Go home to your own people," he said, "and tell them of all that the Lord has been doing for you, and how he took pity on you." So the man went, and began to make known in the district of 20 the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him ; and everyone was astonished. By the time Jesus had re«rossed in the boat to 21 Jair's Request. ^^^ QppQgjtg ghore, a great number of people had gathered to meet him, and were standing by the lake side. Here one of the Presidents of the Synagogue, 22 whose name was Jair, came up to Jesus, and as soon as he saw him, threw himself at his feet with repeated entreaties. 23 "My little daughter," he said, "is at the point of death; I beg you to come and place your hands on her, that her life may be saved." 10 MARK, 5—8. So Jesus set out with him. Cure of followed Jesus, an afHicted Woman. A great number of people and kept pressing round him. Meanwhile a woman who for twelve years had suffered from haemorrhage, and had gone through much under raany doctors, spending all she had without gain ing any relief, but, on the contrary, growing worse, having heard about Jesus, came behind in the crowd, and touched his cloak. " If I can touch even his clothes," she said, " I shall get well ! " Immediately the mischief was stopped, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Jesus instantly became conscious that tliere had been a demand upon his powers, and turning round in the crowd, said : "Who touched my clothes ?" "You see the people pressing round you," exclaimed his disciples, "and yet you say 'Who touched me' !" But Jesus still kept looking about to see who had done it. Then the woman, in fear and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, carae and threw herself down before him, and told him the whole truth. "My daughter," he said, "your own faith has made you well. My blessing go with you ; be free from your complaint." Jair's Daughter Before he had done speaking, some people restored to came from the house of the President of the Life. Synagogue, and said : "Your daughter is dead! Why should you trouble the Teacher any more?" But Jesus, overhearing what they were saying, said to the President of the Synagogue : " Do not be afraid ; only have faith ! " And he allowed no one to accompany him, except Peter, James, and John, James's brother. Presently they reached the President's house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion — people weeping and wailing incessantly. "Why is there this confusion and weeping?" he said on entering. "The little child is not dead, she is asleep." They began laughing at him; but he sent them all out, and then took the child's father and mother, and his companions, and went in where she was lying. Taking her hand, Jesus said to her ; "Taleitha, koum!" — the meaning of which is 'Little girl, I am speaking to you, get up.' The little girl stood up immediately, and began walking about; for she was twelve years old. Directly they saw it, they were utterly astounded ; but Jesus repeatedly cautioned them not to let anyone hear of it, and told them to give her something to eat. Jesus teaches On leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his at Nazareth, {jjgcipies, went to his Own part of the country. 2425 26 27 28 29 30 313233 3435 36 37 38 3940 41 42 43 MARK, 6. il When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the Synagogue ; 2 and the people, as they listened, were greatly impressed. " Where did. he get all this ? " they said, " and what is the meaning of this wisdom that has been given him? and of miracles like these which he is doing ? Is not he the carpen- 3 ter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon ? And are not his sisters, too, living here among us ? " This proved a hindrance to their believing in him ; on which 4 Jesus said : " A Prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home." And he could not work any miracle there, except that he 5 placed his hands upon a few invalids, and cured them, wonder- 6 ing at the want of faith shown by the people. The Mission of jesus went round the villages, one after another. Apostles!* teaching. Then he called the Twelve to 7 him, and began to send them out two and two, giving them authority over wicked spirits. He directed them 8 to take nothing but a stick for the journey — not even a bit of bread, or a bag, or pence in their pocket ; but they were 9 to wear Sandals, and not to take a change of clothes to put on. "Whenever you go to stay at a house," he said, "remain 10 there till you leave that place ; and if a place does not welcome 11 you, or listen to you, as you go out of it shake off the dust that is on the soles of your feet, as a warning to them." So they set out, and proclaimed the need of repentance. They drove out many evil spirits, and anointed many invalids with ^ oil, and cured them. Herod's Now King Herod heard of Jesus — for his name 14 °P'"j°^y5^''"* had become well known. People were saying that John the Baptizer must have risen from the dead, and that was why these powers were so active in him. Others again said that he was Elijah, and others that he was a 15 Prophet, like one of the great Prophets. But when Herod 16 heard of him, he said : " The man whom I myself beheaded — • John — he must be risen from the grave ! " ^ . For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, 17 'dohn's and put him in prison, in chains, to please Execution. Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother Philip, Herod having taken her as his own wife. For John had told 18 Herod that he had no right to be living with his brother's wife. So Herodias owed him a grudge, and wanted to put him to 19 death, but was unable to do so, for Herod stood in fear of 20 John, knowing him to be a good, holy man, and protected him. After hstening to John, he still remained much per plexed, but yet he found pleasure in listening to him. However a convenient day came, when Herod, to keep his 21 12 MARK, 6. birthday, gave a dinner to his high officials, generals, and the foremost men in Galilee. And when his daughter — that is the 22 daughter of Herodias — came in and danced, she' pleased Herod and those who were dining with him. 'Ask me for 23 whatever you like,' the King said to the girl, ' and I will give it to you ' ; and he swore to her that whatever she asked him for he would give her — up to half his kingdom. The girl went 24 out, and said to her mother ' What must I ask for ? ' ' The head of John the Baptizer,' answered her mother. So 25 she went in as quickly as possible to the King, and made her request. ' I want you,' she said, ' to give me directly, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.' The King felt very sorry ; 26 yet, on account of his oaths and of the guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her. So he immediately despatched one 27 of his bodyguard, with orders to bring John's head. The man 28 went and beheaded him in the prison, and bringing his head on a dish, gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took his 29 body away, and laid it in a tomb. Return ofthe After a time the Apostles came back to Jesus, 30 Apostles. g^JJ^ ^JjJjJ }jj^ 3JI JJj^^ tJjgy Jjg^jJ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ taught. "Come without attracting attention to some lonely spot 31 yourselves," he said, " and rest a little while " — for there were so many people coming and going that they had no time even to eat. So they set off in their boat for a lonely spot, 32 endeavouring not to attract attention. But many people saw 33 thera going and recognised them, and left all the towns and flocked together by land, and got there before thera. On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his 34 heart was touched at the sight pf them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them a great Jesus provides i^any things. As it vvas already late, his 35 Food for disciples Came up to hira, and said : five thousand "This is a lonely spot, and it is already late. Send the people away, so that they may go to the 36 farms and villages round and buy themselves something to eat." " It is for you to give them something to eat," replied Jesus. 37 "Are we to go and buy twenty pounds worth of bread," they asked, " to give them to eat ? " " How many loaves have you ? " he asked ; " go, and see." 38 When they had found out, they told him that they had five, and two fishes. Jesus gave thera instructions that the people 39 should all take their seats on the green grass, in parties. So 40 they sat down in groups — in hundreds, and in fifties. Next, 41 taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to 2* N-um. 27. 17. MARK, 6—7. 13 Heaven, and blessed God. After this he broke the loaves into pieces, and proceeded to give them to his disciples for them to set before the people, dividing the two fishes as well among them all. Every one had plenty to eat, and enough pieces "^ were taken away to fill twelve baskets, and some of the fish ^^ besides. There were five thousand men who ate the bread. 44 Jesus walks Immediately afterwards Jesus made his dis- 45 on ciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, the Water. ^ ^jjg direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd. After he had taken leave of them, 46 he went on to the hill to pray. When evening fell, the boat 47 was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus on shore quite alone. Seeing them labouring at the oars — for the wind was against 48 them — about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, with the intention of joining them. But when they saw him walking on the water, they thought it 49 was a ghost and cried out, for all of them saw him, and were 50 terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. " Courage ! " he said, " it is I ; do not be afraid ! " Then he got up into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. 51 The disciples were intensely astonished, for they had not 52 understood about the loaves, as their minds were slow to learn. Jesus at When they had crossed over, they landed at 53 Qennesaret. Gennesaret, and moored the boat. They had no 54 sooner left her than the people, recognizing Jesus, hurried 55 all over the country-side, and began to carry about upon mats those who were ill, wherever they heard he was. So 56 wherever he came — to villages, or towns, or farms — they would lay their sick in the market-places, and would beg him just to let them touch but the tassel of his cloak; and all who did so were made well. The Disciples One day the Pharisees and some of the Rabbis I for neglecting ^ho had come from Jerusalem gathered round Ceremonies. Jesus. They had noticed that some of his 2 disciples ate their food with their hands 'defiled,' by which they meant unwashed. (For the Pharisees, 3 and all Jews, will not eat without first washing their hands up to the ejbow, keeping to the traditions of their ancestors. When they come from market, they will not eat without first 4 sprinkling themselves ; and there are many other things which they have accepted as binding, such as the scrupulous washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans). So the Pharisees and S Rabbis asked Jesus this question — " How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?" His answer was : 6 « Num. 15. 