Of the * World-

¦

¦Y^U'WJMnvni&sinrY-

SACRED SCRIPTURES

OF

THE WORLD

BEING SELECTIONS OF THE MOST DEVOTIONAL AND ETHICAL PORTIONS
OF THE ANCIENT HEBREW AND CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, TO
WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDED KINDRED SELECTIONS
FROM OTHER ANCIENT SCRIPTURES OF
THE WORLD
DESIGNED FOR COMMON USE IN CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, AND HOMES, OR WHERE-
EVER ELSE THE DEVOUT AND MORAL TEACHINGS OF THE WORLD MAY
BE NEEDED FOR PURPOSES OF RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION OR
OF ETHICAL INSTRUCTION
COMPILED, EDITED, AND IN PART RETRANSLATED
BY
REV. MARTIN K. SCHERMERHORN, M.A.
(Formerly Pastor of the Church of the Unity, Boston ; late of the Channing Memorial Church
Newport, R. I.)
PRIMARILY FOR HIS OWN USE AS PREACHER AND PASTOR

Proverbs are sayings without an author
— ANCIENT GRAMMARIAN
The originals are not original — EMERSON
For neither now nor yesterday began
These thoughts, which have been ever, nor yet can
A man be found who their first entrance knew
— SOPHOCLES1 ANTIGONE

NEW YORK
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
27 & 29 WEST 23D STREET
I883

Copyright by
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
1883

Press of
G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York

CATHOLICITY.

Have the religions of mankind no common ground? Is there not every
where the same enrapturing beauty beaming forth from many thousand
hidden places ? Broad, indeed, is the carpet God has spread, and beautiful
the colors He has given it. . . . There is but one lamp in this house, in
the rays of which, wherever I look, a bright assembly meets me. . . .
O God 7 whatever road I take Joins the highway that leads to Thee.
PERSIAN SCRIPTURES.
What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with thy God. hebrew scripture.
Whosoever doeth the will of my Father who is in Heaven, the same is
my brother, and my sister, and my mother. saying of jesus.
Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons ; but in every
nation he that revereth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted with
Him. saying of the apostle peter.
The catholic-minded man regards all religions as embodying the same
truths ; the narrow-minded man observes only their differences. CHINESE APOTHEGM.
Altar flowers are of many species, but all Worship is one ; systems
of Faith are different, but God is one. hindu apothegm.
He who is beloved of God honors every form of Religious Faith.
BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE.
God is by nature the Father of all men ; and all best men He calls His
Sons. GRECIAN SCRIPTURE.
Amid all the conflict of opinions there sounds through all the world
one consenting law and idea, — that there is One God, the Ruler and
Father of All. . . . I do not blame the variety of representations, only
let men understand there is but One Divine Nature; let them love One,
and keep One ever in their thoughts. roman scriptures.
If thou art a Mussulman, go stay with the Franks ; if thou art a
Christian, mix with the Jews; if thou art a Shuah, mix with the Schis
matics. Whatever is thy religion, associate with men of opposite persuasions.
If thou canst mix with them freely, and art not the least angered whilst
listening to their discourse, thou hast attained peace, and art a master of
creation. arabian scriptures.
To him who on these pinions has risen and soared away to the throne
of the Highest, all religions are like ; Christians, Moslems, Guebers, Jews —
all adore Him in their several way and form. Persian apothegm.

LETTER OF CATHOLICITY.
j Norham Gardens, Oxford, March 6, 1883.
Dear Sir :
It is always a great satisfaction to see the budding germs of the seed
which one has helped to sow. I wish you all success in your endeavors
after a religion of humanity, but success, to be solid, must not be too
rapid. The true religion of the future will be the fulfilment of all the
religions of the past — the true religion of humanity, that which, in the
struggle of history, remains as the indestructible portion of all the so-
called false religions of mankind. There never was a false god, nor was
there ever really a false religion, unless you call a child a false man. All
religions, so far as I know them, had the same purpose; all were links in a
chain which connects heaven and earth, and which is held, and always was
held, by one and the same hand. All here on earth tends toward right,
and truth, and perfection ; nothing here on earth can ever be quite right,
quite true, quite perfect, not even Christianity — or what is now called
Christianity — so long as it excludes all other religions, instead of loving
and embracing what is good in each. Nothing to my mind can be
sadder than reading the sacred books of mankind — and yet nothing more
encouraging. They are full of rubbish ; but among that rubbish there
are old stones which the builders of the true Temple of Humanity will
not reject — must not reject, if their Temple is to hold all who worship
God in spirit, in truth, and in life.
Believe me, Yours truly,
F. MAX MULLER.
The Rev. M. K. SCHERMERHORN.

GENERAL PREFACE.

BIBLES are cyclopaedias of the best religious literature of the world.
Cyclopaedias are valuable for purposes of reference and occasional
use; but for general use they are cumbersome and inconvenient.
The Christian Bible is made up of " The Old Testament," which com
prises the best ancient literature of the Jews ; and of " The New Testa
ment," which comprises the best Christian literature of the first centuries.
It represents what we may call the survival of the fittest out of the mass
of devout literature of the Jews and of the early Christians. In this sense
it is all valuable, and not a scrap of it should be lost. But being a cyclo
paedia, it is not well adapted to common use.
For the student, as a book of reference it is invaluable; but for practical
purposes — that is, as a book of devotion, of devout instruction, or of ethi
cal guidance and suggestion — it is unquestionably confusing as well as
cumbersome and inconvenient. So much irrelevant matter, of mere his
tory, genealogy, incident, explanation, repetition, etc., is (quite naturally)
included, that it becomes like the metamorphic rocks or the alluvial soils,
from which much rubbish must be cleared away before one can get at
the embedded gold. For practical purposes the gold should be ready at
hand and in a convenient form. So for practical purposes the practical
instructions and suggestions of the Bible should be separated from its
mass of history, genealogy, and detail, so that eye and mind may at once
apprehend their meaning and be quickened by their timely inspirations.
The want of such a selection is now widely felt by ministers in their
Pulpits, by teachers in Sunday-schools and in Day-schools, by parents in
their Homes, and by individuals in their hours of Devotion.
To answer this " want," in some measure at least, this volume has been
prepared. Both from the Old Testament and from the New, all has
been selected that seems of practical value, for purposes either of moral
instruction or of devout inspiration. A few kindred selections have also
been added from the other bibles or sacred scriptures of the world,
simply that they might stand as confirmations of the truth and beauty c|
the Divine Revelations as found in our Bible ; and at the same time bear
living testimony to the fact, that In times past God has not left himself
without a witness in any nation ; but hath from time to time raised up proph
ets amons; them all such as they were able to hear.

viii SACRED SCRIPTURES.

As to the selections made and parts omitted, it is inevitable that a
compiler of any sort can never hope to satisfy the taste and judgment of
all. What one would retain another would reject ; what one would reject,
another would retain. Some would retain all ; and some would reject all.
So, on his own taste and judgment must every compiler rely ; and, espe
cially in such a serious matter as attempting " to tamper with Sacred Script
ures," must he be prepared for criticism, and for finding that personal
satisfaction and benefit are the only compensation to be received from
even his most studious and devout labors.
EXPLANATION OF METHODS.
The compiler of this volume may here be permitted to make some per
sonal explanations with reference to his fitness to undertake so great a
work as that which he has ventured to assume, and the general methods
he has adopted. From childhood he has been unusually familiar with the
Bible. Very early in life he committed to memory large portions of it.
In college, in theological schools, and during the many studious as well
as busy years of a clergyman's life which have followed, the Bible has
unceasingly been his " book of books." He has also during these years,
from opportunities as pastor and preacher in country as well as in city
parishes ; from opportunities also of wide and various associations, both
in America and in Europe, with people of all grades of intellectual and
theological appreciations, sought to arrive at just and wise conclusions as
to the relative worth of the various parts of the Bible with reference to
the views and needs, not only of people in general, but of the more intelli
gent and critical classes in particular.
With so much of early and of continued preparation to recommend him
to the task, or at least to recommend the task to him, he began about six
years ago to devote his leisure hours to gathering and arranging the
materials for this volume — chiefly that he might have it for his own use in
his own home, pulpit, and congregation.
The general methods which he adopted and has followed out, are :
(i) To carefully select from the entire Bible all the parts, whether chap
ters, paragraphs, or isolated sentences, which seemed to be of especial im
portance for purposes of ethical instruction, or, as aids to either public or
private devotion.1
(2) To bring these Selections together, part to part, in a way that would
render them most effective, and at the same time do no violence to the
critical and historical sense of the various books, chapters, or paragraphs
from which they were taken.

1 As has already been hinted in this preface, our Bible, like all the other bibles of the world,
and like all masses of literature — especially ancient literature, — maybe fittingly compared to a great
mine, rich in deposits of precious ore. To delve for these " precious deposits," and to bring
them forth — whether found in the form of veins, or of nuggets, or of scattered grains,  this is wis
dom ; it is benevolence also ; and, moreover, is, in its highest form, reverence for the original sources
of revelation and of truth.

EXPLANATION OF METHODS.

(3) To faithfully translate — with standard lexicons and with all
scholarly versions in hand — the Selections thus made and brought to
gether, carefully studying the context and noting the various meanings of
all disputed parts, with the resolution of leaving unchanged every sentence,.
phrase, or word in the Authorized Version that represents even approxi
mately the meaning of the original writings, as the present translator
might be able to understand them; but with the resolution also, of render
ing all parts which have important ethical or devotional bearings into
whatever new or changed words, phrases, or sentences would most truth
fully and clearly represent the meaning of the original writings, as the
present translator might be able to understand them.
(4) To change or to retain the common punctuation according tc the
above rule of translation.
(5) To omit all unnecessary particles and meaningless repetitions of
words, in cases where the sense of a passage would be obscured or bur
dened by their retention.
(6) To gather into paragraphs or verses such portions of each Selection
as seemed to be kindred ; i. e., as seemed to have been originally spoken or
written as a continuous sentiment or thought.
(7) To place at the' head of each Selection an outline of its sentiment or
thought, whenever there should be sufficient definiteness and continuity to-
warrant it.1
(8) To transform the four Gospels into one, by omitting from each all
plainly contradictory parts ; all parts that — while recording incredible
claims or events — are not clearly authenticated by at least two of the four
biographies ; and all parts that are either acknowledged or probable in
terpolations. (9) To observe the above rules in general with reference to making
Selections from all the other sacred scriptures of the world, so far as the
compiler might be able to apply them, by getting at the bulk of these
writings, and by some knowledge of the languages in which they were
originally written or in which they have been preserved.3
Two or three anticipated criticisms may here be noticed also by way of
general explanation.
First, that the translator has ventured to adopt what are known as free
renderings in place of the common (professedly) literal renderings ; and
that in doing this he has very often filled in or pieced out his translations
with such connecting or explanatory words as would serve the better to
bring out his view of the author's full or evident meaning. In reply
he would say that literal or word-for-word translations of the Bible are
1 The Psalms, Proverbs, and similar portions being made up, for the most part, of fragmen
tary exclamations and instructions, no attempt to outline the contents of the various Selections
drawn from them could wisely be made.
1 But few and very fragmentary Selections, however, have been gathered from these sources,
for the reason that this volume was from the first designed to be chiefly a volume of Selections f rom>
the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.

SACRED SCRIPTURES.

Ibased only upon the old, but now widely rejected, idea of verbal inspira
tion. Those who have come to believe that the Bible is simply a book
among books, will insist upon the privilege of translating it as they would
translate Homer, Virgil, the Vedas, the Koran, or any other book.
Moreover, the literal method of translation on the part of the old school
of theologians is only a professed one ; as a matter of fact, it has never
been followed. All translators from the earliest times have woven into
the original text words and phrases of their own, the better to express
their sense of its meanings. Certainly a translator from the modern and
liberal stand-point may enjoy the privilege of doing the same.
Everybody knows that the original text of nearly all the New Testa
ment, but particularly the " Epistles," was exceedingly ungrammatical,
disconnected, confused, and uncertain — necessarily so because their au
thors and first transcribers were all unlearned men ; even Paul being
obliged to write or dictate in a language of whose grammatical and per
spicuous use he knew little or nothing. So that, from the beginning, all
translations have been largely a matter of guess as to the author's real
meaning. From the first translations down to the recent Revised Edition,
there have been no really literal renderings, but " filling in and piecing
out " with such words and phrases as seemed to the translators to assist in
best bringing out the meaning of the text. The same privilege, from a
different stand-point of interpretation only, is all that the present translator
has claimed.
Another anticipated criticism which it may be well here to forestall, is
that so much has been omitted. But a sufficient reply to this is a refer
ence to the fact, that the compiler of this volume has made it his main
object to leave out (i) all improper, (2) all irrelevant, (3) all theologi
cally or ethically unnecessary, and (4) all parenthetical and inadequately
testified to or confirmed, parts, in order to produce a " Selection " not at
all for critical, but entirely for moral and devout purposes. For instance,
the four Gospels have been woven into one, with every purely ethical and
devoutly theistic verse and sentence included; and with nothing excluded
but (1) unnecessary historic details, and (2) such interpolated opinions
of the authors and accounts of miracles or marvels as are conflicting in
the sense of not being stated or even referred to by more than one or two of
the four Gospels. The same general method, with different applications,
has been followed in all the selections made from the Old Testament, and
the other portions of the New. The essence or essential parts have been
included, and all else omitted.
A word of explanation may also here be added with reference to the
form in which the pages and selections have been arranged. The form
of paragraphs or verses gathered into selections has been adopted as best
for two reasons : (1) All " Bibles " are made up of fragments of history
¦and of thought, which have loosely drifted together without much if any

PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE GOSPELS. xi
discernible order or connection, and hence the fragmentary form of pre
serving them is most natural and suggestive. (2) Ethical teachings and
devout sentiments have always been found most effective, both for the
memory and for purposes of meditation, when presented in brief para
graphs or in isolated sentences. This is shown in the growing tendency
in our times of all authors whose main object is suggestion or instruction, to
break up their pages into headings, sections, paragraphs, and short sentences.
Of all writings the ancient scriptures of the world, which, for the most part,
originally were only sentences or fragments of thought and of devout ut
terances written upon stones, bark, parchment, any thing most convenient,
and at length gradually gathered in volumes, — of all writings these are
most suggestive and impressive when presented as nearly as possible in
their original fragmentary form. In this as in some other particulars the
old King James' Bible was more wisely arranged than is the recent Re
vised Edition.
The question also will, doubtless, be asked : Why are not authorities
for changes in the translations given ? The answer is, that the trans
lator, being a classical scholar and reasonably familiar with the Hebrew
and Greek as well as with some other ancient languages, has thought it
best to be his own authority for changes in the common translations ; at
the same time he would acknowledge his indebtedness to every well-known
version of the Bible, and to every well-known volume of Translations or of
Selections from the other ancient scriptures of the world.
It may also here be added that no references to exact chapter and
verse, or to probable or possible authors have been made, first, because
this is not designed as a volume for critical study ; and, second, because by
the use of the ordinary Concordances every selection may be easily traced
and verified.
PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE GOSPELS.
It is to be remembered that the biographies of Jesus, or the Gospeis
as they are called, were none of them written until long after the death of
Jesus ; none of his words were written down when spoken, or written in
any form until many years after they were spoken. They seem to have
made a profound impression upon the minds and memories of those who
heard them, especially of his disciples ; so that after his tragic death they
were vividly recalled and, in fragmentary forms, passed from mouth to
mouth, and circulated from place to place, wherever his persecuted fol
lowers were scattered abroad or went preaching the new religion.
So, for many years, the words as well as deeds of Jesus were preserved
only as traditions. Repeated over and over, thousands of times, by thou
sands of different persons and among unlearned and superstitious people,
it was impossible that they should be preserved, even for, a brief period,
in their exact original form ; much less could they be so preserved and

SACRED SCRIPTURES.

transmitted to a second or a third generation. Hence, as a matter of neces
sity, various mythical or fabulous interweavings of attempted explanation,
elaboration, inference, and detail must have taken place during the quar
ter century or more which elapsed between the death of Jesus and the
first written record of his life. These " interweavings " of fancy and fable
increased so rapidly, and so threatened to completely obscure the original
words and deeds around which they grew, that at length devout men set
themselves to work to collect from the mass of floating traditions, such
as they deemed most reliable, in order to write them down, and so pre
serve them from further accretions of extravagance and misconception.
In this attempt even the most honest, clear-minded, and conscientious
biographers, with no scrap of WRITTEN record or history before them, and
depending entirely upon oral reports and testimonies, must of necessity
have been able to gather only a very imperfect, fragmentary, and, in its
details, unreliable account of words that were spoken and deeds that were
performed more than a generation before their time. Hence we conclude
that the exact words and precise deeds of Jesus are not and never can be
known. But the spirit of them unquestionably survives, and shines lumi
nously from the pages of the four Gospels of the New Testament.
What all wise persons should do is to consider this spirit, which
" maketh alive," not the letter, which " killeth."
To assist in the discernment of this spirit as separated from the letter,
is the devout object of the following Selections. To this end it seems
necessary to remove from the gospel narratives, all evident accretions of
myth, fable, or extravagance ; and at the same time to omit those details
of explanation and history which have no direct bearing upon practical
religious instruction, inspiration, and life. Genealogy, Old Testament
quotations, accounts of physical healings or wonder-workings, the excla
mations of those who claimed to be " eye-witnesses," the doctrinal opin
ions of those who claimed to be the compilers of the narratives as now
found in the New Testament, — all these have only an intellectual value at
the most, and, whether true or false, should find no place in a religious
book designed for the practical instructions and inspirations of the
Church, the Sunday-school, and the Home ; like the de"bris of a mine, they
are good enough in their time and place ; but when the silver or the gold
is needed for immediate and practical uses, they should be thrown aside
and out of the way as cumbersome and worthless.
So as this Selection is designed for " immediate and practical uses " in
pulpit and pew, in the closet and at the family altar, wherever devout or
devotional inspirations are needed, all has studiously been omitted that
directly falls under any of the following five heads :
(i) The genealogy and the miraculous birth of Jesus, together with
his bodily resurrection and bodily ascension into heaven ; concerning all of
which but little is said in the New Testament Scriptures, and that little
appears to be contradictory, unreliable, and practically unimportant.

PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE GOSPELS. XUI
(2) The wonders, or so-called Miracles which he is reported to have
wrought ; which reports, whether true or false, have no essential bearings
upon him as an example whom we ought to follow, and a teacher whose
words we ought to love and obey.
(3) Those citations from the Scriptures of the Old Testament, com
monly looked upon as " fulfilments of prophecy," which, whether re
ceived as natural or supernatural, imaginary or real, coincidences, neither
add to nor detract from the beautiful character and sublime teachings of
Jesus. (4) The personal opinions, inferences, and explanations of the com
pilers of the Gospels themselves, none of whom profess to have been eye
witnesses of the deeds or hearers of the words of Jesus, but simply those
to whom the traditions " were delivered."
(5) Such unimportant elaborations as the details of sick persons healed,
insane persons restored, the hungry provided with food, etc., from which
(except by strained and unnatural interpretations) no practical lessons of
morality or religion can be drawn.
The " Four Gospels " were none of them composed before the latter
half of the first century, and in their present form were not known until
about the beginning of the third century. The titles, " Matthew,"
" Mark," " Luke," and " John," are probably only the assumed names
under which (as was then common and allowable), their unknown authors
or compilers wrote. It is possible, and even probable, that they are all
different versions of an original collection or " Gospel," made long before
by some one of the disciples or early apostles of Jesus. This may account
for their agreements and disagreements ; and at the same time may enable
us, by careful study of these " agreements and disagreements," to disen
tangle the four Gospels, and to weave them again into one connected and
consistent account of all that is most important in the life and teachings of
Jesus. This is what has been attempted in the following pages, devoutly
and studiously attempted; with what success let each reader judge for
himself. In translating the New Testament in order to render the meaning of
ancient words more comprehensible and less confusing, certain equivalents
have been used;, for instance: "Christ" has often been translated Mes
siah or Anointed ; " Lord " (as applied to Jesus), always Master or
Teacher; "Worship" (as applied to Jesus), always homage or rev
erence ; " Miracle," always wonder, etc. Also, a " free translation " has
often been considered allowable here, as in the rendering of all other
writings from a foreign into a native tongue. To express the evident sense of
the author in the clearest phrase or paraphrase, has been the constant effort
of the translator.

xiv SACRED SCRIPTURES.

The author of the fourth Gospel, probably writing — as was common
and allowable in those days — under an assumed name, the name of John,
prefixed to his biography of Jesus a metaphysical proem or introduction
commencing with " In the beginning was the Logos," etc. This Logos
Doctrine, as it has since come to be called, is not in any way referred to
in any other portion of the New Testament, and doubtless was a subtlety
borrowed originally from the Greek schools of philosophy ; hence it is
omitted from these Selections as forming no essential or even recognized
part of the Christian literature of the first century.
The same author has frequently added to his narrative of what Jesus
said and did, philosophical opinions of his own, which not only are not con
firmed by, but also are not in harmony with, the opinions of the authors
of the other three Gospels ; he has also added incidents which are not
referred to by any of the other biographers. These and all similar por
tions have been omitted for the reason stated above.
EXPLANATION AS TO THE MEANING AND FORM OF THE PHRASES " SON
OF MAN" AND "SON OF GOD."
In the Hebrew Writings the phrases " Son of Man " and " Son of
God " are very frequently found, especially in the later or prophetic
periods. They are used interchangeably and as equivalents ; with the com
mon understanding, no doubt, that they were both titles which all good
men might assume or have applied to them : but men of distinguished virtue
and wisdom especially were called, and called themselves, by these terms.
When, therefore, Jesus appeared, calling himself, and being called " Son
of Man " and " Son of God," it was no novelty ; — was in keeping with the
common speech of the Hebrews, particularly as applied to all whom they
looked upon as sages or prophets. Recognizing this to be the fact, the
present translator has departed from the common form of writing or
printing these terms in large letters when applied to Jesus, and in small
or ordinary letters when applied to all others ; he has used, or sought to
use, the same form of letters in all cases, to whomsoever — either in the
Hebrew or the Christian Scriptures — the terms " Son of Man " or " Son
of God" are applied.
In the Greek text these terms are invariably — throughout the other
portions of the New Testament as well as throughout the Gospels —
printed in an impartial form of letters. They should have the same form
when rendered into English.
EXPLANATION AS TO THE MEANING AND FORM OF THE TERMS " LORD,"
" MESSIAH," " KING," ETC., AS APPLIED TO JESUS.
In the Greek text these terms also, as applied to Jesus, in common with
all other human beings, are invariably— throughout all the other portions
of the New Testament as well as throughout the four Gospels  printed

PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. XV

with an impartial form of letters. They also should have the same form
when rendered into English. The present translator has sought so to ren
der them.
PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE ACTS OF THE
APOSTLES.
Of this book, as of the four Gospels, the author is uncertain. It is
commonly supposed to have been written by the person who, under
the title of " Luke," wrote the third Gospel. Like the four Gospels,,
it is made up of historic fragments, interwoven with traditional elabora
tions and details. Especially is this the case with the first few chapters, in
which are recorded events which transpired at least a whole generation
before this book was composed. During all this time, and possibly for
three or four generations, these events were floating from mouth to mouth
and from place to place in an unwritten form ; hence it is impossible that
they should have been preserved from sundry accretions of myth and
fable ; especially as those who heard and repeated them were unlearned
people, to whom fanciful ideas and exaggerations of facts were as natural
as the air they breathed. Exactly when this book was composed is not
known. The first mention of it, or quotations from it, of which we have
record, is in the latter part of the second century. During the third and
fourth centuries it was rejected by many as spurious and unreliable ; similar
conceptions of it have been held by modern theologians, as, for instance,
by Baur and others in Germany. However, there is unquestionably a
vein of reliable and valuable historical facts running through this " stra
tum," which is known as the Acts of the Apostles. To find and to follow
this vein, and to bring out from it such selections as promise to have a
vital bearing upon the religious thoughts and lives of those who may read
these pages, has been the studious and devout object of the compiler.
PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE APOSTOLIC
LETTERS.
The oldest of all Christian writings were undoubtedly letters origi
nally written by absent pastors to their various churches, and designed to
be read in public to those churches, for their instruction and edification.
Of these letters, a great many were written ; and the more important of
them were preserved by those to whom they were addressed. But most
even of those preserved as important contain so little of general instruc
tion or interest, that, in making up the collection which now constitutes
the " Epistles" of the New Testament, they were not deemed worthy of
preservation. So it has come to pass that the twenty-one letters as now
found in the New Testament, together with the four Gospels, the Acts of
the Apostles, and the " Revelation," have come down to us as a " survival
of the fittest " out of that mass of early Christian writings, to which the

xvi SACRED SCRIPTURES.
author of the fourth Gospel might have applied his rather extravagant re
mark: "I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books."
Of the twenty-one Letters as now found in the New Testament, four,
viz., that to the Hebrews, the second of Peter, the second and third of
John, were long repudiated by many as spurious, and not worthy of pres
ervation ; they are still held by the most competent and fair-minded in
vestigators to be, in common with some of the shorter letters attributed
to St. Paul, the productions, not of those whose names are appended to
them, but of some unknown persons, writing under assumed names, as was
then common and allowable.
But we are beginning to be convinced that all of the New Testament
Letters, with the exception of that to Philemon, and the second and third
of John, are valuable, by whomsoever written. Even the letter to the
Hebrews, so long and by so many spoken against, when properly trans
lated and comprehended, proves itself to be one of the most instructive
and inspiring portions of the Christian Scriptures.
Of the letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phi-
lippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Timothy, eleven in all, it may be
said that they are especially valuable, as being the only New Testament
writings whose real authorship is with some degree of certainty known.
That St. Paul wrote (or dictated) these letters is exceedingly probable, as
also the fact that they are the oldest of all the Christian Scriptures which
have been handed down to us. The letter to the Romans was doubt
less written about A. D. 60, and the other letters of Paul at about the
same date.
Concerning the translation of these letters from the original Greek into
modern English, it may be said, that nowhere in the whole range of liter
ature, ancient or modern, do we find such grand sentiments clothed in
words and phrases so inadequate to their right comprehension.
Greek was a foreign tongue to Paul, as to the other authors, so that
quite naturally, in attempting to write or even to dictate letters in this
strange tongue, the thought, however sublime, would be obscured by im
perfect words, as well as by poorly constructed sentences and inadequate
selections of phrase.
So, as a matter of fact, is it with the text of all the New Testament
letters, even as improved upon by a long succession of transcribers. Under
these circumstances, it is evident that, in order to communicate forcibly
the author's meaning to the ordinary reader, the translation must be not
a literal, but a free, translation. Even of such ancient classics as the
Odes of Horace, it has been truly said : " If translated word for word,
they would be utterly unintelligible." Much more is this true of the
Christian Scriptures in general and of the Apostolic Letters in particular.
The common (or rather professed) mode of translating the Bible, down
to the present time, has been the literal rendering ; as nearly as possible

PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE APOSTOLIC LETTERS. xvii

" word for word," — a mode rarely adopted in translating any other book
from a foreign into a native language. This mode, as applied to the Bible,
grew naturally out of the conception of that book as verbally inspired,
which conception being no longer held among the most intelligent people
of the world, it follows that the literal mode of translation should henceforth
be also discarded. As now translated in our common editions of the New
Testament, it is simply impossible for any reader not familiar with the text to
apprehend the meaning of, or derive any real instruction from, a large
portion of the Christian Scriptures, especially from the letters to the
Romans, Corinthians, and Hebrews. Having been long and painfully
aware of this fact, both from experience, observation, and numerous testi
monies even of many unusually intelligent students of the Bible, the
compiler of this volume has been led to adopt the principle that, here as
elsewhere, that is the best translation which renders the. evident meaning of
an author into the simplest language and the most lucid phrase.
Especially in translating the " Letters " of the New Testament, the text
of all of which is so imperfect and obscure, the unceasing object of the
translator should be to studiously and devoutly apprehend the designed
thought of the author; and that thought, by paraphrase, or by any use
whatever of words and phrases, to communicate most readily and forcibly
to the mind of the reader or hearer.
This has been the one object of the translator of the following Selec
tions ; how successfully it has been accomplished must be left to the judg
ment of those into whose hands this book may fall.
A remark may be added with reference to the rendering of a few
words, which may be designated as main words in all the letters written
by Paul.(i) By the word translated circumcision, Paul evidently meant ordi
nances, including under that term all the sacramental rites of the Jews,
which centred in, and were necessarily connected with, the fundamental
and initiatory rite of circumcision.
(2) By the word translated works, Paul evidently meant ceremonial
observances, formalistic piety, or the ritualism of the Mosaic law.
(3) By the word translated faith, Paul probably meant confident trust
in the mercy and help of God ; faith in Jesus being confident trust in the
revelations of Divine mercy and helpfulness which it was the mission of
Jesus to reveal and teach.
(4) By the word translated blood, as applied to Jesus, Paul probably
meant life completely consecrated, or the unreserved offering of one's self for
the good of others.
(5) By the word translated resurrection, Paul, as all the other New
Testament authors, evidently meant (what the word generically means)
spiritual survival, or a rising up of the spirit from the realms and power of
physical death.

SACRED SCRIPTURES.

Bearing in mind these simple explanations, the reader will doubtless
find hundreds of passages luminous and helpful, which in the common
translation are utterly incomprehensible. For instance, instead of read
ing, " Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a
new creature," read, " Neither conformity to ordinances nor non-conform
ity availeth any thing, but a new creature." Instead of reading, " A man
is not justified by the works of the law," read, "A man is not justified by
the ceremonial observances of the law," or " by the ritualism of the law,"
or " by formalistic piety." Instead of reading, " A man is justified by
faith," read, "A man is justified by confident trust in the mercy and help
of God " ; or, instead of " Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," read,
" Children of God by the confident trust in his mercy and help which
Christ Jesus taught and inspired." Instead of, " Redemption through his
blood," read, " Redemption through his unreserved offering of himself for
our good" ; or, instead of, "Without shedding of blood there is no remis
sion," read, " Without the life completely consecrated there is no remis
sion." Reading thus, by making use of synonymous words or equivalent ex
pressions, these Scripture passages, and such as these, become not only
comprehensible, but also deep in significance and wide in application.
PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE ANCIENT PERSIAN,
EGYPTIAN, HINDU, BUDDHIST, CHINESE, GRECIAN,
ROMAN, AND ARABIAN SCRIPTURES.
Not because there is in these ancient scriptures any new truth, or truth
better spoken than that contained in the Bible of the Christians, are these
Selections added, but simply as confirmations, giving emphasis and strength
to those teachings with which we are already familiar. Moreover, they
are here added as a perpetual witness that, not to us only, but to all
mankind, of every age and nation, hath God spoken. " By inspiration
of God ALL Scriptures are given " ; and in the Sacred Books of all
Religions, he who devoutly reads may find much that is " profitable for
teaching, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness ; that the man
of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
As the Christian Bible is a book of fragments, so are all the other
ancient scriptures books of fragments. The Selections here given are
fragments of fragments ; sentences or parts of sentences picked up and
thrown together, without much regard to connection, something as the
books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament, and the four
Gospels in the New Testament, were evidently collected without much
regard to the order of thoughts or events contained in them.
As they are designed for purposes of devout thought and meditation; "
and, as such, should be read by single verses, not by pages or Selections,

PREFACE TO SELECTIONS FROM THE ANCIENT SCRIPTURES. xix
the fragmentary form, as most suggestive and therefore most desirable,
has here been retained.
No attempt has been made to give the names of authors ; the nation
ality, or what may be called the school of thought, such as Persian, Egyp
tian, Hindu, etc., has been deemed sufficient. Of the truth contained in
them, as of all truth wherever found, the author is God ; and it matters but
little by what name may be called the human instrument through whom
He has chosen to reveal it. Better, perhaps, that the name be entirely
forgotten, in order that truth may be " all in all."

CONTENTS.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PENTATEUCH.
SELECTION. PAGE.
I. A theory of creation, probably suggested to Moses by the teachings of the learned
Egyptians among whom he was educated , and by him transcribed into the lan
guage and imagery of the ancfent Hebrews . .
II. Showing the piety and uprightness of Abraham, the ancient ancestor of the race of
the Israelites ......... 2
IT Abraham's intercession for Sodom ....... 3
T Abraham's unquestioning obedience, even to what afterward proved to be a mis.
taken sense of duty ........ 4
III. Jacob's dream, and holy resolution. If His night of prayer . . . .5
IV. Joseph's early anticipations of future greatness. Tf The envy and treachery of his
brethren .........
^f His resistance of temptation ......
T His loyalty and love to his father and brethren after many years of separation,
V. Moses' vision of the burning bush ......
If The commandments given by Moses ....
VI. Relapse of the Israelites into idolatry .....
VII. Additional commandments ......
VIII. Remembrance of mercies ......
IX. Blessings upon righteousness ......
If Cursings upon wickedness ......
X. The song of Moses ......
If Tradition of Moses' death ......
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— SAMUEL.
I. Hannah's song of thanksgiving for the birth of Samuel . .
If Samuel's vision and early piety .....
II. David's loyalty to Saul ; and rendering good for evil . . .
Tf His song of lamentation over the death of Saul and Jonathan .
III. The boldness of Nathan in reproving the sin of David . .
T David's hope and consolation in the death of his child . .
HEBREW SCRIPTURES— KINGS.
I. Solomon's choice. If His prayer at the dedication of the temple . . .22
II. Legend of Elijah, fed by the ravens and by the unfailing meal and oil of the poor
widow .......... 24
III. Visions of Elijah, in which his cowardice and faithlessness are reproved . . 24
If Legend of Elijah's death ........ 25
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— NEhEMIAH.
I The patriotism and piety of the Jews in rebuilding Jerusalem, under the leadership
of Nehemiah ......... 2t

.

9

.

10

•

12

#

13

*

14

•

15

•

16

•

17

17

18

19

20
20
21
XXU CONTENTS.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— JOB.
SELECTION. PAGE.
I. Showing how we ought to trust in the wisdom and goodness of God, whatever may
come .......... 27
II. Providential sorrows to be received and borne as the chastisements of love . .29
III. Man's Helplessness contrasted with God's power . . . • .3°
IV. Our chastisements are less than we deserve . . . . . 31
V. God will never forsake the children whom he hath created . . . .32
VI. Sincere questionings and doubt terminate in permanent faith and hope . . 33
VII. Retribution is certain, in the next life if not in this . . . . -33
VIII. A good conscience is content in appealing to God for justice and judgment . -35
IX. Consider God's goodness and greatness . . . . . . 36
X. Job is brought to see and acknowledge the wisdom and righteousness of God . 37
If Conclusion .......... 39
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PSALMS.
Selections i to xxx. pages 39 to 61.
HEBREW SCRIPTURES— PROVERBS.
Selections i to ix. pages 61 to 69.
HEBREW SCRIPTURES— ECCLESIASTES.
SELECTION. page.
I. Happiness to be found only in the pursuit of wisdom and in the practice of virtue . 70
II. There is a time for every thing . . . . . . .7°
III. Death, and the just retributions which shall certainly follow . . . • 71
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— ISAIAH.
I. Formality is hateful to God, and righteousness alone doth he approve . . 72
T Anticipations of the ultimate purity, prosperity, and peace of mankind npon earth 73
II. Wickedness shall be put down and righteousness finally triumph in the earth . 73
III. A prophecy of the future glory and perfection of mankind . . . .74
IV. The sorrow, sympathy, and self-sacrifice of the true philanthropist . . -7°
V. Righteousness is the only acceptable offering to God . . . . • 77
VI. The love and faithfulness of God ....... 78
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— JEREMIAH.
I. True philanthrophy grieves for wrong-doers, while it hates and condemns their
wrongs .......... 79
II. The unfaithful, the unjust, and the impure rebuked . . . . .80
III. The ingratitude of those who forget the mercies of God, and violate his will . 81
IV. No one should refuse the divine commission to rebuke wrong and advocate right
eousness .......... 82
V. Through rebuke and chastisement will God in the end establish mankind in right
eousness and joy ...... . . 84
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH.
I. The alternating experience of sorrow and joy, fear and hope, despondency and trust,
in every truly religious life . . . . . , . .85
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— EZEKIEL.
I. Every man to be judged by his own conscience, and punished for his own sins . 86
II. Every man is responsible for those sins and sufferings of his fellow-men which it is
wiihin his power by timely warning or sympathy to prevent . . .88
III. By the spirit of the Lord even th*. spiritually dead may live, the weak be made strong,
and the hopeless achieve victory . . . . . m .80

CONTENTS. XX111

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— DANIEL.
SELECTION. PAGE.
I. Showing the grandeur of being loyal to conscience, come what may . 89
HEBREW SCRIPTURES— JONAH.
I. Showing that mercy is better than vengeance . . . . . 91
HEBREW SCRIPTURES— MALACHI.
I. Showing the judgments of God upon the wicked, and his favor to the righteous . 92
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GOSPELS.
I. Traditions of the birth and childhood of Jesus . . . . . 94
II. The appearance, preaching, and death of John the Baptist . . . .96
III. Jesus, deeply moved by the preaching of John, retires into the wilderness for prayer
and meditation ......... 97
T[ Convinced of his divine mission as a religious teacher and reformer, he begins to
preach ........•• 97
IV. Driven from the synagogues, Jesus begins to preach in the open air . . 98
(This and the following six Selections are collections of what appear to be fragments
of different out-of-door sermons preached at various places and times.)
V. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus ...... 100
VI. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus . . . . . .101
VII. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus . . . . . .102
VIII. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus . . . . . .103
IX. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus . . . . • .104
X. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus . . . . . .105
XI. Jesus shows that his mission is to transgressors, and not to the righteous . .106
XII. Jesus shows that the New Dispensation or Kingdom of God is to be one of gladness
and hope, not of despondency, retirement, and gloom . . . .108
XIII. Jesus shows that righteousness consists not in external pretensions, but in internal
purity and obedience to God .....-• I0°
XIV. Jesus disregards the traditional observance of the Sabbath, and shows that it is de
signed simply as a day of restfulness and comfort to man . . .110
XV. Jesus organizes his followers, and sends them out as missionaries . . .ill
XVI. Through confidence in the skill and healing power of Jesus, many sick people are
restored . . • > • • • • . . 113
If Jesus recognizes the intimate connection between moral and physical infirmities . 114
If Jesus rebukes the custom of immediate burial among the Jews, by resuscitating
persons supposed to be dead . . ¦ • • • IJ4
XVII. An example of the cowardice and shame of suppressing opinions through fear of
popular disfavor . • • ¦ ¦ • • .no
XVIII. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of love and peace, and includes the good and
true of all nations and ages . . • • • • • "7
XIX. Those of imperfect or impure character, however great their pretensions of faith and
piety, cannot be admitted into the kingdom of God . . . .118
XX Jesus shows that it belongs to God to reward every man according to his works . 119
XXL Jesus shows that God will seek for his lost and prodigal children until every one of
them is found ..¦••*• *
XXII. Jesus supposed by his friends to be insane, and by his enemies to be possessed of
a demon . . • • • • ' '
XXIII Tesus shows that whosoever will enter into the kingdom of God must be born again
of the spirit of bojdness, of self-denial, and of willingness to suffer oppositions
and persecutions for truth's sake . . • • • .123
XXIV. Jesus shows that sooner or later God will recompense those who live selfish, un
profitable, and unjust lives ......

121122

125

XXIV

CONTENTS.

SELECTION. PAGE.
XXV. Jesus teaches forgiveness, and shows that every man must be his own judge, and
every man's conscience his only judgment-bar . . . .127
XXVI. Jesus teaches humility, disinterestedness, vigilance, improvement of opportuni
ties, and wise forethought .....•• 128
XXVII. Jesus teaches the simplicity of prayer ; prays with his disciples on the moun
tain ; and receives and blesses little children .... 130
XXVIII. The sum and substance of the commandments, and what it is to keep them . 132
XXIX. Jesus teaches that we should always recognize divine authority and at the same
time submit to lawful human authority ..... 133
XXX. Jesus shows that reason and the instincts of nature are the revelations and
teachings of God ........ 135
XXXI. Jesus proclaims God as an infinite Spirit of holiness and love . . . 136
XXXII. Jesus shows that his teachings concerning God are the living water and bread
which, are able to communicate sustenance and life to the souls of men . 137
XXXIII. Jesus shows that he is one with the Father in spirit and in purpose ; but denies
the charge of putting himself on an equality with God . . .139
XXXIV. Jesus shows that the true shepherd of men is he who loves them unselfishly and
is willing, if need be, to give his life for them .... 140
XXXV. The common people love and honor Jesus, but he perceives that "his enemies
will soon put him to death ....... 142
XXXVI. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, and foretells its destruction and the calamities of
the Jewish nation ........ 143
XXXVII. Jesus' last evening with his disciples ; he explains the necessity of his death, as
a testimony and seal to the truth he had taught ; assures his disciples that
the Father is revealed through him, and tells them that the spirit of Truth
will be their Helper and Guide ...... 144
XXXVIII. Jesus shows that love among his disciples for one another, and for him, will
cause them to be like branches abiding in their vine, and bringing forth
much fruit ......... 146
XXXIX. By bread and wine Jesus symbolizes his approaching death ^ and by washing
his disciples' feet he teaches humility and mutual service . . . 148
XL. With prayer and singing Jesus closes his interview with his disciples, and de
parts with them into an adjoining garden ..... 149
XLI. Jesus spends the night in prayer and sorrow ; is apprehended by his enemies,
and led away to the Assembly of the Jews . . . . .150
XLII. The trial and condemnation of Jesus ...... 151
XLIII. Peter denies Jesus and repents ; Judas repents and hangs himself ; Jesus is
scourged, crucified, and temporarily placed in a sepulchre close at hand . 153
XLIV. The reappearance of Jesus after his death ; by various manifestations he
reveals himself to many of his followers, and encourages them to spread
abroad his teachings ....... 155
XLV. Some beautiful accounts of the reappearance of Jesus not historically verified ;
— that is, given by one biographer, but not confirmed or in any way refer
red to by the others . / . . , . . , . 156 '
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— THE ACTS.
I. The enthusiam with which the disciples of Jesus enter upon the work of pro
claiming the teaching of their Master ..... 159
II. The boldness of the first followers of Jesus, and their loyalty to his teaching in
thej face of oppositions and persecutions . . . . 160
III. The early followers of Jesus organize themselves into* a community, and the
first church is administered according to communistic principles . . 162
IV. The martyrdom of Stephen, and the beginning of persecutions by the Jews . 163
V. Saul becomes a disciple of Jesus and begins to preach the gospel . . 164

CONTENTS.

XXV

VII.

VIII.

SELECTION. PAGE.
VI. The disciples of Jesus break down the walls of sectarianism by beginning to preach
the gospel to the Gentiles ....... 165
Philip teaches the gospel of Jesus to the Samaritans and to the Ethiopian ambas
sador .......... 167
Among the Grecian converts, Jesus begins to be called " Christ," and the disciples
begin to be known as " Christians." The sympathy and benevolence of the
Christians for each other. Saul begins to be known among the Grecians as
Paul, and being chosen by them as preacher enters upon his ministry . 169
Opposition and persecution begin to be awakened against Paul . . . 170
The strife about conformity to ordinances, and how it was settled . .172
Paul and Silas continuing their missionary journey are imprisoned, but by their
midnight songs of praise and subsequent teachings convert their jailer and his
household ......... 173
Driven from place to place Paul and Silas at length come to Athens, where Paul
makes his famous discourse ....... 175
Paul is persecuted in Corinth, and going on to Ephesus, arouses great enthusiasm
among a few disciples of John the Baptist whom he happens to find there . 177
The riot in Ephesus stirred up against Paul by the workmen who made shrines for
Diana .......... 17S
An exhibition of Paul's love for those who followed his ministry, and of his heroic
consecration to his work ....... 179
Paul again visits Jerusalem ; to pacify the Jewish Christians he conforms to the ordi
nance of purification ; but this does not preserve him from their persecutions . 180
Paul rehearses the incidents of his conversion, and enrages the Jews by proclaim
ing himself divinely appointed to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. . . 181
The priests and elders conspire to assassinate Paul, but the chief officer hearing of
it sends him by night to Cassarea. ...... 183
Paul's accusation and defence before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa . . .184
A glimpse of Paul at Rome ........ 188

IX. X.
XI.

XII.
XIII. XIV. XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII. XIX.
XX.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES— LETTERS.

LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

II.
III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX

God has revealed himself in nature as well as in written records and in the charac
ters and teachings of holy men .......
God is a just and impartial judge, and judgment belongs to him alone
All men, without exception, are born into a condition of moral imperfection in
this life, and also are more or less guilty of wilfully violating the laws of virtue
and duty . ...
In the consecrated life and death of Christ Jesus we have a representation of the
love of God for mankind ; by this also we are brought into unity with God,
and are inspired to renounce iniquity and seek for holiness
The reign of law and the reign of love contrasted. Law only reveals the baseness
of iniquity, love inspires men to hate and forsake it. Camal-mindedness tends
to spiritual corruption and decay ; but spiritual-mindedness is life and peace .
God's true children are those who are spiritually minded ; for them there are peace
and hope ; and, moreover, whatever their afflictions, all things will result in
their good . • • • • • • ¦ ¦
All righteous persons among the Gentiles as well as among the Jews are the spirit
ual offspring of Abraham, and the accepted children of God
Jews and Gentiles alike live in God, and none but the disobedient and unholy does
he reject ..•¦¦••••
Entire self-consecration, humility, and unfeigned love enjoined .

190191

193

194

196

197198
20O201

XXVI CONTENTS.