38. ii MARK, 7. " It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites, in the words — * This is a people thai honours me wiih their lips. While their hearts are far rem.oved from, me ; But vainly do ihey worship me, 1 Fortheir teaching is only ihe commands of men.'' For you neglect God's commandments and cling to the tra- 8 ditions of men. You think it right, do you ?," he exclaimed, 9 "to set aside God's commandments, in order to keep your own traditions ! For while Moses said ' Honour thy father and thy 10 mother! 3.nd ' Let him -who reviles his father or mother suffer death,' you say 'If a man says to his father or mother "Whatever of 11 mine would have been of service to you is Korban"' (which means 'Given to God') — then you do not let him do anything 12 further for his father or mother. In this way you cancel the 13 words of God by your traditions, which you have passed on in your turn ; and you do many other things like that." Sin inward 'Then Jesus called the people to him again, and 14 not outward, gajd ; "Listen to me all of you and mark my words. There is 15 nothing external to a man, which can defile him by entering him ; but the things that come out from a man are the things that defile him." When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples 17 began questioning him about this saying. "Have even you so little comprehension as this?" Jesus 18 exclaimed. " Do you not see that anything external cannot, by entering a man, defile him, because it does not pass into his 19 heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of ? " — by which words Jesus pronounced all food equally 'pure.' "It is what comes out from a man," he added, "that defiles 20 him, for it is from inside, out of the hearts of men, that all 21 suggestions of evil come, whether unchastity, theft, miu-der, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, 22 haughtiness, or folly ; all these wicked things come from inside, 23 and defile a man." Cure of Leaving that place, Jesus went into the dis- 24 a heathen j.j.jgj. ^j .^^^.g ^^^ sidon. Here he entered a house, and did not wish any one to know it, but could not escape notice. For a woman, whose little daughter 25 had a wicked spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet — she was a heathen woman, a 26 native of Syrian Phoenicia— and she begged him to drive the evil spirit out of her daughter. 8 — -i Isa. 29. 13. 1* Exod. 20. 12: 21. 17. MARK, 7—8. 15 " Let the children have enough first," Jesus answered. " It 27 is not tair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs." "Yes, Master," she replied; "even dogs under the table 28 feed on the children's scraps." "Since you have said that," he answered, "you may go. 29 The evil spirit has gone out of your daughter." The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, 30 and the evil spirit gone. Cure On returning from the district of T)Te, Jesus 31 of a deaf went, by way of Sidon, to the Lake of Galilee, Stam merer, ^^g^^ ^^^.^g^ jj^g district of the Ten Towns. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and 32 stammered, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd so as not to attract 33 attention, put his fingers into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva. Then, looking up to Heaven, he 34 sighed, and said to the man : "Ephphatha !" which means 'Open.' The man's ears were opened, the string of his tongue was 35 freed, and he began talking plainly. Jesus insisted upon their 36 not telling any one ; but the more he insisted, the more perse veringly they made it known, and a profound impression was 37 made upon the people. " How well he has done everything I " they said. "He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak !" Jesus provides About that time, when there was again a great i four°t°fousand crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus Men. called his disciples to him, and said : " My heart is touched at the sight of all these 2 people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat ; and if I send them away to their 3 homes hungry, they will faint on the road ; and some of them are from a long distance." "Where will it be possible,'' rejoined his disciples, "for one 4 to get enough bread for the people to have plenty — here at a lonely place like this ? " " How many loaves have you ? " he asked. 5 " Seven," they answered. Jesus then told the crowd to sit down upon the ground. Taking 6 the seven loaves, and giving thanks, he bjoke them up, and proceeded to give them to his disciples to serve out ; and they served them out to the crowd. They had also a few small fish ; 7 and after he had blessed them, he told the disciples to serye out these as well. They had plenty to eat — there were about 8 four thousand of them — and seven baskets full of spare broken pieces were taken away. Then Jesus dismissed them. 9 Immediately afterwards, getting into the boat with his disciples, 10 Jesus went to the district of Dalmanutha. 16 MARK, 8. A Sign Here the Pharisees came to Jesus, and began a 7 1 *^ askecTfo^I'^ discussion with him, by asking him for some sign of his power from the sky, by way of testing him. At this Jesus sighed deeply. 12 " Why does the present generation," he said, " ask for a sign ? Believe me, no sign will be given it." So he left them to themselves, and getting into the boat again, 13 went away to the opposite shore. Warning Now the disciples had forgotten to take any 14 against false bread with them, a single loaf being all they had Teaching, jj^ jjjg boat. And Jesus gave them this warning : 15 "Take care to be on the watch against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They began discussing with one another their being short of 16 bread. Noticing this, Jesus said to them : 17 " Why are you discussing your being short of bread ? Do you not yet understand or see ? Are your minds so slow of comprehension ? Though you have eyes, do you not see ? and 18 though you have ears, do you not hear ? Do you not remember, when I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand men, how 19 many baskets filled with broken pieces you took away ? " " 'Twelve," they said. " And when the seven for the four thousand people, how many 20 baskets did you fill with the broken pieces you took away ? " " Seven," they said. " Do you not see now ? " he repeated. 21 ' t^^M- H Presently they came to Bethsaida. 22 Man." Here some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and begged Jesus to touch him. Taking the 23 blind man's hand, Jesus led him to the outskirts of the village, and when he had put saliva on the man's eyes, placed his hands on him, and asked him if he could make out an3rthing. The man looked up, and said : 24 " I can make out the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees." Then Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes ; and the 25 man looked hard, and his sight was restored, and he made out everything distinctly. Jesus sent him home, telling him not 26 even to go into the village. Jesus Afterwards Jesus and > his disciples left for the 27 °'*"chri^ **'® villages round Caesarea Philippi ; and on the way he asked his disciples this question — "Who do people say I am ?" "John the Baptist," they answered, "but others say Elijah, 28 while others say 'one of the Prophets.'" "But you," he asked, "who do you say I am?" 29 19 Jer. 5. a:. MARK, 8—9. 17 And to this Peter rephed : "You are the Christ." At this Jesus impressed on them not to say this about him to 30 anyone. Jesus Then he began to explain to them that the Son 31 foretells of Man had much to undergo, and that he must his Death, be rejected by the Councillors, Chief Priests, and Rabbis, and be put to death, and rise up again after two days had passed. This statement he made unfalteringly. But Peter drew 32 Jesus to him, and began to remonstrate with him. Turning 33 round, and seeing his disciples, Jesus remonstrated with Peter. "Out of my way, Satan !" he exclaimed; "for you look at things not in God's way but in man's." A Call Calling the people and his disciples to him, 34 to renounce JeSUS Said : Self. " Jf any man wishes to go where I go, he must renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever 35 wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life will save it. What good is it to a man to gain the whole world and 36 forfeit his life ? Indeed what could a man give that is of equal 37 value to his life ? For whoever is ashamed of me and of ray 38 teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of hira, when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels. Beheve me," he added, "some of i those who are standing here will certainly not die, till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power." The Trans- Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, 2 figuration, ^j^^j John, and led them by themselves up a high mountain apart from the rest. Here his appearance underwent 3 a change before their eyes, while his clothes became of a more dazzling white than any bleaching in the world could produce. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them; and they were 4 talking with Jesus. " Rabbi," said Peter, interposing, "it is good to be here ; let us 5 make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." For he did not know what to say, since they had become 6 greatly alarmed. Then a cloud came down and enveloped 7 them ; and from the cloud there came a voice : "This is -my Son, my beloved. It is to him ycm must listen." And suddenly, on looking round, they saw that there was now 8 no one with them but Jesus alone. As they were going 9 A Question ^own the mountain side, Jesus cautioned them not about to relate what they had seen to a single person, Elijah. till after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They clung to these words and discussed with one another 10 what this 'rising from the dead' meant. 31 Hos. 6. 2. ^ Ps. 2. 7: Tsa. 42, 1. 