SELECTION. PAGE.
X. All forms of civil government are providential, therefore men should be submissive
to lawful authority ; and toward all should be just and pure . . . 202
XI. Toleration and charity to be exercised toward all, because God alone is judge, and
each man's conscience is his own judgment-bar ..... 203
LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS.
I. Sectarianism and party rivalries in religion condemned ; worldly wisdom shown to be
of less account than consecrated lives, and simple faith in God . . . 204
II. The higher truths of God can only be revealed through the Divine Spirit to those
who are spiritually minded ; and spiritual babes must not expect to understand
those truths which only spiritual manhood is competent to receive . . 205
III. Those who receive the teachings and inspirations of the Divine Spirit are thereby
made temples of God ; therefore every one should seek to be holy, humble, and
full of loving self-sacrifice toward others ...... 206
-IV. Only those who strive to be pure in heart and life should be admitted to, or retained
in, the church of God on earth ; for the church is designed to be a brotherhood
of those who are seeking to be holy, and to glorify God both in body and in spirit 208
V. Teachers of religion have a right tc receive needful material sustenance from those
whom they serve ; and yet rather than compromise their liberty as truth-speakers,
they should refuse either to claim or to receive it . ., . . . 209
VI. Instructions concerning the proper and profitable observance of the memorial supper
ot Jesus .......... 210
VII. Co-operation taught and illustrated, in the sense of common sympathy, helpfulness,
and love .......... 211
VIII. Faith, hope, and love, the substance of all desirable spiritual gifts ; but love is
greatest of all . . . . . . . . . 212
IX. Instructions as to public religious teachings, or exhortations ; they should be earnest,
clear, comprehensible, and at the same time wise and sincere . . . 21^
X. The resurrection, or reappearance of Jesus from the dead, and its suggestions as to
immortality ......... 214
XI. The resurrection is spiritual survival, or a rising up of the spirit from the power of
death .......... 215
XII. How the true benefactor of men rejoices in their joys, and is distressed in their
sorrows ..'....... 216
XIII. The Divine Spirit, communicating with the soul of man, is true revelation, granted
to all who will receive it • but on account of increase in wisdom, the letter of
revelation is always perishing, while the spirit both remains alive and gives life 217
XIV. Death is only the spirit's change of habiliment and surroundings ; those whose
present lives have been self-sacrificing, courageous, devout, and pure, may desire
rather than fear it , as a departure to better companionships and to a brighter home 218
XV. As Christ sought to reconcile men to God, so all true followers of Christ will seek to
do ; and this, as he did, with complete consecration, even to yielding up life itself,
if need be, in testimony to the truth ...... 219
XVI. Every true benefactor of men faithfully rebukes error and wrong ; and also opposes
selfishness by calling upon men to generously share with those about them what
ever blessings they enjoy ........ 221
XVII. Goodness of heart, greatness of mind, and usefulness of life indicate a man's worth,
whatever physical or material deficiencies may accompany them . . . 222
LETTER TO THE GALATIANS.
I. Paul claims consistency in his teachings concerning Christ ; asserts that they were
his own convictions spiritually communicated to him by Jesus himself, and not
tradionally or indirectly received ; rebukes dissimulation for the sake of secur
ing popular favor ; and declares that, not by ceremonial piety, but by the faith
that Christ Jesus taught, men are to be accepted as righteous . . .225

CONTENTS. XXV11

SELECTION. PAGE.
II. Those reproved who substitute the letter for the spirit, or ceremonial observances for
that faith which produces purity in heart and life. Those who have received the
Spirit are no longer slaves or servants of God, but sons ; and in this freedom and
holy relationship should stand ....... 227
III. Those who do not walk according to the leadings of the Spirit may be known by the
carnality or moral impurities of their lives. Not formal piety, or professions,
or religious ceremonies are acceptable to God, but pure hearts, as manifest in
thoughts and lives that are pure . . .... 228
LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS.
I. Through the agency of Jesus all partition walls between man and man are to be
broken down, and the whole human family brought to be partakers of the same
Spirit : thus all shall become fellow-citizens not only, but also common members of
the household of God ........ 230
II. Every true follower of Christ aspires to be perfect in wisdom and virtue ; in order to
do this, all rivalary, hatred, anger, and moral impurities must be striven against
and overcome ......... 232
III. Precepts of morality and religion, to be observed by all who profess to follow Christ . 233
LETTER TO THE PHILLIPIANS.
I. Tribulations endured for truth's sake always result both in the advancement of truth,
and in the ennoblement of those who, in spite of tribulations, advocate or de
fend it ......... . 235
II. Salvation from transgression and its dire results, can only be secured by great and
continued personal efforts. The righteousness of God, which was exhibited
in Christ, is the righteousness which all must laboriously seek . . . 237
LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS.
I. Every true philanthropist seeks, even as did Christ Jesus, by love, sympathy, and con
secrated labors to reconcile or to unite all mankind to God . . . 239
II. Of the Divine fulness that was in Christ, we also should partake ; and thus, like him,
be raised up above the world, from the power of transgression and death into en
during spiritual life ......... 240
LETTERS TO THE THESSALONIANS.
I. The plainness and truthfulness of teaching which all faithful and wise instructors will
be constrained to use. ........ 242
II. Death is but a falling off of the body, and a rising up of the soul ; for this transforma
tion all should be in constant readiness ...... 243
LETTERS TO TIMOTHY.
I. God's true service is the service of love ; only the rebellious and impure need the
compulsions of law ......... 245
II. Some instructions as to what should be the character and what the teachings of a
minister of Christ ........ 246
III. The simple teachings of Jesus concerning godliness, contentment, purity, and love, are
fundamental truths, and should be assented to by all . . . . 248
IV. Not to ease are Christ's followers called, but to struggle, service, and entire self-con
secration .......... 249
A SELECTION FROM THE LETTER TO TITUS.
I. Sound doctrine consists in teaching the practical virtues ; such as sobriety, temper
ance, humility, self-sacrifice, love, and holiness ..... 252

XXVIII CONTENTS.

LETTER TO THE HEBREWS.
SELECTION. PAGE.
I. Jesus as son of God and brother of all men, having lived and died to teach and prom
ulgate this relationship, has thereby rendered himself worthy of the highest grati
tude and praise from all mankind ....... 254
II. The glad tidings of a blessed immortality to those who love and practise holiness hav
ing been more clearly revealed by Jesus than by any other teacher, he therefore is
worthy to be called the high-priest of God to men ..... 255
III. Christianity an advance upon Judaism, inasmuch as direct faith or confidence in the
mercy of God has been substituted for ceremonial observances ; and the law of
righteousness is revealed to each individual mind and heart, instead of through
oracles, priests, or written codes ....... 257
IV. Under the new covenant which Jesus proclaimed, a higher standard of moral purity and
of humane consecrations is required of. all ; and, as an encouragement thereto,
confident faith in the attainment of eternal blessedness is presented . . 259
V. Every faithful advocate of righteousness must meet with oppositions, persecutions, ani
various discouragements ; but these are the disciplines of life, and, if patiently
endured, will develop nobleness and joy in the end .... 262
VI. Various precepts of fraternity and love ....... 263
THE LETTER OF JAMES.
I. Though temptations to evil proceed from the lusts of the body, and not from God, yet
if resisted and overcome they will result in greater tranquillity and in a higher per
fection of character ...'..... 264
II. Respect of persons on account of their material possessions rebuked ; also the boasting
of faith when the life is not devout ....... 265
III. How the tongue is an index of the heart : so that pure speech indicates inward purity ;
while uncharitable,. deceitful, and impure words indicate that there is a fountain of
bitterness within ......... 266
IV. The foolish think only of the profits and pleasures of this life ; but the wise live with
reference to immortality, and labor chiefly for enduring acquisitions . . 267
THE LETTERS OF PETER.
I. The new faith and hope of the gospel having been received, those who have received
it should thereby be brought into a new life of purity and of consecration to God . 268
II. Various precepts with regard to that pure and peaceable conduct of life which is proper
for those who consider themselves the children of God .... 269
III. Continuation of moral and devout precepts ...... 271
THE LETTERS OF JOHN.
I. If we are brethren of Christ and children of God, the life, light, and righteousness of
Christ and of God will also be in us . . . . . . 273
II. Love the evidence of discipleship to Christ, and of sonship to God . . . 275
THE REVELATION.
I. The message to the seven churches . . . . m , 276
II. A vision of the blessedness of those who, by lives of purity and self-sacrifice, have
become worthy to receive the final approbation of God .... 278
III. A vision of the heavenly city and of those who shall be counted worthy to dwell in it . 280
PERSIAN SCRIPTURES— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
I. The existence and attributes of God ..... 283
II. Pure hearts, humane deeds, and spiritual life in God combine to prepare man for a
happy death, and for blessed re-unions and joys beyond . 285
III. Industry, heroism, charity, gentleness, and moral purity enjoined . . .286

CONTENTS. XXIX

SELECTION. PAGE.
IV. Diligence, justice, and pity commended ...... 287
V. The wisdom which consists in love, helpfulness toward others, and kindness to all
forms of life commended ........ 287
VI. Bigotry condemned, toleration enjoined ; the revelations, providence, and pity of God
shown to be universal ........ 288
VII. Death not to be feared ; the wicked even on earth are in punishment, and the virtuous
here and everywhere are blessed ....... 289
EGYPTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
I. God, the source of all, is to be revered as a Father, loved for his goodness, and praised
for his wisdom and power ........ 291
II. The spirit survives the body ; and whenever it is sufficiently purified, will enter the
abodes of heavenly glory and rest ....... 291
HINDU SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
I. The one Supreme Mind, Supreme Ruler, Divine Parent, living and true God . . 293
II. Man is a manifestation of God, and should adore, obey, and love him as the Great Soul
from whom, by whom, and in whom he exists ..... 294
III. True religion consists not in ceremonial acts or in selfish aspirations, but in moral
purity, and in the proper performance of moral duties .... 295
IV. God dwells in all, but especially in those who are merciful, unselfish, just, truthful, and
humane .......... 290
V. Sensuality, covetousness, and cruelty condemned ..... 297
VI. Different systems of faith are not recognized by God, but humility and sincerity, when
they produce personal holiness and the practical virtues, are, under all forms, alike
acceptable to Him ......-•• 298
BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
I. God is the eternal, perfect, true, and merciful One ; whose love and service consist in
goodness, loving-kindness, and universal charity on the part of men . . 299
II. Domestic love, reverence for parents, love for all men, forgiveness, and self-control
commended and enjoined .....•¦• 3°°
III. Sensuality and wrong are their own punishments ; piety and virtue their own rewards . 301
TV. Indolence and self-conceit condemned, and compassionate interest in all mankind
extolled as the source of all virtues ....... 3°2
V. The soul immortal ; man never dies, but lives on, and ever carries his acquisitions of
wisdom and goodness with him wherever he goes, or in whatever form he exists . 303
CHINESE SCRIPTURES— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
I. God the parent of men, compassionate, wise, and pure ; integrity of heart, justice,
charity, and kindness toward all men are the offerings acceptable to him . . 305
II. The virtues both of ourselves and of others are what we should commend and cultivate ;
but faults and wrongs should be covered, and at the same time gradually rooted out 306
III. Goodness, duty, and peace belong together; friendship, filial piety, and kindness
toward all living things, together with humility and self-control, constitute the
sum of all virtue . . • • • • • • 3°7
IV. Virtue and wisdom cultivated in the individual will purify and establish the family,
society, and the state ........ 3°8
GRECIAN SCRIPTURES— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
L The one God, omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal, wise, benevolent, holy,— the Father
of Men  3°9
IL God is infinitely wise and perfect in goodness ; His perfections should be patterned
after by all  3»

xxx CONTENTS.

SELECTION. PAGE.
III. God seen in all His works ; Nature reveals Him, and His revelations are also made
continually to the humble and purified souls of men . . . 311
IV. Death is only a phase of life ; the soul is immortal, and for the purified there are pure
joys and companionships beyond ...... 312
V. All truly wise men are divinely inspired ; prayer is only the submissive, ardent, and
humble turning of the soul toward God ; purity, truthfulness, and justice endear
men to God ..... ... 313
VI. Precepts of charity, forgiveness, honesty, benevolence, temperance, and genuineness in
every professed virtue ....... 314
VII. This present world is only a reflection of the ethereal and eternal world above ; present
glories are not worthy to be compared with those which shall be revealed . 316
THE WRITINGS OF PLATO.
I. Fragments gathered from the writings of Plato, showing what were the ideas of Socrates
concerning the nature of the soul, its connection with the body, its proper disci
pline, and its true emancipation . . ... 317
II. Fragments gathered from the writings of Plato, in which are stated the reasons and the
faith of Socrates with reference to the soul's immortality . . 320
III. Fragments gathered from the writings of Plato, in which are presented the beliefs of
Socrates, that the Deity inspires all true teachers of men to reveal that Wisdom
that consists in sincerity, justice, love, and holiness ; and in revealing it requires
and enables them to suffer ridicule, reproach, and persecution . . 323
IV. Fragments gathered from the writings of Plato, in which are taught the principle held
by Socrates, that while to act unjustly is a great evil, the greatest and chief of all
evils is seeking or desiring to escape from merited punishment . . 326
V. Fragmentary selections from Socrates' defence before the Athenian tribunal, in which
he explains in what true wisdom consists ; and repels the charge that his teachings
against the established religion had been the means of corrupting the youth . 328
VI. Fragmentary selections from Socrates' defence before the Athenian tribunal, in which
loyalty to convictions of truth and duty are advocated ; and death shown to be de
sirable, rather than an unfaithful or useless life .... 332
THE WRITINGS OF PLUTARCH.
I. Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's discourse on Moral Virtue, in which he shows
that the soul and body are at the beginning antagonistic, the one to the other ; and
that virtue consists in the gradual but complete mastery of the body by the soul . 335
II. Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's discourse on Progress in Virtue, in which he
condemns the doctrines of those who claim that there is such a thing as instantane
ous or supernatural changes from vice to virtue ; and shows that virtue is always a
growth, never an immediate transition .... 339
III. Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's discourse on Anger ; its nature, evil results,
and proper control ...... 34*5
IV. Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's discourse on Superstition and Atheism, showing
that both are great evils, but Superstition being the cause of Atheism, besides be
ing more slavish and degrading, is therefore the greater evil . . 346
| V. Fragmentary selections from the discourse of Plutarch on " The Slowness of Divine
Retributions, " and from other kindred discourses of his, in which he shows that God
is an example to men of justice tempered with mercy ; also that wickedness is its
own greatest punishment, and that retributions, as well as rewards, extend to the
life after death ....
VI Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's Letter of Consolation to ApoUonius, and from
other kindred writings of his, showing that to the pious and virtuous Death is
always a blessing, inasmuch as it is a transition to holier companionships and
j°ys •••.....

350

355

CONTENTS. XXXI

ROMAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
SELECTION. PAGE.
I. The one God universal ; who is wise ruler, merciful friend, inspirer of all wisdom
and virtue in men ........ 359.
II. Precepts of inward purity, and of simplicity, kindness, justice, and self-
restraint .......... 360
III. Humanity a brotherhood with love as its bond ; all, therefore, should help all, and
each be pure that all may become pure . . . .361
IV. The soul can not be mortal ; this world not a permanent abode ; Heaven a Divine
Assembly of the enlightened and purified ..... 362
DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS.
I. The existence of God, and the moral suggestions to be drawn therefrom . . 363.
II. Various arguments for the superintending Providence of God, and moral inferences
therefrom .... ..... 365
III. Man is Clod's offspring ; the human soul is derived from Deity, but is incarnate in ani
mal form, for purposes of education and discipline . . . 367
IV. How we ought to do our best with the endowments which have been given us, and
with the opportunities and even difficulties with which we are surrounded . 370
V. Every man is endowed by nature with both an intellectual sense for the apprehen
sion of truth, and with a moral sense for the discernment of right and wrong ;
but both of these senses mky be deadened by neglect or misuse . . 372
VI. God's power, wisdom, goodness, and omnipresence recognized ; what he gives should
be gratefully received, and what he withholds should not be desired . . 375
VII. To be happy is to submit uncomplainingly to God's will in all things, to become
united to him as to a safe guide, and to follow wheresoever he may lead . . 377
VIII. Our highest good consists in loyalty to our highest convictions, and in faithfully doing
whatever we believe to be our duty, whoever or whatever may oppose . .380
IX. Daily duties toward ourselves and toward those about us, in order to the proper and,
so far as possible, perfect conduct of life . .... 382
X. Self-discipline ; its methods, helps, difficulties, and rewards . . . 385
XI. Freedom is the greatest good, and consists in leading a virtuous life, preserving a
contented mind, and being attached to God as friend and guide . . . 389
XII. We should be loyal to our convictions of Truth, notwithstanding the ridicule or op
position of others ; but we should forgive those who oppose us, withdraw our
selves from impure or vulgar companionships, and be content with the help and
approval of God ...... . . 391
XIII. We should always subordinate pleasure to virtue ; ourselves to others ; our personal
preferences to the public good ; and all to the will and wisdom of God . . 393
XIV. Tranquillity, of mind the highest of attainments ; and entire submission to the will of
God, with no pre-determinations, repinings, or complaints, is the only way by
which this attainment may be reached .... -39°
XV. Death to those who are virtuous and who rely on God is joyous freedom ; to die
happy is to die with a. clear conscience, and in the performance of whatever
duties God has .appointed us to do ...... 398
ARABIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.
j q0(j  the Almighty, the Eternal, the Wise, the Merciful One ; the Protector of the
Universe, the Helper of Mankind ...... 403
II. The one God of whom all holy and wise men are prophets. The good among men are
all brethren and fellow-believers . . . . . . .404
III Precepts concerning the practical virtues, such as justice, truth, patience, temper
ance kindness, reverence for parents, charity, all of which are necessary to fit
one for a peaceful death and a happy life beyond . . . 405.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PENTATEUCH.

SELECTION I.
A theory of creation, probably suggested
to Moses by the teachings of the learned
Egyptians among whom he was educated,
and by him transcribed into the language
and imagery of the ancient Hebrews.
TN the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form,
and void ; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face
of the waters. And God said, Let
there be light : and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was
good : and God divided the light
from the darkness. And God called
the light Day, and the darkness he
called Night. And the evening and
the morning were the first period.
3 And God said, Let there be a
firmament in the midst of the waters,
and let it divide the waters from the
waters. And God caused the firma
ment to appear, and divided the
waters which were under the firma
ment from the waters which were
above the firmament : and it was so.
And God called the firmament
Heaven. And the evening and the
morning were the second period.
4 And God said, Let the waters
under the heaven be gathered to
gether unto one place, and let the
dry land appear : and it was so. And

God called the dry land Earth ; and
the gathering together of the waters
called he Seas : and God saw that it
was good. And God said, Let the
earth bring forth grass, the herb
yielding seed, and the fruit tree
yielding fruit after its kind, whose
seed is in itself, upon the earth : and
it was so. And the earth brought
forth grass, and herbs, yielding seed
after their kind, and trees yielding
fruit, whose seed was in itself, after
their kind : and God saw that it was
good. And the evening and the
morning were the third period.
5 And God said, Let there be
lights in the firmament of the heaven
to divide the day from the night ;
and let them be for signs, and for
seasons, and for days and years:
and let them be for lights in the fir
mament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth : and it was so. And
God caused the two great lights to
appear ; the greater light to rule the
day, and the lesser light to rule the
night : the stars also he caused to
appear. And God set them in the
firmament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth, and to rule over
the day and over the night, and to
divide the light from the darkness :
and God saw that it was good. And
the evening and the morning were
the fourth period.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

6 And God said, Let the waters
bring forth abundantly the moving
creature that hath life, and fowl that
may fly above the earth in the open
firmament of heaven. And God
created great whales, and every liv
ing creature that moveth, which the
waters brought forth abundantly,
after their kind, and every winged
fowl after his kind : and God saw that
it was good. And God blessed them,
saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
fill the waters in the seas, and let
fowl multiply in the earth. And the
evening and the morning were the
fifth period.
7 And God said, Let the earth
bring forth the living creature after
his kind, cattle and creeping thing,
and beast of the earth after his kind :
and it was so. And God created the
beast of the earth after his kind,
and cattle after their kind, and every
thing that creepeth upon the earth
after his kind : and God saw that it
was good.
8 And God said, Let us create
man in our image, after our likeness :
and let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and
over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth. So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God
created he him ; male and female
created he them. And God blessed
them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it : and have
dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and
over every living thing that moveth
upon the earth. And God said, Be

hold, I have given you every herb
bearing seed, which is upon the face
of all the earth, and every tree, in
the which is the fruit of a tree yield
ing seed ; to you it shall be for meat.
And to every beast of the earth, and
to every fowl of the air, and to every
thing that creepeth upon the earth,
wherein there is life, / have given
every green herb for meat : and it
was so. And God saw every thing
that he had created, and, behold, it
was very good. And the evening
and the morning were the sixth pe
riod SELECTION II.
Showing the piety and uprightness of
Abram, the ancient ancestor of the race
of the Israelites.
AND Abram went up out of
^*- Egypt, he, and his wife, and
all that he had, and Lot with him,
into the south. And Abram was
very rich in cattle, in silver, and in
gold. And he went on his journeys
from the south even to Beth-el, unto
the place where his tent had been at
the beginning, between Beth-el and
Hai ; unto the place of the altar,
which he had made there at the
first : and there Abram called on
the name of the LORD.
2 And Lot also, which went with
Abram, had flocks, and herds, and
tents. And the land was not able
to bear them, that they might dwell
together : for their substance was
great, so that they could not dwell
together. And there was a strife
between the herdmen of Abram's
cattle and the herdmen of Lot's
cattle : and the -Canaanite and the
Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

3 And Abram said unto Lot, Let
there be no strife, I pray thee, be
tween me and thee, and between my
herdmen and thy herdmen ; for we
are brethren. Is not the whole land
before thee ? separate thyself, I pray
thee, from me : if thou wilt take the
left hand, then I will go to the right ;
or if thou depart to the right hand,
then I will go to the left. And Lot
lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the
plain of Jordan, that it was well wa
tered every where, (before the Lord
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah,)
even as the garden of the LORD, like
the land of Egypt,as thou comest unto
Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the
plain of Jordan ; and Lot journeyed
east : and they separated themselves
the one from the other.
4 Abram dwelled in the land of
Canaan : and Lot dwelled in the cities
of the plain, and pitched his tent
toward Sodom. But the men of
Sodom were wicked and sinners
before the LORD exceedingly.
5 And the LORD said unto Abram,
after that Lot was separated from
him, Lift up now thine eyes, and
look from the place where thou art
northward, and southward, and east
ward, and westward : for all the land
which thou seest, to thee will I give
it, and to thine offspring for ever.
And I will make thine offspring as
the dust of the earth : so that if
a man can number the dust of the
earth, then shall thine offspring also
be numbered. Arise, walk through
the land in the length of it and in
the breadth of it ; for I will give it
unto thee.
6 Then Abram removed his tent,
and came and dwelt in the plain of

Mamre, which is in Hebron, and
built there an altar unto the LORD.
TT Abraham's intercession for Sodom.
A ND the Lord said, Shall I hide
from Abraham that thing which
I do ; seeing that Abraham shall sure
ly become a great and mighty nation,
and all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed in him? For I know him,
that he will command his children
and his household after him, and
they shall keep the way of the LORD,
to do justice and judgment ; that
the LORD may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him.
2 And the Lord said, Because
the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very
grievous ; I will go down now, and
see whether they have done alto
gether according to the cry of it,
which is come unto me ; and if not,
I will know.
3 And Abraham drew near, and
said, Wilt thou also destroy the
righteous with the wicked ? Perad-
venture there be fifty righteous with
in the city : wilt thou also destroy
and not spare the place for the fifty
righteous that are therein ? That be
far from thee to do after this man
ner, to slay the righteous with the
wicked : and that the righteous
should be as the wicked, that be far
from thee : Shall not the Judge of all
the earth do right ?
4 And the Lord said, If I find in
Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
then I will spare all the place for
their sakes.
5 And Abraham answered and
said, Behold now, I have taken upon
me to speak unto the Lord, which

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

am but dust and ashes : peradventure
there shall lack five of the fifty
righteous : wilt thou destroy all the
city for lack of five ? And he said,
If I find there forty and five, I will
not destroy it.
6 And he spake unto him yet
again, and said, Peradventure there
shall be forty found there. And he
said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
And he said unto him, Oh let not the
Lord be angry, and I will speak :
Peradventure there shall thirty be
found there. And he said, I will not
do it, if I find thirty there.
7 And he said, Behold now, I have
taken upon me to speak unto the
Lord : Peradventure there shall' be
twenty found there. And he said, I
will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be
angry, and I will speak yet but this
once : Peradventure ten shall be
found there. And he said, I will
not destroy it for ten's sake.
8 And the Lord went his way,
as soon as he had left communing
with, Abraham : and Abraham re
turned unto his place.
1 Abraham! s unquestioning obedience, even to
what afterward proved to be a mistaken sense of
duty. A ND it came to pass after these
things, that God did try Abra
ham, and said unto him, Abraham :
and he said, Behold, here I am. And
he said, Take now thy son, thine
only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,
and get thee into the land of Mo-1
riah ; and offer him there for a burnt
offering upon one of the mountains
which I will tell thee of.
2 And Abraham rose up early in
the morning, and saddled his ass,

and took two of his young men with
him, and Isaac his son, and clave the
wood for the burnt offering, and rose
up, and went unto the place of
which God had told him. Then on
the third day Abraham lifted up his
eyes, and saw the place afar off. And
Abraham said unto his young men,
Abide ye here with the ass ; and I
and the lad will go yonder and wor
ship, and come again to you.
3 And Abraham took the wood of
the burnt offering, and laid it upon
Isaac his son ; and he took the fire
in his hand, and a knife ; and they
went both of them together. And
Isaac spake unto Abraham his
father, and said, My father : and he
said, Here am I, my son. And he
said, Behold the fire and the wood :
but where is the lamb for a burnt
offering? And Abraham said, My
sqn, God will provide himself a lamb
for a burnt offering : so they went
both of them together.
4 And they came to the place
which God had told him of ; and
Abraham built an altar there, and
laid the wood in order, and bound
Isaac his son, and laid him on the
altar upon the wood. And Abraham
stretched forth his hand, and took
the knife to slay his son. And the
angel of the Lord called unto him
out of heaven, and said, Abraham,
Abraham : and he said, Here am I.
And he said, Lay not thine hand
upon the lad, neither do thou any
thing unto him : for now I know
that thou fearest God, seeing thou
hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son from me.
5 And Abraham lifted up his eyes,
and looked, and behold behind

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

5

a ram caught in a thicket by his
horns : and Abraham went and took
the ram, and offered him up for a
burnt offering in the stead of his son.
And Abraham called the name of
that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is
said to this day, In the mount of the
Lord it shall be seen.
6 And the angel of the LORD
called unto Abraham out of heaven
the second time, and said, By my
self have I sworn, saith the LORD,
for because thou hast done this
thing, and hast not withheld thy
son, thine only son : that in blessing
I will bless thee, and in multiplying
I will multiply thy seed as the stars
of the heaven, and as the sand which
is upon the sea shore ; and thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies ;
and in thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed ; because
thou hast been obedient to my voice.
SELECTION III.
Jacob's dream, and holy resolution.
A ND Jacob went out from Beer-
¦^ sheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place,
and tarried there all night, because
the sun was set ; and he took of the
stones of that place, and put them
for his pillows, and lay down in that
place to sleep.
2 And he dreamed, and behold a
ladder set up on the earth, and the
top of it reached to heaven : and be
hold the angels of God ascending
and descending on it. And, behold,
the LORD stood above it, and said,
I am the LORD God of Abraham
thy father, and the God of Isaac :
the land whereon thou liest, to thee
Will I give it, and to thy seed ; and

thy seed shall be as the dust of the
earth, and thou shalt spread abroad
to the west, and to the east, and to
the north, and to the south : and in
thee and in thy seed shall all the
families of the earth be blessed.
And, behold, I am with thee, and
will keep thee in all places whither
thou goest, and will bring thee again
into this land ; for I will not leave
thee, until I have done that which I
have spoken to thee of.
3 And Jacob awaked out of his
sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD
is in this place ; and I knew it not.
And he was afraid, and said, How
dreadful is this place ! this is none
other but the house of God, and this
is the gate of heaven.
4 And Jacob rose up early in the
morning, and took the stone that he
had put /or his pillows, and set it up
for a pillar, and poured oil upon the
top of it. And he called the name
of that place Beth-el.
5 And Jacob vowed a vow, say
ing, If God will be with me, and
will keep me in this way that I go,
and will give me bread to eat, and
raiment to put on, so that I come
again to my father's house in peace ;
then shall the LORD be my God :
and this stone, which I have set for
a pillar, shall be God's house : and
of all that thou shalt give me I will
surely give the tenth unto thee.
Tf His night of prayer.
A ND Jacob was left alone ; and
¦^ there wrestled one with him un
til the breaking of the day. And he
said, Let me go, for the day break-
eth. And he answered, I will not
let thee go, except thou bless me.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

2 And he said unto him, What is
thy name ? And he answered, Jacob.
And he said, Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel :
for as a prince hast thou power with
God and with men, and hast pre
vailed. And Jacob asked him, Tell
me, I pray thee, thy name. And he
said, Wherefore is it that thou dost
ask after my name ? And he blessed
him there.
3 And Jacob called the name of
the place Peniel : For, he said, I have
seen God face to face, and my life
is preserved. SELECTION IV.
Joseph's early anticipations of future
greatness. JOSEPH, being seventeen years
old, was feeding the flock with
his brethren ; and the lad was with
the sons of Bilhah, and with the
sons of Zilpah, his father's wives :
and Joseph brought unto his father
their evil report.
2 Now Israel loved Joseph more
than all his children, because he was
the son of his old age : and he made
him a coat of many colors. And
when his brethren saw that their
father loved him more than all his
brethren, they hated him, and could
not speak peaceably unto him.
3 And Joseph dreamed a dream,
and he told it his brethren : and they
hated him yet the more. And he
said unto them, Hear, I pray you,
this dream which I have dreamed :
for, behold, we were binding sheaves
in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose,
and also stood upright ; and, behold,
your sheaves stood round about, and
made obeisance to my sheaf. And

his brethren said to him, Shalt thou
indeed reign over us ? or shalt thou
indeed have dominion over us?
And they hated him yet the more
for his dreams, and for his words.
4 And he dreamed yet another
dream, and told it his brethren, and
said, Behold, I have dreamed a
dream more ; and, behold, the sun
and the moon and the eleven stars
made obeisance to me. And he
told it to his father, and to his
brethren : and his father rebuked
him, and said unto him, What is
this dream that thou hast dreamed?
Shall I and thy mother and thy
brethren indeed come to bow down
ourselves to thee to the earth ? And
his brethren envied him ; but his
father observed the saying.
Tf The envy and treachery of his brethren.
A ND his brethren went to feed
their father's flock in Shechem.
2 And Israel said unto Joseph,
Do not thy brethren feed the flock
in Shechem ? come, and I will send
thee unto them. And he answered,
Here am I. And he said to him,
Go, I pray thee, see whether it be
well with thy brethren, and well
with the flocks ; and bring me word
again. So he sent him out of the
vale of Hebron, and he came to
Shechem. 3 And a certain man found him,
and, behold, he was wandering in
the field : and the man asked him,
saying, What seekest thou ? And
he said, I seek my brethren : tell
me, I pray thee, where they feed
their flocks. And the man said,
They are departed hence ; for I
heard them say, Let us go to

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

Dothan. And Joseph went after
his brethren, and found them in
Dothan. 4 And when they saw him afar
off, even before he came near unto
them, they conspired against him
to slay him. And they said one to
another, Behold this dreamer Com
eth. Come now therefore, and let
us slay him, and cast him into some
pit, and we will say, Some evil beast
hath devoured him : and we shall
see what will become of his dreams.
5 And Reuben heard it, and he
delivered him out of their hands ;
and said, Let us not kill him. And
Reuben said unto them, Shed no
blood, but cast him into this pit that
is in the wilderness, and lay no hand
upon him ; that he might rid him out
of their hands, to deliver him to his
father again.
6. And it came to pass, when
Joseph was come unto his brethren,
that they stript him of his coat, his
coat of many colors that was on
him ; and they took him and cast
him into a pit. And they sat down
to eat bread: and they lifted up
their eyes and looked, and, behold,
a company of Ishmeelites came from
Gilead with their camels bearing
spicery and balm and myrrh, going
to carry it down to Egypt. And
Judah said unto his brethren,. What
•profit is it if we slay our brother
and conceal his blood? Come, and
let us sell him to the Ishmeelites,
.and let not our hand be upon him ;
for he is our brother and our flesh.
And his brethren were content.
7 Then there passed by Midianites
merchantmen ; and they drew and
lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and

sold him to the Ishmeelites for
twenty pieces of silver. And they
brought Joseph to Egypt.
8 And Reuben returned unto the
pit ; and, behold, Joseph was not in
the pit ; and he rent his clothes. And
he returned unto bis brethren, and
said, The child is not ; and I, whither
shall I go ? And they took Joseph's
coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and
dipped the coat in the blood ; and
they sent the coat of many colors
to their father ; and said, This have
we found ; know now whether it be
thy son's coat or not.
9 And he knew it, and said, It is
my son's coat; an- evil beast hath
devoured him; Joseph is without
doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob
rent his clothes, and put sackcloth
upon his loins, and mourned for his
son many days. And all his sons
and all his daughters rose up to com
fort him ; but he refused to be com
forted; and he said, For I will go down
into the grave unto my son mourn
ing. Thus his father wept for him.
T His resistance of temptation.
AND Joseph was brought down
to Egypt; and Potiphar, an
officer of Pharaoh, captain of the
guard, an Egyptian, bought him of
the hands of the Ishmeelites, which
had brought him down thither.
2 And the LORD was with Joseph,
and he was a prosperous man ; and
he was in the house of his master the
Egyptian. And his master saw that
the LORD was with him, and that
the LORD made all that he did to
prosper in his hand. And Joseph
found grace in his sight, and he
served him :. and he made him over-

8

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

seer over his house, and all that he
had he put into his hand.
3 And it came to pass from the
time that he had made him overseer
in his house, and over all that he had,
that the LORD prospered the Egyp
tian's house for Joseph's sake ; and
the blessing of the Lord was upon all
that he had in the house, and in the
field. And he left all that he had in
Joseph's hand; and he knew not
ought he had, save the bread which
he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly
person, and well favored.
4 And it came to pass after these
things, that his master's wife cast her
eyes upon Joseph ; but he refused,
and said unto his master's wife, How
can I do this great wickedness, and
sin against God ? And it came to
pass, as she spake to Joseph day by
day, that he hearkened not unto her.
Tf His loyalty and love to his father and breth
ren after many years of separation.
' I ^HEN Joseph could not refrain
himself before all them that
stood by him; and he cried, Cause
every man to go out from me. And
there stood no man with him, while
Joseph made himself known unto his
brethren. 2 And he wept aloud; and the Egyp
tians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I
am Joseph ; doth my father yet live?
And his brethren could not answer
him ; for they were troubled at his
presence. And Joseph said unto his
brethren, Come near to me, I pray
you. And they came near. And he
said, I am Joseph your brother,
whom ye sold into Egypt.
3 Now therefore be not grieved,

nor angry with yourselves, that ye
sold me hither : for God did send me
before you to preserve life. For
these two years- hath the famine been
in the land : and yet there are five
years, in the which there shall neither
be earing nor harvest. So now it
was not you that sent me hither, but
God : and he hath made me a father
to Pharaoh, and lord of all his
house, and a ruler throughout all the
land of Egypt.
4 Haste ye, and go up to my father,
and say unto him, Thus saith thy
son Joseph, God hath made me lord
of all Egypt : come down unto me,
tarry not : and thou shalt dwell in
the land of Goshen, and thou shalt
be near unto me, thou and thy chil
dren and thy children's children, and
thy flocks and thy herds, and all
that thou hast : and there will I
nourish thee ; for yet there are* five
years of famine ; lest thou, and thy
household, and all that thou hast,
come to poverty.
5 And behold your eyes see, and
the eyes of my brother Benjamin,
that it is my mouth that speaketh
unto you. And ye shall tell my
father of all my glory in Egypt, and
of all that ye have seen ; and ye
shall haste and bring down my father
hither. And he fell upon his broth
er Benjamin's neck, and wept ; and
Benjamin wept upon his neck. More
over, he kissed all his brethren, and
wept upon them : and after that his
brethren talked with him.
SELECTION V.
Moses1 vision of the burning bush.
"IVTOW Moses kept the flock of
Jethro his father-in-law, the

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

priest of Midian : and he led the
flock to the backside of the desert,
and came to the mountain of God,
even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the LORD ap
peared unto him in a flame of fire
out of the midst of a bush : and he
looked, and behold, the bush burned
with .fire, and the bush was not con
sumed. And Moses said, I will now
turn aside, and see this great sight,
why the bush is not burnt. And the
LORD God called unto him out of
the midst of the bush, and said,
Moses, Moses. And he said, Here
am I. And he said, Draw not nigh
hither : put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou
standest is holy ground. And Moses
hid his face, for he was afraid to
look upon God.
3 And the LORD said, I have
surely seen the affliction of my peo
ple which are in Egypt, and have
heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sor
rows ; and I am come down to de
liver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up
out of that land unto a good land
and a large, unto a land flowing
with milk and honey. Now there
fore, behold, the cry of the children
of Israel is come unto me : and I
have also seen the oppression where
with the Egyptians oppress them.
Come now therefore, and I will send
thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest
bring forth my people the children
of Israel out of Egypt.
4 And Moses said unto God, Who
am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the chil
dren of Israel out of Egypt ? And he

said, Certainly I will be with thee;
and this shall be a token unto thee,
that I have sent thee : When thou
hast brought forth the people out of
Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this
mountain. 5 And Moses said unto God, Be
hold, when I come unto the children
of Israel, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent
me unto you ; and they shall say to
me, What is his name ? what shall I
say unto them ? And God said unto
Moses, I AM THAT I AM : and he
said, thus shalt Thou say unto the
children of Israel, I AM hath sent
me unto you.
6 And Moses answered and said,
But, behold, they will not believe
me, nor hearken unto my voice : for
they will say, The LORD hath not
appeared unto thee. And besides, O
my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither
heretofore, nor since thou hast
spoken unto thy servant : but I am
slow of speech, and of a slow
tongue. 7 And the LORD said unto him,
Who hath made man's mouth ? or
who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or
the seeing, or the blind ? have not I
the Lord ? Now therefore go, and I
will be with thy mouth, and teach
thee what thou shalt say. And he
said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee,
by the hand of him whom thou wilt
send.
If The commandments given by Moses.
A ND God spake all these words,
¦^ saying, I am the LORD thy God,
which have brought thee out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage.

IO

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

2 Thou shalt have no other gods
before me. Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing that win heaven
above, or that is in the earth be
neath, or that is in the water under
the earth, to bow down thyself to it,
•or serve it.
3 Thou shalt not profane the name
•of the Lord thy God ; for the Lord
will not hold him guiltless that pro-
faneth his name.
4 Remember the seventh day, to
hallow it ; six days thou shalt do thy
work, and on the seventh day thou
shalt rest : that thine ox and thine
ass may rest, and the son of thy
handmaid, and the stranger, may be
refreshed. 5 Honor thy father and thy
mother : that thy days may be long
upon the land which the LORD thy
God giveth thee.
6 Thou shalt not kill.
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8 Thou shalt not steal.
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness
•against thy neighbor.
io Thou shalt not covet thy neigh
bor's house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's wife, nor his man
servant, nor his maidservant, nor his
-ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is
thy neighbor's.
1 1 Thou shalt neither vex a stran
ger, nor oppress him ; for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt.
12 Thou shalt not afflict any
widow, or fatherless child.
13 If thou lend money to any of
my people that is poor by thee, thou
shalt not be to him as an usurer,
neither shalt thou lay upon him
usury.

14 Thou shalt not raise a false re
port : put not thine hand with the
wicked to be an unrighteous wit
ness. 15 Thou shalt not follow a multi
tude to do evil ; neither shalt thou
speak in a cause to assist the many
to pervert justice.
16 If thou meet thine enemy's
ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt
surely bring it back to him again.
17 If thou see the ass of him that
hateth thee lying under his burden,
and wouldest forbear to help him,
thou shalt surely help with him.
18 Thou shalt not wrest the judg
ment of thy poor in his cause.
19 Keep thee far from a false mat
ter ; and the innocent and righteous
slay thou not : for I will not justify
the wicked.
20 And thou shalt take no gift :
for the gift blindeth the wise, and
perverteth the words of the right
eous. 21 And in all things that I have
said unto you be circumspect : and
make no mention of the name of
other gods, neither let it be heard
out of thy mouth.
SELECTION VI.
Relapse of the Israelites into idolatry.
A ND when the people saw that
Moses delayed to come down
out of the mount, the people gath
ered themselves together unto Aaron,
and said unto him, Up, make us
gods, which shall go before us ; for
as for this Moses, the man that
brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, we wot not what is become
of him. And Aaron said unto them. .
Break off the golden earrings, which

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

II

are in the ears of your wives, of
your sons, and of your daughters,
and bring them unto me.
2 And all the people brake off the
golden earrings which were in their
ears, and brought them unto Aaron ;
and he received them at their hand,
and fashioned it with a graving tool,
after he had made it a molten calf :
and they said, These be thy gods, O
Israel, which brought thee up out
of the land of Egypt. And when
Aaron saw it, he built an altar be
fore it ; and made proclamation,
and said, To morrow is a feast to
the Lord. And they rose up early
on the morrow, and offered burnt
offerings, and brought peace offer
ings ; and the people sat down to
eat and to drink, and rose up to
play. 3 And Moses turned, and went
down from the mount, and the two
tables of the testimony were in his
hand : the tables were written on
both their sides; on the one side
and on the other were they written.
4 And when Joshua heard the
noise of the people as they shouted,
he said unto Moses, There is a noise
of war in the camp. And he said,
It is not the voice of them that shout
for mastery, neither is it the voice of
them that cry for being overcome :
but the noise of them that sing do I
hear. 5 And it came to pass, as soon as
he came nigh unto the camp, that
he saw the calf, and the dancing:
and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he
cast the tables out of his hands, and
brake them beneath the mount.
And he took the calf which they
had made, and burnt it in the fire,

and ground it to powder, and straw-
ed it upon the water, and made the
children of Israel drink of it. And
Moses said unto Aaron, What did
this people unto thee, that thou hast
brought so great a sin upon them ?
6 And Aaron said, Let not the
anger of my lord wax hot : thou
knowest the people, that they are
set on mischief. For they said unto
me, Make us gods, which shall go
before us ; for as for this Moses, the
man that brought us up out of the
land of Egypt, we wot not what is
become of him. And I said unto
them, Whosoever hath any gold, let
them break it off. So they gave it
me : then I cast it into the fire, and
there came out this calf.
7 Then Moses stood in the gate
of the camp, and said, Who is on
the Lord's side ? let him come unto
me. And all the sons of Levi gath
ered themselves together unto him.
And it came to pass on the morrow,
that Moses said unto the people, Ye
have sinned a great sin : and now I
will go up unto the LORD ; perad
venture I shall make an atonement
for your sin.
8 And Moses returned unto the
Lord, and said, Oh, this people
have sinned a great sin, and have
made them gods of gold. Yet now,
if thou wilt forgive their sin, — and
if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of
thy book which thou hast written.
And the LORD said unto Moses,
Whosoever hath sinned against me,
him will I blot out of my book.
Therefore now go, lead the people
unto the place oi which I have spoken
unto thee : behold, mine Angel shall
go before thee : nevertheless in the

12

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

day when I visit I will visit their sin
upon them.
9 And Moses said unto the LORD,
See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up
this people : and thou has not let me
know whom thou wilt send with me.
Yet thou hast said, I know thee by
name, and thou hast also found
grace in my sight. Now therefore,
I pray thee, if I have found grace in
thy sight, shew me now thy way,
that I may know thee, that I may
find grace in thy sight : and consider
that this nation is thy people.
io And he said, My presence shall
go with thee, and I will give thee
rest. And he said unto him, If thy
presence go not with me, carry us
not up hence. And the LORD said
unto Moses, I will do this thing also
that thou hast spoken : for thou
hast found grace in my sight, and I
know thee by name.
SELECTION VII.
Additional commandments.
A ND the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, Speak unto all the con
gregation of the children of Israel, and
say unto them, Ye shall be holy :
for I the Lord your God am holy.
2 Ye shall fear every man his
mother and his father, and keep
my sabbaths : I am the LORD your
God. Turn ye not unto idols, nor
make to yoursevles molten gods : I
am the LORD your God.
3 And when ye reap the harvest
of your land, thou shalt not wholly
reap the corners of thy field, neither
shalt thou gather the gleanings of
thy harvest. And thou shalt not
glean thy vineyard, neither shalt
thou gather every grape of thy vine

yard ; thou shalt leave them for the
poor and stranger : I am the LORD
your God.
4 Ye shall not steal, neither deal
falsely, neither lie one to another.
And ye shall not swear by my name
falsely, neither shalt thou profane
the name of thy God : I am the
Lord. 5 Thou shalt not defraud thy
neighbor, neither rob him : the
wages of him that is hired shall
not abide with thee all night until
the morning. Thou shalt not curse
the deaf, nor put a stumbling block
before the blind, but shalt fear
thy God : I am the LORD.
6 Ye shall do no unrighteousness
in judgment : thou shalt not respect
the person of the poor, nor honor the
person of the mighty : but in right
eousness shalt thou judge thy neigh
bor. 7 Thou shalt not go up and down
as a talebearer among thy people :
neither shalt thou stand against the
blood of thy neighbor: I am the
Lord. 8 Thou shalt not hate thy brother
in thine heart ; thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not
suffer sin upon him.
9 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear
any grudge against the children of
thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself : I am the
Lord. io Thou shalt rise up before the
hoary head, and honor the face of
the old man, and fear thy God : I
am the Lord.
i I And if a stranger sojourn with
thee in your land, thou shalt not vex
him : but the stranger that dwelleth

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

13

with you shall be unto you as one
born among you, and thou shalt love
him as thyself ; for ye were strangers
in the land of Egypt : I am the
Lord your God.
12 Ye shall do no unrighteousness
in judgment, in meteyard, in weight,
or in measure. Just balances, just
weights, a just ephah, and a just hin
shall ye have : I am the LORD your
God which brought you out of the
land of Egypt.
13 Therefore shall ye observe all
my statutes, and all my judgments,
and do them : I am the LORD.
SELECTION VIII.
Remembrance of mercies.
XJOW these are the command-
ments, the statutes, and the
judgments, which the LORD your
God commanded to teach you, that
ye might do them in the land whither
ye go to possess it : that thou might-
est fear the LORD thy God, to keep
all his statutes and his command
ments, which I command thee, thou,
and thy son, and thy son's son, all
the days of thy life ; and that thy
days may be prolonged.
2 Hear therefore, O Israel, and ob
serve ; to do it; that it may be well
with thee, and that ye may increase
mightily, as the LORD God of thy
fathers hath promised thee, in the
land that floweth with milk and
honey. 3 Hear, O Israel : the Lord our
God is one LORD: and thou shalt
love the LORD thy God with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might.
4 And these words, which I com
mand thee this day, shall be in thine

heart : and thou shalt teach them
diligently unto thy children, and
shalt talk of them when thou sittest
in thine house, and when thou walk-
est by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up. And
thou shalt bind them for a sign upon
thine hand, and they shall be as
frontlets between thine eyes. And
thou shalt write them upon the posts
of thy house, and on thy gates.
5 And viherx thy son asketh thee
in time to come, saying, What mean
the testimonies, and the statutes,
and the judgments, which the LORD
our God hath commanded you?
Then thou shalt say unto thy son,
We were Pharaoh's bondmen in
Egypt ; and the LORD brought us
out of Egypt with a mighty hand :
and he brought us out from thence,
that he might bring us in, to give us
the land which he sware unto our
fathers. And the LORD commanded
us to do all these statutes, to fear the
LORD our God, for our good always,
that he might preserve us alive, as it
is at this day.
6 And thou shalt remember all the
way which the LORD thy God led
thee in the wilderness, to humble
thee, and to prove thee, to know
what was in thine heart, whether
thou wouldest keep his command
ments, or no. Thou shalt also
consider in thine heart, that, as
a man chasteneth his son, so the
LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Therefore thou shalt keep the com
mandments of the LORD thy God,
to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7 For the LORD thy God bringeth
thee into a good land, a land of brooks
of water, of fountains and depths that