18 MARK, 9. "How is it," they asked Jesus, "that the Rabbis say that ii Elijah has to come first?" "Elijah indeed does come first," Jesus answered, "and restore 12 everything ; and does not Scripture speak, with regard to the Son of Man, of his undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised ? Why, not only has Elijah come, I tell you, 13 but people have treated him just as they pleased, as Scripture says about him." Cure of On their joining the other disciples, they saw 14 ^" BolT'**" * great crowd round them, and some Rabbis engaged in a discussion with them. But directly 15 they saw Jesus, the people, in great astonishment, all ran up and greeted him. " What are you discussing with them ? " Jesus asked. 16 "Teacher," one of the people in the crowd answered, "I 17 brought my son to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him ; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down ; he foams at i8 the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. So I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they failed." "Faithless generation !" Jesus exclaimed. " How long must I 19 be with you ? how long must I have patience with you ? Bring the boy to me." So they brought him to Jesus ; but when the boy saw him, the 20 spirit at once threw him into a fit ; and he fell on the ground, and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. "How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the bo/s 21 father. "From his childhood," he answered; "and it has often 22 thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life ; but if you can possibly do anything, for pit/s sake help us ! " "Why say 'possibly'? "Jesus replied. "Ever3rthing is possible 23 for one who has faith." The boy's father immediately cried out : 24 " I have faith ; help my want of faith !" But when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he 25 rebuked the wicked spirit : "Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again." With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into fit after fit, and 26 then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead. But Jesus took his 27 hand, and lifted him ; and he stood up. When Jesus had gone 28 indoors his disciples asked him privately why they could not drive the spirit out. "A spirit of this kind," he said, "can only be made to come 29 out by prayer." M Mai. 4. 5-6. MARK, 9. 19 Jesus, a Leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went 30 "fSreteiiT*' o" t^^eir way through Galilee; but he did not his Death, wish any one to know it, for he was explaining to 31 his disciples that the Son of Man was to be betrayed into the hands of his fellow-men, and that they would put him to death, but that, when he had been put to death, he would rise up again after two days. But the dis- 32 ciples did not understand his meaning, and were afraid to question him. A Lesson in After a while they came to Capernaum. 33 Humility. When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them what they had been discussing on the way. But they 34 were silent; for on the way they had been debating with one another which was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called 35 the Twelve and said : " If any one wishes to be first, he must be the last of all, and be servant of all." Then Jesus took a little child, and placed it in the middle of 36 them. Folding it in his arms, he said to them : "Any one who, for my sake, welcomes even a littie child 37 like this is welcoming me, and any one who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who made me his Messenger." Lesson in "Teacher," John said, "we saw a man driving 38 Toleration, gut evil spirits by using your name,, and we tried to stop him, because he did not follow us." "Do not any of you try to stop the man," Jesus answered, 39 "for there is no one who will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it possible to speak ill of me easily. The 40 man who is not against us is for us. Indeed, if any one gives 41 you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, believe me, . he will certainly get his recompence. And 42 against 'bfing if any one proves a hindrance to one of these a Hindrance lowly Ones who are learning to believe, it would to others, bave been far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. If your hand proves a hindrance to you, cut it off. It 43 would be better for you to enter the Life maimed, than to keep both your hands and go to the Pit, into the fire that cannot be put out. If your foot proves a hindrance to you, cut it off. It 45 would be better for you to enter the Life crippled, than to keep both your feet and be thrown into the Pit. If your eye proves 47 a hindrance to you tear it out. It would be better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have both your eyes and be thrown into the Pit, where 'their worm does 48 not die and the fire is not put out.' For it is by fire that every 49 one will be preserved, just as salt preserves. Salt is a 50 good thing, but should salt lose its saltness, what will you use a Has. 6. 2. « Isa. 66. 14. 20 MARK, 9—10. to give it strength ? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another." The Journey to Jerusalem. A Question On leaving that place, Jesus went into the dis- I 10 Divorce ^'¦'-^^ °^ Judaea on the other side of the Jordan. Crowds gathered about him again ; and again, as usual, he began teachin.g them. Presently some Phari- 2 sees came up and asked, by way of testing him, whether a man had a right to divorce his wife. "What direction did Moses give you?" Jesus asked in reply. 