14

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

spring out of valleys and hills ; a
land of wheat, and barley, and vines,
and fig trees, and pomegranates ; a
land of oil olive, and honey ; a land
wherein thou shalt eat bread without
scarceness, thou shalt not lack any
thing in it ; a land whose stones are
iron, and out of whose hills thou
mayest dig brass.
8 When thou hast eaten and art
full, then thou shalt bless the Lord
thy God for the good land which
he hath given thee. Beware that
thou forget not the Lord thy God,
in not keeping his commandments,
and his judgments, and his statutes,
which I command thee this day :
lest when thou hast eaten and art
full, and hast built goodly houses,
and dwelt therein ; and when thy
herds and thy flocks multiply, and
thy silver and thy gold is multiplied,
and all that thou hast is multiplied ;
then thine heart be lifted up, and
thou forget the LORD thy God,
which brought thee forth out of the
land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage ; and thou say in thine
heart, My power and the might of
mine hand hath gotten me this
wealth. 9 But thou shalt remember the
LORD thy God : for it is he that
giveth thee power to get wealth,
that he may establish his covenant
which he sware unto thy fathers, as it
is this day SELECTION IX.
Blessings upon righteousness.
A ND it shall come to pass, if thou
"^ shalt hearken diligently unto
the voice of the LORD thy God, to
observe and to do all his command- i

ments which I command thee this
day, that the LORD thy God will set
thee on high above all nations of the
earth : and all these blessings shall
come on thee, and overtake thee, if
thou shalt hearken unto the voice of
the Lord thy God.
2 Blessed shalt thou be in the city,
and blessed shalt thou be in the field;
blessed shall be the fruit of thy body,
and the fruit of thy ground, and the
fruit of thy cattle, the increase of
thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
3 Blessed shall be thy basket and
thy store ; blessed shalt thou be when
thou comest in, and blessed shalt
thou be when thou goest out.
4 The Lord shall command the
blessing upon thee in thy store
houses, and in all that thou settest
thine hand unto ; and he shall bless
thee in the land which the LORD thy
God giveth thee.
5 The Lord shall establish thee
an holy people unto himself, as he
hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt
keep the commandments of the
Lord thy God, and walk in his
ways ; and all people of the earth
shall see that thou art called by the
name of the LORD, and they shall
be afraid of thee.
6 And the LORD shall make thee
plenteous in goods, in the fruit of
thy body, and in the fruit of thy cat
tle, and in the fruit of thy ground,
in the land which the LORD sware
unto thy fathers to give thee.
7 The LORD shall open unto thee
his good treasure, the heaven to give
the rain unto thy land in his season,
and to bless all the work of thine
hand : and thou shalt lend unto many
nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

*S

8 And the Lord shall make thee
the head, and not the tail ; and thou
shalt be above only, and thou shalt
not be beneath ; if that thou hearken
unto the commandments of the
LORD thy God, which I command
thee this day, to observe and to do
them. 9 And thou shalt not go aside
from any of the words which I com
mand thee this day, to the right
hand, or to the left, to go after other
gods to serve them.
T Cursings upon wickedness.
"DUT it shall come to pass, if thou
wilt not hearken unto the voice
of the Lord thy God, to observe to
do all his commandments and his
statutes which I command thee this
day : that all these curses shall come
upon thee and overtake thee : —
2 Cursed shalt thou be in the city,
and cursed shalt thou be in the field ;
cursed shall be thy basket and thy
store ; cursed shall be the fruit
of thy body, and the fruit of thy
land, the increase of thy kine, and
the flocks of thy sheep ; cursed shalt
thou be when thou comest in, and
cursed shalt thou be when thou goest
out. 3 The Lord shall send upon thee
cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all
that thou settest thine hand unto,
until thou be destroyed, and until
thou perish quickly ; because of the
wickedness of thy doings, whereby
thou hast forsaken him.
4 The Lord shall make the pesti
lence cleave unto thee, until he have
consumed thee from off the land,
whither thou goest to possess it.
He shall smite thee with a consump

tion, and with a fever, and with an
inflammation, and with an extreme
burning, and with the sword, and
with blasting, and with mildew ; and
they shall pursue thee until thou
perish. 5 And thy heaven that is over thy
head shall be brass, and the earth
that is under thee shall be iron. The
Lord shall make the rain of thy
land powder and dust : from heaven
shall it come down upon thee, until
thou be destroyed. He shall cause
thee to be smitten before thine ene
mies : thou shalt go out one way
against them, and flee seven ways
before them : and shalt be removed
into all the kingdoms of the earth.
6 The LORD shall smite thee with
madness, and blindness, and aston
ishment of heart : and thou shalt
grope at noonday, as the blind
gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt
not prosper in thy ways : and thou
shalt be only oppressed and spoiled
evermore, and no man shall save
thee. And thou shalt become an as
tonishment, a proverb, and a byword,
among all nations whither the Lord
shall lead thee.
7 The stranger that is within thee
shall get up above thee very high ;
and thou shalt come down very low ;
he shall lend to thee and thou shalt
not lend to him: he shall be the head,
and thou shalt be the tail.
8 Moreover all these curses shall
come upon thee, and shall pursue
thee, and overtake thee, till thou be
destroyed ; because thou hearken-
edst not unto the voice of the Lord
thy God, to keep his commandments
and his statutes which he com
manded thee : and they shall be

i6

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PENTATEUCH.

upon thee for a sign and for a won
der, and upon thy seed for ever :
because thou servedst not the LORD
thy God with joyfulness, and with
gladness of heart, for the abundance
of all things.
SELECTION X.
The song of Moses.
A ND Moses spake in the ears of
all the congregation of Israel
the words of this song, until they
were ended.
2 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I
will speak ; and hear, O earth, the
words of my mouth. My doctrine
shall drop as the rain, my speech
shall distil as the dew, as the small
rain upon the tender herb, and as
the showers upon the grass : because
I will publish the name of the LORD.
3 Ascribe ye greatness unto our
God. He is the Rock, his work is
perfect : all his ways are judgment :
a God of truth and without iniquity,
just and right is he.
4 They have corrupted them
selves, their spot is not the spot of
his children : they are a perverse and
crooked generation. Do ye thus
requite the LORD, O foolish people
and unwise? is not he thy father
that hath bought thee ? hath he not
made thee, and established thee ?
5 Remember the days of old, con
sider the years of many generations :
ask thy father, and he will shew
thee ; thy elders, and they will tell
thee. When the Most High divided
to the nations their inheritance, when
he separated the sons of Adam, he
set the bounds of the people accord
ing to the number of the children of
Israel. For the Lord's portion is

his people ; Jacob is the lot of his
inheritance. He found him in a
desert land, and in the waste howl
ing wilderness ; he led him about,
he instructed him, he kept him as
the apple of his eye. As an eagle
stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over
her young, spreadeth abroad * her
wings, taketh them, beareth them
on her wings : so the LORD alone
did lead him, and there was no
strange god with him. He made
him ride on the high places of the
earth, that he might eat the increase
of the fields ; and he made him to
suck honey out of the rock, and oil
out of the flinty rock.
6 Of the Rock that begat thee
thou art unmindful, and hast for
gotten God that formed thee. And
when the Lord saw it, he abhorred
it, even the provoking of his sons,
and" of his daughters. And he said,
I will hide my face from them, I
will see what their end shall be : for
they are a very froward generation,
children in whom is no faith. For
they are a nation void of counsel,
neither is there any understanding in
them. O that they were wise, that
they understood this, that they
would consider their latter end !
How should one chase a thousand
of them, and two put ten thousand
of them to flight, except their Rock
had sold them, and the LORD had
shut them up?
7 To me belongeth vengeance and
recompense, saith the LORD ; their
foot shall slide in due time : for the
day of their calamity is at hand, and
the things that shall come upon them
make haste. For the Lord shall
judge his people, and repent himself

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — SAMUEL.

17

for his servants, when he seeth that
their power is gone, and there is
none shut up, or left. And he shall
say, Where are their gods, their rock
in whom they trusted, which did
eat the fat of their sacrifices, and
drank the wine of their drink offer
ings ? let them rise up and help
you, and be your protection.
8 See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me : I
kill and I make alive ; I wound and
I heal : neither is there any that
can deliver out of my hand. For I
lift up my hand to heaven, and say,
I live for ever.
9 And Moses came and spake
all the words of this song in the ears
of the people, he, and Hoshea, the
son of Nun. And Moses made an
end of speaking all these words to
all Israel: and said unto them,
Set your hearts unto all the words
which I testify among you this day,
which ye shall command your chil
dren to observe to do, all the words
of this law. For it is not a vain
thing for you ; because it is your
life: there is none like unto God, who
rideth upon the heaven in thy help,
and in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and
underneath are the everlasting arms.

^Tradition of Moses' death.
AND Moses went up from the
plains of Moab unto the moun
tain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah,
that is over against Jericho. And
the LORD shewed him all the land
of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naph
tali, and the land of Ephraim and
Manasseh, and all the land of Judah,
unto the utmost sea, and the south,
and the plain of the valley of
Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto
Zoar. 2 And the LORD said unto him,
This is the land which I sware unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto
Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy
seed : I have caused thee to see it
with thine eyes, but thou shalt not
go over thither.
3 So Moses, the servant of the
LORD, died there in the land of
Moab, according to the word of the
Lord. And he buried him in a
valley in the land of Moab, over
against Beth-peor : but no man
knoweth of his sepulchre unto this
day. 4 And Moses was an hundred and
twenty years old when he died : his
eye was not dim, nor his natural
force abated.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— SAMUEL.

SELECTION I.
Hannah's song of thanksgiving for the
birth of Samuel.
AND Hannah said, The LORD hath
given me my petition, which I
asked of him : therefore also I have

lent him to the LORD; as long as
he liveth he shall be lent to the
Lord. 2 My heart rejoiceth in the LORD,
mine horn is exalted in the LORD : I
rejoice in thy salvation : there is
none holy as the LORD : there is

18

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — SAMUEL.

none beside thee : neither is there
any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding
proudly ; let not arrogancy come out
of your mouth : for the LORD is a
God of knowledge, and by him ac
tions are weighed. The bows of the
mighty men are broken, and they
that stumbled are girded with
strength. They that were full have
hired out themselves for bread ; and
they that were hungry ceased.
4 The LORD killeth, and . maketh
alive : he bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up. The Lord maketh
poor, and maketh rich : he bringeth
low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up
the poor out of the dust, and lifteth
up the beggar from the dunghill,- to
set them among princes, and to
make them inherit the throne of
glory : for the pillars of the earth are
the Lord's, and he hath set the
world upon them.
5 He will keep the feet of his
saints, and the wicked shall be silent
in darkness ; for by strength shall
no man prevail. The adversaries of
the Lord shall be broken to pieces ;
out of heaven shall he thunder upon
them : the Lord shall judge the
ends of the earth ; and he shall give
strength unto his king, and exalt the
horn of his anointed.
If Samuel's vision and early piety.
A ND the child Samuel ministered
¦^- unto the LORD before Eli. And
the word of the LORD was precious
in those days ; there was no open
vision. 2 And it came to pass at that
time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax

dim, that he could not see , and ere
the lamp of God went out in the
temple of the LORD, where the ark
of God was, and Samuel was laid
down to sleep ; that the LORD called
Samuel: and he answered, Here am
I. 3 And he ran unto Eli, and said,
Here am I ; for thou calledst me.
And he said, I called not ; lie down
again. And he went and lay down.
4 And the LORD called yet again,
Samuel. And Samuel arose and
went to Eli, and said, Here am I ;
for thou didst call me. And he an
swered, I called not, my son ; lie
down again. Now Samuel did not
yet know the LORD, neither was the
word of the Lord yet revealed unto
him. 5 And the Lord called Samuel
again the third time. And he arose
and went to Eli, and said, Here am
I ; for thou didst call me. And Eli
perceived that the Lord had called
the child ; therefore he said unto
Samuel, Go, lie down : and it shall
be, if he call thee, that thou shalt
say, Speak, Lord ; for thy servant
heareth. So Samuel went and lay
down in his place.
6 And the Lord came, and stood,
and called as at other times, Samuel,
Samuel. Then Samuel answered,
Speak ; for thy servant heareth.
7 And the LORD said to Samuel,
Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of every one
that heareth it shall tingle. In that
day I will perform against Eli all
things which I have spoken concern
ing his house : when I begin, I will
also make an end. For I have told
him that I will judge his house for

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — SAMUEL.

19

ever for the iniquity which he
knoweth ; because his sons made
themselves vile, and he restrained
them not.
8 And Samuel lay until the morn
ing, and opened the doors of the
house of the Lord ; but feared to
shew Eli the vision. Then Eli call
ed Samuel, and said, Samuel, my
son. And he answered, Here am I.
And he said, What is the thing that
the LORD hath said unto thee? I
pray thee hide it not from me : God
do so to thee, and more also, if thou
hide any thing from me of all the
things that he said unto thee.
9 And Samuel told him every
whit, and hid nothing from him.
And Eli said, It is the LORD: let
him do what seemeth him good.
10 And Samuel grew, and the
Lord was with him, and did let
none of his words fall to the ground :
and all Israel from Dan even to
Beer-sheba knew that he was estab
lished to be a prophet of the Lord.
SELECTION II.
David's loyalty to Saul ; and rendering
good for evil.
A ND it came to pass, when Saul
¦^^ was returned from following
the Philistines, that it was told him,
saying, Behold, David is in the
wilderness of En-gedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand
chosen men out of all Israel, and
went to seek David and his men
upon the rocks of the wild goats.
And he came, to the sheepcotes by
the way, where was a cave ; and
Saul went in to cover his feet : and
David and his men remained in the
sides of the cave. And the men of

David said unto him, Behold the day
of which the LORD said unto thee,
Behold, I will deliver thine enemy
into thine hand, that thou mayest do
to him as it shall seem good unto
thee. Then David arose, and cut
off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
3 And it came to pass afterward,
that David's heart smote him, be
cause he had cut off Saul's skirt ;
and he said unto his men, The LORD
forbid that I should do this thing
unto my master, the Lord's anoint
ed, to stretch forth mine hand against
him, seeing he is the anointed of the
LORD. So David stayed his servants
with these words, and suffered them
not to rise against Saul.
4 But Saul rose up out of the
cave, and went on his way : David
also arose afterward, and went out
of the cave, and cried after Saul,
saying, My lord the king. And when
Saul looked behind him, David
stooped with his face to the earth,
and bowed himself ; and said to Saul,
Wherefore hearest thou men's words,
saying, Behold, David seeketh thy
hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes
have seen how that the Lord had
delivered thee to-day into mine
hand in the cave : and some bade me
kill thee : but mine eye spared thee ;
and I said, I will not put forth mine
hand against my lord ; for he is the
Lord's anointed. Moreover, my
father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy
robe in my hand : for in that I cut
off the skirt of thy robe, and killed
thee not, know thou and see that
there is neither evil nor transgression
in mine hand, and I have not sinned
against thee ; yet thou huntest my
soul to take it. The Lord judge be-

20

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — SAMUEL.

tween me and thee, and the L6rd
avenge me of thee : but mine hand
shall not be upon thee. As saith the
proverb of the ancients, Wickedness
proceedeth from the wicked : but
mine hand shall not be upon thee.
After whom is the king of Israel
come out? after whom dost thou
pursue? after a dead dog, after a
flea. The Lord therefore be judge,
and judge between me and thee,
and see, and plead my cause, and
deliver me out of thine hand.
5 And it came to pass, when Da
vid had made an end of speaking
these words unto Saul, that Saul said,
Is this thy voice, my son David ?
And Saul lifted up his voice, and
wept. 6 And he said to David, Thou art
more righteous than I : for thou hast
rewarded me good, whereas I have
rewarded thee evil. And thou hast
shewed this day how that thou hast
dealt well with me : forasmuch as
when the LORD had delivered me into
thine hand, thou killedst me not.
For if a man find his enemy, will he
let him go well away ? wherefore the
LORD reward thee good for that
thou hast done unto me this day.
T His song of lamentation over the death of
Saul and Jonathan.
A ND David lamented with this
¦^^ lamentation over Saul and over
Jonathan his son. The beauty of
Israel is slain upon thy high places :
how are the mighty fallen ! Tell it
not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets of Askelon ; lest the daugh
ters of the Philistines rejoice, lest
the daughters of the uncircumcised
triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew, neither let there
be rain, upon you, nor fields of offer
ings : for there the shield of the
mighty is vilely cast away, the shield
of Saul, as though he had not been
anointed with oil.
2 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty, the bow
of Jonathan turned not back, and
the sword of Saul returned not
empty. Saul and Jonathan were
lovely and pleasant in their lives,
and in their death they were not di
vided : they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
3 Ye daughters of Israel, weep
over Saul, who clothed you in scar
let, with other delights, who put on
ornaments of gold upon your ap
parel. 4 How are the mighty fallen in
the midst of the battle! O Jona
than, thou wast slain in thine high
places. I am distressed for thee,
my brother Jonathan : very pleasant
hast thou been unto me : thy love
to me was wonderful, passing the
love of women.
5 How are the mighty fallen, and
the weapons of war perished !
SELECTION III.
The boldness of Nathan in reproving
the sin of David.
A ND the LORD sent Nathan unto
David. And he came unto
him, and said unto him, There were
two men in one city ; the one rich,
and the other poor. The rich man
had exceeding many flocks and
herds : But the poor man had noth
ing, save one little ewe lamb, which
he had bought and nourished up :
and it grew up together with him,

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — SAMUEL.

21

and with his children ; it did eat of
his own meat, and drank of his own
cup, and lay in his bosom, and was
unto him as a daughter.
2 And there came a traveller unto
the rich man, and he spared to take
of his own flock and of his own
herd, to dress for the wayfaring man
that was come unto him ; but took
the poor man's lamb, and dressed it
for the man that was come to him.
3 And David's anger was greatly
kindled against the man ; and he
said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth,
the man that hath done this thing
shall surely die : and he shall restore
the lamb fourfold, because he did
this thing, and because he had no
pity. 4 And Nathan said to David,
Thou art the man. Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee
king over Israel, and I delivered thee
out of the hand of Saul ; and I gave
thee thy master's house, and thy
master's wives into thy bosom, and
gave thee the house of Israel and
of Judah ; and if that had been too
little, I would moreover have given
unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the
commandment of the Lord, to do
evil in his sight? thou hast killed
Uriah the Hittite with the sword,
and hast taken his wife to be thy wife,
and hast slain him with the sword of
the children of Ammon. Now,
therefore, the sword shall never de
part from thine house ; because thou
hast despised me, and hast taken the
wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy
wife. Thou didst it secretly ; but I
will do this thing before all Israel,
and before the sun.

5 And David said unto Nathan, I
have sinned against the Lord.
Tf David's hope and consolation in the death of
his child.
A ND Nathan departed unto his
house. And the Lord struck
the child that Uriah's wife bare unto
David, and it was very sick. David
therefore besought God for the
child ; and David fasted, and went
in, and lay all night upon the earth.
2 And the elders of his house
arose, and went to him, to raise him
up from the earth : but he would
not, neither did he eat bread with
them. 3 And it came to pass on the
seventh day, that the child died.
And the servants of David feared to
tell him that the child was dead : for
they said, Behold, while the child
was yet alive, we spake unto him,
and he would not hearken unto our
voice : how will he then vex himself,
if we tell him that the child is dead ?
But when David saw that his ser
vants whispered, he perceived that
the child was dead : therefore he said
unto his servants, Is the child dead ?
And they said, He is dead.
4 Then David arose from the earth,
and washed, and anointed himself,
and changed his apparel, and came
into the house of the Lord, and
worshipped : then he came to his
own house ; and when he required,
they set bread before him, and he
did eat.
5 Then said his servants unto him,
What thing is this that thou hast
done? thou didst fast and weep for
the child, while it was alive ; but
when the child was dead, thou didst

22

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — KINGS.

rise and eat bread. And he said,
While the child was yet alive, I fasted
and wept : for I said, Who can tell
whether GOD will be gracious to me,

that the child may live? But now he
is dead, wherefore should I fast? can
I bring him back again ? I shall go
to him, but he shall not return to me.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— KINGS.

SELECTION I.
Solomon's choice.
TN Gibeon the LORD appeared to
Solomon in a dream by night,
and said, Ask what I shall give
thee. 2 And Solomon said, Thou hast
shewed unto thy servant David my
father great mercy, according as he
walked before thee in truth, and in
righteousness, and in uprightness of
heart with thee ; and thou hast kept
for him this great kindness, that thou
hast given him a son to sit on his
throne, as it is this day. And now,
O LORD my God, thou hast made
thy servant king instead of David
my father : and I am but a little
child : I know not how to go out or
come in. And thy servant is in the
midst of thy people which thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot
be numbered nor counted for multi
tude. Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between
good and bad : for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people ?
3 And the speech pleased the
Lord, that Solomon had asked this
thing: and he said unto him, Be
cause thou hast asked this thing, and
hast not asked for thyself long life ;
neither hast asked riches for thyself,
nor hast asked the life of thine ene

mies ; but hast asked for thyself
understanding to discern judgment ;
behold, I have done according to
thy words : lo, I have given thee a
wise and an understanding heart ; so
that there was none like thee before
thee, neither after thee shall any
arise like unto thee. And I have
also given thee that which thou hast
not asked, both riches, and honor:
so that there shall not be any among
the kings like unto thee all thy
days. And if thou wilt walk in my
ways, to keep my statutes and my
commandments, as thy father David
did walk, then I will lengthen thy
days. 4 And Solomon awoke ; and, be
hold, it was a dream. And he came
to Jerusalem, and stood before the
ark of the covenant of the LORD,
and offered up burnt offerings, and
offered peace offerings, and made a
feast to all his servants.
T[ His prayer at the dedication of the temple.
A ND Solomon stood before the
"^ altar of the Lord in the pres
ence of all the congregation of Is
rael, and spread forth his hands
toward heaven, and said : —
2 LORD God of Israel, there is
no God like thee, in heaven above,
or on earth beneath, who keepest
covenant and mercy with thy ser-

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — KINGS.

23

vants that walk before thee with all
their heart : and now, O God of
Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be
verified, which thou spakest unto
thy servant David my father.
3 But will God indeed dwell on
the earth ? behold, the heaven and
heaven of heavens cannot contain
thee ; how much less this house that
I have builded ? Yet have thou re
spect unto the prayer of thy ser
vant, and to his supplication, O
LORD my God, to hearken unto the
cry and to the prayer, which thy
servant prayeth before thee to day :
that thine eyes may be open toward
this house night and day, even tow
ard the place of which thou hast
said,. My name shall be there: that
thou mayest hearken unto the
prayer which thy servant shall
make toward this place.
4 And heaiken thou to the sup
plication of thy servant, and of thy
people Israel, when they shall pray
toward this place : and hear thou in
heaven thy dwelling place : and
when thou hearest, forgive
5 If any man trespass against his
neighbor, and an oath be laid upon
him to cause him to swear, and the
oath come before thine altar in this
house : then hear thou in heaven,
and do, and judge thy servants,
condemning the wicked, tb bring his
way upon his head ; 'and justifying
the righteous, to give him according
to his righteousness.
6 What prayer and supplication
soever be made by any man, or by
all thy people, Israel, which shall
know every man the plague of his
own heart, and spread forth his
hands toward this house : then hear

thou in heaven thy dwelling place,
and forgive, and do, and give to
every man according to his ways,
whose heart thou knowest ; (for
thou, even thou only, knowest the
hearts of all the children of men ;)
that they may fear thee all the days
that they live in the land which thou
gavest unto our fathers.
7 Moreover concerning a stranger,
that is not of thy people Israel, but
cometh out of a far country for thy
name's sake ; (for they shall hear of
thy great name, and of thy strong
hand, and of thy stretched out arm;)
when he shall come and pray
toward this house ; — hear thou in
heaven thy dwelling place, and do
according to all that the stranger
calleth to thee for : that all people
of the earth may know thy name, to
fear thee, as do thy people Israel ;
and that they may know that this
house, which I have builded, is
called by thy name.
8 And he stood, and blessed all
the congregation of Israel with a
loud voice, saying : — Blessed be the
Lord, that hath given rest unto his
people, according to all that he
promised : there hath not failed
one word of all his good promise,
which he promised by the hand of
Moses his servant.
9 The Lord our God be with us,
as he was with our fathers : let him
not leave us, nor forsake us : that
he may incline our hearts unto him,
to walk in all his ways, and to keep
his commandments, and his statutes,1
and his judgments, which he com
manded our fathers.
10 And let these my words,
wherewith I have made supplication

24

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — KINGS.

before the Lord, be nigh unto the
LORD our God day and night, that
he maintain the cause of his ser
vant, and the cause of his people
at all times, as the matter shall re
quire : that all the people of the
earth may know that the LORD is
God, and that there is none else.
ii Let your heart therefore be
perfect with the LORD our God, to
walk in his statutes, and to keep his
commandments, as at this day.
SELECTION II.
Legend of Elijah, fed by the ravens and
by the unfailing meal and oil of the poor
widow. A ND Elijah the Tishbite, who was
of the inhabitants of Gilead,
said unto Ahab, As the LORD God
of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,
there will not be dew nor rain these
years, but according to my word.
2 And the word of the LORD came
unto him, saying, Get thee hence,
and turn thee eastward, and hide
thyself by the brook Cherith, that is
before Jordan. And it shall be,
that thou shalt drink of the brook ;
and I have commanded the ravens
to feed thee there.
3 So he went and did according
unto the word of the Lord : for he
went and dwelt by the brook
Cherith, that is before Jordan. And
the ravens brought him bread and
flesh in the morning, and bread and
flesh in the evening ; and he drank
of the brook.
4 And it came to pass after a
while, that the brook dried up, be
cause there had been no rain in the
land ; and the word of the Lord
-Came unto him, saying, Arise, get

thee to Zarephath, which belongeth
to Zidon, and dwell there : behold, I
have commanded a widow woman
there to sustain thee.
5 So he arose and went to Zare
phath. And when he came to the
gate of the city, behold, the widow
woman was there gathering sticks:
and he called to her, and said, Fetch
me, I pray thee, a little water in a
vessel, that I may drink. And as
she was going to fetch it, he called
to her, and said, Bring me, I pray
thee, a morsel of bread in thine
hand. And she said, As the LORD
thy God liveth, I have not a cake,
but an handful of meal in a barrel,
and a little oil in a cruse : and, be
hold, I am gathering two sticks, that
I may go in and dress it for me and
my son, that we may eat it, and die.
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not ;
go and do as thou hast said : but
make me thereof a little cake first,
and bring it unto me, and after make
for thee and for thy son. For thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, The
barrel of meal shall not waste, nei
ther shall the cruse of oil fail, until
the day that the Lord sendeth rain
upon the earth.
6 And she went and did accord
ing to the saying of Elijah : and she,
and he, and her house, did eat many
days. And the barrel of meal wast
ed not, neither did the cruse of oil
fail, according to the word of the
LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
SELECTION III.
Visions of Elijah, in which his coward
ice and faithlessness are reproved.
A ND Ahab told Jezebel all that
Elijah had done, and withal

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — KINGS.

25

how he had slain all the prophets
with the sword ; then Jezebel sent a
messenger unto Elijah, saying, So
let the gods do to me, and more also,
if I make not thy life as the life of
one of them by to morrow about
this time.
2 And when he saw that, he arose,
and went for his life, and came to
Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah,
and left his servant there ; but he
himself went a day's journey into
the wilderness, and came and sat
down under a juniper tree : and he
requested for himself that he might
die ; and said, It is enough ; now, O
Lord, take away my life, for I am
not better than my fathers.
3 And as he lay and slept under a
juniper tree, behold, an angel touch
ed him, and said unto him, Arise
and eat. And he looked, and, be
hold, there was a cake baken on the
coals, and a cruse of water at his
head. And he did eat and drink,
and laid him down again.
4 And the angel of the Lord
came again the second time, and
touched him, and said, Arise and
eat; because the journey is too
great for thee. And he arose, and
did eat and drink, and went in the
strength of that meat forty days and
forty nights unto Horeb the mount
of God.
5 And he came thither unto a
cave, and lodged there ; and, behold,
the word of the LORD came to him,
and he said unto him, What doest
thou here, Elijah ? And he answer
ed, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts : for the children
of Israel have forsaken thy cove
nant, thrown down thine altars, and

slain thy prophets with the sword ;
and I, even I only, am left ; and they
seek my life to take it away.
6 And the Lord said, Go forth,
and stand upon the mount. And,
behold, the Lord passed by, and a
great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the
rocks before the LORD ; but the
Lord was not in the wind. And
after the wind an earthquake ; but
the LORD was not in the earth
quake. And after the earthquake a
fire ; but the LORD was not in the
fire. And after the fire a still small
voice : and it was so, when Elijah
heard it, that he wrapped his face in
his mantle, and went out, and stood
in the entering in of the cave.
7 And, behold, there came a voice
unto him, and said, What doest thou
here, Elijah? And he said, I have
been very jealous for the LORD God
of hosts ; because the children of
Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain
thy prophets with the sword ; and I,
even I only, am left ; and they seek
my life, to take it away. And the
Lord said unto him, Go, return on
thy way to the wilderness of Damas
cus : for I have yet left me seven
thousand in Israel, knees which have
not bowed unto Baal, and mouths
which have not kissed him.
If Legend of Elijah's death.
A ND it came to pass, when they
were gone over, that Elijah said
unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for
thee, before I be taken away from
thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee,
let a double portion of thy spirit be
upon me. And he said, Thou hast

26

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — NEHEMIAH.

asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if
thou see me when I am taken from
thee, it shall be so unto thee ; but,
if not, it shall not be so.
2 And it came to pass, as they still
went on, and talked, that, behold,
there appeared a chariot of fire, and
horses of fire and parted them both

asunder ; and Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha
saw it, and he cried, My father, my
father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof. And he saw him
no more : and he took hold of his
own clothes, and rent them in two
pieces.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— NEHEMIAH.

SELECTION I.
The patriotism and piety of the jfews
in rebuilding Jerusalem, under the leader
ship of Nehemiah.
T^HEN said I unto them, Ye see
the distress that we are in, how
Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates
thereof are burned with fire : come,
and let us build up the wall of Jeru
salem, that we be no more a re
proach. And I told them of the hand
of my God which was good upon me ;
as also the king's words that he
had spoken unto me. And they
.said, Let us rise up and build. So
they strengthened their hands for
this good work.
2 When Sanballat the Horonite,
and Tobiah the servant, the Am
monite, and Geshem the Arabian,
heard it, they laughed us to scorn,
and despised us, and said, What is
this thing that ye do ? will ye rebel
against the king? Then answered
I them, and said unto them, The
God of heaven, he will prosper us ;
therefore we his servants will arise
and build.
3 But it came to pass, that when
Sanballat heard that we builded the

wall, he was wroth, and took great
indignation, and mocked the Jews ;
and spake before his brethren and
the army of Samaria, and said, What
do these feeble Jews? will they for
tify themselves? will they sacrifice?
will they make an end in a day? will
they revive the stones out of the
heaps of the rubbish which are
burned ?
4 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was
by him, and he said, Even that
which they build, if a fox go up, he
shall even break down their stone
wall. 5 But it came to pass, that when
Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Ara
bians, and the Ammonites, and the
Ashdodites, heard that the walls of
Jerusalem were made up, and that
the breaches began to be stopped,
then they were very wroth ; and
conspired all of them together to
come and to fight against Jerusalem,
and to hinder it. Nevertheless we
made our prayer unto our God, and
set a watch against them day and
night. 6 And Judah said, The strength of
the bearers of burdens is decayed,
and there is much rubbish ; so that

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

27

we are not able to build the wall.
And our adversaries said, They shall
not know, neither see, till we come in
the midst among them, and slay them,
and cause the work to cease. And
when the Jews which dwelt by them
came, they said unto us ten times,
From all places whence ye shall re
turn unto us they will be upon you.
7 Therefore set I in the lower
places behind the wall, and on the
higher places, I even set the people
after their families with their-swords,
their spears, and their bows. And I
looked, and rose up, and said unto
the nobles, and to the rulers, and to
the rest of the people, Be not ye
afraid of them : remember the Lord,
which is great and terrible, and fight
for your brethren, your sons, and
your daughters, your wives, and
your houses.
8 And it came to pass, when our
enemies heard that it was known
unto us, and God had brough.t their
counsel to nought, that we returned
all of us to the wall, every one unto
his work. And from, that time forth,
the half of my servants wrought in

the work, and the other half of them
held both the spears, the shields,
and the bows, and the habergeons ;
and the rulers were behind all the
house of Judah. They which build
ed on the wall, and they that bare
burdens, with those that laded,
every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the
other hand held a weapon ; for the
builders, every one had his sword
girded by his side, and so builded.
9 And he that sounded the trum
pet was by me : and I said unto the
nobles, and to the rulers, and to the
rest of the people, The work is great
and large, and we are separated upon
the wall, one far from another : and
in what place therefore ye hear the
sound of the trumpet, resort ye
thither unto us : our God shall fight
for us.
10 So we labored in the work, and
half of them held the spears from
the rising of the morning till the
stars appeared. So built we the
wall; and all the wall was joined to
gether unto the half thereof, for the
people had a mind to work.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— JOB.

Selections from the Book of Job. — Probably a Hebrew version
of an ancient Persian or Brahmanical story in dramatic form, de
signed to illustrate the alternating experiences in every truly devout
life, of doubt and faith, fear and trust, dejection and hope.

SELECTION I.
Showing how we ought to trust in the
wisdom and goodness of God, whatever
may come.
T^HERE was a man in the land of
¦*¦ Uz, whose name was Job ; and

that man was perfect and upright,
and one that feared God, and es
chewed evil.
2 And there were born unto him
seven sons and three daughters. His
substance also was seven thousand

28

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

sheep, and three thousand camels,
and five hundred yoke of oxen, and
five hundred she asses, and a very
great household ; so that this man
was the greatest of all the men of
the east.
3 And there was a day when his
sons and his daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their eldest
brother's house : and there came a
messenger unto Job, and said, The
oxen were plowing, and the asses
feeding beside them : and the Sabe-
ans fell upon them, and took them
away ; yea, they have slain the ser
vants with the edge of the sword ;
and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee. 4 While he was yet speaking,
there came also another, and said,
The fire of God is fallen from heaven,
and hath burnt up the sheep, and
the servants, and consumed them ;
and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee. 5 While he was yet speaking, there
came also another, and said, The
Chaldeans made out three bands,
and fell upon the camels, and have
carried them away, yea, and slain
the servants with the edge of the
sword ; and I only am escaped alone
to tell thee.
6 While he was yet speaking,
there came also another, and said,
Thy sons and thy daughters were
eating and drinking wine in their
eldest brother's house ; and, behold,
there came a great wind from the
wilderness, and smote the four cor
ners of the house, and it fell upon
the young men, and they are dead ;
and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee.

7 Then Job arose, and rent his
mantle, and shaved his head, and
fell down upon the ground, and
worshipped, and said, Naked came I
out of my mother's womb, and naked
shall I return thither : the LORD
gave, and the LORD hath taken
away ; blessed be the name of the
Lord.
8 In all this Job sinned not, nor
charged God foolishly.
9 And again the messenger of evil
went forth from the presence of the
LORD, and smote Job with sore
boils from the sole of his foot unto
his crown ; and he took him a pot
sherd to scrape himself withal, and
he sat down among the ashes.
io Then said his wife unto him,
Dost thou still retain thine integrity?
curse God, and die. But he said
unto her, Thou speakest as one of
the foolish women speaketh. What ?
shall we receive good at the hand of
God, and shall we not receive evil ?
1 1 In all this did not Job sin with
his lips.
12 Now when Job's three friends
heard of all this evil that was come
upon him, they came every one
from his own place : Eliphaz the
Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite,
and Zophar the Naamathite : for
they had made an appointment to
gether to come to mourn with him
and to comfort him. And when they
lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew
him not, they lifted up their voice,
and wept ; and they rent every one
his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon
their heads toward heaven. So they
sat down with him upon the ground
seven days and seven nights, and
none spake a word unto him : for

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

29

they saw that his grief was very
great. SELECTION II.
Providential sorrows to be received and
borne as the chastisements of love.
THEN Eliphaz the Temanite an
swered and said, If we assay
to commune with thee, wilt thou be
grieved ? but who can withhold him
self -from speaking? Behold, thou
hast instructed many, and thou hast
strengthened the weak hands ; thy
words have upholden him that was
falling, and thou hast strengthened
the feeble knees. But now it is come
upon thee, and thou faintest ; it
toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Is this thy fear, thy confidence, thy
hope, and the uprightness of thy
ways? 2 Remember, I pray thee, who
ever perished, being innocent? or
where were the righteous cut off?
Even as I have seen, they that plow
iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap
the same.
3 Now a thing was secretly
brought to me, and mine ear re
ceived a little thereof. In thoughts
from the visions of the night, when
deep sleep falleth on men, fear came
upon me, and trembling, which
made all my bones to shake. Then a
spirit passed before my face, the hair
of my flesh stood up : it stood still,
but I could not discern the form
thereof : an image was before mine
eyes, there was silence, and I heard
a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be
more just than God ? Shall a man
be more pure than his maker?
4 Although affliction cometh not
forth of the dust, neither doth
trouble spring out of the ground ;

yet man is born unto trouble, as the
sparks fly upward.
5 I would seek unto God, and
unto God would I commit my cause :
who doeth great things and un
searchable ; marvellous things with
out number : who giveth rain upon
the earth, and sendeth waters upon
the fields : who sets up on high those
that be low that those which mourn
may be exalted to safety.
6 He disappointeth the devices of
the crafty, so that their hands can
not perform their enterprise; he
taketh the wise in their own crafti
ness ; and the counsel of the froward
is carried headlong; so that they
meet with darkness in the daytime,
and grope in the noonday as in the
night. 7 But he saveth the poor from the
sword, from their mouth, and from
the hand of the mighty: so the' poor
hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her
mouth. 8 Behold, happy is the man whom
God correcteth, therefore despise
not thou the chastening of the Al
mighty : for he maketh sore, and
bindeth up : he woundeth, and his
hands make whole. He shall deliver
thee in six troubles, yea in seven
there shall no evil touch thee ; in
famine he shall redeem thee from
death, and in war from the power of
the sword.
9 Thou shalt be hid from the
scourge of the tongue, neither shalt
thou be afraid of destruction when
it cometh ; at destruction and famine
thou shalt laugh, neither shalt thou
be afraid of the beasts of the earth ;
for thou shalt be in league with the
stones of the field, and the beasts of

3o

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

the field shall be at peace with thee :
and thou shalt know that thy taber
nacle shall be in peace ; and thou
shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt
not sin : thou shalt come to thy
grave in a full age, like as a shock of
corn cometh in in his season.
io Lo this, we have searched it,
so it is ; hear it, and know thou it
for thy good. SELECTION III.
Man's helplessness contrasted with God's
power. T3UT Job answered and said, Oh
that my grief were thoroughly
weighed, and my calamity laid in the
balances together ! for now it would
be heavier than the sand of the sea :
therefore my words are swallowed
up. 2 As a servant earnestly desireth
the shadow, and as an hireling look-
eth for the reward of his work : so
am I made to possess months of
vanity, and wearisome nights are ap
pointed to me. When I lie down, I
say, When shall I arise, and the
night be gone ? and I am full of toss-
ings to and fro unto the dawning of
the day.
3 My flesh is clothed with worms
and clods of dust ; my skin is broken,
and become loathsome : my days are
swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and
are spent without hope.
4 O remember that my life is
wind : mine eye shall no more see
good. The eye of him that hath
seen me shall see me no more : thine
eyes are upon me, and I am not.
5 As the cloud is consumed and
vanisheth away, so he that goeth
down to the grave shall come up no

more : he shall return no more to his
house, neither shall his place know
him any more. Therefore I will not
refrain my mouth; I will speak in
the anguish of my spirit ; I will com
plain in the bitterness of my soul.
6 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou
settest a watch over me ? When I
say, My bed shall comfort me, my
couch shall ease my complaint ; then
thou scarest me with dreams, and
terrifiest me through visions : so that
my soul chooseth strangling, and
death rather than my life.
7 I loathe it; I would not live
alway : let me alone ; for my days
are vanity. What is man, that thou
shouldest magnify him ? and that
thou shouldest set thine heart upon
him ? and that thou shouldest visit
him every morning, and try him
every moment ?
8 But how should man be just
with God ? If he will contend with
him, he cannot answer him one of a
thousand. He is wise in heart, and
mighty in strength, Who hath hard
ened himself against him, and hath
prospered ?
9 He removeth the mountains,
and they know not : He overturneth
them in his anger. He shaketh the
earth out of her place, and the pillars-
thereof tremble. He commandeth
the sun, and it riseth not ; and seal-
eth up the stars. He alone spread-
eth out the heavens, and treadeth
upon the waves of the sea. He
maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleia
des, and the chambers of the south.
He doeth great things past finding
out ; yea, and wonders without num
ber. Lo, he goeth by me, and I see
not : he passeth on also, but I

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

3r

perceive him not. Behold, he
taketh away, who can hinder him ?
who will say unto him, What doest
thou? 10 If God will not withdraw his
anger, the proud helpers do stoop
under him : How much less shall I
answer him, and choose out my
words to reason with him? whom,
though I were righteous, yet would
I not answer, but I would make sup
plication to my judge. If I had
called, and he had answered me ;
yet would I not believe that he had
hearkened unto my voice.
n If / speak of strength, lo, he is
strong : and if of judgment, will he
set me a time to plead f If I justify
myself, mine own mouth shall con
demn me : if I say, I am perfect, it
shall also prove me perverse.
12 Now my days are swifter than
a post : they flee away, they see no
good ; they are passed away as the
swift ships, or as the eagle that
hasteth to the prey.
13 If I say, I will forget my com
plaint, I will leave off my heaviness,
and comfort myself, I am afraid of
all my sorrows : I know that thou
wilt not hold me innocent.
14 For thou art not a man, as I
am, that I should answer thee, and
we should come together in judg
ment. Neither is there any days
man betwixt us, that might lay his
hand upon us both.
SELECTION IV.
Our chastisements are less than we de
serve. THEN answered Zophar the
*• Naamathite, and said, Oh,

that God would speak, and open
his lips against thee ; and that he
would shew thee the secrets of
wisdom, that they are double to
that which is ! Know therefore
that God exacteth of thee less than
thine iniquity deserveth.
2 Canst thou by searching find
out God ? Canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection ? It is as
high as heaven ; What canst thou
do ? deeper than hell ; What canst
thou know? The measure thereof
is longer than the earth, and broader
than the sea.
3 If he cut off, and shut up, or
gather together, then who can.
hinder. him? For he knoweth vain
men : he seeth wickedness also ;
will he not then consider it f
4 If thou prepare thine heart, and
stretch out thine hands toward him ;
if iniquity be in thine hand, put it
far away, and let not wickedness
dwell in thy tabernacles. For then
shalt thou lift up thy face without
spot ; yea, thou shalt be stedfast,
and shalt not fear : thou shalt for
get thy misery, and remember it as
waters that pass away : and thine
age shall be clearer than the noon
day ; thou shalt shine forth, thou
shalt be as the morning. And thou
shalt be* secure, because there is
hope ; yea, thou shalt dig about
thee, and thou shalt take thy rest
in safety ; thou shalt lie down,
and none shall make thee afraid ;
yea, many shall make suit unto
thee. 5 But the eyes of the wicked shall
fail, and they shall not escape, and
their hope shall be as the giving up
of the ghost.

32

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

SELECTION V.
God will never forsake the children
whom he hath created.
A ND Job answered and said, No
J^ doubt but ye are the people,
and wisdom shall die with you : but
I have understanding as well as
you ; I am not inferior to you : yea,
who knoweth not such things as
these ?
2 He that is ready to slip with
his feet is as a lamp despised in the
thought of him that is at ease.
3 But ask now the beasts, and
they shall teach thee ; and the fowls
of the air, and they shall tell thee : or
speak to the earth, and it shall teach
thee : and the fishes of the sea shall
declare unto thee. Who knoweth
not in all these that the hand of the
LORD hath wrought this ? In
whose hand is the soul of every
living thing, and the breath of all
mankind. 4 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,
mine ear hath heard and understood
it : what ye know, the same do I
know also : I am not inferior unto
you. 5 Surely I would speak to the
Almighty, and I desire to reason
with God : though he slay me, yet
will I trust in him : but I will main
tain mine own ways before him. He
also shall be my salvation : for an
hypocrite shall not come before
him. 6 Hear diligently my speech, and
my declaration with your ears : be
hold now, I have ordered my cause ;
I know that I shall be justified.
Who is he that will plead with me ?
for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall

give up the ghost. For thou writest
bitter things against me, and makest
me to possess the iniquities of my
youth. 7 Man that is born of a woman is
of few days, and full of trouble. He
cometh forth like a flower, and is
cut down : he fleeth also as a shadow,
and continueth not. And dost thou
open thine eyes upon such an one,
and bringest me into judgment with
thee ? Who can bring a clean thing
out of an unclean ? not one.
8 Seeing his days are determined,
the number of his months are with
thee, thou hast appointed his bounds
that he cannot pass. There is hope
of a tree, if it be cut down, that it
will sprout again, and that the ten
der branch thereof will not cease;
though the root thereof wax old in
the earth, and the stock thereof die
in the ground ; yet through the scent
of water it will bud, and bring forth
boughs like a plant. But man dieth,
and wasteth away: yea, man giveth
up the ghost, and where is he ? As
the waters fail from the sea, and the
flood decayeth and drieth up : so
man lieth down and riseth not : till
the heavens be no more, they shall
not awake, nor be raised out of their
sleep. 9 O that thou wouldest hide me
in the grave, that thou wouldest
keep me secret, until thy wrath be
past, that thou wouldest appoint me
a set time, and remember me !
io If a man die, shall he live
again ? all the days of my appointed
time will I wait, till my change
come. Thou shalt call, and I will
answer thee : thou wilt have a de
sire to the work of thine hands.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

33

SELECTION VI.
Sincere questionings and doubt termi
nate in permanent faith and hope.
HP HEN Job answered and said,
Also now, behold, my witness
is in heaven, and my record is on
high ; my friends scorn me, but
mine eye poureth out tears unto
God. ,2 0 that one might plead for a
man with God, as a man pleadeth for
his neighbor !
3 When a few years are come,
then I shall go the way whence I
shall not return. My breath is cor
rupt, my days are extinct, the graves
are ready for me : mine eye also is
dim by reason of sorrow, and all my
members are as a shadow. My days
are past, my purposes are broken
off, even the thoughts of my heart :
they change the night into day : the
light is short because /of darkness.
If I wait, the grave is mine house :
I have made my bed in the dark
ness : I have said to corruption,
Thou art my father : to the worm,
Thou art my mother, and my sister.
4 And where is now my hope ? as
for my hope, who shall see it ?
Know now that God hath overthrown
me, and hath compassed me with
his net. Behold, I cry out of wrong,
but I am not heard : I cry aloud,
but there is no judgment. He hath
fenced up my way that I cannot
pass, and he hath set darkness -in my
paths : he hath stripped .me of my
glory, and taken the crown from my
head. He hath destroyed me on
every side, and I am gone : and
mine hope hath he removed like a
tree. He hath put my brethren far

from me, and mine acquaintance are
verily estranged from me : my kins
folk have failed, and my familiar
friends have forgotten me. They
that dwelt in mine house, and my
maids, count me for a stranger ; I
am an alien in their sight : I called
my servant, and he gave me no an
swer ; I intreated him with my
mouth. My breath is strange to
my wife, though I intreated for the
children's sake oi mine own body;
yea, young children despised me ; I
arose, and they spake against me:
all my inward friends abhorred me ;
and they whom I loved are turned
against me.
5 Have pity upon me, have pity
upon me, O ye my friends ; for the
hand of God hath touched me.
6 Oh that my words were now
written ! oh that they were printed
in a book ! that they were graven
with an iron pen and lead in the
rock for ever ! For I know that my
Redeemer liveth, and shall be re
vealed at last upon the earth : and
though after my death worms destroy
this flesh, yet in my body shall I see
God ; whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not
another. SELECTION VII.
Retribution is certain, in the next life
if not in this.
"DUT Job answered and said,
Wherefore do the wicked live,
become old, yea, are mighty in
power? their seed is established in
their sight with them, and their off
spring before their eyes : their houses
are safe from fear, neither is the rod
of God upon them. They send forth

34

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

their little ones like a flock, and
their children dance : they take the
timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the
sound of the organ : they spend
their days in wealth, and in a mo
ment go down to the grave.
2 Therefore they say unto God,
Depart, from us ; for we desire not
the knowledge of thy ways. What
is the Almighty that we should
serve him ? and what profit should
we have, if we pray unto him ? Lo,
their good is not in their hand : the
counsel of the wicked is far from
me. 3 How oft is the candle of the
wicked put out ! and how oft cometh
their destruction upon them ! God
distributeth sorrows in his anger :
they are as stubble before the wind,
and as chaff that the storm carrieth
away. God remembereth the in
iquity of his children : he rewardeth
them, and they shall know it.
4 Some remove the landmarks ;
they violently take away flocks, and
the feed thereof ; they drive away the
ass of the fatherless, they take the
widow's ox for a pledge : they turn
the needy out of the way, the poor
of the earth hide themselves to
gether. As wild asses in the desert,
go they forth to their work ; rising
betimes for a prey : the wilderness
yieldeth food for them and for their
children. They reap every one his
corn in the field : and they gather
the vintage of the wicked. They
cause the naked to lodge without
clothing, they have no covering in
the cold, they are wet with the
showers of the mountains, and em
brace the rock for want of a shelter.
They pluck the fatherless from the

breast, and take a pledge of the
poor : the|y cause him to go naked
without clothing, and they take away
the sheaf from the hungry who
make oil within their walls, and
tread their winepresses, and suffer
thirst. Men groan from out of the
city, and the soul of the wounded
crieth out.
5 They are of those that rebel
against the light ; they know not
the ways thereof, nor abide in the
paths thereof. The murderer rising
with the light killeth the poor and
needy, and in the night is as a thief.
The eye also of the adulterer wait-
eth for the twilight, saying, No eye
shall see me: and disguiseth his
face. In the dark they dig through
houses, which they had marked for
themselves in the daytime: they
know not the light : the morning is
to them even as the shadow of
death : if one recognizes them, they
are in the terrors of the shadow of
death. Though it be given them to
be in safety, whereon they rest ; yet
His eyes are upon their ways : they
are exalted for a little while, but are
gone and brought low ; they are
taken out of the way, and cut off as
the tops of the ears of corn.
6 Shall any teach God knowledge ?
seeing he judgeth those that are
high. 7 One dieth in his full strength,
being wholly at ease and quiet ; his
breasts are full of milk, and his
bones are moistened with marrow.
Another dieth in the bitterness of
his soul, and never eateth with
pleasure. They lie down alike in
the dust, and the worms cover them.
I know your thoughts, and the de-

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

35

vices which ye wrongfully imagine
against me : for ye say, Where is
the reward of the righteous ? and
where are the retributions of the
wicked ? Have ye not asked them
that go by the way ? and do ye not
know their tokens, that the wicked
are reserved to the day of destruc
tion ? they shall be brought forth to
the day of wrath.
SELECTION VIII.
A good conscience is content in appealing
to God for justice and judgment.
' I ^HEN Job answered and said,
Oh that I knew where I might
find Him ! that I might come even to
his seat ! I would order my cause
before him, and fill my mouth with
arguments : I would know the
words which he would answer me,
and understand what he would say
unto me.
2 Will he plead against me with
his great power ? No ; but he would
put strength in me. There the
righteous might dispute with him ;
so should I be delivered for ever
from my judge.
3 Behold, I go forward, but he is
not there ; and backward ,but I cannot
perceive him : on the left hand,
where he doth work, but I cannot
behold him : he hideth himself on
the right hand, that I cannot see
him : but he knoweth the way that
I take : when he hath tried me, I
shall come forth as gold.
4 My foot hath held his steps, his
way have I kept, and not declined :
neither have I gone back from the
commandment of his lips ; I have
esteemed the words of his mouth
more than my necessary food.

5 As God liveth, who hath taken
away my judgment ; and the Al
mighty, who hath vexed my soul ;
all the while my breath is in me,
and the spirit of God is in my nos
trils ; my lips shall not speak wick
edness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
6 Till I die I will not remove mine
integrity from me : my righteousness
I hold fast, and will not let it go : my
heart shall not reproach me so long
as I live.
7 Oh that I were as in months
past, as in the days when God pre
served me ; when his candle shined
upon my head, and when by his light
I walked through darkness ; when the
ear heard me, then it blessed me ;
and when the eye saw me, it gave
witness to me : because I delivered
the poor that cried, and the father
less) and him that had none to help
him. The blessing of him that was
ready to perish came upon me : and
I caused the widow's heart to sing
for joy. I put on righteousness, and
it clothed me : my judgment was as
a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to
the blind, and feet was I to the
lame : I was a father to the poor :
and the cause which I knew not I
searched out. I chose out their
way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a
king in the army, as one that com-
forteth the mourners. Did not I
weep for him that was in trouble ?
was not my soul grieved for the
poor ?
8 Let me be weighed in an even
balance, that God may know mine
integrity : Doth not he see my
ways, and count all my steps? If I
have walked with vanity, or if my
foot hath hasted to deceit ; if I have

36

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

withheld the poor from their desire,
or have caused the eyes of the widow
to fail ; or have eaten my morsel my
self alone, and the fatherless hath
not eaten thereof ; if I have seen
any perish for want of clothing, or
any poor without covering; if his
loins have not blessed me, and if he
were not warmed with the fleece of
my sheep ; if I have lifted up my
hand against the fatherless, when I
saw my help in the gate : then let mine
arm fall from my shoulder blade, and
mine arm be broken from the bone.
9 If I have made gold my hope,
or have said to the fine gold, Thou
art my confidence ; if I rejoiced be
cause my wealth was great, and be
cause mine hand had gotten much ;
if I beheld the sun when it shined,
or the moon walking hi brightness ;
and my heart hath been secretly en
ticed, or my mouth hath kissed my
hand : this also were an iniquity to
be punished by the judge ; for I should
have denied the God that is above.
IO If I rejoiced at the destruction
of him that hated me, or lifted up
myself when evil found him ; or suf
fered my mouth to sin by wishing a
curse to his soul : if my land cry
against me, or the furrows thereof
complain ; if I have eaten the fruits
thereof without money, or have caus
ed the owners thereof to lose their
life : then, let thistles grow instead
of wheat, and cockle instead of barley.
u The words of Job are ended.
SELECTION IX.
Consider God 's goodness and greatness.
117 LIHU spake moreover, and said,
Thinkest thou this to be right,
that thou saidst, My righteousness is

more than God's? for thou saidst,
What advantage will it be unto me ?
and, What profit shall I have, if I be
cleansed from my sin ?
2 I will answer thee, and thy com
panions with thee. Look unto the
heavens, and see ; and behold the
clouds which are higher than thou.
If thou sinnest, what doest thou
against Him ? or if thy transgres
sions be multiplied, what doest thou
unto Him? If thou be righteous,,
what givest thou Him ? or what re-
ceiveth He of thine hand ? Thy
wickedness may hurt a man as thou
art ; and thy righteousness may
profit the son of man.
3 By reason of the multitude of
oppressions they make the oppressed
to cry : they cry out by reason of
the arm of the mighty : but none
saith, Where is God my Maker, who
giveth songs in the night ; who
teacheth us more than the beasts of
the earth, and maketh us wiser than
the fowls of heaven ?
4 There they cry, but none giveth
answer, because of the pride of evil
men : for surely God will not hear
vanity, neither will the Almighty re
gard it : although thou say'est thou
shalt not see him, yet judgment is
before him ; therefore trust thou in
him. 5 Behold, God is mighty, and de-
spiseth not any ; he is mighty in
strength and wisdom. He with-
draweth not his eyes from the right
eous, but with kings are they on the
throne ; yea, he doth establish them
for ever, and they are exalted : if
they be bound in fetters, and be
holden in cords of affliction ; then
he sheweth them their work, and

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

37

their transgressions that they have
exceeded : he openeth also their ear
to discipline, and commandeth that
they return from iniquity. If they
obey and serve him, they shall spend
their days in prosperity, and their
years in pleasures : but if they obey
not, they shall perish, and they shall
die without knowledge.
6 Behold, God exalteth by his
power : who teacheth like him ?
who hath enjoined him his way?
or who can say, Thou hast wrought
iniquity ? Remember that thou
magnify his work, which men be
hold : every man may see it, may
behold it afar off.
7 Behold, God is great, and we
know him not, neither can the num
ber of his years be searched out :
for he maketh small the drops of
water ; they pour down rain accord
ing to the vapor thereof, which the
clouds do drop and distil upon man
abundantly. Also can any under
stand the spreadings of the clouds,
or the noise of his tabernacle? be
hold, he spreadeth his light upon it,
and covereth the bottom of the sea.
8 Hear attentively the noise of
his voice, and the sound that goeth
out of his mouth ; he directeth it
under the whole heaven, and his
lightning unto the ends of the
earth. After it a voice roareth, he
thundereth with the voice of his
excellency; great things doeth he,
which we cannot comprehend : he
saith to the snow, Be thou on the
earth ; likewise to the small rain,
and to the great rain of his strength.
9 Out of the south cometh the
whirlwind, and cold out of the
north : by the breath of God frost

is given, and the breadth of the
waters is straitened : also by water
ing he wearieth the thick cloud, he
scattereth his bright cloud, and it is
turned round about by his counsels :
that they may do whatsoever he
commandeth them upon the face of
the world in the earth : he causeth
it to come, whether for correction,
or for his land, or for mercy.
io Hearken unto this : stand still,
and consider the wondrous works of
God. Dost thou know when God
disposed them, and caused the
light of his cloud to shine ?
Dost thpu know the balanc
ings of the clouds, the wondrous
works of him which is perfect in
knowledge? how thy garments are
warm, when he quieteth the earth by
the south wind? Hast thou with
him spread out the sky, which is
strong, and as a molten looking.
glass ?
n Teach us what we shall say
unto Him ; for we cannot order our
speech by reason of darkness.
12 Touching the Almighty, we
cannot find him out : he is excellent
in 'power, and in judgment, and in
plenty of justice : he will not afflict.
SELECTION X.
fob is brought to see and acknowledge
the wisdom and righteousness of God.
"THEN the Lord answered Job
out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel
by words without knowledge ? gird
up now thy loins like a man ; for I
will demand of thee, and answer
thou me.
2 Where wast thou when I laid

38

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JOB.

the foundations of the earth? de
clare, if thou hast understanding!
Who hath laid the measures thereof,
if thou knowest ? or who hath
stretched the line upon it ? where
upon are the foundations thereof
fastened? or who laid the corner
stone thereof ; when the morning
stars sang together, and all the sons
of God shouted for joy ?
3 Or who shut up the sea with
doors, when it brake forth, as if it
had issued out of the womb ? when
I made the cloud the garment there
of, and thick darkness a swaddling-
band for it, and brake up for it my
decreed place, and set bars and doors,
and said, Hitherto shalt thou come,
but no further : and here shall thy
proud waves be stayed ? ,
4 Hast thou commanded the
morning since thy days ; and caused
the dayspring to know his place ;
that it might take hold of the ends
of the earth, that the wicked might
be shaken out of it?
5 Hast thou entered into the
springs of the sea ? or hast thou
walked in search of the depth ?
6 Have the gates of death been
opened unto thee? or hast thou
seen the doors of the shadow of
death? 7 Hast thou perceived the breadth
of the earth ? declare if thou know
est it all : where is the way where
light dwelleth? and as for darkness,
where is the place thereof, that thou
shouldest take it to the bound
thereof, and that thou shouldest
know the paths to the house there
of ? Knowest thou it, because thou
wast then born ? or because the num
ber of thy days is great ?

8 Hast thou entered into the
treasures of the snow ? or hast thou
seen the treasures of the hail ? By
what way is the light parted, which
scattereth the east wind upon the
earth ? Who hath divided a water
course for the overflowing of waters,
or a way for the lightning of thun
der ; to cause it to rain on the earth,
where no man is ; on the wilderness,
wherein there is no man ; to satisfy
the desolate and waste ground; and
to cause the bud of the tender herb
to spring forth ? Hath the rain a
father ? or who hath begotten the
drops of dew ? out of whose womb
came the ice ? and the hoary frost
of heaven, who hath gendered it ?
9 Canst thou bind the sweet in
fluences of Pleiades, or loose the
bands of Orion ? canst thou bring
forth Mazzaroth in his season? or
canst thou guide Arcturus with his
sons ? Knowest thou the ordinances
of heaven ? canst thou set the do
minion thereof in the earth ? canst
thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
that abundance of waters may cover
thee? canst thou send lightnings,
that they may go, and say unto thee,
Here we are f
IO Who hath put wisdom in the
inward parts ? or who hath given
understanding to the heart ? Who
can number the clouds in wisdom?
or who can stay the bottles of heav
en, when the dust groweth into
hardness, and the clods cleave fast
together ?
1 1 Who provideth for the raven
his food ? when his young ones cry
unto God, they wander for lack of
meat. Gavest thou the goodly wings
unto the peacocks ? or wings and

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

39

feathers unto the ostrich ? Doth the
hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch
her wings toward the south ? Doth
the eagle mount up at' thy com
mand, and make her nest on high ?
12 Shall he that contendeth with
the Almighty instruct him ? he that
reproveth God, let him answer it.
13 Then Job answered the LORD,
and said, Behold, I am vile ; what
shall I answer thee ? I will lay mine
hand upon my mouth. Once have I
spoken ; but I will not answer : yea,
twice ; but I will proceed no further*
I know that thou canst do every
thing, and that no thought can be
withholden from thee. Who is he
that hideth counsel without knowl
edge ? therefore have I uttered that
I understood not; things too won
derful for me, which I knew not.
14 Hear, I beseech thee, and I
will speak ; I will demand of thee
and declare thou unto me. I have
heard of thee by the hearing of the
ear, but now mine eye seeth thee :
wherefore I abhor myself, and re
pent in dust and ashes.

CONCLUSION.
A ND the Lord turned the cap-
"^^ tivity of Job, when he prayed
for his friends : also the LORD gave
Job twice as much as he had before.
2 Then came there unto him all
his brethren, and all his sisters, and
all they that had been of his ac
quaintance before, and did eat bread
with him in his house : and they be
moaned him, and comforted him
over all the evil that the Lord had
brought upon him : every man also
gave him a piece of money, and
every one an earring of gold.
3 So the LORD blessed the latter
end of Job more than his beginning :
for he had fourteen thousand sheep,
and six thousand camels, and a thou
sand yoke of oxen, and a thousand
she asses : he had also seven sons
and three daughters.
4 And after this lived Job an
hundred and forty years, and saw his
sons, and his sons' sons, even four
generations. 5 So Job died, being old and full
of days.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PSALMS.

SELECTION I.
T>LESSED is the man that walk-
eth not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scorner: whose delight is in the
law of the Lord; and in his law
doth he exercise himself day and
night. 2 He shall be like a tree planted
by the waterside, that will bring

forth fruit in due season : his leaf
shall not wither ; and whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper.
3 As for the ungodly, it is not so
with them ; they are like the chaff,
which the wind scattereth awaj^
from the face of the earth : they
shall not be able to stand in the
judgment, neither sinners in the
congregation of the righteous.
4 The Lord knoweth the way of

40

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

the righteous ; but the way of the
ungodly shall perish.
5 As for me, I will come into thy
house in the multitude of thy mercy :
and in thy fear will I worship tow
ard thy holy temple.
6 Lead me, O LORD, in thy right
eousness ; make thy way straight
before my face.
7 Let all those that put their
trust in thee rejoice : let them ever
shout for joy, because thou defend-
est them : let them also that love
thy name be joyful in thee.
8 Thou, LORD, wilt bless the right
eous ; with favor wilt thou compass
him as with a shield.
9 Preserve me, O God : for in
thee do I put my trust. O my soul,
thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou
art my Lord : I have no happiness
but in thee ; the holy that are in the
earth, and the excellent, in them is
all my delight.
io The Lord is my portion and
my cup, thou maintainest my lot :
the lines are fallen unto me in pleas
ant places, yea, I have a goodly
heritage. 1 1 I will bless the LORD, who hath
given me counsel : my heart also
admonishes me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before
me : because he is at my right hand,
I shall not be moved.
12 Therefore my heart is glad,
my spirit rejoiceth, my flesh also
rests in safety : for thou wilt not
leave my soul in the grave, neither
wilt thou suffer thy beloved one to
see corruption : but thou wilt show
me the path of life : in thy presence is
fulness of joy, and at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore.

13 Hear the right, O LORD, attend
unto my cry, give ear unto my
prayer, that goeth not out of false
lips; let my sentence come forth
from thy presence ; let thine eyes see
what is right ; prove my heart ; visit
me in the night ; try me, my thoughts
shall not vary from my speech ; hold
up my steps in thy paths, that my
feet slip not.
14 I call upon thee, for thou wilt
hear me, O God : incline thine ear
unto me, and hearken to my words :
shew thy marvellous loving-kindness,
O thou that savest by thy right hand
those who put their trust in thee :
keep me as the apple of the eye,
hide me under the shadow of thy
wings. 1 5 As for me, I will behold thy face
in righteousness ; I will be satisfied
when I awake with thy likeness.
SELECTION II.
T WILL love thee, O LORD, my
strength ; my rock, my fortress,
and my deliverer ; my God, in whom
I trust ; my buckler, and my high
tower. 2 I will call upon the LORD, who
is worthy to be praised : for the sor
rows of death compassed me, and
the floods of destruction made me
afraid ; the sorrows of the grave com
passed me about, the snares of death
overtook me : in my distress I called
upon the LORD, and cried unto my
God : he heard my voice out of his
temple, and my cry came before
him, even into his ears : he sent from
above, he took me, he drew me out
of many waters : he brought me
forth into a large place : he delivered
me, because he loved me.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

41

3 To the merciful thou shewest
thyself merciful ; to an upright man
thou shewest thyself upright ; to the
pure thou shewest thyself pure ; and
to the wrathful thou shewest thyself
wrathful. 4 The ways of God are just and
true, his word is pure, tried in the
fire : he is a buckler to all those that
trust in him.
5 Who is God save the Lord ? or
who is a rock save our God ? it is he
that girdeth me with strength, and
maketh my way plain.
6 The Lord is my light and my
salvation ; whom shall I fear ? he is
the strength of my life : of whom
shall I be afraid ?
7 One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek. after ; that I
may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days, of my life, to behold his
beauty, and to inquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall
hide me in his pavilion, in the secret
place of his tabernacle shall he hide
me ; he shall set me upon a rock.
Therefore will I offer in his taber
nacle sacrifices of joy ; I will sing,
yea, I will sing praises unto the
Lord. 8 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with
my voice : have mercy also upon me,
and answer me: when thou saidst,
Seek ye my face, my heart said unto
thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek;
hide not thy face far from me, put
not thy servant away in anger : thou
hast been my help, leave me not,
neither forsake me, O God of my sal
vation. 9 When my father and my mother
forsake me, then the LORD will take
me up.

10 Teach me thy way, O LORD,
and lead me in a plain path. I had
fainted, unless I had believed to see
thy goodness in the land of the liv
ing. 1 1 Wait on the LORD : be of good
courage, and he shall strengthen
thine heart ; wait, I say, on the LORD.
SELECTION III.
''"PHY mercy, O Lord, is in the
heavens ; thy faithfulness reach-
eth unto the clouds : thy righteous
ness is like the great mountains ; thy
judgments are a great deep.
2 How excellent is thy loving-kind
ness, O God ! therefore the children
of men put their trust under the
shadow of thy wings : they shall be
abundantly satisfied with the plente-
ousness of thy house ; thou shalt
make them drink of the river of thy
pleasures; for with the.e is the foun
tain of life.
3 In thy light shall we see light :
continue the loving-kindness unto
them that know thee, and thy right
eousness to the upright in heart.
4 The heavens declare the glory
of God ; the firmament sheweth his
handywork; day unto day uttereth
speech, and night unto night sheweth
knowledge ; there is no speech nor
language, and their voice is not heard,
yet their sound is gone out through
all the earth, and their words to the
end of the world. In them hath he
set a tabernacle for the sun, which is
as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber, rejoicing as a strong man
to run a race ; his going forth is from
the end of the heaven, his circuit unto
the ends of it, and nothing is hid
from the heat thereof.

42

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

5 The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul : the testimony
of the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple ; the statutes of the LORD are
right, rejoicing the heart : the com
mandment of the Lord is pure, en
lightening the eyes ; the fear of the
LORD is clean, enduring forever; the
judgments of the LORD are true and
righteous altogether. More to be
desired are they than gold, yea than
much fine gold ; sweeter also than
honey and the honeycomb ; more
over by them is thy servant warned,
and in keeping of them is great re
ward. 6 Who can understand his errors ?
cleanse thou me from secret faults;
keep back thy servant also from pre
sumptuous sins, let them not have
dominion over me : then shall I be
upright, I shall be innocent from
great transgression.
7 Let the words of my mouth, and
the meditation of my heart, be ac
ceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my
strength and my redeemer.
SELECTION IV.
'THE Lord is my shepherd, I shall
not want : he maketh me to lie
down in green pastures, he leadeth
me beside the still waters; he re-
storeth my soul, he leadeth me in
the paths of righteousness for his
name's sake. Yea, though I walk
though the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil ; for thou
art with me, thy rod and thy staff
they comfort me.
2 Thou preparest a* table before
me in the presence of mine enemies ;
thou anointest my head with oil ; my
cup runneth over.

3 Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life ;
and I will dwell in the house of the
Lord for ever.
4 I will bless the LORD at all
times, his praise shall continually be
in my mouth ; my soul shall make
her boast in the LORD, the humble
shall hear thereof, and be glad.
5 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together ;
I sought him, and he heard me, and
delivered me from all my fears.
6 The poor man cries, and the
LORD hears him, and saves him out
of all his troubles ; the angel of the
LORD encampeth round about all
them that fear him, and delivereth
them. 7 O taste and see that the LORD
is good : blessed is the man that
trusteth in him : fear the LORD, ye
his saints, for there is no want to
them that fear him : the young lions
do lack, and suffer hunger : but they
that seek the Lord shall not want
any good thing.
8 Come, ye children, hearken unto
me : I will teach you the fear of the
Lord. Keep thy tongue from evil,
and thy lips from speaking guile ; de
part from evil, and do good ; seek
peace, and pursue it.
9 The eyes of the LORD are upon
the righteous, and his ears are open
unto their cry ; but the face of the
LORD is against them that do evil, to
cut off the remembrance of them
from the earth.
io The righteous cry, and the
Lord heareth, and delivereth them
out of all their troubles ; he is nigh
unto them that are of a broken
heart, and saveth such as be of a

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

43

contrite spirit ; the afflictions of the
righteous are many, but the Lord
delivereth him out of them all ; he re-
deemeth the soul of his servants, and
none of them that trust in him shall
be desolate. SELECTION V.
*THE earth is the Lord's, and the
fulness thereof ; the world, and
they that dwell therein ; for he hath
founded it upon the seas, and estab
lished it upon the floods.
2 Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord ? and who shall stand in
his holy place ? He that hath clean
hands, and a pure heart ; who hath
not inclined his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully ; he shall re
ceive the blessing from the Lord,
and righteousness from the God of
his salvation.
3 Lift up your heads, O ye gates ;
be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors ;
and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory ? the Lord
strong and mighty, the LORD mighty
in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye
gates ; lift them up, ye everlasting
doors ; and the King of glory shall
come in. Who is this King of glory?
the LORD of hosts, he is the King of
glory. 4 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up
my soul ; I trust in thee, let me not
be ashamed ; let none that wait on
thee be ashamed, let them be
ashamed which transgress without
cause. 5 Shew me thy ways, O LORD ;
teach me thy paths ; lead me in thy
truth, and teach me: for thou art
the God of my salvation ; in thee do
I trust all the day.

6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender
mercies and thy loving-kindnesses,
for they have been ever of old ; re
member not the sins of my youth,
nor my transgressions : according to
thy mercy remember me, for thy
goodness' sake, O LORD.
7 Good and upright is the LORD,
therefore will he teach sinners in the
way ; the meek will he guide in judg
ment, the meek he will teach his
way : all the paths of the LORD are
mercy and truth unto such as keep
his covenant and his testimonies.
8 For thy name's sake, O Lord,
pardon mine iniquity ; for it is great.
9 What man is he that feareth the
LORD? him shall he teach in the
way that he shall choose : his secret
is with them that fear him : and he
will shew them his covenant.
io Mine eyes are ever toward the
Lord, he shall pluck my feet out of
the net ; turn thee unto me, have
mercy upon me, for I am desolate
and afflicted ; lighten the sorrows of
my heart, O bring thou me out of
my distresses ; look upon mine af
fliction and my pain, forgive all my
sins ; O keep my soul, and deliver me,
let me not be ashamed, for I put my
trust in thee : let integrity and up
rightness preserve me, for I wait on
thee. SELECTION VI.
T WILL extol thee, O LORD, for
-* thou hast lifted me up ; O Lord
my God, I cried unto thee, and thou
hast healed me : thou hast brought
up my soul from the grave : thou
hast kept me alive, that I should not
go down to the tomb.
2 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints

44

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

of his, and give thanks at the re
membrance of his holiness : for his
anger endureth a moment, but his
favor for ever ; weeping may endure
for a night, but joy cometh in the
morning. 3 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy
upon me : be thou my helper : 0
LORD my God, I will give thanks
unto thee for ever.
4 In thee, LORD, do- I put my
trust : deliver me in thy righteous
ness : bow down thine ear to me, de
liver me speedily : be thou my strong
rock, for an house of defence to save
me : thou art my rock and my for
tress : therefore for thy name's sake
lead me and guide me.
5 O how great is thy goodness,
which thou hast laid up for them that
fear thee, and shewest to them that
trust in thee : thou hidest them in
the secret of thy presence from the
pride of man ; thou shelterest them
in thy pavilion from the strife of
tongues. 6 Blessed be the LORD, for he
hath shewed me his marvellous kind
ness in a strong city: O love the
LORD, all ye his saints, for he pre-
serveth the faithful, and plentifully
rewardeth the proud doer: be of good
courage, and he shall strengthen your
heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
7 Blessed is he whose transgres
sion is forgiven, whose sin is covered;
blessed is the man unto whom the
LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in
whose spirit there is no guile.
8 I acknowledged my sin unto thee,
and mine iniquity have I not hid ; I
said, I will confess my transgressions
unto the LORD ; and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin.

9 Every one that is godly" shall
pray unto thee in a time when thou
mayest be found : surely the floods of
great waters shall not come nigh
unto them.
io Thou art my hiding-place ; thou
shalt preserve me from trouble : thou
shalt compass me about with songs
of deliverance. Many sorrows shall
be to the wicked : but he that trust-
eth in the Lord, mercy shall com
pass him about.
1 1 Be glad in the LORD, and re
joice, ye righteous : shout for joy, all
ye that are upright in heart.
SELECTION VII.
"D EJOICE in the Lord, O ye
righteous : praise is comely for
the upright,
2 The word of the LORD is right,
and all his works are done in truth :
he loveth righteousness and justice ;
the earth is full of his goodness.
3 By the word of the Lord were
the heavens made, and all the host
of them by the breath of his mouth :
he gathereth the waters of the sea
together as an heap : he layeth up
the deep in storehouses.
4 Let all the earth fear the LORD,
let all the inhabitants of the world
stand in awe of him : for he spake,
and it was done ; he commanded,
and it stood fast : he bringeth the
counsel of the nations to nought ; he
maketh the devices of the kingdoms
of none effect.
5 The counsel of the LORD stand-
eth for ever, the thoughts of his
heart to all generations : blessed is
the nation whose God is the LORD ;
blessed the people whom he hath
chosen for his own inheritance.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

45

6 The Lord looketh from heaven,
he beholdeth all the sons of men ;
from the place of his habitation he
looketh upon all the inhabitants of
the earth : he fashioneth the hearts
of all ; he observeth all their works.
7 Behold, the eye of the Lord is
upon them that fear him, upon them
that hope in his mercy; to deliver
their soul from death, and to keep
them alive in famine.
8 Our soul waiteth on the Lord,
he is our help and our shield : our
heart rejoices in him ; we trust in his
holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord,
be upon us, according as we hope in
thee. SELECTION VIII.
T WAITED patiently for the LORD;
he inclined unto me, heard my cry,
and put a new song in my mouth,
even praise unto our God.
2 Blessed is that man that maketh
the Lord his trust, and resorteth not
to men of pride and falsehood.
3 Many, O Lord my God, are
thy wonderful works which thou
hast done ; many are thy gracious
thoughts toward us ; if we would de
clare and speak of them, they are
more than can be numbered.
4 Sacrifice and offering thou didst
not desire (so hast thou taught me) ;
burnt offering and sin offering hast
thou not required : I delight to do
thy will, O my God : yea, thy law is
within my heart.
5s I have preached righteousness
in the great congregation ; lo, I have
not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou
knowest ; I have not hid thy right
eousness within my heart ; I have de
clared thy faithfulness and thy salva

tion : I have not concealed thy
loving-kindness and thy truth from
the great congregation.
6 Withhold not thou thy tender
mercies from me, O Lord, but let
thy loving-kindness and thy truth
continually preserve me : for innu
merable evils have compassed me
about, mine iniquities have taken
hold upon me so that I am not able
to look up ; they are more than the
hairs of mine head : therefore my
heart faileth me.
7 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver
me, make haste to help me : let all
those that seek thee rejoice and be
glad in thee : let such as love thy
salvation say continually, The LORD
be magnified.
8 I am poor and needy, yet the
LORD thinketh upon me : thou art
my help and my deliverer, make no
tarrying, O my God.
9 As the hart panteth after, the
water brooks, so panteth my soul
after thee, O God ; my soul thirsteth
for God, for the living God : when
shall I come and appear before
God? io When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul in me : for I have
gone with the multitude, I went with
them to the house of God, with the
voice of joy and praise, with a mul
titude that kept holy-day.
1 1 Why art thou cast down, O my
soul ? and why art thou disquieted in
me ? hope thou in God : I shall yet
praise him ; him, my deliverer and
my God.
12 Deep calleth unto deep with
the roar of thy cataracts, all thy
waves and thy billows have gone
over me : yet thou wilt command thy

46

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

loving-kindness in the daytime, and
in the night thy song shall be with
me, and my prayer shall be unto the
God of my life.
SELECTION IX.
T ORD, who shall abide in thy tab-
ernacle ? who shall dwell in thy
holy hill? he who walketh uprightly,
worketh righteousness, and speaketh
truth in his heart : he who slander-
eth not with his tongue, doeth no
evil to his neighbor, uttereth no re
proach against his neighbor, in whose
eyes a vile person is contemned, but
who honoreth them that fear the
LORD : he that sweareth to his own
hurt, and changeth not : he that put-
teth not out his money to usury, nor
taketh a bribe against the innocent :
— he that doeth these things shall
never fall.
2 Fret not thyself because of evil
doers, neither be thou envious of
those who work iniquity ; for they
shall soon be cut down like the grass,
and wither as the green herb.
3 Delight thyself in the Lord, he
shall give thee the desires of thine
heart ; commit thy way unto him,
trust also in him, and he shall give
thee success : he shall bring forth
thy righteousness as the light, and
thy judgment as the noonday.
4 The meek shall inherit the earth,
and shall delight themselves in the
abundance of peace: for a little that
a righteous man hath is better than
the riches of many wicked.
5 The steps of a good man are or
dered by the Lord, and he delight-
eth in his way : though he fall he shall
not be utterly cast down ; for the
Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

6 The mouth of the righteous
speaketh wisdom, his tongue talketh
of judgment, the law of his God is
in his heart ; therefore none of his
steps shall slide.
7 Wait on the Lord, keep his way,
and he shall exalt thee : mark the
perfect man, and behold the upright::
the end of that man is peace.
8 The salvation of the righteous is
of the LORD, he is their strength in
the time of trouble : he shall help
them, and deliver them : he shall de
liver them, and save them, because
they trust in him.
SELECTION X.
/"~* OD is our refuge and strength, a
^"^ very present help in trouble:.
therefore will not we fear, though
the earth be removed, and though
the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea ; though the waters
thereof roar and be troubled, though
the mountains shake with the swell
ing thereof.
2 There is a river, the streams
whereof shall make glad the city of
God, the holy dwelling-place of the
Most High : God is in the midst of
her, she shall not be moved: God
shall help her, and that right early :
the LORD of hosts is with us ; the
God of Jacob is our refuge.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly
to be praised in the city of our God,
in the mountain of his holiness : we
remember thy loving-kindness in the
midst of thy temple : as thy name,
so extends thy praise unto the ends
of the earth : thy right hand is full
of righteousness.
4 Walk about Zion, and go round
about her, tell the towers thereof ;

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

47

mark ye well her bulwarks, consider
her palaces ; her God is our God for
ever and ever, and he shall be our
guide even unto death.
5 The mighty God speaks, and
calls the earth from the rising of the
sun unto the going down thereof ;
he comes, and keeps not silence: a
fire devours before him, and a temp
est rages around him : he calls to the
heavens from above, and to the earth,
that he may judge his people.
6 Hear, O my people, and I will
speak ; O Israel, and I will admonish
thee : I am God, even thy God. I
will take no bullock out of thy house,
nor he goats out of thy folds : for
every beast of the forest is mine, and
the cattle upon a thousand hills : I
know all the fowls of the mountains,
and the wild beasts of the field are
mine : if I were hungry, I would not
tell thee : for the world is mine, and
the fulness thereof. Offer unto me
thanksgiving, pay thy vows, and call
upon me in the day of trouble: I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt
glorify me. SELECTION XI.
TJAVE mercy upon me, O God,
according' to thy loving-kind
ness ; according unto the multitude
of thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions. ^2. Wash me thoroughly from mine
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin ;
for I acknowledge my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
3 Against thee, thee only, have I
sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight : so thou art justified when
thou speakest, and upright when
thou judgest.

4 Behold, thou desirest truth in
the inward heart : teach me, there
fore, wisdom in my inmost soul :
purge me as with hyssop, and I shall
be clean : wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow.
5 Hide thy face from my sins,
blot out all my iniquities, create in
me a clean heart, renew a right spirit
within me, cast me not away from
thy presence, take not thy holy spirit
from me, restore unto me the joy
of thy salvation, and uphold me with-
thy free spirit: — then will I teach
transgressors thy ways, and sinners
shall be converted unto thee.
6 O LORD, open thou my lips„
and my mouth shall show forth thy
praise : for thou desirest not sacrifice,.
else would I give it : thou delightest
not in burnt-offering: the sacrifices.
of God are a broken spirit : a broken
and a contrite heart, O God, thou
wilt not despise.
7 Give ear to my prayer, O God ;
hide not thyself from my supplica
tion, for my heart is sore pained
within me ; the terrors of death are
fallen upon me ; fearfulness and
trembling are come upon me, and
horror hath overwhelmed me.
8 O that I had wings like a dove!
then would I fly away, and be at rest.
But I will call upon God, and he
shall save me ; evening, morning, and
at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud :.
he shall hear my voice.
9 Cast thy burden upon the LORD,
and he will sustain thee: he will
never suffer those who seek him to
fall. io Be merciful unto me, 0 God,
be merciful unto me, for my soul
trusteth in thee : yea, in the shadow

48

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

of thy wings will I make my refuge,
until these calamities be overpast.
ii I will cry unto God most high.
unto God that performeth all things
for me : he shall send from heaven,
and save me : he shall send forth his
mercy and his truth.
12 My heart is fixed, O God, my
heart is fixed : I will sing and give
praise. Awake, my soul ; awake,
psaltery and harp : I myself will
awake early : I will praise thee among
the people : I will sing unto thee
among the nations ; for thy mercy is
great unto the heavens, and thy
truth unto the clouds. Be thou ex
alted, O God, above the heavens : let
thy glory be above all the earth.
SELECTION XII.
T_T EAR my cry, O God ; attend
unto my prayer, for my
heart is overwhelmed : lead me
to the rock that is higher than I.
Thou art my shelter and strong
tower from the enemy : I will abide
in thy tabernacle for ever, I will trust
in the covert of thy wings : for thou,
O God, wilt hear my vows, and give
me the heritage of those that fear thy
name. 2 Truly my soul waiteth upon
God, from whom cometh my salva
tion : he only is my rock and my sal
vation ; he is my defence ; I shall
not be greatly moved.
3 My soul, wait thou only upon
God ; my expectation is from him,
for he only is my rock and my sal
vation : he is my defence, I shall not
be moved.
4 Trust in him at all times ; ye
people, pour out your heart before
him : God is a refuge for us.

5 O God, thou art my God ; early
will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth
for thee, my heart longeth for thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no
water is ; to see thy power and thy
glory, as I have seen thee in the
sanctuary. 6 Because thy loving-kindness is
better than life, my lips shall praise
thee : I will bless thee while I live :
I will lift up my hands in thy name:
my soul shall be satisfied, and my
mouth shall praise thee with joyful
lips : I will remember thee upon my
bed, and meditate on thee in the
night-watches. 7 Because thou hast been my help,
therefore in the shadow of thy wings
will I rejoice.
8 My soul followeth after thee:
thy right hand upholdeth me.
9 Make a joyful noise unto God,
all ye lands : sing forth the honor of
his name : make his praise glorious.
IO All the earth shall worship
thee, and shall sing unto thee ; it
shall celebrate thy name. *
ii Come and see the works of
God, he is wonderful in his doing
toward the children of men : he
ruleth by his power for ever; his
eyes behold the nations : let not the
rebellious exalt themseh
12 O bless our God, ye people,
and make the voice of his praise to
be heard : who holdeth our soul in
life, and suffereth not our feet to be
moved. 13 Thou, O God, hast proved us:
thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
14 Come and hear, all ye that fear
God, and I will declare what he hath
done for my soul. I cried unto him
with my mouth, and extolled him-

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

49

with my tongue : if I regard iniquity
in my heart, he will not hear me :
but verily he hath heard me ; he
hath attended to the voice of my
prayer. Blessed be God, who hath
not turned away my prayer, nor his
mercy from me.
SELECTION XIII.
ORAISE waiteth for thee, O God,
in Zion : unto thee shall the vow
be performed : thou that hearest
prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
2 Our iniquities are heavy upon
us, but thou wilt forgive our trans
gressions : blessed is the man whom
thou acceptest, and causest to ap
proach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts : satisfy us with the
goodness of thy house, even of thy
holy temple.
3 By wonderful things in right
eousness wilt thou answer us, O God
of our salvation ; who art the con
fidence of all the ends of the earth,
and of them that are afar off upon
the sea : who in thy strength makest
fast the mountains, being girded
with power : who stillest the noise of
the seas, the noise of their waves,
and the tumult of the people.
4 They also that dwell in the
uttermost parts are awed by thy
wonders. For thou makest the re
gions of the morning and evening to
rejoice: thou visitest the earth, and
waterest it : thou greatly enrichest
it with the river of God, which is full
of water : thou preparest corn, when
thou hast so provided for it : thou
waterest the ridges thereof abun
dantly: thou settlest the furrows
thereof: thou makest.it soft with
showers : thou blessest the springing

thereof. Thou crownest the year with
thy goodness ; and thy paths drop
fatness — they drop upon the pastures
of the wilderness ; and the little hills
rejoice on every side, the pastures
are clothed with flocks, the valleys
also are covered with corn: they
shout for joy; they also sing.
5 God be merciful unto us, and
bless us, and cause thy face to shine
upon us ; that thy way may be
known upon earth, thy saving health
among all nations.
6 Let the people praise thee, O .
God ; let all the people praise thee :
let the nations be glad and sing for
joy: for thou shalt judge the people
righteously, and govern the nations
upon earth.
7 Let the people praise thee, O
God ; let all the people praise thee :
then shall the earth yield her in
crease ; and God, even our own
God, shall bless us : God shall bless
us; and all the ends of the earth
shall reverence him.
SELECTION XIV.
CAVE me, O God ; for the waters
are come in unto my soul.
2 I will offer my prayer unto thee :
O God, in the greatness of thy mercy
hear me ; in the truth of thy salva
tion deliver me : let me not sink :
let me be delivered from them that
hate me, and out of the deep waters.
3 Hear me, O LORD ; for thy
loving-kindness is good : turn unto
me according to the multitude of
thy tender mercies: hide not thy
face from thy servant, for I am in
trouble : hear me speedily.
4 Draw nigh unto my soul and re
deem it ; deliver me from all mine

5o

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

enemies : for I am poor and sorrow
ful : let thy salvation, 0 God, set
me up on high.
5 Make haste to deliver me, make
haste to help me, 0 LORD : let them
be ashamed that seek after my soul,
let them be turned backward that de
sire my hurt : but let all those that
seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee :
and let such as love thy salvation
say continually, God be magnified.
6 I am poor and needy ; make
haste unto me, O God : thou art my
help and my deliverer ; make no de
lay. 7 In thee, O LORD, do I put my
trust ; let me never be confounded :
deliver me in thy goodness, and
cause me to escape : incline thine
ear to me, and save me : be thou my
strong habitation, where I may con
tinually resort : thou art my rock
and my fortress.
8 Thou art my hope, O LORD
God : thou hast been my trust from
my youth : by thee have I been
holden up ever since I was born ;
my praise shall be continually of
thee : my mouth shall be filled with
thy praise and with thy honor all the
day. 9 Cast me not off in the time of
old age ; forsake me not when my
strength faileth ; O God, be not far
from me : O my God make haste for
my help.
io I will hope continually, and
will yet praise thee more and more :
my mouth shall show forth thy
righteousness and thy salvation all
the day, for thy mercies are more
than I can, number : I will go in thy
strength : I will make mention of thy
righteousness, even of thine only.

1 1 Thou hast taught me from my
youth, and hitherto have I declared
thy wondrous works : also now when
I am old and gray-headed, O God,
forsake me not ; until I have shewed
thy strength unto this generation,
and thy power to those that are to
come. 12 My lip shall greatly rejoice
when I sing unto thee, and my soul,
which thou hast redeemed ; my
tongue also shall talk of thy right
eousness all the day long.
SELECTION XV.
T T OW lovely are thy dwellings, O
LORD of hosts ! my soul long-
eth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts
of the LORD : my heart and my flesh
crieth out for the living God.
2 Even the sparrow hath found
an house, and the swallow a nest for
herself, where she may lay her
young, by thine altars, O LORD of
hosts, my King, and my God. Bless
ed are they that dwell in thy house :
they are continually praising thee.
3 Blessed are the men whose
strength is in thee, in whose heart
are thy ways : passing through the
valley of sorrow they make it full of
fountains, and the latter rain covers
it with blessings ; they go from
strength to strength, till all of them
in Zion appear before God.
4 Behold, O God our shield, and
look upon the face of thine anointed :
a day in thy courts is better than a
thousand : I had rather be a door
keeper in the house of my God, than
to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
5 The LORD God is a sun and
shield : the Lord will give grace and
glory ; no good thing will he with-

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

51

hold from them that walk uprightly:
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man
that trusteth in thee.
6 Bow down thine ear, O Lord,
hear me ; I am poor and needy : pre
serve my soul ; O thou my God, save
thy servant that trusteth in thee : be
merciful unto me : I cry unto thee
daily. 7 Rejoice the soul of thy servant :
unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my
soul ; for thou art good, ready to for
give, and plenteous in mercy unto
all them that call upon thee.
8 In the day of my trouble I will
call upon thee, for thou wilt answer
me : among the gods there is none
like unto thee, O LORD; neither are
there any works like unto thy works.
9 All nations whom thou hast
made shall come and worship before
thee, and shall glorify thy name;
for thou art great, and doest won
drous things : thou art God alone.
10 Teach me thy way, O LORD ;
I will walk in thy truth : unite my
heart to revere thy name : I will
praise thee with all my heart, and I
will glorify thy name evermore : be
cause thou art a God full of compas
sion, gracious, long-suffering, and
plenteous in mercy and truth.
11 O turn unto me, and have
mercy upon me ; give thy strength
unto thy servant, and save the son
of thine handmaid.
SELECTION XVI.
T ORD, thou hast been favorable
unto thy land : thou hast forgiv
en the iniquity of thy people : thou
hast covered all their sin : Wilt thou
not revive us again; that thy people
may rejoice in thee ?