3 " Moses," they said, " permitted us to ' draw up in writing a 4 notice of separation, and divorce her' " " Moses, owing to your perversity," Jesus said, " gave you 5 this direction; but at the beginning of the Creation God 'made 6 them male and female'. ' For this reason a man shall leave his father 7 and mother , and the man and his wife shall become one ;' and hence 8 they are no longer two but one. What God himself, then, has 9 yoked together, men must not separate." When they were indoors, the disciples asked him again about 10 this, and he said : 11 " Any one who divorces his wife and raarries another woman becomes an adulterer as regards his first wife; and if the 12 woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she becomes an adulteress." Jesus blesses Some of the people were bringing children to 13 Ch'i'idren Jesus, for him to touch them ; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them. This vexed Jesus when he saw it. 14 "Let the children come to me," he said, "do not hinder them ; for the Kingdom of God belongs to the childlike. Believe me, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a 15 eliild, he will not even enter it." So he folded the children in his arms, and placing his hands on 16 them, gave them his blessing. A rich Man Presently, as Jesus was starting, a man came 17 "^ j^esus"^ running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. " Good Teacher," he asked, " what must I do to gain enduring Life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "There is 18 no one good but one — God himself. You know the command- 19 ments — Db not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not say -what is false about others. Do not cheat. Honour thy father and thy mother 1' 4 Dent. 24. T. ' Gen. 1.. 27. 7 Gen. ». 24. 19 Deut. 5. 17 — 20. MARK, 10. 21 "Teacher,"' he replied, "I have observed all these from my jrej childhood."Jesus looked at him, and his love went out to him. 21 "There is one thing," he said, "still wanting in you ; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor ; and you shall have wealth in Heaven ; then come and follow me." But the man's face clouded at these words, and he went away 22 sad, for he had large possessions. Lesson about Then Jesus looked round, and said to his dis- 23 Money. ciples : "How hard it will be for moneyed men to enter the Kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at these words of his. But Jesus 24 repeated the statement. "My children," he said, "how hard a thing it is to enter the Kingdom of God ! It is easier for a camel to get through 25 the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." "Then who can be saved?" they exclaimed in the greatest 26 astonishment. Jesus looked at them, and answered : 27 "With men it is impossible, but not with God ; for everything is possible with God." Rewards of "But we," began Peter, " we left everything and 28 Self-sacrifice, have followed you." " Believe me," said Jesus, " there is no one who has left house, 29 or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, on account of me and on account of the Good News, but will 30 receive a hundred times as much, even now in the present — houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land — though not without persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, enduring Life. But many who are first now 31 will then be last, and the last will be first." Jesus, One day, when they were on the road, going 32 "foreteliT*' "^P *° Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in front of his Death, the rest ; and they were dismayed, while those who were following were filled with alarm. Then, gathering the Twelve round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what was about to happen to him. "Listen!" he said. "We are going up to Jerusalem; and 33 there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and Rabbis, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the heathen, who will mock him, spit upon him, flog 34 him, and put him to death ; and after two days have passed he will rise up agai-n," P* Hot. 6. 22 MARK, 10. Request Presently Zebediah's two sons, James and John, 35 "'^''jXn '"'' "^^^^^ "P *° J^^"*' ^""^ ^^i** '- "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you." " What is it you want me to do for you ?" he asked. 36 "Grant us this," they replied, "that we may sit, one on 37 your right, and the other on your left, when you come in glory." "You do not know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can 38 you drink the cup that I am to drink ? or receive the baptism that I am to receive?" "Yes," they answered, "we can." 39 "You shall indeed drink the cup that I am to drink,'' Jesus said, "and receive the baptism that I am to receive, but as to a 40 seat at my right or at my left — that is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been reserved." On hearing of this, the other ten were at first much annoyed 41 about James and John. But Jesus called the ten to him, and 42 said : "Those who are regarded as rulers ot the heathen, as you know, lord it over them, and their great men are their masters. But among you it must not be so. On the contrary, whoever 43 wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and 44 whoever wishes to take a first place among you must be at the call of everyone; for even the Son of Man carae not to be 45 served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The Cure of Afterwards they came to Jericho. 