2 I will hear what God the LORD
will speak : he will speak peace unto
his people, but let them not turn
again to folly : for surely his salva
tion is nigh them that reverence
him. 3 Mercy and truth are met to
gether ; righteousness and peace
have kissed each other : truth shall
spring out of the earth, and right
eousness shall look down from
heaven. 4 The Lord shall give that which
is good, and our land shall yield her
increase : righteousness shall go be
fore him, and shall set us in the way
of his steps.
5 I will sing of the mercies of the
LORD for ever: with my mouth will
I make known thy faithfulness to
all generations : for I know that thy
mercy endureth for ever, and truth
shalt thou establish like the very
heavens. 6 The heavens shall proclaim thy
wonders, O LORD, and thy truth also
shall be proclaimed in the congrega
tion of the holy ; for who in the
heaven can be compared unto the
LORD ? who among the sons of God
can be likened unto the LORD ?
7 God is greatly to be revered in
the assembly of the saints, and to
be had in reverence of all them that
are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a
strong LORD like unto thee ? or to
thy faithfulness round about thee?
Thou rulest the raging of the sea,
when the waves thereof arise, thou
stillest them : the heavens are thine,
the earth also is thine : as for the
world, and the fulness thereof, thou
hast founded them. Thou hast a

52

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

mighty arm : strong is thy hand, and
high is thy right hand : justice and
judgment are the foundation of thy
throne : mercy and truth shall go
before thy face.
9 Blessed are the people that
know the joyful sound : they shall
walk, O LORD, in the light of thy
countenance : in thy name shall they
rejoice all the day, and in thy right
eousness shall they be exalted : for
thou art the glory of their strength,
and in thy favor their heads shall be
exalted. SELECTION" XVII.
j ORD, make me to know mine
end, and the measure of my
days, what it is ; that I may know
how frail I am.
2 Behold, thou hast made my
days as an handbreadth ; and mine
age is as nothing before thee : verily
every man at his best state is alto
gether vanity.
3 Surely every man walketh like
a shadow, surely he disquieteth him
self in vain : he heapeth up riches,
and knoweth not who shall gather
them. 4 What then is my hope ? my
hope, O LORD, is in thee-; deliver me
from all my transgressions, and make
me not the reproach of foolish men.
5 I am dumb, I open not my
mouth, because thou hast done it;
remove thy stroke from me, I perish
by the blow of thine hand : when
thou with rebukes dost correct man
for iniquity, thou consumest his
beauty like a moth : surely every
man is vanity.
6 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and
give ear unto my cry ; hold not thy

peace at my tears : for I am a stran
ger with thee and a sojourner, as all
my fathers were: O spare me, that
I may recover strength, before I go
.hence, and be no more.
7 Lord, thou hast been our dwell
ing-place in all generations : before
the mountains were brought forth,
or ever thou hadst formed the earth
and the world, even from everlasting
to everlasting, thou art God.
8 Thou turnest man to destruc
tion ; and sayest, Return, children of
men : for a thousand years in thy
sight are but as yesterday when it is
past, and as a watch in the night.
9 Thou carriest man away as with
a flood ; he is as a dream ; he is like
grass which groweth up in the morn
ing — in the morning it flourisheth
and groweth up ; in the evening it is
cut down and withereth.
io We spend our years as a tale
that is told: the number of our
years is threescore years and ten ;
and if by reason of strength it be
fourscore years, yet is their continu
ance labor and sorrow ; for it is soon
cut off, and we fly away.
ii So teach us to number our
days, that we may apply our hearts
unto wisdom : satisfy us early with
thy mercy, that we may rejoice and
be glad all our days.
12 Make us glad according to the
days wherein thou hast afflicted us,
and the years wherein we have seen
evil : let thy dealings be revealed
unto thy servants, and thy glory un
to their children : let the beauty of
the Lord our God be upon us, and
establish thou the work of our harids ;
yea, the work of our hands establish
thou it.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

53

SELECTION XVIII.
T_T E that dwelleth in the secret
place of the Most High shall
abide under the shadow of the Al
mighty. 2 He shall cover thee with his
feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust : his truth shall be thy
shield and buckler: thou shalt not
be afraid for the terror of the night,
nor for the arrow that flieth by day,
nor for the pestilence that walketh in
darkness, nor for the destruction that
wasteth at noonday : a thousand shall
fall at thy side, and ten thousand at
thy right hand ; but it shall not come
nigh thee.
3 Because thou hast made the
Lord thy refuge, the Most High thy
habitation, there shall no evil befall
thee, neither shall any plague come
nigh thy dwelling: for he shall give
his angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways : and they shall
bear thee up in their hands, lest thou
dash thy foot against a stone.
4 It is a good thing to give thanks,
and to sing praises unto thy name,
O Most High: to show forth thy
loving-kindness in the morning, and
thy faithfulness every night.
5 O Lord how great are thy works !
thy thoughts are very deep.
6 The righteous shall flourish like
the palm-tree, he shall grow like a
cedar in Lebanon : those that be
planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God,
to shew that the LORD is upright,
and that no unrighteousness is in him.
SELECTION XIX.
(~\ COME, let us sing unto the
^"^LORD : let us make a joyful noise

to the Rock of our salvation : let us
come before his presence with thanks
giving, and make a joyful noise unto
him with psalms.
2 The LORD is a great God, and a
great King above all gods : in his
hand are the deep places of the earth,
the strength of the hills is his also :
the sea is his, and he made it: his
hands formed the dry land.
3 O come, let us worship and bow
down : let us kneel before the LORD
our maker : he is our God ; we are
the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his hand.
4 O sing unto the LORD a new
song, sing unto the LORD, all the
earth : sing unto the Lord, bless his
name, shew forth his salvation from
day to day : declare his glory among
the heathen, his wonders among all
people. 5 The LORD is great, and greatly
to be praised : he is to be feared
above all, gods : honor and majesty
are before him : strength and beauty
are in his sanctuary.
6 Give unto the Lord, O ye
kindreds of the people, give unto
the LORD glory and strength : give
unto the LORD the glory due unto
his name : bring an offering, and
come into his courts.
7 O worship the LORD in the
beauty of holiness: reverence him,
all the earth ; say among the heathen
that the LORD reigneth, and shall
judge the people righteously.
8 Let the heavens rejoice, and the
earth be glad : let the sea roar, and
the fulness thereof : let the field be
joyful, and all that is therein : let all
the trees of the wood rejoice before
the Lord.

54

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

9 For he cometh, for he cometh
to judge the earth : he shall judge
the world with righteousness, and
the people with his truth.

SELECTION XX.
THE Lord reigneth, let the earth
rejoice; let the multitude of
isles be glad thereof : clouds and
darkness are round about him :
righteousness and judgment are the
foundation of his throne.
2 His lightnings illumine the
world : the earth sees, and trembles :
the hills melt like wax at the pres
ence of the LORD, at the presence of
the Lord of the whole earth: the
heavens declare his righteousness,
and all the people see his glory.
3 Ye that love the Lord, hate
evil : he preserveth the souls of his
saints ; he delivereth them out of
the hand of the wicked.
4 Light is sown for the righteous,
and gladness for the upright in heart :
therefore rejoice in the LORD, ye
righteous, and give thanks at the re
membrance of his holiness.
5 O sing unto the Lord a new
song, for he hath done marvellous
things : his right hand, and his holy
arm, hath gotten him the victory : he
hath made known his salvation : his
righteousness hath he openly showed
in the sight of the nations : all the
ends of the earth have seen the salva
tion of our God.
6 Make a joyful noise unto the
Lord, all the earth : make a loud
noise, rejoice, and sing praise : sing
with the voice of a psalm, make a joy
ful noise before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and the ful
ness thereof; the world, and they

that dwell therein : let the floods
clap their hands : let the hills be joy
ful together before the LORD ; for he
cometh to judge the earth: with
righteousness shall he judge the
world, and the people with equity.

SELECTION XXI.
TV/TAKE a joyful noise unto the
LORD, all ye lands : serve him
with gladness : come before his pres
ence with singing.
2 Know that the LORD is God : it
is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves ; weare his people, and the
sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter into his gates with thanks
giving, and into his courts with
praise : be thankful unto him, and
bless his name : for the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting; and his
truth endureth to all generations.
4 Bless the LORD, O my soul :
and all that is within me, bless his
holy name.
5 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits : who for-
giveth all thine iniquities ; who heal-
eth all thy diseases ; who redeemeth
thy life from destruction ; who crown-
eth thee with loving-kindness and
tender mercies ; who satisfieth thy
mouth with good things, so that
thy youth is renewed like the
eagle's. 6 The Lord executeth righteous
ness and judgment for all that are
oppressed : he made known his ways
unto Moses, his acts unto the chil
dren of Israel.
7 The Lord is merciful and gra
cious, slow to anger, and plenteous
in mercy : he will not always chide,
neither will he always restrain his

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PSALMS.

55

anger. He hath not dealt with us
after our sins, nor rewarded us, ac
cording to our iniquities : for as the
heaven is high above the earth, so
great is his mercy toward them that
fear him : as far as the east is from
the west, so far hath he removed
our transgressions from us. Like as
a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that reverence
him : for he knoweth our frame ; he
remembereth that we are dust.
8 As for man, his days are as
grass: as a flower of the field, so he
flourisheth : the wind passeth over
it, and it is gone ; and the place
thereof shall know it no more. But
the mercy of the LORD is from ever
lasting to everlasting upon them that
reverence him, and his righteousness
unto children's children ; to such as
keep his covenant, and to those that
remember his commandments to do
them. SELECTION XXII.
S~\ LORD my God, thou art very
great ; thou art clothed with
honor and majesty : thou coverest
thyself with light as with a garment ;
thou spreadest out the heavens like
a curtain : thou layest the beams of
thy chambers in the waters : thou
makest the clouds thy chariot ; thou
walkest upon the wings of the wind :
thou makest the winds thy messen
gers ; flames of fire thy ministers.
2 Thou hast laid the foundations
of the earth, that it should not be
removed for ever : thou coveredst it
with the deep as with a garment : the
waters stood above the mountains:
at thy rebuke they fled ; at the voice
of thy thunder they hasted away.

3 The mountains rise up ; the
valleys sink away, in the places which
thou hast appointed for them : thou
hast set a bound that the waters
may not pass, that they turn not
again to cover the earth.
4 Thou sendest the springs into
the valleys, which run among the
hills : they give drink to every beast
of the field : near them the fowls of
the heaven have their habitation,
which sing among the branches.
5 Thou waterest the hills from
thy chambers, the earth is satisfied
with the fruit of thy works : thou
causest the grass to grow for the
cattle, and herbs for the service of
man : thou bringest forth food out
of the earth, and wine that maketh
glad the heart of man, and oil to
make his face to shine, and bread
which strengtheneth man's heart.
6 Thou appointest the moon for
seasons, the sun knoweth when to
go down : thou makest darkness, and
it is night: wherein all the .beasts of
the forest do creep forth : man goeth
forth unto his work and to his labor
until the evening.
7 O Lord, how manifold are thy
works ! in wisdom hast thou made
them all : the earth is full of thy ¦
riches : so is this great and wide sea,
wherein are things creeping innumer
able, both small and great beasts.
8 These wait all upon thee, to give
them their meat in due season : thou
hidest thy face, they are troubled ;
thou takest away their breath, they
die, and return to their dust.
9 Thou sendest forth thy spirit,
they are created : and thou renewest
the face of the earth : thou givest it
to them, they gather it ; thou openest

56

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

thine hand, they are filled with
good. io The glory of the LORD en
dureth for ever : the LORD rejoiceth
in his works : he looketh on the
earth, and it trembleth : he toucheth
the hills, and they smoke.
ill will sing unto the LORD as
long as I live, I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being:
my meditation of him shall be sweet:
I will be glad in the Lord.
SELECTION XXIII.
f~\ GIVE thanks unto the LORD,
for he is good : for his mercy
endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD
say so, whom he hath redeemed from
the hand of the enemy ; and gathered
them out of the lands, from the east,
and from the west, from the north,
and from the south. They wandered
in the wilderness in a solitary way ;
they found no city to dwell in :
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted
in them : then they cried unto the
LORD in their trouble, and he
delivered them out of their dis
tresses. And he led them forth by
the right way, that they might go
to a city of habitation.
3 O that men would praise the
LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of
men ! for he satisfieth the thirsty
soul, and filleth the hungry soul with
good : he hath broken the gates of
brass, and cut the bars of iron in
sunder. 4 O that men would praise the
LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of
men ! let them sacrifice the sacrifices

of thanksgiving, and declare his
works with rejoicing.
5 They that go down to the sea in
ships, that do business in great
waters ; these see the works of the
Lord, and his wonders in the deep ;
for he commandeth, and raiseth the
stormy wind, which lifteth up the
waves thereof ; they mount up to the
heaven, they go down again to the
depths ; their soul is melted because
of trouble. Then they cry unto the
Lord in their trouble, and he bring
eth them out of their distresses : he
maketh the storm a calm, so that the
waves thereof are still. Then are they
glad because they are quiet ; so he
bringeth them unto their desired
haven. 6 O that men would praise the
Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of
men ! let them exalt him in the con
gregation of the people, and praise
him in the assembly of the elders.
7 He turneth rivers into a wil
derness, and the water-springs into
dry ground ; a fruitful land into bar
renness, for the wickedness of them
that dwell therein. He turneth the
wilderness into a standing water,
and dry ground into water-springs:
and there he maketh the hungry to
dwell, that they may prepare a city
for habitation ; and sow the fields,
and plant vineyards, which may yield
fruits of increase.
8 The righteous shall see it, and
rejoice : and all iniquity shall stop
her mouth.
9 Whoso is wise, and will observe
these things, even he shall under
stand the loving-kindness of the
Lord.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

57

SELECTION XXIV.
f~\ GIVE thanks unto the LORD,
^^^ call upon his name, make known
his deeds among the people : sing
unto him, sing psalms unto him :
talk ye of all his wondrous works.
2 Glory ye in his holy name : let
the heart of them rejoice that seek
the Lord : seek the Lord, and his
strength : seek his face evermore.
3 Remember his marvellous works
that he hath done ; his wonders, and
the judgments of his mouth.
4 When our fathers were but a
few in number ; yea, very few, and
strangers in the land : when they
went from one nation to another,
from one kingdom to another
people ; he suffered no man to do
them wrong : yea, he reproved kings
for their sakes ; saying, Touch not
mine anointed, and do my prophets
no harm.
5 The works of the LORD are
great, sought out of all them that
have pleasure therein : his work is
honorable and glorious : and his
righteousness endureth for ever.
6 The LORD is gracious and full
of compassion : he hath given meat
unto them that fear him : he will
ever be mindful of his covenant.
7 The works of his hands are
truth and justice ; all his command
ments are sure : they stand fast for
ever and ever, and are done in truth
and uprightness.
8 The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom : a good under
standing have all they that do his
commandments. 9 Blessed is the man that feareth
the Lord, that delighteth greatly in
his commandments.

io Unto the upright there ariseth
light in the darkness : he is gracious,
and full of compassion.
1 1 Happy is the man who shew
eth favor, and lendeth : he will guide
his affairs with discretion : surely he
shall not be moved for ever: the
righteous shall be in everlasting re
membrance. 12 He hath dispersed, he hath
given to the poor : his righteousness
endureth for ever; he shall be exalt
ed with honor. SELECTION XXV.
(~\ GIVE thanks unto the LORD;
^^^ for he is good : because his
mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now say, that his
mercy endureth for ever: let the
house of Aaron now say, that his
mercy endureth for ever : let them
now that reverence the Lord say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 I called upon the LORD in dis
tress : he answered me, and delivered
me : he is on my side ; I will not fear :
what can man do unto me ?
4 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man : it is
better to trust in the LORD than to
put confidence in princes.
5 The LORD is my strength and
song, and is become my salvation.
6 The voice of rejoicing and sal
vation is in the tabernacles of the
righteous. 7 I shall not die, but live, and de
clare the works of the LORD.
8 Open to me the gates of right
eousness : I will go into them, and I
will praise the LORD.
9 The stone which the builders re
fused is become the head stone of

58

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

the corner ; this is the Lord's doing ;
it is marvellous in our eyes.
io O give thanks unto the Lord ;
for he is good: for his mercy. endu
reth for ever.
SELECTION XXVI.
"DLESSED are the undefiled in
the way, who walk in the law
of the Lord : blessed are they that
keep his commandments, and that
seek him with the whole heart.
2 Thou hast commanded us to
keep thy precepts diligently: O that
my ways were directed to keep thy
statutes ! I will praise thee with up
rightness of heart, when I shall have
learned thy righteous judgments: I
will keep thy statutes : O forsake
me not utterly.
3 With my whole heart have I
sought thee: O let me not wander
I mm thy commandments : thy word
have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee : O
LORD, teach me thy statutes ; open
thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of thy law.
4 I am a stranger in the earth,
hide not thy commandments from
me: my nature cleaveth to the dust,
quicken me according to thy word.
5. Make me to understand the way
of thy precepts, so shall I talk of thy
wondrous works : I will run the way
of thy commandments, when thou
shalt enlarge my heart : teach me,
O Lord, the way of thy statutes ;
and I shall keep it unto the end.
6 Give me understanding, and I
shall keep thy law ; yea, I shall ob
serve it with my whole heart : make
me to go in the path of thy com
mandments, for therein do I delight.

7 Incline my heart unto thy testi
monies, and not to covetousness :
turn away mine eyes from beholding
vanity, and quicken thou me in thy
way : so shall I keep thy law contin
ually for ever and ever : and I will
walk at liberty : for I seek thy pre
cepts. 8 My lips shall utter praise when
thou hast taught me thy statutes :
my tongue shall speak of thy word :
for all thy commandments are right
eousness. 9 I have chosen thy precepts : I
have longed for thy salvation, O
Lord ; and thy law is my delight.
10 Let my soul live, and it shall
praise thee ; and let thy judgments
help me. SELECTION XXVII.
D RAISE ye the Lord. Praise, 0
ye servants of the Lord, praise
the name of the Lord : from the
rising of the sun unto the going
down of the same the Lord's name
is to be praised.
2 Who is like unto the LORD our
God, who dwelleth on high, but
humbleth himself to behold the
things that are in heaven, and in
the earth ? He raiseth up the poor
out of the dust, and lifteth the
needy out of the ground ; that he
may set him with princes, even with
the princes of his people.
3 I love the Lord, because he
hath heard my voice and my sup
plications : he hath inclined his ear
unto me, therefore will I call upon
him as long as I live.
4 The sorrows of death compassed
me, and fear of the grave seized upon
me : I found heaviness and despair :

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

59

then called I upon the name of the
LORD : O LORD, I beseech thee pre
serve my soul. Return now unto
thy rest, O my soul ; the Lord hath
dealt bountifully with thee ; for he
has preserved my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears, and my feet
from falling.
5. What shall I render unto the
LORD for all his benefits toward me?
I will take the cup of salvation, and
call upon the name of the Lord : I
will pay my vows unto the Lord
now in the presence of all his people :
I will offer to him the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and will call upon his
name. 6 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark
iniquities, who could stand ? but
there is forgiveness with thee, that
thou mayest be revered.
7 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth
wait, and in his word do I hope : my
soul waiteth for the Lord more than
they that watch for the morning.
8 Let Israel hope in the LORD :
for with him there is mercy, and with
him is plenteous redemption.
SELECTION XXVIII.
T WILL lift up mine eyes unto the
hills, whence cometh my help :
my help cometh from the LORD,
which made heaven and earth : he
will not suffer my foot to be moved :
he that keepeth me will not slumber.
2 Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
3 The LORD is thy keeper : he is
thy shade upon thy right hand : the
sun shall not smite thee by day, nor
the moon by night : the LORD shall
preserve thee from all evil : he shall
.preserve thy soul : he shall preserve

thy going out and thy coming in,
from this time forth, and even for
evermore. 4 I was glad when they said unto
me, Let us go into the house of the
LORD ; our feet shall stand within
thy gates, O Jerusalem.
5 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem ;
they shall prosper that love thee :
peace be within thy walls, and pros
perity within thy palaces : for my
brethren and companions' sakes, I
will now say, Peace be within thee :
because of the house of the Lord
our God, I will seek thy good.
6. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,
O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look
unto the hand of their masters, and
as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand
of her mistress ; so our eyes wait
upon the LORD our God, until he
have mercy upon us.
7 They that trust in the Lord
shall be as Mount Zion, which can
not be removed, but abideth for ever.
8 As the mountains are round
about Jerusalem, so the LORD is
round about his people from hence
forth, even for ever.
9 Do good, O Lord, unto those
that be good, and to them that are
upright in heart.
SELECTION XXIX.
f~\ LORD, thou hast searched me,
^^ and known me : thou knowest
my downsitting and mine uprising;
thou understandest my thoughts afar
off : thou compassest my path and
my lying down, and art acquainted
with all my ways.
2 There is not a word in my
tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou know-

6o

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PSALMS.

est it altogether : thou hast beset
me behind and before, and laid thine
hand upon me.
3 Such knowledge is too wonder
ful for me ; it is high, I cannot attain
unto it.
4 Whither shall I go from thy
Spirit ? or whither shall I flee from
thy presence ? if I ascend up into
heaven, thou art there : if I make
my bed in the grave, behold, thou
art there : if I take the wings of the
morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea ; — even there shall
thy hand lead me, and thy right hand
shall hold me : if I say, Surely the
darkness shall cover me ; even the
night shall be light about me. Yea,
the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the day :
the darkness and the light are both
alike to thee.
5 I will praise thee; for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made :
marvellous are thy works ; and that
my soul knoweth right well.
6 How precious also are thy
thoughts unto me, O God ! how
great is the sum of them ! if I should
count them, they are more in number
than the sand : when I awake, I am
still with thee.
7 Search me, O God, and know
my heart : try me, and know my
thoughts : see if there be any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting. SELECTION XXX.
ij WILL extol thee, my God, and
I will bless thy name for ever
and ever: every day will I bless thee,
and I will praise thy name for ever
and ever.

2 Great is the LORD, and greatly
to be praised ; his greatness is un
searchable. 3 One generation shall repeat thy
works to another, and shall declare
thy mighty acts: they shall abun
dantly utter the memory of thy great
goodness, and shall sing of thy right
eousness. 4 The LORD is gracious, and full
of compassion, slow to anger, and of
great mercy: he is good to all: his
tender mercies are over all his works :
he upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth
up all those that are bowed down.
5 The eyes of all wait upon thee,
and thou givest them their meat in
due season : thou openest thine hand,
and satisfiest the desire of every
living thing.
6 The Lord is righteous in all
his ways, and holy in all his works.
7 The Lord is nigh unto all them
that call upon him, to all that call
upon him in truth : he will fulfil the
desire of them that reverence him :
he also will hear their cry, and will
save them.
8 Praise ye the Lord : it is good
to sing praises unto our God ; it is
pleasant ; and praise is comely : for
he healeth the broken in heart, and
bindeth up their wounds.
9 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem ;
praise thy God, O Zion : for he hath
strengthened the bars of thy gates ;
he hath blessed thy children within
thee. He maketh peace in thy bor
ders, and filleth thee with the finest
of the wheat : he sendeth forth his
commandment upon earth : his word
runneth very swiftly. He giveth
snow like wool : he scattereth the
hoar frost like ashes: he casteth

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

6l

forth his ice like morsels: who can
stand before his cold ? He sendeth
out his word, and melteth them : he

causeth his wind to blow, and the
waters flow.
10 Praise ye the Lord.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— PROVERBS.

SELECTION I.
"THE fear of the LORD is the be-
ginning of knowledge : but
fools despise wisdom and instruc
tion. 2 My son, hear the instruction of
thy father, and forsake not the law
of thy mother : for they shall be an
ornament of grace unto thy head,
and chains about thy neck.
3 My son, if sinners entice thee,
consent thou not : if they say, Come
with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us
lurk privily for the innocent; we shall
find all precious substance, we shall
fill our houses with spoil : cast in thy
lot among us, let us all have one
purse : — My son, walk not thou in
the way with them, refrain thy foot
from their path : for their feet run
to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
4 Surely in vain the net is spread
in the sight of any bird : such as
these lay wait for their own blood,
they lurk privily for their own lives.
So also are the ways of every one
that is greedy of gain.
5 Wisdom crieth without ; she
uttereth her voice in the streets : she
crieth in the chief place of concourse,
in the openings of the gates : in the
city she uttereth her words, saying—
How long, ye simple ones, will ye
love folly ? and ye scorners delight
in scorning, and ye fools hate knowl
edge?

6 Turn you at my reproof: be
hold, I will pour out my spirit unto
you, I will make known my words
unto you.
7 Because I have called, and ye
refused ; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded ; because
ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof : I
also will laugh at your calamity ; I
will mock when your fear cometh.
8 When your fear cometh as deso
lation, and your destruction as a
whirlwind; when distress and anguish
come upon you : — then shall ye call
upon me, but I will not answer ; ye
shall seek me early, but shall not find
me. For ye hated knowledge, and
did not choose the fear of the LORD :
ye would none of my counsel : ye
despised all my reproof. Therefore
shall ye eat of the fruit of your own
way, and be filled with your own de
vices : the turning away of the
simple shall slay you, and the pros
perity of fools shall destroy you.
9 But whoso hearkeneth unto me
shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet
from fear of evil.
SELECTION II.
TV /TY son, if thou wilt receive my
^ words, and < hide my com
mandments with thee ; so that thou
incline thine ear unto wisdom, and
apply thine heart to understanding ;

62

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

if thou criest after knowledge, and
liftest up thy voice for understand
ing ; if thou seekest her as silver,
and searchest for her as for hid
treasures ; — then shalt thou under
stand the fear of the LORD, and find
the knowledge of God.
2 The Lord giveth wisdom ; out
of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding : he layeth up sound
wisdom for the righteous : he is a
buckler to them that walk uprightly :
he keepeth the paths of judgment,
and preserveth the way of his
saints. 3 When wisdom entereth into
thine heart, and knowledge is pleas
ant unto thy soul ; then discretion
shall preserve thee, and understand
ing shall keep thee, to deliver thee
from the way of evil men, from men
who speak froward things ; who
leave the paths of uprightness, to
walk in the ways of darkness ; who
rejoice to do evil, and delight in the
frowardness of the wicked ; whose
ways are crooked. To deliver thee
also from the strange woman, even
from the stranger who flattereth with
her words ; who forsaketh the guide
of her youth, and forgetteth the cove
nant of her God ; whose house in-
clineth unto death, and her paths
unto the dead ; for none that go unto
her return again, neither take they
hold of the paths of life.
4 Walk thou in the way of good
men, and keep the paths of the right
eous : for the upright shall dwell in
the land, and the. perfect shall re
main in it: but the wicked shall be
cut off from the earth, and the
transgressors shall be rooted out of
it.

SELECTION III.
TV /TY son, forget not my law; but
let thine heart keep my com
mandments : for length of days, and
long life, and peace, shall they add
to thee.
2 Let not mercy and truth forsake
thee : bind them about thy neck ;.
write them. upon the table of thine
heart : so shalt thou find favor and
good understanding in the sight of
God and man.
3 Trust in the LORD with all thine
heart, and lean not unto thine own
understanding : in all thy ways ac
knowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths.
4 Be not wise in thine own eyes :
fear the LORD, and depart from
evil. 5 Honor the Lord with thy sub
stance, and with the firstfruits of all
thine increase : so shall thy barns be
filled with plenty, and thy presses
shall burst out with new wine.
6 My son, despise not the chasten
ing of the LORD ; neither be weary
of his correction : for whom the
LORD loveth he correcteth ; even as
a father the son in whom he delight
eth. 7 Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding : the merchandise of
it is better than the merchandise of
silver, and the gain thereof than fine
gold : it is more precious than ru
bies : and all the things thou canst
desire are not to be compared unto
it. Length of days is in her right
hand, and in her left hand riches and
honor : her ways are ways of pleas
antness, and all her paths are peace:
she is a tree of life to them that lay

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

63

hold upon her : and happy is every
one that retaineth her.
8 The Lord by wisdom hath
,/founded the earth ; by understand
ing hath he established the heavens :
, by his knowledge the depths are
broken up, and the clouds drop down
the dew.
9 My son, let not them depart
from thine eyes : keep sound wisdom
and discretion : so shall they be life
unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck :
so shalt thou walk in thy way safely,
and thy foot shall not stumble : when
thou liest down, thou shalt not be
afraid : yea, thou shalt lie down, and
thy sleep shall be sweet.
10 Withhold not benevolence from
them to whom it is due, when it is
in the power of thine hand to do it :
say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and
come again, and to-morrow I will
give ; when thou hast it by thee.
1 1 Envy thou not the oppressor,
and choose none of his ways : for the
curse of the LORD is in the house of
the wicked : but he blesseth the hab
itation of the just.
12 Surely he scorneth the scorn
ers, but giveth grace unto the lowly :
the wise shall inherit glory, but
shame shall be the promotion of
fools. SELECTION IV.
(~^Oto the ant, thou sluggard ; con-
^J sider her ways, and be wise:
which having no guide, overseer, or
ruler, provideth her meat in the sum
mer, and gathereth her food in the
harvest. 2 How long wilt thou sleep, O
sluggard ? when wilt thou arise out
of thy sleep ? Yet a little sleep, a

little slumber, a little folding of the
hands to sleep : so shall thy poverty
come as one that travelleth, and thy
want as an armed man.
3 These six things doth the LORD
hate : yea, seven are an abomination
unto him : — a proud look, a lying
tongue, hands that shed innocent
blood, an heart that deviseth wicked
imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief, a false witness.
tJiat speaketh lies, and he that sow-
eth discord among brethren.
4 Take fast hold of instruction ;
let her not go : keep her ; for she is
thy life.
5 Enter not into the path of the
wicked, and go not in the way of evil
men : avoid it, pass not by it, turn
from it, and pass away : for they
sleep not, except they have done
mischief ; their sleep is taken away,
unless they cause some to fall ; they
eat the bread of wickedness, and
drink the wine of violence.
6 The path of the just is as the
shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfect day : but the
way of the wicked is as darkness,.
they know not at what they stum
ble. 7 Keep thy heart with all dili
gence ; for out of it are the issues of
life. 8 Put away from thee a froward
mouth, and perverse lips put far from
thee. 9 Let thine eyes look right on, and
let thine eyelids look straight before
thee. 10 Ponder the path of thy feet, and
let all thy ways be established : turn
not to the right hand nor to the left :
remove thy foot from evil.

64

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

II The commandment w a lamp :
the law is light ; reproofs of instruc
tion are the way of life.
12 Keep thee from the evil wom
an, from the flattery of the tongue
of a strange woman : lust not after her
beauty in thine heart ; neither let her
take thee with her eyelids. Can a
man take fire in his bosom, and his
clothes not be burned ? Can one go
upon hot coals, and his feet not be
burned ?
13 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my
sister ; and call understanding thy
kinswoman : that they may keep
thee from the strange woman, from
the stranger which flattereth with her
words : let not thine heart decline to
her ways, go not astray in her paths :
— For she hath cast down many
wounded : yea, many strong men
have been slain by her : her house is
the way to hell, going down to the
chambers of death.
SELECTION V.
"P\OTH not wisdom cry? and un
derstanding put forth her
voice? She standeth in the top of
high places, by the way in the places
of the paths : she crieth at the gates,
at the entry of the city, at the com
ing in at the doors : —
2 Unto you, O men, I call; and
my voice is to the sons of man. O
ye simple, understand wisdom, and
ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart. Hear ; for I will speak of ex
cellent things ; and the opening of
my lips shall be right things: my
mouth shall speak truth ; wickedness
is an abomination to my lips : all the
words of my mouth are in righteous
ness ; there is nothing froward or

perverse in them : they are all plain
to him that understandeth, and right
to them that find knowledge".
3 Receive my instruction, and not
silver; and knowledge rather than
choice gold : for wisdom is better
than rubies ; and all the things that
may be desired are not to be com
pared to it. I wisdom dwell with
prudence, and find out knowledge of
witty inventions.
4 The fear of the LORD is to hate
evil : pride, and arrogan cy, and the
evil way, and the froward mouth, do
I hate. 5 Counsel is mine, and sound wis
dom : I am understanding ; I have
strength : by me kings reign, and
princes decree justice : by me princes
rule, and nobles, even all the judges
of the earth.
6 I love them that love me ; and
those that seek me early shall find
me. 7 Riches and honor are with me,
yea, durable riches and righteous
ness : my fruit is better than gold,
yea, than fine gold ; and my revenue
than choice silver.
8 I lead in the way of righteous
ness, in the midst of the paths of
judgment : that I may cause those
that love me to inherit substance ;
and I will fill their treasures.
9 The Lord possessed me in the
beginning of his way, before his
works of old : I was set up from
everlasting, from the beginning, or
ever the earth was : when there were
no depths, I was brought forth ;
when there were no fountains abound
ing with water: before the moun
tains were settled, before the hills,
was I brought forth : while as yet he

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

65

had not made the earth, nor the
fields, nor the highest part of the
dust of the world.
10 When he prepared the heavens,
I was there : when he set a compass
upon the face of the depth : when he
established the clouds above : when
he strengthened the fountains of the
deep : when he gave to the sea his
decree, that the waters should not
pass his commandment : when he
appointed the foundations of the
earth : — then I was by him, as one
brought up with him : and I was
daily his delight, rejoicing always be
fore him ; rejoicing in the habitable
part of his earth ; and my delights
were with the sons of men.
1 1 Now therefore hearken unto me,
O ye children : for blessed are they
that keep my ways. Hear instruc
tion, and be wise, and refuse it not.
12 Blessed is the man that heareth
me, watching daily at my gates, wait
ing at the posts of my doors : for
whoso findeth me findeth life, and
shall obtain favor of the Lord : but
he that sinneth against mewrongeth
his own soul : all they that hate me
love death. SELECTION VI.
A SOFT answer turneth away
"^^ wrath : but grievous words
stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth
knowledge aright : but the mouth of
fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the LORD are in
every place, beholding the evil and
the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree
of life ; but perverseness therein is
a breach in the spirit.

5 A fool despiseth his father's in
struction : but he that regardeth re
proof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous is
much treasure : but in the revenues
of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse
knowledge : but the heart of the
foolish doeth not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is
an abomination to the LORD : but
the prayer of the upright is his de
light. 9 The way of the wicked is an
abomination unto the LORD : but he
loveth him that followeth after right
eousness. 10 The fear of the Lord pro-
longeth days : but the years of the
wicked shall be shortened.
1 1 Righteousness exalteth a na
tion : but sin is a reproach to any
people. 12 Better is a little with righteous
ness than great revenues without
right. 13 Better is little with the fear of
the Lord than great treasure and
trouble therewith.
14 Better is a dinner of herbs
where love is, than a stalled ox and
hatred therewith.
15 A wrathful man stirreth up
strife : but he that is slow to anger
appeaseth strife.
16 The way of the slothful man is
as an hedge of thorns : but the way
of the righteous is made plain.
17 A wise son maketh a glad
father : but a foolish man despiseth
his mother.
18 In the multitude of words there
wanteth not sin : but he that re-
fraineth his lips is wise.

66

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

19 The tongue of the just is as
choice silver : the heart of the wicked
is little worth.
20 The lips of the righteous feed
many : but fools die for want of
wisdom. 21 The simple believeth every
word : but the prudent man looketh
well to his going.
22 A wise man feareth, and de-
parteth from evil : but the fool
rageth, and is confident.
23 Without counsel purposes are
disappointed : but in the multitude
of counsellors they are established.
24 A man hath joy by the answer
of his mouth : and a word spoken in
due season, how good is it!
25 The way of life is above to the
wise, that he may depart from hell
beneath. 26 He that is soon angry dealeth
foolishly : and a man of wicked de
vices is hated.
27 The simple inherit folly : but
the prudent are crowned with knowl
edge. 28 The evil bow before the good :
and the wicked at the gates of the
righteous. 29 He becometh poor that dealeth
with a slack hand : but the hand of
the diligent maketh rich.
30 He that gathereth in summer
is a wise son : but he that sleepeth
in harvest is a son that causeth
shame. 31 Blessings are upon the head of
the just : but violence covereth the
mouth of the wicked.
32 The memory of the just is
blessed : but the name of the wicked
shall rot.
33 The wise in heart will receive

commandments : but a prating fool
shall fall.
34 He that walketh uprightly
walketh surely: but he that per-
verteth his ways shall be known.
35 The mouth of a righteous man
is a well of life : but violence cover
eth the mouth of the wicked.
36 Hatred stirreth up strifes : but
love covereth all sins.
SELECTION VII.
A GOOD name is rather to be
chosen than great riches, and
loving favor rather than silver and
gold. 2 The rich and poor meet to
gether : the Lord is the maker of
them all.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil,
and hideth himself: but the simple
pass on, and are punished.
4 Seest thou a man diligent in his
business ? he shall stand before kings ;
he shall not stand before mean men.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon
that which is not ? for riches certainly
make themselves wings; they fly
away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him
that hath an evil eye, neither desire
thou his dainty meats.
7 An inheritance may be gotten
hastily at the beginning ; but the end
thereof shall not be blessed.
8 Say not thou, I will recompense
evil ; but wait on the LORD, and he
shall save thee.
9 Whoso keepeth his mouth and
his tongue keepeth his soul from
troubles. 10 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the
cry of the poor, he also shall cry him
self, but shall not be heard.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

67

II He that hath pity upon the
poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and
that which he hath given will he pay
him again.
12 Chasten thy son while there is
hope, and let not thy soul spare for
his crying.
13 He that covereth a transgres
sion seeketh love ; but he that re-
peateth a matter separateth very
friends. 14 A reproof entereth more into a
wise man than a hundred stripes into
a fool. 15 He that loveth pleasure shall
be a poor man : he that loveth wine
and oil shall not be rich.
16 Who hath woe? who hath sor
row ? who hath contentions ? who
hath babbling? who hath wounds
without cause ? who hath redness of
eyes ? They that tarry long at the
wine; they that go to seek mixed
wine. 17 Look not thou upon the wine
when it is red, when it giveth its
color in the cup, when it moveth
itself aright : for at the last it biteth
like a serpent, and stingeth like an
adder. 18 Be not among winebibbers ;
among riotous eaters of flesh : for
the drunkard and -the glutton shall
come to poverty : and drowsiness
shall clothe a man with rags.
19 Hearken unto thy father that
begat thee, and despise not thy
mother when she is old.
20 Buy the truth and sell it not ;
also wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding. 21 When pride cometh, then com
eth shame : but with the lowly is
wisdom.

22 The integrity of the upright
shall guide them : but the perverse
ness of transgressors shall destroy
them. 23 Riches profit not in the day of
wrath : but righteousness delivereth
from death.
24 The righteousness of the per
fect shall direct his way : but the
wicked shall fall by his own wicked
ness. 25 The hoary head is a crown of
glory, if it be found in the way of
righteousness. 26 He that is slow to anger is bet
ter than the mighty ; and he that
ruleth his spirit than he that taketh
a city. 27 The lot is cast into the lap ;
but the' whole disposing thereof is
of the Lord.
28 Say not, I will do so to him as
he hath done to me : I will render
to the man according to his deserts.
29 I went by the field of the sloth
ful, and by the vineyard of the man
void of understanding ; and, lo, it was
all grown over with thorns, and net
tles had covered the face thereof,
and the stone wall thereof was broken
down. Then I saw, and considered
it well : I looked upon it, and re
ceived instruction : yet a little sleep,
a little slumber, a little folding of
the hands to sleep : so shall thy pov
erty come as one that travelleth, and
thy want as an armed man.
30 Seest thou a man wise in his
own conceit ? there is more hope of a
fool than of him.
31 The slothful man saith, There
is a lion in the way ; a lion is in the
streets. 32 The slothful hideth his hand

68

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

in his bosom ; it grieveth him to
bring it again to his mouth.
33 The sluggard is wiser in his
own conceit than seven men that
can render a reason.
34 He, that being often reproved
hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly
be destroyed, and that without
remedy. 35 When the righteous are in au
thority, the people rejoice : but when
the wicked beareth rule, the people
mourn.

SELECTION VIII.
is a dry morsel,

and

jDETTER quietness therewith, than an
house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 Debate thy cause with thy
neighbor himself ; discover not the
secret to another : lest he that hear
eth it put thee to shame, and thine
infamy turn not away.
3 A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in pictures of silver.
4 He that hath no rule over his
own spirit is like a city that is broken
down, and without walls.
5 A fool uttereth all his mind :
but a wise man keepeth it in till
afterwards. 6 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall
therein : and he that rolleth a stone,
it will return upon him.
7 He that passeth by, and med-
dleth with strife belonging not to
him, is like one that taketh a dog by
the ears.
8 Where no wood is, there the fire
goeth out : so where there is no tale
bearer, the strife ceaseth.
9 As coals are to burning coals,
and wood to fire ; so is a contentious
man to kindle strife.

io Confidence in an unfaithful
man in time of trouble is like a
broken tooth, and a foot out of
joint. u If thine enemy be hungry, give
him bread to eat ; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink.
12 Wrath is cruel, and anger is
outrageous ; but who is able to
stand before envy ?
13 Open rebuke is better than
secret love.
14 Faithful are the wounds of a
friend ; but the kisses of an endmy
are deceitful.
15 The full soul loatheth an
honeycomb ; but to the hungry soul
every bitter thing is sweet.
16 As a bird that wandereth from
her nest, so is a man that wandereth
from his place.
17 Ointment and perfume rejoice
the heart : so doth the sweetness of
a man's friend by hearty counsel.
18 Boast not thyself of to-mor
row ; for thou knowest not what a
day may bring forth.
19 It is the glory of God to con
ceal a thing : but the honor of noble
men is to search out a matter.
20 A just man falleth seven times,
and riseth up again : but the wicked
continue in mischief.
21 Rejoice not when thine enemy
falleth, and let not thine heart be
glad when he stumbleth.
22 Fret not thyself because of evil
men, neither be thou envious at the
wicked ; for there shall be no reward
to the evil man ; the candle of the
wicked shall be put out ; their ca
lamity shall rise suddenly ; and who
knoweth the end of them.
23 This also belongeth to the wise,

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — PROVERBS.

69

not to have respect of persons in
judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked,
Thou art righteous ; him shall the
people curse, nations shall abhor
him : but to them that rebuke him
shall be delight, and a good blessing
shall come upon them.
25 Every man shall kiss his lips
that giveth a right answer.
26 He that by usury and unjust
gain increaseth his substance, he
shall gather it for them that will
pity the poor.
27 He that turneth away his ear
from hearing the law, even his prayer
shall be abomination.
28 Whoso causeth the righteous
to go astray in an evil way, he shall
fall himself into his own pit : but
the upright shall have good things
in possession.
29 He that covereth his sins shall
not prosper : but whoso confesseth
and forsake th them shall have mercy.
30 Happy is the man that feareth
alway : but he that hardeneth his
heart shall fall into mischief.
SELECTION IX.
\\T HO can find a virtuous woman ?
for her price is tar above
rubies : the heart of her husband
doth safely trust in her, so that he
shall have no need of spoil : she will
do him good and not evil all the days
of her life.
2 She seeketh wool, and flax, and
worketh willingly with her hands
like the merchants' ships, she bring
eth her food from afar.
3 She riseth also while it is yet
night, and giveth meat to her house
hold, and a portion to her maidens.

4 She considereth a field, and
buyeth it : with the fruit of her
hands she planteth a vineyard.
5 She perceiveth that her mer
chandise is good : her candle goeth
not out by night.
6 She layeth her hands to the
spindle, and her hands hold the
distaff. 7 She stretcheth out her hand to
the poor ; yea, she reacheth forth
her hands to the needy.
8 She is not afraid of the snow for
her household : for all her household
are clothed with scarlet : she maketh
herself coverings of tapestry ; her
clothing is silk and purple.
9 Her husband is known in the
gates, when he sitteth among the
elders of the land.
10 She maketh fine linen, and
selleth it; and delivereth girdles
unto the merchant.
11 Strength and honor are her
clothing ; and she shall rejoice in
time to come.
12 She openeth her mouth with
wisdom ; and in her tongue is the
law of kindness.
13 She looketh well to the ways
of her household, and eateth not the
bread of idleness.
14 Her children arise up, and call
her blessed ; her husband also, and
he praiseth her.
15 Many daughters have done
virtuously, but thou excellest them
all. 16 Favor is deceitful, and beauty
is vain : but a woman that feareth
the Lord, she shall be praised.
17 Give her of the fruit of her
hands ; and let her own works
praise her in the gates.

7o

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— ECCLESIASTES.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— ECCLESIASTES.

SELECTION I.
Happiness to be found only in the pur
suit of wisdom andin the practice of virtue.
T SAID in mine heart, Go to now,
I will prove thee with mirth,
therefore enjoy pleasure. And, be
hold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad :
and of mirth, What doeth it ?
3 I sought in mine heart to give
myself unto wine, yet acquainting
mine heart with wisdom ; and to lay
hold on folly, till I might see what
was that" good for the sons of men,
which they should do under the
heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works ; I
builded me houses ; I planted me
vineyards : I made me gardens and
orchards, and I planted trees in them
of all kind of fruits : I made me pools
of water, to water therewith the
wood that bringeth forth trees : I
got me servants and maidens, and
had servants born in my house ; also
I had great possessions of great and
small cattle above all that were in
Jerusalem before me : I gathered me
also silver and gold, and the pecul
iar treasure of kings and of the prov
inces : I got me men singers and
women singers, and the delights of
the sons of men, as musical instru
ments, and that of all sorts.
5 So I was great, and increased
more than all that were before me
in Jerusalem : also my wisdom re
mained with me.
6 And whatsoever mine eyes de
sired I kept not from them, I with

held not my heart from any joy ; for
my heart rejoiced in all my labor:
and this was my portion of all my
labor. 7 Then I looked on all the works
that my hands had wrought, and on
the labor that I had labored to
do : and, behold, all was vanity and
vexation of spirit, and there was no
profit under the sun.
8 And I turned myself to behold
wisdom and madness, and folly : and
I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as
far as light excelleth darkness : for
God giveth to man what is good in
his sight, wisdom, and knowledge,
and joy: but to the sinner he giveth
travail, to gather and to heap up
that which in the end shall be pos
sessed by the upright before God.
This also is vanity and vexation
of spirit. SELECTION II.
There is a time for every thing.
r I " 0 every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose un
der the heaven : —
2 A time to be born, and a
time to die ; a time to plant, and
a time to pluck up that which is
planted ;
3 A time to kill, and a time to
heal ; a time to break down, and a
time to build up ;
4 A time to weep, and a time to
laugh ; a time to mourn, and a time
to dance ;
5 A time to get, and a time to
lose ; a time to keep, and a time to
cast away ;

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ECCLESIASTES.

71

6 A time to rend, and a time to
sew ; a time to keep silence, and a
time to speak ;
7 A time to love, and a time to
hate ; a time of war, and a time of
peace. 8 I have seen the travail which
God hath given to the sons of men
for their discipline : how he hath
made every thing beautiful: also
, hath set the world before them, so
that no man can find out the work
that God maketh from the beginning
to the end.
9 I know that, whatsoever God
doeth, it shall be for ever : nothing
can be put to it, nor any thing taken
from it : and God doeth it, that men
should reverence him.
10 That which hath been is now ;
and that which is to be hath already
been ; and God restoreth that which
is past. 11 Moreover I saw under the sun
the place of judgment, that wicked
ness was there ; and the place of
righteousness, that iniquity was
there : and I said in mine heart, God
shall judge the righteous and the
wicked ; for there is a time for every
purpose and for every work.
SELECTION III.
Death, and the just retributions which
shall certainly follow.
(~^ AST thy bread upon the waters :
^"^ for thou shalt find it after many
days. 2 In the morning sow thy seed,
and in the evening withhold not
thine hand: for thou knowest not
whether shall prosper, either this or
that, or whether they both shall be
alike good.

3 A good name is better than pre
cious ointment ; and the day of death
than the day of one's birth.
4 It is better to go to the house of
mourning, than to go to the house
of feasting : for that is the end of all
men ; and the living will lay it to his
heart. 5 Sorrow is better than laughter:
for by the sadness of the countenance
the heart is made better.
6 Rejoice, O young man, in thy
youth ; and let thy heart cheer thee
in the days of thy youth, and walk
in the ways of thine heart, and in
the sight of thine eyes: but know
thou, that for all these things God
will bring thee into judgment.
7 There is no man that hath power
over the spirit to retain the spirit ;
neither hath he power in the day of
death : and there is no discharge in
that war.
8 I saw the wicked buried, who
had come and gone from the place of
the holy, and they were forgotten in
the city where they had so done.
9 Because sentence against an evil
work is not executed speedily, there
fore the heart of the sons of men is
fully set in them to do evil.
10 Though a sinner do evil an
hundred times, and his days be pro
longed, yet surely I know that it
shall be well with them that revere
God. But it shall not be well with
the wicked, neither shall he prolong
his days, which are as a shadow ; be
cause he revereth not God.
1 1 Remember now thy Creator in'
the days of thy youth, while the evil
days come not, nor the years draw
nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no
pleasure in them ; while the sun, or

72

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

the moon, or the stars, be not dark
ened, nor the clouds return after the
rain : in the day when the keepers of
the house shall tremble, and the
strong men shall bow themselves,
and the grinders cease because they
are few, and those that look out of
the windows be darkened : and the
doors shall be shut in the streets,
when the sound of the grinding is
low, and he shall rise up at the voice
of the bird, and all the daughters of
music shall be brought low. Also
when they shall be afraid of that
which is high, and fears shall be in
the way, and the almond tree shall
flourish, and the grasshopper shall be
a burden, and desire shall fail : be

cause man goeth to his long home,
and the mourners go about the
streets. Or ever the silver cord be
loosed, or the golden bowl be broken,
or the pitcher be broken at the
fountain, or the wheel broken at the
cistern ; — for then shall the dust re
turn to the earth as it was : and the
spirit shall return unto God who
gave it.
12 Let us hear the conclusion of
the whole matter : Revere God, and
keep his commandments : this is the
whole duty of man : for God shall
bring every work into judgment, with
every secret thing, whether it be good,
or whether it be evil.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— ISAIAH.

SELECTION I.
Formality is hateful to God, and right
eousness alone doth he approve.
U EAR, O heavens, and give ear,
O earth : for the LORD hath
spoken, I have nourished and
brought up children, and they have
rebelled against me : the ox know
eth his owner, and the ass his mas
ter's crib : but Israel doth not know,
my people doth not consider.
2 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers,
children that are corrupters : they
have forsaken the LORD, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel
unto anger, they are gone away back
ward. 3 To what purpose is the multi
tude of your sacrifices unto me?

saith the LORD : I am full of the
burnt offerings of rams, and the fat
of fed beasts ; I delight not in the
blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of
he goats : Who hath required this at
your hand ?
4 Bring no more vain oblations;
incense is an abomination unto me;
the new moons and sabbaths, the
calling of assemblies, I cannot away
with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn
meeting. 5 Your new moons and your ap
pointed feasts my soul hateth : they
are a trouble unto me : I am weary
to bear them.
6 And when ye spread forth your
hands, I will hide mine eyes from
you ; yea, when ye make many
prayers, I will not hear : your hands
are full of blood.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

73

7 Wash you, make you clean ; put
away the evil of your doings from
before mine eyes ; cease to do evil ;
learn to do well ; seek judgment, re
lieve the oppressed, judge the father
less, plead for the widow.
Tf Anticipations of the ttltimate purity, pros
perity, and peace of mankind upon the earth.
/^OME now let us reason to-
gether, saith the Lord : though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be
as white as snow ; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as
wool : —
2 For it shall come to pass in the
last days, that the Lord's house
shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted
above the hills ; and all nations
shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall say,
Come, let us go up to the mountain
of the Lord, to the house of the
God of Jacob ; and he will teach us
of his ways, and we will walk in his
paths : for out of Zion shall go forth
his law, and his word from Jerusa
lem : and he shall judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many peo
ple : and they shall beat their swords
into plowshares, and their spears in
to pruninghooks : nation shall not
lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more.
4 O house of Jacob, come ye, and
let us walk in the light of the LORD.
5 Even the people that walked in
darkness have seen a great light ;
and they that dwelt in the land of
the shadow of death, upon them
hath a light shined.
6 For unto us shall a child be born,
unto us a son be given ; the gov

ernment shall be upon his shoulders ;
he shall be called Wonderful, Coun
sellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace : of the
increase of his government and
peace there shall be no end, upon the
throne of David, and upon his king
dom, to order it, and to establish it
with judgment and with justice from
henceforth even for ever.
7 The faithfulness of the LORD of
hosts will perform this.
SELECTION II.
Wickedness shall be put dcnvn and
righteousness finally triwnph in the earth.
AirOE unto them that call evil
good, and good evil : that
put darkness for light, and light for
darkness : that put bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter !
2 Woe unto them that are wise in
their own eyes, and lofty in their
own sight !
3 Woe unto them that are mighty
to drink wine, and men of strength
to mingle strong drink !
4 Woe unto them that justify the
wicked for reward, and take away the
righteousness of the righteous from
him ! as the fire devoureth the stub
ble, and the flame consumeth the
chaff, so their root shall be as rotten
ness, and their blossom shall go up
as dust : because they have cast
away the law of the LORD of hosts,
and despise the word of the Holy
One. 5 Woe unto them that decree un
righteous decrees, and that write
grievousness which they have pre
scribed ; to turn aside the needy
from judgment, and to take away
the right from the poor of my people.

74

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

that widows may be their prey, and
that they may rob the fatherle'ss !
6 What will ye do in the day of
visitation, and in the desolation
which shall come from far ? to whom
will ye flee for help ? and where will
ye leave your glory ?
7 Ye say, By the strength of my
hand I have done it, and by my wis
dom ; for I am prudent : I have re
moved the bounds of the people,
have robbed their treasures, and
have put down the inhabitants like
a valiant man : my hand hath found
as a nest the riches of the people :
and as one gathereth eggs that are
left, have I gathered all the earth ;
and there was none that moved the
wing, or opened the mouth, or
peeped. 8 Therefore shall the Lord, the
Lord of hosts, send among these fat
ones leanness ; under his glory he
shall kindle a burning like the burn
ing of a fire : behold, the Lord, the
LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough
with terror : and the high ones of
stature shall be hewn down, and the
haughty shall be humbled.
9 And there shall come forth a rod
out of the stem of Jesse, a Branch
shall grow out of his roots : and the
spirit of the Lord shall rest upon
him, the spirit of wisdom and under
standing, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and of
the fear of the Lord ; and shall make
him of quick understanding in the
fear of the Lord : and he shall not
judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reprove after the hearing of
his ears. But with righteousness
shall he judge the poor, and reprove
with equity for the meek of the

earth : he shall smite the earth with
the rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips shall he slay the
wicked : righteousness shall be the
girdle of his loins, and faithfulness
the girdle of his reins.
io The wolf shall dwell with the
lamb, the leopard shall lie down with
the kid, the calf and the young lion
and the fatling together, and a little
child shall lead them : and the cow
and the bear shall feed, their young
ones shall lie down together, and the
lion shall eat straw like the ox. They
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my
holy mountain : for the earth shall
be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
1 1 In that day thou shalt say, 0
LORD, I will praise thee : though
thou wast angry with me, thine anger
is turned away, and thou comfortedst
me. Behold, God is my salvation ; I
will trust, and not be afraid : for the
LORD JEHOVAH is my strength
and my song ; he also is become my
salvation. 12 Therefore with joy shall ye
draw water out of the wells of salva
tion : and in that day shall say, Praise
the Lord, call upon his name, de
clare his doings among the people,
make mention that his name is ex
alted. Sing unto the Lord, for he
hath done excellent things : this is
known in all the earth. Cry out and
shout, thou inhabitant of Zion : for
great is the Holy One of Israel in
the midst of thee.
SELECTION III.
A prophecy of the future glory and per
fection of mankind.
pEHOLD my servant, whom I
uphold ; my chosen, in whom

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

75

my soul delighteth ; I have put my
spirit upon him : he shall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor
cause his voice to be heard in the
street : a bruised reed shall he not
break, the smoking flax shall he not
quench : he shall bring forth judgment
unto truth : he shall not fail nor be
discouraged, till he have set judg
ment in the earth : and the isles shall
wait for his law.
3 How beautiful upon the moun
tains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that publisheth peace ;
that bringeth good tidings of good,
that publisheth salvation ; that saith
unto Zion, Thy God reigneth !
4 The wilderness and the solitary
place shall be glad ; and the desert
shall rejoice, and blossom as the
rose. 5 Strengthen ye the weak hands,
and confirm the feeble knees : say
to them that are of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not : behold, your
God will come even God with a rec
ompense ; he will come and save
you. 6 Then the eyes of the blind shall
be opened, and the ears of the deaf
shall be unstopped : the lame man
shall leap as an hart, and the tongue
of the dumb shall sing : in the wilder
ness shall waters break out, and
streams in the desert : the parched
grounds shall become a pool, and the
thirsty land springs of water.
7 And an highway shall be there,
and a way, and it shall be called The
way of holiness; the unclean shall
not pass over it ; but it shall be for
those: the wayfaring men, though
fools, shall not err therein. No lion

shall be there, nor any ravenous beast
shall go up thereon, it shall not be
found there ; but the redeemed shall
walk there : and the ransomed of the
LORD shall return, and come to
Zion with songs and everlasting joy
upon their heads : they shall obtain
joy and gladness, and sorrow and
sighing shall flee away.
8 Hast thou not known? hast thou
not heard, that the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
fainteth not, neither is weary?
there is no searching of his under
standing : he giveth power to the
faint, and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength. Even the
youths shall faint and be weary,
and the young men shall utterly fall :
but they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength ; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles ; they
shall run, and not be weary, andthey
shall walk, and not faint.
9 The voice of him that crieth in
the wilderness, Prepare ye the way
of the LORD, make straight in the
desert a highway for our God. Every
valley shall be exalted, and every
mountain and hill shall be made low:
the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough places plain : and the
glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together : for
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken
it. 10 O Zion, that bringest good tid
ings, get thee up into the high
mountain ; O Jerusalem, that bring
est good tidings, lift up thy voice
with strength ; lift it up, be not
afraid ; say unto the cities of Judah,
Behold your God !
n Behold, the Lord God will

76

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

come with strong hand, and his arm
shall rule for him : behold, his re
ward is with him, and his work be
fore him. He shall feed his flock
like a shepherd : he shall gather the
lambs with his arm, and carry them
in his bosom, and shall gently lead
those that are with young.
12 Sing, O ye heavens ; for the
LORD, hath done it : shout, ye lower
parts of the earth : break forth into
singing, ye mountains, O forest, and
every tree therein: for the Lord
hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified
himself in Israel.
SELECTION IV.
The sorrow, sympathy, and self-sacrifice
of the true philanthropist.
"\A/"HO hath believed our report ?
to whom is the arm of the
LORD revealed ? for he shall grow
up in thy sight as a worthless plant,
and as a root out of a dry ground :
he hath no form nor comeliness ; and
when we see him there is no beauty
that we should desire him.
2 He is despised and rejected of
men ; a man of sorrows, and ac
quainted with grief : we hid as it
were our faces from him ; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and
carried our sorrows : yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God,
and afflicted. But he was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities : the chastisement
of our peace was upon him : and
with his stripes we are healed.
3 All we like sheep have gone
astray ; we have turned every one
to his own way ; and the LORD hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all.

4 He was oppressed, he was
afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth : he is brought as a lamb to
the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he openeth
not his mouth : he was taken from
prison and from judgment : who
shall declare his generation ? for he
was cut off out of the land of the
living : for the transgression of my
people was he stricken.
5 He made his grave with the
wicked, and with the oppressor in
his death ; although he had done no
violence, neither was any deceit in
his mouth : yet it pleased the LORD
to bruise him ; he hath put him to
grief: when thou shalt make his soul
an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the Lord shall pros
per in his hand : he shall see of the
travail of his soul, and shall be satis
fied : by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many ; for
he shall bear their iniquities.
6 The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me ; because the Lord hath
anointed me to preach good tidings
unto the meek ; he hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to pro
claim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that
are bound ; to minister unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto
them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy
for mourning, the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness ; that they
might be called trees of righteous
ness, the planting of the LORD, that
he might be glorified.
7 For Zion's sake will I not hold
my peace, for Jerusalem's sake I will
not rest, until the righteousness

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

77

thereof go forth as brightness, and
the salvation thereof as a lamp that
burneth. SELECTION V.
Righteousness is the only acceptable
offering io God.
/^RY aloud, spare not, lift up thy
voice like a trumpet, and shew
my people their transgression, and
the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Behold, the Lord's hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save ;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot
hear : but your iniquities have
separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid his face
from you, that he will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with
blood, and your fingers with iniquity ;
your lips have spoken lies, your
tongue hath muttered perverseness.
None calleth for justice, nor any
pleadeth for truth: they trust in
vanity, and speak lies ; they con
ceive mischief, and bring forth
iniquity. 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say
they, and thou seest not ? wherefore
have we afflicted our soul, and thou
takest no knowledge? Behold, in
the day of your fast ye find pleasure,
and exact all your labors : ye fast for
strife and debate, and to smite with
the fist of wickedness ; ye shall not
fast as ye do this day, to make your
voice to be heard on high : is it such
a fast that I have chosen ? a day for
a man to afflict his soul ? is it to bow
down his head as a bulrush, and to
spread sackcloth and ashes under
him ? wilt thou call this a fast, and
an acceptable day to the LORD ?
4 Is not this the fast that I have

chosen ? to loose the bands of wick
edness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free, and
that ye break every yoke? Is it
not to deal thy bread to the hun
gry, and that thou bring the poor
that are cast out to thy house ? when
thou seest the naked, that thou cov
er him ; and that thou hide not thy
self from thine own flesh ? Do this,
and then shall thy light break forth as
the morning, thine health shall spring
forth speedily : thy righteousness
shall go before thee ; the glory of the
LORD shall be thy reward : thou
shalt call, and the Lord shall an
swer ; thou shalt cry, and he shall
say, Here I am. If thou take away
from the midst of thee the yoke, the
putting forth of the finger, and
speaking vanity ; if thou draw out
thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy
the afflicted soul ; then shall light
rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be
as the noon day : the LORD shall
guide thee continually : and thou
shalt be like a watered garden, and
like a spring whose waters fail not.
5 Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters ; and he that
hath no money, come, buy, and eat ;
yea, come, buy wine and milk with
out money and without price : where
fore spend money for that which is
not bread ? and labor for that which
satisfieth not?
6 Incline your ear, and come unto
me : hear, and your soul shall live ;
seek the Lord while he may be
found, call upon him while he is
near: let the wicked forsake his
way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts : let him return unto the
Lord, and he will have mercy upon

78

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — ISAIAH.

him ; to our God, for he will abun
dantly pardon.
7 My thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the LORD: as the
heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts : as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and re-
turneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth
and bud, that it may give seed to
the sower, and bread to the eater : —
so shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth : it shall not
return unto me void, but it shall ac
complish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I
sent it.
8 Ye shall go out with joy, and be
led forth with peace : the mountains
and the hills shall break forth before
you into singing, and all the trees of
the field shall clap their hands.
9 Instead of the thorn shall come
up the fir tree, and instead of the
brier shall come up the myrtle tree :
and it shall be to the LORD for a
name, for an everlasting sign that
shall not be cut off.
SELECTION VI.
The love and faithfulness of God.
"DUT now thus saith the Lord
that created thee, O Jacob, and
he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear
not: for I have redeemed thee, I have
called thee by thy name ; thou art
mine. When thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee ; and
through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee : when thou walkest
through the fire, thou shalt not be

burned ; neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee. Fear not : for I am
with thee : I will bring thy seed
from the east, and gather thee from
the west ; I will say to the north,
Give up ; and to the south, Keep
not back : bring my sons from far,
and my daughters from the ends of
the earth ; even every one that is
called by my name : for I have
created him for my glory, I have
formed him ; yea, I have made him.
2. Bring forth the blind people
that have eyes, and the deaf that
have ears. Let all the nations be
gathered together, and let the-
people be assembled : Who among
them can declare this, and shew
us former things ? let them bring
forth their witnesses, that they
may be justified: or let them hear,
and say, It is truth.
3 Ye are my witnesses, saith the
LORD, and my servants whom I have
chosen : that ye may know and be
lieve me, and understand that I am
he : before me there was no God
formed, neither shall there be after
me. I, even I, am the LORD ; and
beside me there is no saviour. I
have declared, and have saved, and
I have shewed, when there was no
strange god among you : therefore
ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD,
that I am God. Yea, before the day
was I ain he ; and there is none that
can deliver out of my hand : I will
work, and who shall let it?
4 Thus saith the LORD, In an ac
ceptable time have I heard thee, and
in a day of salvation have I helped
thee : and I will preserve thee, and
give thee for a covenant of the
people, to establish the earth, to

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

79

cause to inherit the desolate heri
tages ; that thou mayest say to the
prisoners, Go forth ; to them that
are in darkness, Shew yourselves.
They shall feed in the ways, and
their pastures shall be in all high
places. They shall not hunger nor
thirst ; neither shall the heat nor
sun smite them : for he that hath
mercy on them shall lead them, even
by the springs of water shall he guide
them. 5 Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful,

O earth ; and break forth into sing
ing, O mountains : for the Lord
hath comforted his people, and will
have mercy upon his afflicted. Zion
said, The LORD hath forsaken me,
and my LORD hath forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her sucking
child, that she should not have com
passion on the son of her womb ?'
yea, they may forget, yet will I not
forget thee. Behold, I have graven
thee upon the palms of my hands ;
thy walls are continually before me..

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— JEREMIAH.

SELECTION I.
True philanthropy grieves for wrong
doers, while it hates and condemns their
wrongs. /^~VH that my head were waters, and
^-^ mine eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night for
the slain of the daughter of my peo
ple !
2 Oh that I had in the wilderness
a lodging place of wayfaring men ;
that I might leave my people, and
go from them ! for they be all
adulterers, an assembly of treacher
ous men : they bend their tongues
like their bow for lies : they are not
valiant for the truth upon the earth ;
they proceed from evil to evil, and
they know not me, saith the LORD.
3 Take ye heed every one of his
neighbor, and trust ye not in any
brother : for every brother will ut
terly supplant, and every neighbor
will walk with slander : they will de
ceive every one his neighbor, and

will not speak the truth : they have
taught their tongues to speak lies,
and weary themselves to commit in
iquity. 4 Thine habitation is in the midst
of deceit ; through deceit they re
fuse to know me, saith the LORD:
therefore thus saith the LORD of
hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and
try them ; for how shall I do for
the daughter of my people ? their
tongue is as an arrow shot out ; it
speaketh deceit ; one speaketh peace
ably to his neighbor with his mouth,
but in heart he layeth his wait.
5 Shall I not visit them for these
things f saith the LORD : shall not
my soul be avenged on such a na
tion as this?
6 Who is the wise man, that may
understand this? and who is he to
whom the mouth of the LORD hath
spoken, that he may declare it ?
Why doth the land perish, and why
is it burned up like a wilderness, that
none passeth through ? Because they

8o

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

have forsaken my law which I set
before them, saith the LORD, and
have not obeyed my voice, neither
walked therein : but have walked
after the imagination of their own
'heart, and after Baalim, which their
fathers taught them. Therefore thus
saith the Lord of hosts, the God of
Israel , Behold, I will feed them,
even this people, with wormwood,
and give them water of gall to drink :
I will scatter them also among the
heathen, whom neither they nor
their fathers have known : I will send
a sword after them, and thus will I
chastise them.
7 The harvest is past, the summer
is ended, and we are not saved. Is
there no balm in Gilead ; is there no
physician there ? why then is not the
health of the daughter of my people
recovered ?
8 Thus saith the Lord, Let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man glory in
his might, let not the rich man glory
in his riches : but let him that glori-
eth glory in this, that he understand-
eth and knoweth me, that I am
the Lord which exercise loving-kind
ness, judgment, and righteousness, in
the earth : for in these things I de
light, saith the LORD.
SELECTION II.
The unfaithful, the unjust, and the im
pure rebuked.
\ \ 7"OE be unto the pastors that de
stroy and scatter the sheep of
my pasture ! thus saith the LORD
God of Israel against the pastors that
feed my people ; Ye have scattered
my flock, and driven them away, and
have not visited them : behold, I

will visit upon you the evil of your
doings ; and I will gather the rem
nant of my flock out of all countries
whither I have driven them, and will
bring them again to their folds ; and
they shall be fruitful and increase : I
will set up shepherds over them
which shall feed them : and they
shall fear no more, nor be dismayed,
neither shall they be lacking, saith
the Lord.
2 Mine heart within me is broken
because of the false prophets ; all
my bones shake ; I am like a drunk
en man, and like a man whom wine
hath overcome, because of disobedi
ence to the LORD, and to the words
of his holiness. For the land is
full of adulterers ; and because of
wickedness the land mourneth ; the
pleasant places of the wilderness are
dried up : their course is evil, and
their influence is not for the right ;
both prophet and priest are profane ;
yea, in my house have I found their
wickedness, saith the LORD. Where
fore their way shall be unto them as
slippery ways in the darkness : they
shall be driven on, and fall therein :
I will bring evil upon them, even the
year of their visitation, saith the
Lord. 3 And I have seen folly in the
prophets of Samaria ; they prophe
sied in Baal, and caused my people
Israel to err: I have seen also in the
prophets of Jerusalem an horrible
thing : they commit adultery, and
walk in lies : they strengthen also the
hands of evil-doers, that none doth
return from his wickedness : they are
all of them unto me as Sodom, and
the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
4 O earth, earth, earth, hear the

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

word of the LORD. Is not my word
like as a fire ? saith the Lord ; and
like a hammer that breaxteth the rock
in pieces? Ami a God at hand, and
not a God afar off ? Can any hide
himself in secret places that I shall
not see him ? Do not I fill heaven
and earth ? saith the LORD.
5 Woe unto him that buildeth his
house by unrighteousness, and his
chambers by wrong ; that useth his
neighbor's service without wages,
and rewardeth him not for his work ;
that saith, I will build me a wide
house and large chambers ; and cut-
teth him out windows ; and it is
cieled with cedar and painted with
vermilion. Shalt thou be rever
enced because thou closest thyself
in cedar ? did not thy father eat and
drink, and do judgment and justice,
and then it was well with him? he
judged the cause of the poor and
needy ; then it was well with him :
was not this to know me ? saith the
Lord.
6. But thine eyes and thine heart
are not except for thy covetousness,
and for to shed innocent blood, and
for oppression, and for violence, to
do it : therefore thus saith the LORD,
Thou shalt be buried with the burial
of an ass, drawn and cast forth be
yond the gates of Jerusalem : for I
spake unto thee in thy prosperity,
but thou saidst, I will not hear : this
hath been thy manner from thy youth,
that thou obeyest not my voice;
therefore the wind shall eat up all
thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go
into captivity : surely then shalt thou
be ashamed and confounded for all
thy wickedness.

SELECTION III.
The ingratitude of those who forget the
mercies of God, and violate his will.
TV/TOREOVER the word of the
Lord came to me, saying,
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusa
lem, saying, Thus saith the LORD ; I
remember thee, the kindness of thy
youth, the love of thine espousals,
when thou wentest after me in the
wilderness, in a land that was not
sown : Israel was holiness unto the
Lord, and the first-fruits of his in
crease. All that devour him shall of
fend ; evil shall come upon them,
saith the Lord.
2 Hear ye the word of the Lord,
O house of Jacob, and all the fami
lies of the house of Israel : thus saith
the Lord, What iniquity have your
fathers found in me, that they are
gone far from me, and have walked
after vanity, and are become vain ?
for they say not, Where is the LORD
that brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, that led us through the wil
derness, through a land of deserts
and of pits, through a land of
drought, and of the shadow of death,
through a land that no man passed
through, and where no man dwelt?
I brought you into a plentiful coun
try, to eat the fruit thereof and the
goodness thereof; but when ye en
tered, ye defiled my land, and made
mine heritage an abomination : the
priests say not, Where is the Lord ?
and they that handle the law know
me not : the pastors also transgress
against me : the prophets prophesy
by Baal, and walk after things that
do not profit.
3 Yet will I plead with you, saith
the Lord, and with your children's

82

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

children will I plead : for of old time
I have broken thy yoke, and burst
thy bands ; and thou saidst, I will not
transgress ; but now upon every high
hill and under every green tree thou
wanderest, playing the harlot. I had
planted thee a noble vine, wholly a
right seed : how then art thou turned
into the degenerate plant of a strange
vine unto me?
4 Though thou wash thee with
nitre, and take thee much soap, yet
thine iniquity is marked before me,
saith the Lord GOD.
5 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at
this, and be horribly afraid, be ye
very desolate, for saith the LORD,
My people have committed two
evils ; they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters, and hewed
them out cisterns, that can hold no
water : they have healed also the
hurt of the daughter of my people
slightly, saying, Peace, peace ; when
there is no peace. Were they
ashamed when they had committed
abomination? nay, they were not at
all ashamed, neither could they
blush : therefore they shall fall among
them that fall : at the time that I
visit them they shall be cast down,
saith the LORD.
6 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye
in the ways, and see, and ask for the
old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find
rest for- your souls ; but ye said, We
will not walk therein. Also I set
watchmen over you, saying, Hearken
to the sound of the trumpet. But ye
said, We will not hearken. Therefore
hear, ye nations, and know, O con
gregation : hear, O earth : behold, I
will bring evil upon this people, even

the fruit of their thoughts, because
they have not hearkened unto my
words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
7 To what purpose cometh there
to me incense from Sheba, and the
sweet cane from a far country ? your
burnt offerings are not acceptable,
nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
Amend your ways and your doings,
and I will cause you to dwell in this
place. Trust ye not in lying words,
saying, The temple of the LORD,
The temple of the LORD, The temple
of the Lord, are these. But if ye
thoroughly amend your ways and
your doings ; if ye thoroughly exe
cute judgment between a man and
his neighbor; if ye oppress not the
stranger, the fatherless, and the
widow, and shed not innocent blood
in this place, neither walk after other
gods to your hurt : — then will I cause
you to dwell in this place, in the
land that I gave to your fathers for
ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in
formalities, that cannot profit : will
ye steal, murder, commit adultery,
swear falsely, burn incense unto Baal,
walk after other gods whom ye know
not ; and then come and stand before
me in this house, which is called by
my name, and say, We are forgiven
for all these abominations ? Is this
house, which is called by my name,
become a den of robbers in your
eyes ? Behold, even I have seen it,
saith the Lord.
SELECTION IV.
No one should ref use the divine com
mission to rebuke wrong and advocate^
righteousness.
"THEN the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying, Before

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

83

I formed thee I knew thee ; before
thou earnest forth out of the womb
I sanctified thee, and ordained thee
a prophet unto the nations.
2 Then said I, Ah, Lord God ! I
cannot speak, for I am a child : and
the LORD said unto me, Say not, I
am a child : for thou shalt go to all
that I shall send thee, and whatso
ever I command thee thou shalt
speak : be not afraid of their faces :
for I am with thee to deliver thee.
3 Then the LORD put forth his
hand, and touched my mouth : and
said unto me, Behold, I have put
my words in thy mouth : see, I
have this day set thee over the na
tions and over the kingdoms, to
root out, and to pull down, and to
destroy, and to throw down, to
build, and to plant. Thou therefore
gird up thy loins, and arise, and
speak unto them all that I com
mand thee : be not dismayed at their
faces lest I should confound thee
before them : for, behold, I have
made thee this day a defenced city,
and an iron pillar, and brasen walls
against the whole land ; against the
kings, against the princes, against
the priests, and against the people
of the land. They shall fight against
thee ; but they shall not prevail
against thee ; for I am with thee,
saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
4 Go and proclaim these words
toward the north, and say, Return,
thou backsliding Israel, saith the
LORD ; and I will not cause mine
anger to fall upon you: for I am
merciful, and will not keep anger for
ever : only acknowledge thine in
iquity, that thou hast transgressed,
hast scattered thy ways to the stran

gers under every green tree, and
hast not obeyed my voice, saith the
Lord. Turn, O backsliding chil
dren, and I will take you one of a
city, and two of a family, and I will
bring you to Zion : and I will give
you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowl
edge and understanding: and ye
shall call me, My father; and shall
not turn away from me.
5 A voice was heard upon the
high places, weeping and supplica
tions of the children of Israel : for
they have perverted their way, and
have forgotten the LORD their God :
— Return, ye blackslidjng children,
and I will heal your blackslidings.
6 Behold, we come unto thee ; for
thou art the Lord our God : truly
in vain is salvation hoped for from
the hills, and from the multitude
of mountains : truly in the LORD
our God is the salvation of Israel,
7 As the thief is ashamed when
he is found, so is the house of Israel
ashamed ; they, their kings, their
princes, their priests, and their
prophets, are saying to a stock,
Thou art my father ; and to a stone,
Thou hast brought me forth : they
have turned their back unto me, and
not their face : but in the time of
their trouble they will say, Arise,
and save us ! But where are thy
gods that thou hast made thee ? let
them arise, if they can save thee in
the time of thy trouble.
8 Wherefore say my people, We
are lords ; we will come no more
unto thee ? Can a maid forget her
ornaments, or a bride her attire?
yet my people have forgotten me
days without number.

84

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JEREMIAH.

9 In thy skirts is found the blood
of the souls of the poor innocents :
I have not found it by secret search,
but upon all these.
io How shall I pardon thee for
this ? thy children have forsaken me,
and sworn by them that are no gods :
when I had fed them to the full, they
then committed adultery, and as
sembled themselves by troops in the
harlots' houses. Shall I not visit for
these things ? saith the Lord : and
shall not my soul be avenged on
such a nation as this?
1 1 Hear now this, O foolish
people, and without understanding ;
which have eyes, and see not ; which
have ears, and hear not. Reverence
ye not me ? saith the Lord : will ye
not recognize my presence, which
have placed the sand for the bound
of the sea by a perpetual decree,
that it cannot pass it : and though
the waves thereof toss themselves,
yet can they not prevail ; though
they roar, yet can they not pass over
it? 12 But this people hath a revolt
ing and a rebellious heart ; they are
revolted and gone : neither say they
in their heart, Let us now revere the
Lord our God, that giveth rain, both
the former and the latter, in his sea
son : that reserveth unto us the
appointed weeks of the harvest.
13 Among my people are found
wicked men : they lay wait, as he
that setteth snares ; they set a trap,
they catch men. As a cage is full
of birds, so are their houses full of
deceit : therefore they are become
great, and waxen rich : they are
waxen fat, they shine : yea, they
overpass the deeds of the wicked :

they judge not the cause, the cause
of the fatherless, yet they prosper ;
and the right of the needy do they
not judge. Shall I not visit for
these things ? saith the LORD : shall
not my soul be avenged on such a
nation as this ?
14 A wonderful and horrible thing
is committed in the land ; — the
prophets prophesy falsely, and the
priests bear rule by their means ; and
my people love to have it so : and
what will ye do in the end thereof ?
15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not
proud : for the Lord hath spoken :
give glory to the LORD your God,
before he cause darkness, and before
your feet stumble upon the dark
mountains, and, while ye look for
light, he turn it into the shadow of
death, and make it gross darkness.
But if ye will not hear it, my soul
shall weep in secret places for your
pride ; and mine eye shall weep sore,
and run down with tears, because
the Lord's flock is carried away
captive. SELECTION V.
Through rebuke and chastisement will
God in the end establish mankind in right
eousness and joy.
DUN ye to and fro through the
streets of Jerusalem, and see
now, and know, and seek in the
broad places thereof, if ye can find a
man, if there be any that executeth
judgment, that seeketh the truth.
2 The man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, and whose
heart departeth from the LORD, shall
be like the heath in the desert, and
shall not see when good cometh : but
blessed is the man that trusteth in

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH.

85

the Lord, and whose hope the
Lord is : he shall be as a tree
planted by the waters, that spreadeth
out her roots by the river, and shall
not see when heat cometh, but her
leaf shall be green ; and shall not be
careful in the year of drought, neither
shall cease from yielding fruit.
3 The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked : who
can know it ? I the Lord search the
heart, / try the reins, even to give
every man according to his ways,
and according to the fruit of his
doings. 4 As the partridge sitteth on eggs,
and hatcheth them not ; so he that
getteth riches unjustly shall leave
them in the midst of his days, and
at his end shall be a fool.
5 In those days they shall say no
more, The fathers have eaten a
sour grape, and the children's teeth
are set on edge : but every one
shall suffer for his own iniquity :
every man that eateth the sour grape,
his teeth shall be set on edge.
6 Behold, the days come, saith the
Lord, that I will make a new cove
nant with the house of Israel, and
with the house of Judah : this shall
be the covenant that I will make ;

After those days I will put my law
in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts ; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people. And
they shall teach no more every man
his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the LORD :
for they shall all know me, from the
least of them unto the greatest of
them : and I will forgive their
•iniquity, and remember their sin no
more. 7 They shall come with weeping,
and with supplications will I lead
them : I will cause them to walk by
the rivers of waters in a straight way,
wherein they shall not stumble : they
shall come and sing in the height
of Zion, and shall flow together to
the goodness of the LORD, for wheat,
and for wine, and for oil, and for the
young of the flock and of the herd:
and their soul shall be as a watered
garden ; and they shall not sorrow
any more at all.
8 Then shall the virgin rejoice in
the dance, both young men and old
together : for I will turn their
mourning into joy, and will comfort
them, and make them rejoice from
their sorrow.

A SELECTION FROM THE LAMENTATIONS OF
JEREMIAH.

Showing the alternating experience oj
sorrow and joy, fear and hope, despon
dency and trust, in every truly religious life.
T AM a man that hath seen afflic-
tion by the rod of his indigna
tion : he hath led me, and brought

me into darkness, not into light:
surely against me is he turned ; he
turneth his hand against me all the
day. My flesh and my skin hath he
made old ; he hath broken my
bones : he hath builded against me,

86

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — EZEKIEL.

and compassed me with gall and
travel : he hath set me in dark
. places, as they that be dead of old :
he hath hedged me about, that I
cannot get out : he hath made my
chain heavy.
2 Also when I cry and shout, he
shutteth out my prayer : he hath in
closed my ways with hewn stone, he
hath made my paths crooked : he
hath turned aside my ways, and
pulled me in pieces : he hath bent
his bow, and set me as a mark for the
arrow : he hath caused the arrows of
his quiver to enter into my reins.
3 I was a derision to all my
people ; and their reproach all the
day. He hath filled me with bitter
ness, he hath made me drunken with
wormwood : he hath also broken my
teeth with gravel stones, he hath
covered me with ashes.
4 Therefore I said, My strength
and my hope is perished from the
LORD, —remembering mine affliction
and my misery, the wormwood
and the gall. My soul hath them
still in remembrance, and is hum
bled in me : I recall them to my
mind, therefore have I hope. It
is of the Lord's mercies that
I am not consumed, because his
compassions fail not : they are new
every morning: great is thy faith
fulness.

5 The Lord is my portion, saith
my soul ; therefore will I hope in
him : the LORD is good unto them
that wait for him, to the soul that
seeketh him.
6 It is good that a man should
both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the LORD : it wgood for
a man that he bear the yoke in his
youth. 7 For the LORD will not cast off
for ever : though he cause grief, yet
will he have compassion according
to the multitude of his mercies : he
doth not afflict willingly, nor willing
ly grieve the children of men.
8 Wherefore doth a man com
plain for the punishment of his sins ?
Let us search and try our ways, and
turn again to the LORD : let us lift
up our heart with our hands unto
God in the heavens.
9 Mine eye runneth down with
rivers of water for the destruction of
the daughter of my people : mine
eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not,
without intermission ; till the LORD
looked down, and beheld from
heaven. io Thou hast heard my voice:
thou drewest near in the day that I
called upon thee : thou saidst, Fear
not. O Lord, thou hast pleaded
the causes of my soul : thou hast
redeemed my life.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES.— EZEKIEL.

SELECTION I.
Every man to be judged by his own con
science and punished for his own sins.
TDEHOLD, all souls are mine ; as
the soul of the father, so also

the soul of the son is mine : the soul
that sinneth, it shall die.
2 But if a man be just, and do
that which is lawful and right ; hath
not eaten upon the mountains, nei
ther hath lifted up his eyes to the

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — EZEKIEL.

87

idols of the house of Israel ; hath
not oppressed any, hath restored to
the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled
none by violence, hath given his
bread to the hungry, and hath
covered the naked with a garment :
if he hath not given forth upon
usury, neither hath taken any in
crease ; hath withdrawn his hand
from iniquity ; hath executed true
judgment between man and man ;
hath walked in my statutes, and kept
my judgments, to deal truly; he is
just, he shall surely live, saith the
Lord God.
3 If he beget a son that is a rob
ber, a shedder of blood, that doeth
the like to any of these things : hath
oppressed the poor and needy, hath
spoiled by violence, hath not re
stored the pledge, hath lifted up his
eyes to idols, hath committed abom
ination, hath given forth upon usury,
hath taken increase : shall he then
live? he shall not live : he hath done
all these abominations ; he shall
surely die ; his blood shall be upon
him. 4 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that
seeth all his father's sins which he
hath done, and considereth, and do
eth not such like, — that hath not
eaten upon the mountains, neither
hath lifted up his eyes to idols,
neither hath oppressed any, hath not
withholden the pledge, neither hath
' spoiled by violence, but hath given
his bread to the hungry, and hath
¦covered the naked with a garment ;
that hath taken off his hand from the
poor, hath not received usury nor in
crease, hath executed my judgments,
hath walked in my statutes : he shall
not die for the iniquity of his father :

he shall surely live. As for his
father, because he cruelly oppressed,
spoiled his brother by violence, and
did that which is not good among his
people, lo, even he shall die in his
iniquity. 5 Yet say ye, Why ? doth not the
son bear the iniquity of the father?
When the son hath done that which
is lawful and right, and hath kept
all my statutes, and hath done them,
he shall surely live. The soul that
sinneth, it shall die : the son shall
not bear the iniquity of the father,
neither shall the father bear the in
iquity of trre son : the righteousness
of the righteous shall be upon him,
and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be upon him.
6 But if the wicked will turn from
all his sins that he hath committed,
and keep ail my statutes, and do
that which is lawful and right, he
shall surely live, he shall not die : all
his transgressions that he hath com
mitted, they shall not be mentioned
unto him : in his righteousness that
he hath done he shall live.
7 Have I any pleasure at all that
the wicked should die ? saith the
Lord GOD : and not that he should
return from his ways, and live ? But
when the righteous turneth away
from his righteousness, and commit-
teth iniquity, and doeth according to
all the abominations that the wicked
man doeth, shall he live? all his
righteousness that he hath done
shall not be mentioned : in his tres-i
pass that he hath trespassed, and in
his sin that he hath sinned, in them
shall he die.
8 Yet ye say, The way of the
Lord is not equal. Hear now, O

88

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — EZEKIEL.

house of Israel ; is not my way
equal ? are not your ways unequal ?
When a righteous man turneth away
from his righteousness, and commit-
teth iniquity, and dieth in them ; for
his iniquity that he hath done
shall he die. Again, when the
wicked man turneth away from his
wickedness that he hath committed,
and doeth that which is lawful and
right, he shall save his soul alive :
because he considereth, and turneth
away from all his transgressions
that he hath committed, he shall
surely live, he shall not die.
9 Yet saith the house of Israel,
The way of the Lord is not equal.
O house of Israel, are not my ways
equal? are not your ways unequal ?
I will judge every man according to
his ways, saith the Lord GOD : There
fore repent, and turn yourselves from
all your transgressions ; and then
iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Cast away from you all your trans
gressions, whereby ye have trans
gressed ; and make you a new heart
and a new spirit : for why will ye
die, O house of Israel?
IO I have no pleasure in the death
of him that dieth, saith the Lord
GOD : wherefore turn yourselves and
live. SELECTION II.
Every man is responsible for those sins
and sufferings of his fellow men which it
is within his power by timely warning or
sympathy to prevent.
A GAIN the word of the Lord
came unto me, saying, Son
of man, speak to the children of
thy people, and say unto them,
When I bring the sword upon a land,

if the people of the land take a man
of their coasts, and set him for their
watchman : if when he seeth the
sword come upon the land, he blow
the trumpet, and warn the people ; —
then whosoever heareth the sound
of the trumpet, and taketh not
warning; if the sword come, and
take him away, his blood shall be
upon his own head. He heard the
sound of the trumpet, and took not
warning; his blood shall be upon
him. 2 But if the watchman see the
sword come, and blow not the trum
pet, and the people be not warned ;
if the sword come, and take any
person from among them, he is
taken away in his iniquity ; but his
blood will I require at the watch
man's hand.
3 So thou, O son of man, I have
set thee a watchman unto the house
of Israel : therefore thou shalt hear
the word at my mouth, and warn
them from me : and when I say un
to the wicked, O wicked man, thou
shalt surely die : if thou dost not
speak to warn the wicked from his
way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity ; but his blood will I re
quire at thine hand. Nevertheless,
if thou warn the wicked of his way
to turn from it ; if he do not turn
from his way, he shall die in his in
iquity; but thou hast delivered thy
soul. 4 Therefore, O thou son of man,
speak unto the house of Israel ;
saying, If our transgressions and our
sins be upon us, and we continue in
them, how should we then live ? and
say unto them, As I live, saith the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in the,

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — DANIEL.

89

death of the wicked ; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live :
turn ye, turn ye from your evil
ways ; for why will ye die ?
SELECTION III.
By the spirit of the Lord even the spirit
ually dead may live, the weak be made
strong, and the hopeless achieve victory
'"PHE hand of the Lord was upon
me, and carried me out in the
spirit of the Lord, and set me down
in the midst of the valley which was
full of bones, and caused me to pass
by them round about : and, behold,
there were very many in the open
valley ; and, lo, they were very dry.
And he said unto me, Son of man,
can these bones live ? And I an
swered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
2 Again he said unto me, Prophe
sy upon these bones, and say unto
them, O ye dry bones, hear the word
of the LORD : thus saith the Lord
GOD unto these bones ; Behold, I
will cause breath to enter into you,
and ye shall live : and I will lay
sinews upon you, and will bring up
flesh upon you, and cover you with
skin, and put breath in you, and
ye shall live ; and ye shall know that
I am the LORD.
3 So I prophesied as I was com
manded : and as I prophesied, there
was a noise, and behold a shaking,

and the bones came together, bone
to his bone. And when I beheld,
lo, the sinews and the flesh came up
upon them, and the skin covered
them above : but there was no
breath in them.
4 Then said he unto me, Prophe
sy unto the wind, prophesy, son of
man, and say to the wind, Thus saith
the Lord GOD ; Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon
these slain, that they may live. So
I prophesied as he commanded me,
and the breath came into them, and
they lived, and stood up upon their
feet, an exceeding great army.
5 Then he said unto me, Son of
man, these bones are the whole
house of Israel : behold, they say,
Our bones are dried, and our hope
is lost : we are cut off for our parts.
Therefore prophesy and say unto
them, Thus saith the Lord God ;
Behold, 0 my people, I will open
your graves, and cause you to come
up out of your graves, and bring you
into the land of Israel : and ye shall
know that I am the LORD, when I
have opened your graves, and
brought you up, and put my spirit in
you, and made you live, and placed
you in your own land : then shall ye
know that I have spoken it, and
performed it, saith the Lord.

A SELECTION FROM THE BOOK OF DANIEL.

Showing the grandeur of being loyal to
conscience, come what may.
IT pleased Darius to set over the
kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the

whole kingdom : and over these
three presidents; of whom Daniel
was first : that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.

¦go

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — DANIEL.