46 Bartimalus When Jesus was going out of the town with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 Hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to call out : "Jesus, son of David, take pity on me." Many of the people repeatedly told him to be quiet ; but the 48 man kept calling out all the louder : " Son of David, take pity on me." Then Jesus stopped. " Call him," he said. 49 So they called the bhnd man. "Courage!" they exclaimed. "Get up; he is caUing you."The man threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 50 " What do you want me to do for you ? " Jesus said, addressing 5 1 him. " Great Rabbi," the blind man answered, " I want to recover my sight." "You may go," Jesus said ; "your own faith has cured you." 52 And immediately he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus along the road. MARK, 11. 23 IV.— The Last Days. Jesus enters When they were nearly reaching Jerusalem, i 11 Jerusalem, g^^^^j had reached Bethphage and Bethany, as far as the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples. "Go to the village facing you," he said; "and as soon as you 2 get into it, you will find a foal tied up there, on which no one has ever ridden;, unfasten it, and bring it. And if anybody 3 says to you ' Why are you doing that ? ', say ' The Master requires it' ; and he is sure to send it back here at once." They set off, and they found a foal tied up outside a door 4 in the street; and they untied it. Some of the by-standers 5 asked what they were doing, untying the foal, but the two 6 disciples answered as Jesus had told them ; and so they allowed them to go. Then they brought the foal to Jesus, and when 7 they had laid their cloaks upon it, he seated himself on it. Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while 8 others strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields ; and those that led the way, as well as those that followed 9 behind kept shouting : " God bless him ! Blessed is the One who is coming in ihe na-me ofthe Lord ! Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David ! IO Cod bless him from on high ! " Jesus then entered Jerusalem, and.went into the Temple Courts ; 1 1 and after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the "Twelve. The The next day, after they had left Bethany, Jesus 12 fruitless became hungry ; and noticing a fig tree at a 13 '^ '' ' distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it ; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing on it but leaves, for it was not the time for figs. So, addressing the tree, he exclaimed : 14 " May no one ever again eat fruit off you !" And his disciples heard what he said. Traders driven Presently they came to Jerusalem. Then 15 from the Jesus entered the Temple Courts, and began to Temple Courts, drive Out those who were buyineand selling there. He upset the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, and would not allow any one to carry any- 16 thing across the Temple Courts. Then he began to teach. 17 " Does not Scripture say," he asked, " ' My House shallbe called a House of Prayer for all the nations' f You, however, have made it a den of robbers!' Now the Chief Priests and Rabbis heard this, and were eager 18 to find a means of making away with Jesus; for they were 9 Ps. 118. 25. 26. 10 Ps. 14S. I. 17 Isa. 56. 7; Jer. 7. 11. » MARK, 11—12. afraid of him, since all the people were greatly struck with his teaching. As soon, as evening fell, Jesus and his 19 disciples used to go out of the city. ' Lesson from As they passed in the morning, they noticed 20 the doomed that the fig tree was withered up from the very Fig Tree. j-QQj-g Then Peter recollected wliat had occurred. 21 "Look, Rabbi," he exclaimed, "the fig tree which you doomed is withered up ! " "Have faith in God!" Jesus replied. "Believe me, if any one should say to this hill 'Up, and hurl yourself into the ^ sea !', without a single doubt in his mind, but in the faith that what he says will be done, it will. And therefore I say to 24 you ' Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and it will be yours.' And whenever you stand 25 up to pray, forgive any grievance that you have against any one, that so your Father in Heaven also may forgive you your offences." The Priests They came to Jerusalem again. While 27 '''Authority''* Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the of Jesus. Chief Priests, Rabbis, and Councillors came up to him. "What right have you to act as you do?" they said. "Who 28 gave you the right to act in this way?" "I will put one question to you," Jesus said. "Answer me 29 that, and then I will tell you what right I have to act as I do. It is about John's baptism. Was it of divine or of human 30 origin ? Answer me that." They began arguing together : 31 "If we say 'divine,' he will say, 'Why then did not you believe him?' Yet can we say 'human' ?" 32 They were afraid, however, of the people, for every one re garded John as undoubtedly a Prophet. So their answer to 33 Jesus was : " We do not know." "I too," replied Jesus, "refuse to tell you what right I have to act as I do." Parable of Presentiy Jesus began to speak to them in i 12 the wicl