2 Then this Daniel was preferred
above the presidents and princes,
because an excellent spirit was in
him ; and the king thought to set
him over the whole realm. But the
presidents and princes sought to find
occasion against Daniel concerning
the kingdom ; but they could find
none occasion nor fault ; forasmuch
as he zvas faithful, neither was there
any error or fault found in him.
3 Then said these men, We shall
not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against
him concerning the law of his God :
so they assembled together to the
king, and said thus unto him, King
Darius, live for ever : All the presi
dents of the kingdom, the governors,
and the princes, the counsellors, and
the captains, have consulted to
gether to establish a royal statute,
and to make a firm decree, that
whosoever shall ask a petition of
any God or man for thirty .days,
save of thee, O king, he shall be cast
into the den of lions. Now, O king,
establish the decree, and sign the
writing, that it be not changed, ac
cording to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not. Where
fore king Darius signed the writing
and the decree.
4 Now when Daniel knew that
the writing was signed, he went into
his house ; and his windows being
open in his chamber toward Jerusa
lem, he kneeled upon his knees three
times a day, and prayed, and gave
thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime. 5 Then these men assembled, and
found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God : so they

came near, and spake before the king
concerning the king's decree : Hast
thou not signed a decree, that every
man that shall ask a petition of any
God or man within thirty days, save
of thee, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions ? The king answered
and said, The thing is true, accord
ing to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not. Then
answered they and said before the
king, That Daniel, which is of the
children of the captivity of Judah,
regardeth not thee, O king, nor the
decree that thou hast signed, but
maketh his petition three times a
day. 6 Then the king, when he heard
these words, was sore displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel
to deliver him : and he labored till
the going down of the sun to deliver
him. 7 But these men assembled unto
the king, and said unto him, Know,
O king, that the law of the Medes
and Persians is. That no decree nor
statute which the king establisheth
may be changed. Therefore the
king commanded, and they brought
Daniel, and cast him into the den of
lions ; and a stone was brought and
laid upon the mouth of the den ; and
the king sealed it with his own
signet, and with the signet of his
lords; that the purpose might not
be changed concerning Daniel.
8 Then the king went to his
palace, and passed the night fasting :
neither were instruments of music
brought before him : and his sleep
went from him : and he arose very
early in the morning, and went in
haste unto the den of lions : when

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — JONAH.

91

he came to the den, he cried with a
lamentable voice unto Daniel : and
said, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is thy God, whom thou servest
continually, able to deliver thee from
the lions? Then said Daniel unto
the king, O king, live for ever : my
God hath sent his angel, and hath
shut the lions' mouths, that they
have not hurt me : forasmuch as be
fore him innocency was found in
me ; and also before thee, O king,
have I done no hurt.
9 Then was the king exceedingly
glad for him, and commanded that

they should take him up out of the
den. So Daniel was taken up out of
the den, and no manner of hurt was
found upon him.
10 Then king Darius wrote unto
all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth ; Peace be
multiplied unto you : I make a de
cree, That in every dominion of my
kingdom men tremble and fear be
fore the God of Daniel : for he is the
living God, and stedfast for ever,
and his kingdom shall not be de
stroyed, and his dominion shall be
even unto the end.

A SELECTION FROM THE BOOK OF JONAH.

Shmving that mercy is better than ven
geance. A ND the word of the Lord came
unto Jonah the second time,
saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that
great city, and preach unto it the
preaching that I bid thee.
2 So Jonah arose, and went unto
Nineveh, according to the word of
the Lord. Now Nineveh was an
exceeding great city of three days'
journey : and as he entered into it,
while yet a day's journey, Jonah
began to cry, and to say, Yet forty
days, and Nineveh shall be over
thrown. 3 So the people of Nineveh be
lieved God," and proclaimed a fast,
and put on sackcloth, from the
greatest of them even to the least of
them : and word was carried to the
king ; and he arose from his throne,
laid aside his robe, covered him with
sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

4 And the king caused it to be
proclaimed and published through
Nineveh by the decree of the king
and his nobles, saying, Let neither
man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste
any thing: let them not feed, nor
drink water : let them ba covered
with sackcloth : and cry ye mightily
unto God : yea, and let every one
turn from his evil way, and from the
violence that is in his hands. Who
can tell if God will repent, and turn
away from his fierce anger, that we
perish not ?
5 And God saw their works, that
they turned from their evil way;
and he repented of the evil, that he
had said he would do unto them,
and did it not.
6 But it displeased Jonah exceed
ingly, and he was very angry: and
prayed unto the Lord, and said, O
LORD, was not this my prediction,
when I was yet in my country?

92

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — MALACHI.

Therefore I fled unto Tarshish : for
I knew that thou art a gracious
God, and merciful, slow to anger,
and of great kindness, and repentest
thee of the evil. Therefore now, O
LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life
from me ; for it is better for me to
die than to live.
7 Then said the LORD, Doest
thou well to be angry ?
8 After that Jonah went out to
the east side of the city, and there
made him a booth, and sat under it
in the shadow, till he might see what
would become of the city: and the
LORD prepared a gourd, and caused
it to come up over Jonah, that it
might be a shadow over his head, to
deliver him from his grief. So Jonah
was exceeding glad of the gourd.
But God prepared a worm, and
when the morning rose the next

day, it smote the gourd that it
withered. 9 And it came to pass, when the
sun did arise, that God prepared a
vehement east wind ; and the sun
beat upon the head of Jonah, that
he fainted, and wished in himself to
die, and said, It is better for me to
die than to live. And God said to
Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry
for the gourd ? And he said, I do
well to be angry, even unto death.
io Then said the LORD, Thou
hast had pity on the gourd, for the
which thou hast not labored, neither
madest it grow ; which came up in a
night, and perished in a night :
Should not I then spare Nineveh,
that great city, wherein are more
than sixscore thousand persons that
cannot discern between their right
hand and their left hand ?

A SELECTION FROM THE BOOK OF MALACHI.

Showing the judgments of God upon
the wicked, and his favor to the righteous.
"D EH OLD, I will send my messen
ger, and he shall prepare the
way before me : and the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come
to his temple, even the messenger of
the covenant, whom ye delight in :
behold, he shall come, saith the
Lord of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of
his coming? and who shall stand
when he appeareth ? for he is like a
refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap :
he shall sit as a refiner and purifier
of silver : he shall purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and

silver, that they may offer unto the
LORD an offering in righteousness.
3 I will come near to you to judg
ment ; and I will be a swift witness
against the sorcerers, and against
the adulterers, and against false
swearers, and against those that op
press the laborer in his wages, the
widow and the fatherless, and that
turn aside the stranger from his
right, and fear not me, saith the
Lord of hosts.
4 Even from the days of your
fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them.
Return unto me, and I will return
unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

HEBREW SCRIPTURES. — MALACHI.

93

But ye say, Wherein shall we re
turn? Will a man rob God ? Yet ye
have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee ? In
tithes and offerings.
5 Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat
in mine house, and prove me now
herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if
I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing,
that there shall not be room enough
to receive it.
6 Your words have been stout
against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye
say, What have we spoken so much
against thee ? Ye have said, It is
vain to serve God : and what profit
is it that we have kept his ordinance,
and that we have walked with self-
denials before the LORD of hosts ?
7 They that revered the LORD
spake often one to another : and the
LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written
before him for them that revered the

LORD, and that thought upon his
name : They shall be mine, saith the
LORD of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels ; and I will spare
them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him.
8 Then shall ye return, and dis
cern between the righteous and the
wicked, between him that serveth
God and him that serveth him not.
9 Behold, the day cometh, that
shall burn as an oven ; and all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly,
shall be stubble: and the day that
cometh shall burn them up, saith
the LORD of hosts, and shall leave
them neither root nor branch.
io But unto you that revere my
name shall the Sun of righteousness
arise with healing in his wings ; ye
shall go forth, and grow up as calves
of the stall ; ye shall tread down the
wicked ; they shall be ashes under
the soles of your feet in the day that
I shall do this, saith the Lord of
hosts.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GOSPELS.

SELECTION I.
Traditions of the birth and childhood
of fesus.
"\JOW when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judaea in the days
of Herod the king, behold, Magi came
from the east to Jerusalem, saying,
Where is he that is born to be King
of the Jews? for we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to do
him homage.
2 When Herod the king heard
these things, he was troubled, and
all Jerusalem with him. And when
he had gathered the chief priests
and scribes of the people together,
he demanded of them where the
Messiah should be born. And they
answered, In Bethlehem of Judaea :
for thus it is written by the prophet.
3 Then Herod, when he had privily
called the Magi, enquired of them
diligently what time the star ap
peared : and sent them to Bethlehem,
saying, Go and search diligently for
the young child; and when ye have
found him, bring me word again, that
I may come and do him homage also.
4 When they had heard the king,
they departed ; and, lo, the star,
which they had seen in the east, con
tinued before them, till it stood over
where the young child was: when
they were come into the house, they

saw the young child with Mary his
mother, and fell down, and did him
homage : and when they had opened
their treasures, they presented unto
him gifts : gold, and frankincense,
and myrrh.
5 And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock
by night: and, lo, a vision of the
Lord came upon them, and the glory
of the Lord shone round about them ;
and they were sore afraid.
6 And an angel said to them,
Fear not : behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people : for unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Sav
iour, who is Messiah the Teacher.
And this shall be a sign unto you :
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
7 And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying, Glory
to God in the highest, on earth peace,
good will toward men.
8 And it came to pass, as the an
gels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to
another, Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which
is come to pass, which the Lord hath
made known unto us. And they
came with haste, and found Mary,

94

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

9?

and Joseph; and the babe lying in a
manger. When they had seen it, they
made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child :
and all that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them
by the shepherds. And the shep
herds returned, glorifying and prais
ing God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as it was told
to them.
9 But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart : and
when eight days were accomplished
for the circumcising of the child, his
name was called JESUS.
10 There was a man in Jerusalem,
whose name was Simeon; and the
same man was just and devout, wait
ing for the consolation of Israel :
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the
Holy Spirit, that he should not see
death, before he had seen the Lord's
Anointed. He came by the Spirit
into the temple : and when the par
ents brought in the child Jesus, to
do for him after the custom of the
law, he took him up in his arms, and
blessed God, and said, Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, according- to thy word : for
mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the
face of all people; a light to lighten
the Gentiles, and the glory of thy
people Israel.
n And Joseph and his mother
marvelled at those things which
were spoken of him. And Simeon
blessed them, and said to Mary his
mother, Behold, this child is set for
the fall and rising again of many in
Israel ; and for a sign which shall be

spoken against : yea, a sword shall
pierce through thine own soul, that
the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed. 12 And there was one Anna, a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser : and she was a
widow of about fourscore and four
years, who departed not from the
temple, but served 6Wwith fastings.
and prayers night and day: she
coming in that instant gave thanks
likewise unto the Lord, and spake of
him to all them that looked for re
demption in Jerusalem.
13 And when they had performed
all things according to the law of the
Lord, they returned into Galilee,.
to their own city Nazareth. And
the child grew, and waxed strong in
spirit, filled with wisdom, and the.
grace, of God was upon him.
14 Now his parents went to Jeru
salem every year at the feast of the
passover. And when he was twelve
years old, they went up to Jerusa
lem after the custom of the feast :
and when they had fulfilled the days,
as they returned, the child Jesus tar
ried behind in Jerusalem ; but Joseph
and his mother knew not of it : sup
posing him to have been in the com
pany, they went a day's journey;:
then they sought him among their
kinsfolk and acquaintance ; and when
they found him not, they turned back
again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
15 And it came to pass, that on
the third day they found him in the
temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, both hearing them and
asking them questions : and all that
heard him were astonished at his un
derstanding and answers.

96

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

16 And when they saw him, they
were amazed : and his mother said
to him, Son, why hast thou thus
dealt with us? behold, thy father
and I have sought thee sorrowing:
and he replied, How is it that ye
sought me? wist ye not that 1 must
be about my Father's business? but
they understood not the meaning
of what he said to them.
17 And he went down with them,
and came to Nazareth, and was sub
ject to them : but his mother kept
all these sayings in her heart. And
Jesus increased in wisdom and stat
ure, and in favor with God and man.
SELECTION II.
The appearance, preaching, and death
of jfohn the Baptist.
TVTOW in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius
Pilate being governor of Judaea, and
Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and
his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea
and of the region of Trachonitis, and
Lysanias the tretrach of Abilene :
Annas and Caiaphas being the high
priests, the word of God came unto
John the son of Zacharias in the
wilderness. 2 And he came into all the country
about Jordan, preaching the baptism
of repentance for the remission of
sins ; as it is written in the book of
the words of Esaias the prophet, say
ing, The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight :
let every valley be filled, every
mountain and hill be brought low ;
let the crooked be made straight,
and the rough ways smooth ; for all
flesh shall see the salvation of God.

3 Then said he to the multitude
that came forth to be baptized of
him, O generation of vipers, who
hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come? bring forth fruits
worthy of repentance, and begin not
to say within yourselves, We have
Abraham to our father: for I say
to you, That God is able of these
stones to raise up children unto
Abraham. Now also the axe is laid
at the root of the trees : every tree
which bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
4 And the people asked him, say
ing, What shall we do then? He
answered, He that hath two coats,
let him give to him that hath none;
and he that hath meat, let him do
likewise. 5 Then came also publicans to
be baptized, and said to him, Master,
what shall we do ? And he said to
them, Exact no more than that
which is appointed you.
6 And the soldiers likewise de
manded of him, saying, And what
shall we do ? And he said to them,
Do violence to no man, neither
accuse any falsely ; and be content
with your wages.
7 And as the people were in ex
pectation, and all men mused in their
hearts of John, whether he were the
Messiah, or not ; John answered, say
ing to them all, I indeed baptize you
with water ; but one mightier than I
cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I
am not worthy to unloose : he shall
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
with fire : whose fan is in his hand,
he will throughly purge his floor,
and will gather the wheat into his
garner; but the chaff he will burn

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

97

with fire unquenchable. And many
other things in his exhortation
preached he to the people.
8 But Herod the tetrarch, being
reproved by him for Herodias his
brother Philip's wife, and for all the
evils which Herod had done, added
yet this above all, that he shut up
John in prison. And when he would
have put him to death, he feared the
multitude, because they counted him
as a prophet.
9 But when Herod's birthday was
kept, the daughter of Herodias
danced before them, and pleased
Herod : whereupon he promised with
an oath to give her whatsoever she
would ask. And she, being before
instructed of her mother, said, Give
me here John Baptist's head in a
charger. IO And the king was sorry : never
theless for the oath's sake, and them
which sat with him at meat, he com
manded it to be given her. And he
sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
And his head was brought in a charg
er, and given to the damsel : and she
brought it to her mother.
n And his disciples came, and
took up the body, and buried it, and
went and told Jesus.
SELECTION III.
Jesus, deeply moved by the preaching of
John, retires into the wilderness for prayer
and meditation.
A ND Jesus himself began to be
"**• about thirty years of age, being
(as was supposed) the son of Joseph.
2 And being full of the Holy
Spirit he returned from Jordan, and
was led by the Spirit into the wil
derness. And when he had fasted

forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungered.
3 Then the tempter came to him,
and said, If thou be a son of God,
command that these stones be made
bread. But he answered, It is written,
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God.
4 Then the tempter taketh him up
into the holy city, and setteth him on
a pinnacle of the temple, and saith
to him, If thou be a son of God, cast
thyself down : for it is written, He
shall give his angels charge concern
ing thee : and in their hands they
shall bear thee up, lest at any time
thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said to him, It is written again,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
God. 5 Again, the tempter taketh him
up into an exceeding high mountain,
and sheweth him all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glory of them ;
and saith to him, All these things
will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down
and do me homage. Then saith Jesus
to him, Get thee hence, Satan : for
it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt
thou serve.
6 Then the tempter leaveth him,
and, behold, angels came and minis
tered to him.
% Convinced of his divine mission as a relig
ious teacher and ref ormer, he begins to preach.
"P'ROM that time Jesus began to
preach, and to say, Repent : for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
2 And he returned in the power
of the Spirit into Galilee : and there
went out a fame of him through all

98

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

the region round about. And he
taught in their synagogues, being
praised by all.
3 And he came to Nazareth, where
he had been brought up : and, as his
custom was, he went into the syna
gogue on the sabbath day, and stood
up to read. And there was handed
to him the book of the prophet Esai-
as : when he had opened the book,
he found the place where it was writ
ten, The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor ; he
hath sent me to heal the broken
hearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to
the blind, to set at liberty them that
are bruised, to preach the acceptable
year of the Lord.
4 And he closed the book, and
gave it again to the minister, and sat
down. And the eyes of all them
that were in the synagogue were fast
ened on him. And he began to say
to them, This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears.
5 And all bare him witness, and
wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his mouth.
And they said, Is not this Joseph's
son ?
6 And he said to them, Ye will
surely say to me this proverb, Phy
sician, heal thyself : whatsoever we
have heard done in Capernaum, do
also here in thy country. Verily I
say unto you, No prophet is accept
ed in his own country. I tell you of
a truth, many widows were in Israel
in the days of Elias, when the heaven
was shut up three years and six
months, when great famine was
throughout all the land ; but to none

of them was Elias sent, save unto Sa
repta, a city of Sidon, to a woman
that was a widow. And many lepers
were in Israel in the time of Eliseus
the prophet ; and none of them were
cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
7 And all they in the synagogue,
when they heard these things, were
filled with wrath, and rose up, and
thrust him out of the city, and led
him unto the brow of the hill where
on their city was built, that they
might cast him down headlong. But
he passing through the midst of
them went his way, and came down
to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and
taught them on the sabbath days.
8 And they were astonished at his
teachings, for his word was with
power. SELECTION IV.
Driven from the synagogues, Jesus be
gins to preach in the open air.
( This and the following six Selections are col
lections of what appear to be fragments of differ
ent out-of-door sermons preached at various places
and times.')
A ND seeing the multitudes, he
went up into a mountain : and
when he was seated, his disciples
came to him : and he opened his
mouth, and taught them, saying: —
2 Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
3 Blessed are they that mourn : for
they shall be comforted.
4 Blessed are the meek : for they
shall inherit the earth.
5 Blessed are they which do hun-
get and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.
6 Blessed are the merciful : for
they shall obtain mercy.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

99

7 Blessed are the pure in heart :
for they shall see God.
8 Blessed are the peacemakers :
for they shall be called the children
of God.
9 Blessed are they which are per
secuted for righteousness' sake : for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
IO Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, and
say all manner of evil against you
falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and
be exceeding glad : for great is your
reward in heaven : so also persecuted
they the prophets which were before
you. 1 1 Ye are the salt of the earth :
but if the salt have lost its savor,
wherewith shall it be salted? it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to
be cast out, and to be • trodden un
der foot of men.
12 Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill cannot
be hid. Neither do men light a
candle, and put it under a bushel,
but on a candlestick ; and it giveth
light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father who is in
heaven. 13 Think not that I am come to
destroy the law, or the prophets : I
am not come to destroy, but to ac
complish : truly I say to you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law, till all be accomplished.
Whosoever therefore shall break one
of these least commandments, and
shall teach men so, he shall be called
the least in the kingdom of heaven :
but whosoe\ er shall do and teach

them, the same shall be called great
in the kingdom of heaven.
14 I say to you, That except your.
righteousness shall exceed the right
eousness of the scribes and Pharisees,
ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
15 Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt
not kill ; and whosoever shall kill
shall be in danger of the judgment :
but I say, Whosoever is angry with
his brother without a cause shall be
in danger of the judgment : and
whosoever shall say to his brother,
Raca, shall be in danger of the coun
cil : and whosoever shall say, Moreh,
shall be in danger of the fires of
Gehenna. 16 Therefore if thou bring thy gift
to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath ought against
thee ; leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy way ; first be recon
ciled to thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gift.
17 Agree with thine adversary
quickly, whiles thou art in the way
with him ; lest at any time the ad
versary deliver thee to the judge,
and the judge deliver thee to the
officer, and thou be cast into prison :
truly I say to thee, Thou shalt by
no means come out thence, till thou
hast paid the uttermost farthing.
18 Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery: but I say to you,
Whosoever looketh on a woman to
lust after her hath committed adul
tery with her already in his heart.
19 If thy right eye offend thee,
pluck it out, and cast it from thee :
for it is profitable for thee that one

IOO

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be
cast into Gehenna. And if thy right
hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast
it from thee : for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body
should be cast into Gehenna.
SELECTION V.
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
A GAIN, ye have heard that it
¦^^ hath been said by them of old
time, Thou shalt not forswear thy
self, but shalt perform unto the Lord
thine oaths : but I say to you, Swear
not at all ; neither by heaven ; for it
is God's throne : nor by the earth ;
for it is his footstool : neither by
Jerusalem ; for it is the city of the
great King. Neither shalt thou swear
by thy head, because thou canst not
make one hair white or black : but
let your communication be, Yea,
yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is
more than these cometh of evil.
2 Ye have heard that it hath been
said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth : but I say to you, Resist
not evil : whosoever shall smite thee
on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also : If any man will sue thee
at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him have thy cloak also : Whoso
ever shall compel thee to go a mile,
go with him twain : Give to him that
asketh thee, and from him that
would borrow of thee turn not away.
3 Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor,
and hate thine enemy: but I say to
you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them

who despitefully use you, and per
secute you ; that ye may be the
children of your Father who is in
heaven : for he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if ye love them who
love you, what reward have ye ? do
not even the publicans the same ? If
ye salute your brethren only, what
do ye more than others ? do not even
the publicans so ? Ye therefore, be
ye perfect, even as your Father who
is in heaven is perfect.
4 Take heed that ye do not your
alms before men, to be seen of them :
otherwise ye have no reward of your
Father who is in heaven. There
fore when thou doest thine alms, do
not sound a trumpet before thee, as
the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, that they may
have glory of men : truly I say to
you, They have their reward. But
when thou doest alms, let not thy
left hand know what thy right hand
doeth ; that thine alms may be in
secret: and thy Father who seeth
in secret himself shall reward thee
openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou
shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the
streets, that they may be seen of
men : truly I say to you, They have
their reward. But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and
when thou hast shut thy door, pray
to thy Father who is in secret ; and
thy Father who seeth in secret
shall reward thee openly.
6 And when ye pray, use not
vain repetitions, as the heathen do :

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IOI

they think that they shall be heard
for their much speaking : be not ye
like unto them : for your Father
knoweth what things ye have need
of, before ye ask him.
7 After this manner therefore pray
ye: Father, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on the earth, as it is in the
heavens. Give us day by day our
needful bread. Forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors. Lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
8 If ye forgive men their tres
passes, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you : but if ye forgive
not men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
SELECTION VI
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
"ly/TOREOVER when ye fast, be
not, as the hypocites, of a sad
countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto
men to fast: truly I say to you,
They have their reward. But thou,
when thou fastest, anoint thine
head, and wash thy face ; that thou
appear not to men to fast, but to thy
Father who is in secret : and thy
Father, who seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly.
2 The light of the body is the eye :
if thine eye be single, thy whole
body shall be full of light : but if
thine eye be evil, thy whole body
shall be full of darkness. If there
fore the light that is in thee be dark
ness, how great is that darkness !
3 No man can serve two masters :
either he will hate the one, and love
the other ; or else he will hold to the

one, and despise the' other. Ye can
not serve God and mammon.
4 Lay not up for yourselves earth
ly treasures, which moth and rust
do corrupt, and which thieves
break through and steal : but lay up
for yourselves heavenly treasures,
which neither moth nor rust do cor
rupt, and which thieves do not break
through and steal. For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be
also. 5 I say to you, Take no anxious
thought for your life, what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet
for your body, what ye shall put on.
Is not the life more than meat, and
the body than raiment ? Behold
the fowls of the air : they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into
barns ; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are you not much
better than they? Which of you by
taking anxious thought can add one
cubit to his stature?
6 And why take ye anxious
thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow;
they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say to you, That even
Solomon in all his glory was not ar
rayed like one of these. Wherefore,
if God so clothe the grass of the
field, which to day is, and to morrow
is cast into the oven, shall he not
much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith ?
7 Therefore take no anxious
thought, saying, What shall we eat?
or, What shall we drink? or, Where
withal shall we be clothed ? For af
ter all these things do the Gentiles
seek : your heavenly Father know
eth that ye have need of all these.

102

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

But seek ye first his kingdom and
his righteousness ; and all these
things shall be added unto you.
8 Take therefore no anxious
thought for the morrow : the mor
row shall take thought for the things
of itself. Sufficient unto the day is
the evil thereof. SELECTION VII.
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
JUDGE not, that ye be not
judged. For with what judg
ment ye judge, ye shall be judged :
and with what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you again.
2 Why beholdest thou the mote
that is in thy brother's eye, but con-
siderest not the beam that is in thine
own eye ? Or how wilt thou say to
thy brother, Let me pull out the
mote out of thine eye ; and, behold,
a beam is in thine own eye ? Hypo
crite, first cast out the beam out of
thine own eye ; then shalt thou see
clearly to cast out the mote out of
thy brother's eye.
3 Give not that which is holy to
the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them
under their feet, and turn again and
rend you.
4 Ask, and it shall be given you ;
seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and
it shall be opened to you : For
every one that continueth to ask,
receiveth ; and he that continueth to
seek, findeth ; and to him that con
tinueth to knock, it shall be opened.
5 What man is there of you, who
if his son ask bread, will give him a
stone ? or if he ask a fish, will give
him a serpent ? If ye then, being
imperfect, know how to give good

gifts to your children, how much
more shall your Father who is in
heaven give good things to them
that ask him ?
6 All things whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you ; do ye
even so to them : for this is the law
and the prophets.
7 Enter ye in at the strait gate :
for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be who go in thereat :
But strait is the gate, and narrow the
way, which leadeth to life, and few
there be that find it.
8 Beware of false prophets, who
come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly are ravening wolves : ye
shall know them by their fruits. Do
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs
of thistles? Even so every good
tree bringeth forth good fruit; but
a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit : a good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit. Every tree
that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire.
By their fruits ye shall know them.
9 Not every one that saith to me,
Master, Master, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven ; but he that
doeth the will of the Father who is
in heaven.
io Many will say to me in that
day, Master, Master, have we not
prophesied in thy name? in thy
name cast out demons? and in thy
name done many wonderful works?
But I will answer them, I never knew
you : depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. n Whosoever heareth these say
ings of mine, and doeth them, I will

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

IO3

liken him to a wise man, who built
his house upon a rock : And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that
house ; and it fell not : for it was
founded upon a rock. And every
one that heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened to a foolish man, who built
his house upon the sand: And the
rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house ; and it fell : and great was
the fall of it.
12 And it came to pass, when
Jesus had ended these sayings, the
people were astonished at his teach
ings, for he taught as one having au
thority, and not as the scribes.
13 And the fame of him went out
into every place of the country round
about. 14 And when the morning came,
he departed and went into a desert
place : and the people sought him,
and came to him, and urged him,
that he should not depart from
them ; but he said to them, I must
preach the kingdom of God to other
cities also : for therefore am I sent.
SELECTION VIII.
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
A ND it came to pass in those days,
"^ that he went out into a moun
tain to pray, and continued all night
in prayer to God.
2 And when it was day, he called
to him his disciples : and of them he
chose twelve, whom also he named
apostles ; Simon, (whom he also
named Peter,) and Andrew his broth
er, James and John, Philip and
Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas,

James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon
called Zelotes, Judas the brother of
James, and Judas Iscariot, who also
was the traitor.
3 And he lifted up his eyes on his
disciples, and said, Blessed be ye
poor: for yours is the kingdom of
God. 4 Blessed are ye that hunger now:
for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye
that weep now : for ye shall laugh.
5 Blessed are ye, when men shall
hate you, and when they shall sepa
rate you from their company, and
shall reproach you, and cast out your
name as evil, for the son of man's
sake. 6 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap
for joy: for, behold, your reward is
great in heaven : in the like manner
did their fathers unto the prophets.
7 But woe to you that are rich !
for ye have received your consola
tion. 8 Woe to you that are full ! for
ye shall hunger. Woe to you that
laugh now ! for ye shall mourn and
weep. 9 Woe to you, when all men shall
speak well of you ! for so did their
fathers of the false prophets.
10 I say to you who hear, Love
your enemies, do good to them who
hate you, bless them who curse you,
and pray for them who despitefully
use you.
1 1 As ye would that men should
do to you, do ye also to them like
wise. 12 For if ye love them who love
you, what thank have ye? sinners
also love those that love them. If
ye do good to them who do good
to you, what thank have ye ? sin-

104

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

ners also do even the same. If ye
lend to them of whom ye hope to re
ceive, what thank have ye ? sinners
also lend to sinners, to receive as
much again. But love ye your
enemies, and do good, and lend,
hoping for nothing again ; and your
reward shall be great, and ye shall
be the children of the Highest : for
he is kind unto the unthankful and
to the evil.
13 Be ye therefore merciful, as
your Father also is merciful.
14 Judge not, and ye shall not be
judged : condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned : forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven : give, and it shall
be given to you ; good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into
your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall
be measured to you again.
15 And he spake a parable to
them, Can the blind lead the blind ?
shall they not both fall into the ditch ?
16 The disciple is not above his
master : but every one that is per
fect shall be as his master.
17 A good man out of the good
treasure of his heart bringeth forth
that which is good, and an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is evil ; for
of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaketh.
18 Why call ye me, Master, Mas
ter, and do not the things which I
say?
SELECTION IX.
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
A ND it came to pass afterward,
that he went throughout every

city and village, preaching and shew
ing the glad tidings of the kingdom
of God : and the twelve were with
him. 2 And great multitudes were
gathered together unto him, so that
he went into a ship, and sat ; and the
whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things to
them in parables, saying, Behold a
sower went forth to sow ; and when
he sowed, some seeds fell by the way
side, and the fowls came and de
voured them up : some fell upon
stony places, where they had not
much earth ; and forthwith they
sprung up, because they had no
deepness of earth : but when the sun
was up, they were scorched ; and be
cause they had no root, they withered
away. Some fell among thorns ; and
the thorns sprung up and choked
them. But other fell into good
ground, and brought forth fruit, some
an hundredfold, some sixtyf old, some
thirtyfold. 4 Who hath ears to hear, let him
hear. 5 And the disciples came, and said
to him, Why speakest thou to them
in parables ? He answered, Because
to you it is given to understand the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it is not given : there
fore speak I to them in parables : be
cause they seeing see not ; and hear
ing they hear not, neither do they
understand. In them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
Hearing ye hear, but do not under
stand ; and seeing ye see, but do not
perceive : for this people's heart is
waxed gross, and their ears are dull
of hearing, and their eyes they have

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IOJ

closed ; lest at any time they should
see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and should understand
with their heart, and should be con
verted, and I should heal them..
6 But blessed are your eyes, for
they see : and your ears, for they
hear. Truly I say to you, That
many prophets and righteous men
have desired to see those things which
ye see, and have not seen them ; and
to hear those things which ye hear,
and have not heard them.
7 Hear ye therefore the parable of
the sower.
8 When any one heareth the word
of the kingdom, and understandeth
it not, then cometh the wicked one,
and catcheth away that which was
sown in his heart. This is he who
received seed by the way side.
9 He that received the seed into
stony places, the same is he that
heareth the word, and anon with joy
receiveth it; but hath not root in
himself, and dureth for a while : when
tribulation or persecution ariseth be
cause of the word, by and by he is
offended. 10 He that received seed among
the thorns is he that heareth the
word ; and the care of this world, and
the deceitfulness of riches, choke the
word, and he becometh unfruitful.
1 1 But he that received seed into
the good ground is he that heareth
the word, and understandeth it;
which also beareth fruit, and bringeth
forth, some an hundredfold, some
sixty, some thirty.
12 Another parable put he forth
to them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is likened unto a man who
sowed good seed in his field : but

while men slept, his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat,
and went his way. When the blade
was sprung up, and brought forth
fruit, then appeared the tares also :
so the servants of the householder
came and said to him, Sir, didst not
thou sow good seed in thy field ?
from whence then hath it tares ? He
said to them, An enemy hath done
this. The servants said to him, Wilt
thou then that we go and gather
them up? He said, Nay; lest while
ye gather up the tares, ye root up
also the wheat with them. Let both
grow together until the harvest : and
in the time of harvest I will say to
the reapers, Gather ye together first
the tares, and bind them in bundles
to burn them : but gather the wheat
into my barn. SELECTION X.
Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.
A NOTHER parable put he forth
to them, saying, The kingdom
of heaven is like to a grain of mus
tard seed, which a man took, and
sowed in his field : which indeed is
the least of all seeds : but when it is
grown, it is the greatest among herbs,
and becometh a tree, so that the
birds of the air come and lodge in
the branches thereof.
2 Another parable spake he to
them ; The kingdom of heaven is
like unto leaven, which a woman
took, and hid in three measures of
meal, till the whole was leavened.
3 Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like a treasure hid in a field ; which
when a man hath found, he hideth :
and for joy thereof goeth and selleth
all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

io6

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

4 Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like unto a merchant man, seeking
goodly pearls : who, when he had
found one pearl of great price, went
and sold all that he had, and bought
it. 5 Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like unto a net, that was cast into
the sea, and gathered of every kind :
which, when it was full, they drew
to shore, and sat down, and gath
ered the good into vessels, but cast
the bad away.
6 Jesus said to his disciples, Have
ye understood all these things ?
They answered, Yea, Master. Then
said he to them, Every scribe who
is instructed unto the kingdom of
heaven is like unto a man that is an
householder, who bringeth forth out
of his treasure things new and old.
7 At that time Jesus answered
and said, I thank thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because
thou hast hid these things from the
self-wise and the worldly, and hast
revealed them to babes. Even so,
Father : for thus it seemed good in
thy sight.
8 Come to me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me ; for I am meek and
lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest
to your souls ; for my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.
9 And it came to pass, that when
Jesus had finished these teachings,
he departed thence : and when he
was come into his own country, he
taught them in their synagogue, in
somuch that they were astonished,
and said, Whence hath this man this
wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter's son ? is
not his mother called Mary? and
his brothers, James, and Joses, and
Simon, and Judas ? and his sisters,
are they not all with us ? Whence
then hath this man all this knowl
edge? And they were distrustful of
him. But Jesus said to them, A
prophet is not without honor, save
in his own country, and in his own
house. And he did not many
mighty works there because of their
unbelief. SELECTION XI.
Jesus shows that his mission is to trans
gressors, and not to the righteous.
A ND one of the Pharisees desired
him that he would eat with
him. And he went into the Phari
see's house, and sat down to meat.
2 And, behold, a woman in the city,
who was a transgressor, when sheknew
that Jesus sat at meat in the Phari
see's house, brought an alabaster box
of ointment : and stood at his feet be
hind him weeping : and began to
wash his feet with tears, and to
wipe them with the hairs of her
head : and she kissed his feet, and
anointed them with the ointment.
3 Now when the Pharisee who
had bidden him saw it, he spake
within himself, saying, This man, if
he were a prophet, would have
known who and what manner of
woman this is that toucheth him:
for she is a transgressor.
4 And Jesus said to him, Simon,
I have somewhat to say to thee.
And he said, Master, say on.
5 There was a certain creditor
who had two debtors ; the one
owed five hundred pence, and the

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

107

other fifty : and when they had
nothing to pay, he frankly forgave
them both. Tell me, therefore,
which of them will love him most ?
Simon said, I suppose that he, to
whom he forgave most. And Jesus
said to him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and
said to Simon, Seest thou this wom
an ? I entered into thine house, thou
gavest me no water for my feet ; but
she hath washed my feet with tears,
and wiped them with the hairs of her
head : thou gavest me no kiss ; but
this woman since the time I came in
hath not ceased to kiss my feet : my
head with oil thou didst not anoint ;
but this woman hath anointed my
feet with ointment. Wherefore I say
to thee, Her transgressions, which
are many, are forgiven ; for she loved
much : but to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. And he said to
her, Thy transgressions are forgiven.
6 And they that sat at meat with
him began to say within themselves,
Who is this that forgiveth transgres
sions also ? And he said to the wom
an, Thy faith hath saved thee : go in
peace. 7 After these things he went forth,
and saw a publican, named Levi, sit
ting at the receipt of custom : and
he said to him, Follow me. And he
left all, rose up, and followed him.
And Levi made him a great feast in
his own house : and there was a
great company of publicans and of
others that sat down with them.
Then the scribes and Pharisees mur
mured against his disciples, saying,
Why do ye eat and drink with pub
licans and trangressors ? And Jesus
answering said to them, They that

are whole need not a physician; but
they that are sick. I came not to
call the righteous, but transgressors
to repentance.
8 And he spake this parable to
certain who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and de
spised others : — Two men went up
into the temple to pray ; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, God, I thank thee,
that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even as this publican : I fast twice
in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess. But the publican, standing
afar off, would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon
his breast, saying, God be merciful
to me a transgressor. I tell you, this
man went down to his house justified
rather than the other : for every one
that exalteth himself shall be abased ;
and he that humbleth himself shall
be exalted.
9 Jesus entered and passed through
Jericho : and, behold, there was a
man named Zacchseus, who was
the chief among the publicans, and
he was rich. And he sought to see
Jesus who he was; but could not for
the press, because he was little of
stature. And he ran before, and
climbed up into a sycamore tree to
see him : for he was to pass that way.
When Jesus came to the place, he
loked up and saw him, and said to him,
Zacchaeus, make haste, and come
down ; for to day I must abide at
thy house. And he made haste, and
came down, and received him joy
fully. And when they saw it, they
all murmured, saying, That he was

io8

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

gone to be guest with a man that is
a transgressor. But Zacchaeus stood,
and said to the Master, Behold,
Master, the half of my goods I give
to the poor; and if I have taken
any thing from any man by false ac
cusation, I restore him fourfold.
And Jesus said, This day is salva
tion come to this house, forasmuch
as he also is a son of Abraham.
SELECTION XII.
Jesus shows that the New Dispensation
or Kingdom of God is to be one of glad
ness and hope, not of despondency, retire
ment, and gloom.
A ND the messengers of John said
to him, Why do the disciples
of John fast often, and make pray
ers, and likewise the disciples of the
Pharisees ; but thine eat and drink ?
And he answered, Can ye make the
children of the bridechamber fast,
while the bridegroom is with them ?
The days will come, when the bride
groom shall be taken away from
them, and then shall they fast in
those days.
2 And he spake also a parable to
them ; No man putteth a piece of a
new garment upon an old; if other
wise, then both the new maketh a
rent, and the piece that was taken
out of the new agreeth not with the
old. And no man putteth new wine
into old bottles ; else the new wine
will burst the bottles, and be spilled,
and the bottles shall perish : but new
wine must be put into new bottles ;
and both are preserved.
3 No man also having drunk old
wine straightway desireth new : for
he saith, The old is better.
4 And when the messengers of

John were departed, he began to
speak to the people concerning John,
What went ye out into the wilder
ness to see ? A reed shaken with the
wind? But what went ye out to see?
A man clothed in soft raiment ? Be
hold, they who are gorgeously ap
parelled, and live delicately, are in
kings' courts. But what went ye out
to see ? A prophet ? Yea, I say to
you, and much more than a prophet :
for this is he, of whom it is written,
Behold, I send my messenger before
thy face, who shall prepare thy way
before thee. I say to you, Among
those 'that are born of women there is
not a greater prophet than John the
Baptist : but he that is least in the
new dispensation is greater than he.
5 And the Master said, Whereunto
then shall I liken the men of this
generation ? and to what are they
like ? They are like children sit
ting in the marketplace, and call
ing one to another, and saying, We
have piped to you, and ye have not
danced ; we have mourned to you,
and ye have not wept. John the
Baptist came neither eating bread
nor drinking wine ; and they say, He
hath a devil. The son of man is
come eating and drinking ; and they
say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a
winebibber, a friend of publicans and
transgressors. 6 But wisdom is justified of all her
children. SELECTION XIII.
Jesus shows that righteousness consists,
not in external pretensions, but in internal
purity and obedience to God.
"""PHEN came to Jesus scribes and

1

Pharisees, who were of Jeru-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

109

salem, saying, Why do thy disciples
transgress the tradition of the elders ?
for they wash not their hands when
they eat bread.
2. But he answered them, Why
do ye also transgress the command
ment of God by your tradition? for
God commanded, saying, Honor thy
father and mother: and, He that
curseth father or mother, let him die
the death. But ye say, Whosoever
shall say to his father or his mother,
It is a gift, by whatsoever thou
mightest be profited by me ; and
honor not his father or his mother,
he shall be free. Thus have ye made
the commandment of God of none
effect by your tradition. Ye hypo
crites, well did Esaias prophesy of
you, saying, This people draweth
nigh unto me with their mouth, and
honoreth me with their lips ; but
their heart is far from me. In vain
they do worship me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of
men. 3 And he called the multitude,
and said to them, Hear and under
stand: Not that which goeth into
the mouth defileth a man ; but that
which cometh out of the mouth, this
defileth a man.
4 Then came his disciples, and
said to him, Knowest thou that the
Pharisees were offended, after they
heard this saying ?
5 But he answered, Every plant,
which my heavenly Father hath not
planted, shall be rooted up. Let
them alone : they are blind leaders
of the blind. And if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the
ditch. 6 Then answered Peter and said to

him, Explain to us this parable. And
Jesus said, Are ye also without
understanding? Do not ye un
derstand, that whatsoever entereth
in at the mouth goeth into the
draught and is cast out ? but those
things which proceed out of the
mouth come forth from the heart ;
and they defile the man. For out of
the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies :
these are the things which defile a
man : but to eat with unwashen
hands defileth not a man.
7 And as he spake, a certain
Pharisee besought him to dine with
him : and he went in, and sat down
to meat. And when the Pharisee
saw it he marvelled that he had not
first washed before dinner. And the
Master said to him, Now do ye
Pharisees make clean the outside of
the cup and the platter ; but your
inward part is full of ravening and
wickedness. Ye fools, did not he
that made that which is without
make that which is within also ?
8 Woe to you, Pharisees ! for ye
tithe mint and rue and all manner
of herbs, and pass over judgment
and the love of God : these ought ye
to have done, and not to leave the
other undone.
9 Woe to you, Pharisees ! for ye
love the uppermost seats in the
synagogues, and greetings in the
markets. 10 Woe to you, scribes and Phari
sees, hypocrites ! for ye are as graves
which appear not, and the men that
walk over them are not aware of

1 1 Then answered one of the law-

no

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

yers, and said to him, Master, thus
saying thou reproachest us also.
And he said, Woe to you also, ye
lawyers ! for ye lade men with bur
dens grievous to be borne, and ye
yourselves touch not the burdens
with one of your fingers. Woe to
you ! for ye build the sepulchres of
the prophets, and your fathers killed
them. Truly ye bear witness that
ye allow the deeds of your fathers :
for they indeed killed them, and ye
build their sepulchres. Therefore
also said the wisdom of God, I will
send them prophets and apostles,
and some of them they shall slay
and persecute : that the blood of all
the prophets, which was shed from
the foundation of the world, may be
required of this generation. Woe
to you, lawyers ! for ye have
taken away the key of knowledge :
ye entered not in yourselves, and
them that were entering in ye hin
dered. 12 But what think ye? A certain
man had two sons; and he came to
the first, and said, Son, go work to
day in my vineyard. He answered
and said, I will not: but afterward
he repented, and went. And he came
to the second, and said likewise.
And he answered and said, I go, sir :
and went not. Whether of them
twain did the will of his father?
They say to him, The first. Jesus
said to them, Truly I say to you,
that the publicans and the harlots
go into the kingdom of God before
you. For John came to you in the
way of righteousness, and ye be
lieved him not : but the publicans
and the harlots believed him : and
ye, when ye had seen it, repented

not afterward, that ye might believe
him. 13 And as he said these things to
them, the scribes and the Pharisees
began to urge him vehemently, and
to provoke him to speak of many
things : laying wait for him, and
seeking to catch something out of
his mouth, that they might accuse
him. 14 Then began he to say to his
disciples, Beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
For there is nothing covered, that
shall not be revealed ; neither hid,
that shall not be known. Whatso
ever ye have spoken in darkness
shall be heard in the light ; and that
which ye have spoken in the ear in
closets shall be proclaimed upon the
housetops. SELECTION XIV.
Jesus disregards the traditional observ
ance of the sabbath, and shows that it is
designed simply as a day of restfulness and
comfort to man.
A ND it came to pass on the sec
ond sabbath after the first, that
he went through the corn fields ; and
his disciples plucked the ears of corn,
and did eat, rubbing them in their
hands. And certain of the Pharisees
said to them, Why do ye that which
is not lawful to do on the sabbath
days? 2 And Jesus answering them, said,
Have ye not read so much as this,
what David did, when himself was
an hungered, and they who were
with him : how he went into the
house of God, and did take and eat
the shewbread, and gave also to them
that were with him ; which it is not

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

II I

lawful to eat but for the priests alone ?
And he said to them, The son of
man is Master also of the sabbath.
3 And it came to pass also on
another sabbath, that he entered
into the synagogue and taught : and
there was a man whose right hand
was withered. And they watched
him, whether he would heal him on
the sabbath day ; that they might
accuse him.
4 And he said to the man who
had the withered hand, Stand forth :
and he said to them, Is it lawful to
do good on the sabbath days, or todo
evil ? to save life, or to kill ? But they
held their peace. And looking round
about upon them all, he said to
the man, Stretch forth thy hand.
And he did so : and his hand was re
stored. And they were filled with
madness ; and communed one with
another what they might do to Jesus.
5 And it came to pass in those
days, that he went out into a moun
tain to pray, and continued all night
in prayer to God.
6 After this there was a feast of
the Jews ; and Jesus went up to Jeru
salem. 7 Now there is at Jerusalem by
the sheep market a pool, which is
called in the Hebrew tongue Be-
thesda, having five porches. In these
lay a great multitude of impotent
folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting
for the moving of the water: for
an angel went down at a certain sea
son into the pool, and troubled the
water : whosoever then first after the
troubling of the water stepped in was
healed of whatsoever disease he had.
And a certain man was there, who
had an infirmity thirty and eight

years : when Jesus saw him lie,.
knowing that he had been now a long
time in that case, he said to him,
Wilt thou be healed ? The impotent
man answered him, Sir, I have no
man, when the water is troubled, to-
put me into the pool : but while I am
coming, another steppeth down be
fore me. Jesus said to him, Rise,
take up thy couch, and walk.
8 And immediately the man was
healed, and took up his couch, and
walked : and on the same day was
the sabbath. The Jews therefore
said to him that was cured, It is the
sabbath day ; it is not lawful for thee
to carry thy couch. He answered
them, He that cured me, the same said •
to me, Take up thy couch and walk.
Then asked they him, What man is.
that who said to thee, Take up thy
couch, and walk ? And he that was
healed knew not who it was : for
Jesus had conveyed himself away,
a multitude being in that place.
9 Afterward Jesus findeth him in
the temple, and said to him, Behold,
thou art cured : transgress no more,
lest a worse thing come unto thee.
The man departed, and told the Jews
that it was Jesus who had healed him.
io Therefore did the Jews perse
cute Jesus, and sought to slay him,
because he had done these things on
the sabbath day. But Jesus answered
them, My father worketh hitherto,
and I work. The sabbath was made
for man, and not man for the sabbath...
SELECTION XV.
Jesus organizes his followers, and sends
them out as missionaries.
A ND Jesus went about all the
"^ cities and villages, teaching in,

112

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

their synagogues, and preaching the
gospel of the kingdom, and healing
every sickness and every disease
among the people.
2 But when he saw the multitudes,
he was moved with compassion on
them, because they fainted, and were
scattered abroad, as sheep having no
shepherd. And he said to his dis
ciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the laborers are few ; pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth laborers into
his harvest,
3 And he called unto him the
twelve, and began to send them forth
by two and two ; and gave them au
thority over unclean spirits. And he
commanded them that they should
take nothing for their journey, save
a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no
money in their purse : to be shod with
sandals ; and not put on two coats.
4 And he said to them, In what
place soever ye enter into an house,
there abide till ye depart from that
place : and whosoever shall not re
ceive you, nor hear you, when ye de
part thence, shake off the dust under
your feet for a testimony against
them. Truly I say to you, It shall
be more tolerable for Sodom and
Gomorrha in the day of judgment,
than for that city.
5 Behold, I send you forth as sheep
in the midst of wolves : be ye there
fore wise as serpents, and harmless
as doves. But beware of men : for
they will deliver you up to the coun
cils, and they will scourge you in
their synagogues ; and ye shall be
brought before governors and kings
for my sake, for a testimony against
them and the Gentiles.

6 But when they deliver you up,
take no anxious thought how or what
ye shall speak : it shall be given you
in that same hour what ye shall
speak: for it is not ye that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father who
speaketh in you.
7 And the brother shall deliver up
the brother to death, and the father
the child : children shall rise up
against their parents, and cause them
to be put to death. And ye shall be
hated of all men for my name's sake :
but he that endureth to the end shall
be saved.
8 The disciple is not above his
teacher, nor the servant above his
master. It is enough for the disciple
that he be as his teacher, and the
servant as his master. If they have
called the master of the house Beel
zebub, how much more shall they call
them of his household ?
9 Fear them not therefore: for
there is nothing covered, that shall
not be revealed ; nor hid, that shall
not be known. What I tell you in
darkness, that speak ye in light : and
what ye hear in secret, that preach
ye upon the housetops. And fear
not them who kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soul : but
rather fear him who is able to destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
IO Are not two sparrows sold for
a farthing ? and one of them shall not
fall on the ground without your
Father. The very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear ye not there
fore, ye are of more value than many
sparrows. n Whosoever shall confess me
before men, him will I confess also
before my Father in heaven : but

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

H3

whosoever shall deny me before men,
him will I also deny before my Father
in heaven.
12 Think not that I am come to
send peace on earth : I came not to
send peace, but a sword. I am come
to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her
mother, and the daughter in law
against her mother in law: and a
man's foes shall be they of his own
household. 13 H e that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me :
and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross,
and followeth after me, is not worthy
of me. He that findeth his life shall
lose it : and he that loseth his life
for my sake shall find it.
14 And they went out, and preach
ed that men should repent.
15 And a certain scribe came, and
said to him, Master, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest. Jesus an
swered, The foxes have holes, and
the birds of the air have nests ; but
the son of man hath not where to lay
his head.
16 Another of his disciples said
to him, Master, suffer me first to go
and bury my father. But Jesus said,
Follow me ; and let the dead bury
their dead.
17 After these things the Master
appointed other seventy also, and
sent them two and two before his
face into every city and place, whither
he himself would come. And the
seventy returned with joy, saying,
Master, even the unclean spirits are
subject unto us through thy name.
Jesus answered, I beheld Satan asi

lightning fall from heaven : notwith
standing in this rejoice not, that spir
its are subject to you ; but rather
rejoice, because your names are writ
ten in heaven. SELECTION XVI.
Through confidence in the skill and heal
ing power of Jesus, many sick people are
restored. A ND a certain woman, who had
an issue of blood twelve years,
and had suffered many things of
many physicians, had spent all that
she possessed, and was nothing bet
tered, but rather grew worse, when
she heard of Jesus, came in the press
behind, and touched his garments ;
for she said, If I may touch but his
clothes, I shall be cured. But Jesus
turned him about, and when he saw
her, he said, Daughter, be of good
comfort ; thy faith hath healed thee.
And the woman was healed from that
hour. 2 And they came to Jericho : and
as he went out of Jericho with his
disciples and a great number of peo
ple, blind Bartimaeus, the son of
Timaeus, sat by the highway side beg
ging And when he heard that it
was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to
cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of
David, have pity on me. And many
charged him that he should hold his
peace: but he cried the more a great
deal, Thou son of David, have pity
on me. And Jesus stood still, and
commanded him to be called. And
they call the blind man, saying to
him, Be of good comfort, rise ; he
calleth thee. And he, casting away
his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
And Jesus said to him, What wilt

114

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

thou that I should do to thee ? The
blind man said to him, Master, that
I might receive my sight. Jesus said
to him, Go thy way ; thy faith hath
restored thee. And immediately he
received his sight, and followed Jesus
in the way.
3 And it came to pass, as he went
to Jerusalem, that he passed through
the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
And as he entered into a certain vil
lage, there met him ten men that
were lepers, who stood afar off:
and they lifted up their voices, and
said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on
us. And when he saw them, he said
to them, Go show yourselves to the
priests. And it came to pass, that,
as they went, they were healed.
And one of them, when he saw that
he was healed, turned back, and with
a loud voice glorified God ; and he
fell down on his face at his feet,
giving him thanks: arid he was a
Samaritan. And Jesus said, Were
there not ten healed ? but where are
the nine? There are not found that
returned to give glory to God, save
this stranger. And he said to him,
Arise, go thy way ; thy faith hath
healed thee.
4 Jesus went forth, and saw a
great multitude, and was moved with
compassion toward them, and he
healed their sick.
5 And when the men of that place
had knowledge of him, they sent out
into all that country round about,
and brought unto him all that were
diseased ;
6. And besought him that they
might only touch the hem of his gar
ment : and as many as touched were
healed.

IT fesus recognizes the intimate connection be
tween moral and physical infirmities.

A ND they brought to him
sick of the palsy, lyini

a man
lying on a
couch : and Jesus seeing their faith
said to the sick of the palsy : Son, be
of good cheer, thy transgressions are
forgiven thee. Certain of the scribes
said within themselves, This man
blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing
their thoughts, said, Wherefore think
ye evil concerning me in your hearts ?
Whether is eaiser, to say, Thy trans
gressions are forgiven thee ; or to
say, Arise, and walk ? But that ye
may know that the son of man hath
authority on earth to set free from
transgressions (then saith he to the
sick of the palsy), Arise, take up thy
couch, and go unto thine house.
And he arose, and departed to his
house. When the multitudes saw it,
they marvelled, and glorified God,
who had given such authority to
men. 2 Afterward Jesus found him in
the temple, and said to him, Behold,
thou art healed : transgress no more,
lest a worse thing come to thee.
If yesus rebukes the custom of immediate
burial among the Jews, by resuscitating persons
supposed to be dead. *
A ND it came to pass the day after,
that he went into a city called
Nain ; and many of his disciples went
with him, and much people. Now
when he came nigh to the gate of
the city, behold, there was carried
out, as dead, an only son of his moth
er, and she was a widow : and much
people of the city was with her.
And when the Master saw her, he
had compassion on her, and said to

* See Note (a) at the end of Gospel Selections.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

"5

her, Weep not. And he came and
touched the couch, and those bearing
it stood still : and he said, Young
man, I say to thee, Arise. And the
dead one sat up, and began to speak :
and he delivered him to his mother.
2 And there came a man named
Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue :
and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and
besought him that he would come
into his house : for he had one only
daughter, about twelve years of age,
and she lay a dying. But as he
went the people thronged him.
3 And when he came into the
house, he suffered no man to go in,
save Peter, and James, and John,
and the father and mother of the
maiden. And all wept, and bewailed
her : but he said, Weep not ; she is
not dead, but is asleep : and they
laughed him to scorn, being con
fident that she was dead. But he put
them aside, took her by the hand,
and called, Maid, arise. And her
spirit came again, and she arose
straightway : and he commanded to
give her meat.
4 Now a certain man was sick,
named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town
of Mary and her sister Martha. (It
was that Mary who anointed the
Master with ointment, and wiped his
feet with her hair, whose brother
Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his
sisters sent to him, saying, Master,
behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and
her sister, and Lazarus. When there
fore he heard that he was sick, he
abode at that time two days in the
place where he was. Then after
this he said to the disciples, Let us
go into Judaea again. The disciples

said to him, Teacher, the Jews were
but now seeking to stone thee ; and
goest thou thither again ? Jesus an
swered, Are there not twelve hours
in the day? If a man walk in the
day, he stumbleth not, because he
seeth the light of this world. But if
a man walk in the night, he stum
bleth, because the light is not in
him. 6 'These things spake he : and
after this he said to them, Our friend
Lazarus is fallen asleep ; I go, that I
may awake him out of sleep. The
disciples therefore said to him, Mas
ter, if he is fallen asleep, he will re
cover. 7 Then when Jesus came, he found
that he had been in the tomb four
days already.
8 When Mary had come where
Jesus was, and saw him, she fell
down at his feet, saying to him,
Master, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died.
9 But when Jesus saw her wailing,
and the Jews also who came with
her wailing, he was moved with in
dignation in himself, and was troub
led : and he asked, Where have you
laid him? They said, Master, come
and see.
10 Jesus wept ; then the Jews said,
Behold how he loved him ! and some
of them said, Could not this man, who
opened the eyes of the blind, have
caused that this man also should not
have died?
n Jesus, on this account, being
again moved with indignation in
himself, came to the tomb. It was
a cave, and a stone lay against it.
Jesus said, Take away the stone :
then they took away the stone.

n6

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

12 Jesus lifted up his eyes, and
said, Father, I thank thee that thou
hast heard me.
13 And when he thus had spoken,
he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus,
come forth. He that was dead came
forth, bound hand and foot with
grave-bands; and his face was tied
about with a cloth. Jesus said to
them, Loose him, and let him go.
SELECTION XVII.
An example of the cowardice and
shame of suppressing opinions through
fear of popular disfavor.
A ND as Jesus passed by, he saw
¦^^ a man who was blind from
his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him,
Master, who did err, this man, or his
parents, that he was born blind ?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this
man erred, nor his parents : but
that the works of God should be
made manifest in him. I must work
the works of him that sent me, while
it is day : the night cometh when no
man can work. As long as I am in
the world, I am a light of the world.
When he had thus spoken, he
anointed the eyes of the blind man
with clay, and said to him, Go, wash
in the pool of Siloam, (which is by
interpretation, Sent.) He went his
way therefore, and washed, and came
seeing. 3 The neighbors therefore, and
they who before had seen him that he
was blind, said, Is not this he that
sat and begged ? Some said, This is
he: others said, He is like him: but
he said, I am he. Then said they to
him, How were thine eyes opened?

He answered, A. man that is called
Jesus made clay, and anointed mine
eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool
of Siloam, and wash : and I went
and washed, and I received sight.
Then said they to him, Where is
he? He said, I know not.
4 They brought to the Pharisees
him that aforetime was blind: the
Pharisees also asked him how he
had received his sight. He said to
them, He put clay upon mine eyes,
and I washed, and do see. There
fore said some of the Pharisees, This
man is not of God, because he keep
eth not the sabbath day. Others
said, How can a man that is a trans
gressor, do such wonders ? And
there was a division among them.
5 They said to the blind man
again, What sayest thou of him
that hath opened thine eyes? He
said, He is a prophet.
6 But the Jews did not believe
concerning him, that he had been
blind, and received his sight, until
they called his parents. And they
asked them, Is this your son, whom
ye say was born blind ? how then
doth he now see ? His parents an
swered them, We know that this is
our son, and that he was born blind :
but by what means he now seeth, we
know not ; or who hath opened his
eyes, we know not : he is of age ;
ask him : he shall speak for himself.
These words spake his parents, be
cause they feared the Jews: for the
Jews had agreed already, that if any
man did confess that he was Mes
siah, he should be put out of the
synagogue : for this reason said his
parents, He is of age ; ask him.
7 Then again called they the man

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117

that was blind, and said to him, Give
God the praise : we know that this
man is a transgressor. He answered,
Whether he be a transgressor, I know
not : one thing I know, that, where
as I was blind, now I see.
8 Then said they to him again,
What did he to thee ? how opened
he thine eyes ? He answered them,
I have told you already, and ye did
not hear: wherefore would ye hear
it again ? will ye also be his dis
ciples ? Then they reviled him, and
said, Thou art his disciple ; but we
are Moses' disciples ; we know that
God spake to Moses : as for this
fellow, we know not from whence he
is. The man answered, Why here
in is a marvellous thing, that ye know
not from whence he is, and yet he
hath opened mine eyes. We know
that God heareth not transgressors :
but if any man be a worshipper of
God, and doeth his will, him he hear
eth. Since the world began was it
not heard that any man opened the
eyes of one that was blind. If this
man were not of God, he could do
nothing. They answered, Thou wast
altogether born in error, and dost
thou teach us ? And they cast him
out. 9 And Jesus said, For judgment
I am come into this world, that
they who see not might see ; and
that they who see might be made
blind. 10 And some of the Pharisees
who were with him heard these
words, and said to him, Are we
blind also ? Jesus answered, If ye
were blind, ye should have no error :
but now ye say, We see ; therefore
your error remaineth.

SELECTION XVIII.
The kingdom of God is a kingdom of
love and peace, and includes the good and
true of all nations and ages.
T^HEN the Pharisees went out,
and held a council against him,
how they might destroy him. When
Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself
from thence : and great multitudes
followed him, and he healed them
all ; and charged them that they
should not make him known.
2 So was that accomplished which
was spoken by Esaias the prophet,
Behold my servant, whom I have
chosen ; my beloved in whom my
soul is well pleased : I will put my
spirit upon him, and he shall show
judgment to the Gentiles. He shall
not strive, nor cry ; neither shall any
man hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break,
and smoking flax shall he not quench,
till he send forth judgment unto
victory. And in his name shall the
Gentiles trust.
3 And it came to pass, when the
time was come that he should be re
ceived up, he stedfastly set his face
to go to Jerusalem, and sent mes
sengers before his face : who went,
and entered into a village of the
Samaritans, to make ready for him.
And they did not receive him, be
cause his face was as though he would
go to Jerusalem. When his disciples
James and John saw this, they said,
Master, wilt thou that we command
fire to come down from heaven, and
consume them, even as, Elias did?
But he turned, and rebuked them,
and said, Ye know not what manner
of spirit ye are of. For the son of

n8

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

man is not come to destroy men's
lives, but to save them. And they
went to another village.
4 And John said, Master, we saw
one casting out unclean spirits in
thy name, and we forbade him,
because he followeth not with us.
Jesus said unto him, Forbid him
not : for he that is not against us
is for us.
5 When the son of man shall come
in his glory, and all the angels with
him, then shall he sit upon the throne
of his glory : and before him shall be
gathered all the tribes : and he shall
separate them one from another, as
a shepherd divideth his sheep from
the goats : he shall set the sheep on
his right hand, but the goats on the
left. 6 Then shall the King say to
them on his right hand, Come, blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation
of the world : For I was an hungred,
and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink : I was a
stranger, and ye took me in: naked,
and ye clothed me : I was sick, and
ye visited me : I was in prison, and
ye came to me.
7 Then shall the righteous answer
him, saying, Master, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? When
saw we thee a stranger, and took thee
in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? Or
when saw we thee sick, or in prison,
and came to thee ? And the King
shall answer, Truly, I say to you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it to one
of the least of these my brethren, ye
have dorie it to me.

SELECTION XIX.
Those of imperfect or impure character,
however great their pretensions of faith
and piety, cannot be admitted into the king
dom of God.
'""PHEN shall he say also to them
on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into the enduring fire
of Gehenna, prepared for Satan and
his followers. For I was an hungred,
and ye gave me no meat : I was
thirsty, and ye gave me no drink : I
was a stranger, and ye took me not
in : naked, and ye clothed me not :
sick, and in prison, and ye visited me
not. 2 Then shall they also answer
him, saying, Master, when saw we
thee an hungred, or athirst, or a
stranger, or naked, or sick, or in pris
on, and did not minister to thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying,
Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as ye
did it not to one of the least of these,
ye did it not to me.
3 And these shall go away into en
during retribution : but the righteous
into life everlasting.
4 Then shall the kingdom of
heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
who took their lamps, and went
forth to meet the bridegroom : five of
them were wise, and five were foolish.
5 They that were foolish took their
lamps, and took no oil with them :
but the wise took oil in their vessels
with their lamps.
6 While the bridegroom tarried,
they all slumbered and slept : and at
midnight there was a cry made, Be
hold, the bridegroom cometh ; go ye
out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and

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119

trimmed their lamps. And the fool
ish said to the wise, Give us of your
oil ; for our lamps are gone out. But
the wise answered, Not so ; lest there
be not enough for us and you : but
go ye rather to them that sell, and
buy for yourselves.
8 While they went to buy, the
bridegroom came ; and they that
were ready went in with him to the
marriage : and the door was shut.
9 Afterward came also the other
virgins, saying, Master, Master, open
to us. But he answered, Truly I say
to you, I know you not.
10 Then said one to him, Master,
are there few that be saved ? And
he answered, Strive to enter in at the
strait gate : for many will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able.
n When once the master of the
house is risen up, and hath shut to
the door, and ye begin to stand with
out, and to knock at the door, say
ing, Master, Master, open to us ; and
he shall answer and say to you, I
know you not whence ye are : then
will ye begin to say, We have eaten
and drunk in thy presence, and thou
hast taught in our streets. But he
will say, I tell you, I know you not
whence ye are ; depart from me, all
workers of iniquity.
12 There will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth, when ye see Abra
ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all
the prophets, in the kingdom of God,
and you thrust out. They shall come
from the east, and from the west,
and from the north, and from the
south, and shall sit down in the king
dom of God : and, behold, there are
last which shall be first, and there
are first which shall be last.

1 3 Therefore be ye ready : for in
such an hour as ye think not the son
of man cometh. Who is a faithful
and wise servant, whom his master
hath made ruler over his household,
to give them meat in due season ?
Blessed is that servant, whom his
master when he cometh shall find so
doing: truly I say to you, That he
shall make him ruler over all his
goods. 14 But if that evil servant shall
say in his heart, My master delayeth
his coming ; and shall begin to smite
his fellowservants, and to eat and
drink with the drunken : the master
of that servant shall come in a day
when he looketh not for him, and in
an hour that he is not aware of : and
shall cut him asunder, and appoint
him his portion with the hypocrites :
there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth. SELECTION XX.
Jesus shows that it belongs to God to
reward every man according to his works.
P^OR the kingdom of heaven is
like unto a man that is an house
holder, who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers into his
vineyard. And when he had agreed
with the laborers for a penny a day,
he sent them into his vineyard.
2 And he went out about the third
hour, and saw others standing idle
in the market place, and said to
them : Go ye also into the vineyard,
and whatsoever is right I will give
you. And they went their way.
3 Again he went out about the
sixth and ninth hour, and did like
wise. 4 And about the eleventh hour he

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

went out, and found others standing
idle, and saith to them, Why stand
ye here all the day idle? They say,
to him, Because no man hath hired
us. He saith to them, Go ye also
into the vineyard ; and whatsoever
is right, that shall ye receive.
5 So when even was come, the
master of the vineyard saith to his
steward, Call the laborers, and give
them their wages, beginning from
the last to the first.
6 And when they came that were
hired about the eleventh hour, they
received every man a penny. When
the first came, they supposed that
they should have received more ; but
they likewise received every man a
penny : and when they had received
it, they murmured against the good-
man of the house, saying, These last
have wrought but one hour, and thou
hast made them equal unto us, who
have borne the burden and the heat
of the day. But he answered one of
them, and said, Friend, I do thee no
wrong: didst not thou agree with me
for a penny? Take that thine is, and
go thy way : I will give to these last,
even as to thee. Is it not lawful for
me to do what I will with mine own ?
Is thine eye evil,because I am good ?
7 The kingdom of heaven is as a
man travelling into a far country, who
called his own servants, and deliv
ered to them his goods. To one he
gave five talents, to another two,
and to another one; to every man
according to his several ability : and
straightway took his journey.
8 Then he that had received the
five talents went and traded with the
same, and made them other five tal
ents. Likewise he that had received

two, he also gained other two. 'But
he that had received one went and
digged in the earth, and hid his mas
ter's money.
9 After a long time the master of
those servants cometh, and reckon-
eth with them. And he that had re
ceived five talents came and brought
other five talents, saying, Master
thou deliveredst to me five talents:
behold, I have gained besides them
five talents more. His master said
to him, Well done, good and faithful
servant : thou hast been faithful over
a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things : enter thou into
thy master's joy.
io He also that had received two
talents came and said, Master, thou
deliveredst to me two talents : be
hold, I have gained two other tal
ents besides them. His master said
to him, Well done, good and faith
ful servant : thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things : enter thou
into thy master's joy.
n Then he who had received
the one talent came and said, Master,
I knew thee that thou art an hard
man, reaping where thou didst not
sow, and gathering where thou didst
not scatter : so I was afraid, and
went and hid thy talent in the earth :
lo, there thou hast what is thine.
His master answered, Thou wicked
and slothful servant, thou knewest
that I reap where I sowed not, and
gather where I did not scatter:
thou oughtest at least to have put
my money at the exchangers : then
at my coming I should have received
mine own with usury. Take there
fore the talent from him, and give it

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121

to him who hath ten talents. For to
every one that hath improved shall be
given, and he shall have abundance :
but from him that hath not improved
shall be taken away even that which
he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable
servant out into the darkness: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. SELECTION XXI.
Jesus shows that God will seek for his
lost and prodigal children until every one
of them is found.
'"PHEN drew near all the publi-
cans and sinners to hear him :
and the Pharisees and scribes mur
mured, saying, This man receiveth
sinners, and eateth with them.
2 And he spake this parable unto
them : What man of you, having an
hundred sheep, if he lose one of
them, doth not leave the ninety and
nine in the wilderness, and go after
that which is lost, until he find it ?
And when he hath found it, he lay-
eth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he call-
eth together his friends and neigh
bors, saying to them, Rejoice with
me; for I have found my sheep
which was lost.
3 I say to you, that likewise joy
shall be in heaven over one trans
gressor that repenteth, more than
over ninety and nine just persons,
who need no repentance.
4 Either what woman having ten
pieces of silver, if she lose one
piece, doth not light a candle, and
sweep the house, and seek diligently
till she find it f And when she hath
found it, she calleth her friends and
neighbors together, saying, Rejoice

with me ; for I have found the piece
which I had lost.
5 Likewise, I say to you, there
is joy in the presence of the angels
of God over one transgressor that
repenteth. 6 And he said, A certain man had
two sons : and the younger of them
said to his father, Father, give me
the portion of goods that falleth to
me. And he divided unto them his
living. 7 And not many days after the
younger son gathered all together,
and took his journey into a far coun
try, and there wasted his substance
with riotous living. And when he had
spent all, there arose a mighty fam
ine in that land ; and he began to be
in want. And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country ;
and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine. And he would fain
have eaten the pods of the carob tree
that the swine did eat : but no man
gave even these to him.
8 And when he came to himself,
he said, How many hired servants of
my father's have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and
will say to him, Father, I have trans
gressed against heaven and before
thee, and am no more worthy to be
called thy son : make me as one of
thy hired servants.
9 And he arose, and came to his
father. But when he was yet a
great way off, his father saw him,
and had compassion, and ran, and
fell oh his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said to him, Father, I
have transgressed against heaven, and
in thy sight, and am no more worthy

122

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

to be called thy son. But the father
said to his servants, Bring forth the
best robe, and put it on him ; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on
his feet : and bring hither the fatted
calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and
be merry : for this my son was dead,
and is alive again ; he was lost, and is
found. And they began to be merry.
10 Now the elder son was in the
fleld : and as he came and drew nigh
to the house, he heard music and
dancing : so he called one of the ser
vants, and asked what these things
meant. And he said, Thy brother is
come and thy father hath killed the
fatted calf, because he hath received
him safe and sound. And he was
angry, and would not go in : there
fore came his father out, and in-
treated him.
1 1 And he said to his father, Lo,
these many years do I serve thee,
neither transgressed I at any time
thy commandment : yet thou never
gavest me a kid, that I might make
merry with my friends. As soon, how
ever, as this thy son, who hath de
voured thy living with harlots, came,
thou didst kill for him the fatted calf.
12 And he said to him, Son, thou
art ever with me, and all that I have
is thine. It was meet that we should
make merry, and be glad : for this
thy brother was dead, and is alive
again ; and was lost, and is found.
SELECTION XXII.
Jesus supposed by his friends to be in
sane, and by his enemies to be possessed of
a demon.
A ND the multitude came together
"^^ again, so that they could not
so much as eat bread : and when his

friends heard of it, they went out to
lay hold on him : for they said, He
is beside himself. For neither did
his brethren believe in him.
2 There came then his brethren
and his mother, and, standing with
out, sent a message to him, to call
him out. And the multitude sat
about him : and it was said to him,
Behold, thy mother and thy brethren
without seek for thee. He answered
them, saying, Who is my mother or
my brethren ? and looking round on
them who sat about him, he said,
Behold my mother and my brethren !
for whosoever shall do the will of
God, the same is my brother, and my
sister, and mother.
3 And the scribes who came
down from Jerusalem said, He hath
Beelzebub, and by the prince of the
demons casteth he out demons.
4 And he called them, and said
to them in parables, How can
Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom
be divided against itself, that king
dom cannot stand : if a house be
divided against itself, that house can
not stand : and if Satan rise up
against himself, and be divided, he
cannot stand, but hath an end.
5 No one can enter into a strong
man's house, and spoil his goods,
except he first bind the strong man ;
then he can spoil his house.
6 Truly I say to you, All sins shall
be forgiven to the sons of men, and
blasphemies wherewith soever they
shall blaspheme: but he that shall
blaspheme against the Holy Spirit
hath never forgiveness, but is in
danger of eternal condemnation.
(Because they said, He hath an un
clean spirit.)

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

123

7 Either the tree is good, and its
fruit good ; or else the tree is corrupt,
and its fruit corrupt : for the tree is
known by its fruit.
8 O generation of vipers, how can
ye, being evil, speak good things?
for out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh. A good man
out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things : and an
evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things.
9 I say to you, That every idle
word that men speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judg
ment : for by thy words thou shalt
be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.
10 Which of you convinceth me
of error? And if I speak the truth,
why do ye not believe me ? He that
is of God heareth God's words : ye
therefore hear them not, because ye
are not of God.
11 Then answered the Jews, Say
we not well that thou art a Samaritan,
and hast a demon ? Jesus answered,
I have not a demon ; but I honor my
Father, and ye dishonor me. I seek
not mine own glory : there is one that
seeketh and judgeth. Truly, truly,
I say to you, If a man keep my say
ing, he shall never die.
12 Then said the Jews to him,
Now we know thou hast a demon.
Abraham is dead, and the prophets ;
and thou sayest, If a man keep my
saying, he shall never die. Art thou
greater than our father Abraham,
who is dead ? and the prophets are
dead : whom makest thou thyself ?
13 Jesus answered, If I honor my
self, my honor is nothing : it is my
Father that honoreth me ; of whom

ye say, that he is your God : yet ye
have not known him ; but I know
him : and if I should say, I know
him not, I would be a liar like unto
you: I know him, and keep his word.
14 Your father Abraham desired
to see' my day : and he saw it, and
was glad. Then said the Jews to
him. Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham ? Jesus
answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, I
am, before Abraham was. Then took
they up stones to cast at him : but
Jesus hid himself, and went out of
the temple, going through the midst
of them, and so passed by.
SELECTION XXIII.
Jesus shows that whosoever will enter
into the kingdom of God must be born again
of the spirit of boldness, of self-denial,
and of willingness to suffer oppositions and
persecutions for truth's sake.
"NJEVERTHELESS among the
chief rulers even, many believed
on him ; but because of the Pharisees
they did not confess him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue :
for they loved the approval of men
more than the approval of God.
2 There was a man of the Phari
sees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews : the same came by night
to Jesus, and said to him, Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come
from God : for no man can do these
wonders that thou doest, except God
be with him. Jesus answered, Truly,
truly, I say to thee, Except a man be
born anew, he cannot see the king
dom of God.
3 Nicodemus said to him, How
can a man be born when he is old ?
can he enter the second time into his

124

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

mother's womb, and be born ? Jesus
answered, Truly, truly I say to thee,
Except a man be born of water and
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God : for that which
is born of flesh is flesh ; and that
which is born of Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said to thee, Ye
must be born again : for the wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, and
whither it goeth : so is every one
that is born of the Spirit.
4 Nicodemus answered, How can
these things be ? Jesus said to him,
Art thou a teacher in Israel, and
knowest not these things ?
5 And one came and said to him,
Good Master, what good thing shall
I do, that I may have eternal life ?
And he said to him, Why callest
thou me good ? there is none good
but one, that is, God : however, if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments. He said to him,
Which ? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no
murder, Thou shall not commit adul
tery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt
not bear false witness, Honor thy
father and thy mother: and, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
The young man replied, All these
have I kept from my youth up :
what lack I yet? Jesus said to him,
If thou wilt be perfect, go sell that
thou hast, and distribute it to the
poor, so that thou shalt have
treasure in heaven : then come and
follow me. But when the young
man heard that saying, he went
away sorrowful : for he had great
possessions. 6 Then said Jesus to his disciples,

Truly I say to you, That a rich man
shall hardly enter into the king
dom of heaven : again I say to you,
It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle, than for a man
who loves riches to enter into the
kingdom of God.
7 Then answered Peter, Behold,
we have forsaken all, and followed
thee ; what shall we have therefore ?
Jesus said to them, Truly I say to
you, That ye who have followed
me, in the regeneration when the
son of man shall sit in the throne of
his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. 8 Then came to him the moth
er of Zebedee's children with her
sons, bowing before him, and desiring
a certain thing of him. And he
said to her, What wilt thou ? She
answered, Grant that these my two
sons may sit, the one on thy right
hand, and the other on the left, in
thy kingdom. But Jesus said, Ye
know not what ye ask. Are ye able
to drink of the cup that I shall
drink of, and to be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with?
They replied, We are able. And he
said to them, Ye shall drink indeed
of my cup, and be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with :
but to sit on my right hand, and on
my left, is not mine to give, but it
shall be given to them for whom it is
prepared of my Father.
9 When the ten heard this, they
were moved with indignation against
the two brethren : but Jesus called
them to him, and said, Ye know
that the princes of the Gentiles ex
ercise dominion over them, and they

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

125

that are great exercise authority.
Let it not be so among you: but
whosoever will be great among you,
let him be your minister ; and who
soever will be chief among you, let
him be your servant : Even as the
son of man came not to be minis
tered to, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for many.
10 And he said to them all, If any
man will come after me, let him
deny himself, take up his cross daily,
and follow me. Whosoever will pre
serve his life shall lose it : but who
soever will sacrifice his life for my
sake, the same shall save it. What
is a man advantaged, if he gain the
whole world, and lose himself, or be
cast away? Whosoever shall be
ashamed of me and of my words, of
him shall the son of man be ashamed,
when he shall come in his own glory,
and in his Father's, and of the holy
angels. SELECTION XXIV.
Jesus shows that sooner or later God
will recompense those who live selfish, un
profitable, and unjust lives.
'"PHERE were present at that sea-
son some that told him of the
Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had
mingled with their sacrifices : and
Jesus said, Suppose ye that these
Galilaeans were transgressors above
all the other Galilaeans, because they
suffered such things? I tell you,
Nay : but, except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish. Or those eighteen
upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,
and slew them, think ye that they
were transgressors above all the
others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I

tell you, Nay : but, except ye re
pent, ye shall all likewise perish.
2 He spake also this parable ; a
certain man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard ; and he came and sought
fruit thereon, but found none. Then
said he to the dresser of his vine
yard, Behold, these three years I
come seeking fruit on this fig tree,
and find none : cut it down ; why
cumbereth it the ground ? And he
replied, Master, let it alone this year
also, till I shall dig about it, and en
rich it. And if it bear fruit well : if
not then after that thou shalt cut it
down. 3 And he spake a parable to
them, saying, The ground of a cer
tain rich man brought forth plenti
fully: and he thought within him
self, What shall I do, because I have
no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do : I will
pull down my storehouses and build
greater ; there will I bestow all my
fruits and my goods : and I will say
to my soul, Soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years ; take
thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
4 But God said to him, Thou
fool, this night thy soul shall be re
quired of thee: then whose shall those
things be, which thou hast provided ?
5 So is every one that layeth up
treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God.
6 There was a certain rich man
who was clothed in purple and fine
linen, and fared sumptuously every
day. And there was a certain beg
gar named Lazarus, who was laid
at his gate, full of sores, and desir
ing to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table : more-

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over the dogs came and licked his
sores. 7 And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was' carried by
angels into Abraham's bosom. The
rich man also died, and was buried;
and in Hades he lifted up his eyes, be
ing in torments, and saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom :
and he cried out and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that he may dip the
tip of his finger in water, and cool
my tongue ; for I am tormented in
this flame.
8 But Abraham said, Son, remem
ber that thou in thy lifetime re-
ceivedst thy good things, and like
wise Lazarus evil things : but now
he is comforted, and thou art tor
mented. And besides ali this, be
tween us and you there is a great
gulf fixed : so that they who
would pass from hence to you can
not ; neither can they pass to us,
that would come from thence.
9 Then he said, I pray thee there
fore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father's house : for
I have five brethren ; that he may
warn them, lest they also come into
this place of torment.
io Abraham said to him, They
have Moses and the prophets ; let
them hear them. And he said, Nay,
father Abraham : but if one ap
peared to them from the dead, they
would repent. And he said to him,
If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be per
suaded, though one appeared from
the dead.
1 1 The men of Nineveh shall rise
in judgment with this generation,

and shall condemn it : because they
repented at the preaching of Jonas;
and, behold, a greater than Jonas
is here. 12 The queen of the south shall
rise up in judgment with this gener
ation, and shall condemn it : for she
came from the uttermost parts of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solo
mon ; and, behold, a greater than
Solomon is here.
13 When the jnclean spirit is
gone out of a man, he walketh
through dry places, seeking rest, and
finding none. Then he said, I will
return into my house from whence
I came out ; and when he cometh he
findeth it empty, swept, and gar
nished. Then goeth he, and taketh
with himself seven other spirits more
wicked than himself, and they enter
in and dwell there : and the last state
of that man is worse than the first.
14 He that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in
much : and he that is unjust in the
least is unjust also in much. If
therefore ye have not been faithful
in the unrighteous mammon, who
will commit to your trust the true
riches ? And if ye have not been
faithful in that which is another
man's, who shall give you that which
is your own?
15 No servant can serve two mas
ters : for either he will hate the one,
and love the other ; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon. 16 And the Pharisees also, who
were covetous, heard all these things:
and they derided him. And he said
to them, Ye are they who justify

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

127'

yourselves before men ; but God
knoweth your hearts : for that which
is highly esteemed among men is
abomination in the sight of God.
SELECTION XXV.
Jesus teaches forgiveness, and shows
that every man must be his own judge,
and every man's conscience his only judg
ment-bar. 'PAKE heed to yourselves: If thy
brother trespass against thee,
rebuke him ; and if he repent, for
give him. And if he trespass against
thee seven times in a day, and seven
times in a day turn again to thee,
saying, I repent : thou shalt forgive
him. 2 And the apostles said to him,
Master, increase our faith. Jesus
replied, I say not to thee, Until seven
times only; but, Until seventy times
seven. 3 Therefore is the kingdom of
heaven likened unto a certain king,
who would take account of his ser
vants. 4 And when he had begun to
reckon, one was brought to him,
who owed him ten thousand talents.
But forasmuch as he had not to pay,
his master commanded him to be
sold, and his wife, and children, and
all that he had, and payment to be
made. The servant therefore fell
down, and did him homage, saying,
Master, have patience with me, and
I will pay thee all. Then the master
of that servant was moved with
compassion, and loosed him, and for
gave him the debt.
5 But the same servant went out,
and found one of his fellowservants,
who owed him an hundred pence :

and he laid hands on him, and took
him by the throat, saying, Pay me
that thou owest. And his fellow-
servant fell down at his feet, and
besought him, saying, Have patience
with me, and I will pay thee all.
And he would not : but went and
cast him into prison, till he should
pay the debt.
6 So when his fellowservants saw
what was done, they were very sorry,
and came and told to their master all
that was done. Then his master,
after that he had called him, said to
him, O thou wicked servant, I for
gave thee all that debt, because
thou desiredst me : Shouldest not
thou also have had compassion on
thy felfowservant, even as I had pity
on thee ? And his master was wroth,.
and delivered him to servitude till
he should pay all that was due to-
him. 7 So likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also to you, if ye from
your hearts forgive not every one his
brother their trespasses.
8 The scribes and Pharisees
brought to him a woman taken in
adultery; and when they had set
her in the midst, they said to him,
Master, this woman was taken in
adultery, in the very act. Now
Moses in the law commanded us,
that such should be stoned : but what
sayest thou ?
9 This they said, tempting him,
that they might have to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down, and with
his finger wrote on the ground, as
though he heard them not. So when
they continued asking him, he lifted
up himself, and said to them, He
that is without error among you, let

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

him first cast a stone at her : and
again he stooped down, and wrote
on the ground.
10 And they who heard it, be
ing convicted by their own conscience,
went out one by one, beginning at
the eldest, even to the last: and
Jesus was left alone, and the woman
standing in the midst.
1 1 When Jesus had lifted up him
self, and saw none but the woman,
he said to her, Woman, where are
those thine accusers ? hath no man
condemned thee? She said, No
man, Master. And Jesus said to
her, Neither do I condemn thee : go,
and transgress no more.
12 Then spake Jesus again to
them, saying, I am the light of the
world : he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life. The Pharisees
therefore said to him, Thou bearest
record of thyself ; thy record is not
true. Jesus answered, Though I
bear record of myself, yet my record
is true : for I know whence I came,
and whither I go ; but ye cannot
tell whence I come, and whither I
13 Ye judge after the flesh ; I
judge no man. And yet if I judge,
my judgment is true : for I am not
alone, but I and the Father that
sent me.
14 And when he was demanded of
the Pharisees, when the kingdom of
God should come, he answered them
and said, The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation : nei
ther should ye say, Lo here ! or, Lo
there 1 for, behold, the kingdom of
God is within you.

SELECTION XXVI.
Jesus teaches humility, disinterestedness,
vigilance, improvement of opportunities and
wise forethought.
A ND he put forth a parable to
those who were bidden, when
he marked how they chose out the
chief rooms at supper ; saying,
2 When thou art bidden of any
man to a wedding, sit not down in
the highest room ; lest a more hon
orable man than thou be bidden of
him ; and he that bade thee and
him come and say to thee, Give this
man place ; and thou begin with
shame to take the lowest room. But
when thou art bidden, go and sit
down in the lowest room ; that when
he that bade thee cometh, he may
say to thee, Friend, go up higher:
then shalt thou have honor in the
presence of them that sit at meat
with thee.
3 Whosoever exalteth himself shall
be abased ; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted.
4 Then said he also to him that
bade him, When thou makest a din
ner or a supper, call not thy friends,
nor thy brethren, neither thy kins
men, nor thy rich neighbors ; lest
they also bid thee again, and a rec
ompense be made thee. But when
thou makest a feast, call the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind:
and thou, shalt be blessed ; they can
not recompense thee : but thou shalt
be recompensed at the resurrection
of the just.
5 Fear not, little flock ; for it is
your Father's good pleasure to give
you the kingdom. Sell that ye have,
and give alms ; provide yourselves

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129

bags which wax not old, a treasure
in the heavens that faileth not, where
no thief approacheth, neither moth
corrupteth. 6 For where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also. Let your
loins be girded about, and your lights
burning : and ye yourselves like unto
men that wait for their master,
when he will return from the wed
ding ; that when he cometh and
knocketh, they may open to him im
mediately. 7 Blessed are those servants,
whom the master when he cometh
shall find watching : truly I say to
you, that he shall gird himself, and
make them sit down to meat, and
will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second
watch, or come in the third watch,
and find them so, blessed are those
servants. 8 And this know, that if the good-
man of the house had known at what
hour the thief would come, he would
have watched, and not have suffered
his house to be broken through.
Then Peter said to him, Master,
speakest thou this parable to us, or
even to all ? And the Master said,
Who then is that faithful and wise
steward, whom his master shall make
ruler over his household, to give them
their portion of meat in due season ?
Blessed is that servant, whom his
master when he cometh shall find so
doing. Of a truth I say to you, that
he will make him ruler over all that
he hath.
9 But if that servant say in his
heart, My master delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to beat
the menservants and maidens, and

to eat and drink, and to be drunken ;
the master of that servant will come
in a day when he looketh not for
him, and at an hour when he is not
aware, and will cut him in sunder,
and will appoint him his portion
with the unbelievers.
10 And that servant, who knew
his master's will, and prepared not
himself, neither did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did com
mit things worthy of stripes, shall
be beaten with few stripes. For to
whomsoever much is given, of him
shall much be required : and to whom
men have committed much, cf him
they will ask the more.
11 And when one of them that
sat at meat with him heard these
things, he said to him, Blessed is he
that shall eat bread in the kingdom
of God.
12 Then said he to him, A cer
tain man made a great supper, and
bade many: and sent his servant
at supper time to say to them that
were bidden, Come : for all things
are now ready.
1 3 And they all with one consent
began to make excuse. The first
said to him, I have bought a piece of
ground, and I must needs go and see
it : I pray thee have me excused.
Another said, I have bought five
yoke of oxen, and I go to prove
them : I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married
a wife, and therefore I cannot
come. 14 So that servant came, and
showed his master these things.
Then the master of the house be
ing angry said to his servant, Go out

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

quickly into the streets and lanes of
the city, and bring in hither the poor,
and the maimed, and the halt, and
the blind.
15 And the servant said, Master,
it is done as thou hast commanded,
and yet there is room. And the
master said to the servant, Go
out into the highways and hedges,
and constrain them to come in, that
my house may be filled. For I say
to you, That none of those men
who were bidden shall taste of my
supper. 16 And there went great multi
tudes with him : and he turned, and
said to them, If any man come
to me, and is not willing to forsake
his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters,
yea, to lay down his own life also, he
cannot be my disciple. And who
soever doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, he cannot be my
disciple. 17 Which of you, intending to
build a tower, sitteth not down first,
and counteth the cost, whether he
have sufficient to finish it? Lest unfor
tunately, after he hath laid the foun
dation, and is not able to finish it,
all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build,
and was not able to finish.
18 Or what king, going to make
war against another king, sitteth not
down first, and consulteth whether
he be able • with ten thousand to
meet him that cometh against him
with twenty thousand ? Or else,
while the other is yet a great way
off, he sendeth an ambassage, and
desireth conditions of peace.

SELECTION XXVII.
Jesus teaches the simplicity of prayer ;
prays with his disciples on the mountain j
and receives and blesses little children.
A ND it came to pass, that, as he
• was praying in a certain place,
when he ceased, one of his disciples
said to him, Master, teach us to pray,
as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said to them, When ye
pray, say, Father, we hallow thy
name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in the earth as it is in
the heavens. Grant us day by day
our needful bread. And forgive us
our errors ; for we ourselves also
forgive every one that trespasses
against us. And bring us not into
temptation ; but deliver us from evil.
3 And he said to them, Which of
you shall have a friend, and shall go
to him at midnight, and say to him,
Friend, lend me three loaves ; for a
friend of mine in his journey is come
to me, and I have nothing to set be
fore him ? And he from within shall
answer and say, Trouble me not:
the door is now shut, and my chil
dren are with me in bed ; I cannot
rise and give thee. I say to you,
Even though he will not rise and give,
because he is your friend, yet because
of your importunity he will rise and
give as much as may be needed.
4 And I say to you, Ask, and it
shall be given you ; seek, and ye
shall find ; knock, and it shall be
opened to you. For every one that
asketh receiveth ; and he that seek-
eth findeth ; and to him that knock-
eth it shall be opened.
5 If a son shall ask bread of any
of you that is a father, will he give

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GOSPELS.

131

him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will
he for a fish give him a serpent ? Or,
if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
him a scorpion ? If ye then, being
imperfect, know how to give good
gifts to your children : how much
more shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him. 6 And he spake a parable to them
to this end, that men ought always
to pray, and not to faint ; saying,
There was in a city a judge, who
feared not God, neither regarded
man : and there was a widow in that
city ; and she came to him, saying,
Avenge me of mine adversary.
7 And he would not for a while :
but afterward he said within himself,
Though I fear not God, nor regard
man ; yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she
weary me.
8 The Master said, Hear what the
unjust judge says. And shall not
God avenge his own elect, who cry
day and night to him, though he
bear long with them? I tell you
that he will avenge them speedily.
9 And it came to pass about
eight days after these sayings, he
took Peter and John and James, and
went up into a mountain to pray.
And as he prayed, the fashion of his
countenance was altered, and his
raiment was white and glistering.
10 And there appeared unto them
Elias with Moses : and they were
talking with Jesus. And Peter said
to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to
be here : and let us make three tab
ernacles ; one for thee, and one for
Moses, and one for Elias. He knew

not what he was saying; for they
were sore afraid.
11 While he thus spake, there
came a cloud, and overshadowed
them: and they feared as they en
tered into the cloud. And there
came a voice out of the cloud, say
ing, This is my beloved son, hear
him. And when the voice was past,
Jesus was found alone. And they
kept it close, and told no man in
those days any of those things
which they had seen.
12 And he came to Capernaum:
and being in the house he asked
them, What was it that ye disputed
among yourselves by the way ? But
they held their peace : for by the
way they had disputed among them
selves, who should be the greatest.
And he sat down, and called the
twelve, and said to them, If any
man desire to be first, the same shall
be last of all, and servant of all.
13 And he took a child, and set him
in the midst of them : and when he
had taken him in his arms, he said
to them, Whosoever shall receive one
of such children in my name, re-
ceiveth me : and whosoever shall re
ceive me, receiveth not me, but him
that sent me.
14 And they brought young chil
dren to him, that he should touch
them : and his disciples rebuked
those that brought them. But when
Jesus saw it he was much displeased,
and said to them, Suffer the lit
tle children to come to me, and for
bid them not : for of such is the
kingdom of God. Truly I say to
you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child, he
shall not enter therein. And . he

132

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GOSPELS.

took them up in his arms, put his
hands upon them, and blessed them.
15 Then said he to the disciples,
It is impossible but that offences
will come : but woe to him, through
whom they come ! It were better
for him that a millstone were hanged
about his neck, and he cast into the
sea, than that he should offend one
of these little ones.
SELECTION XXVIII.
The sum and substance of the command
ments, and what it is to keep them.
A ND one of the scribes came,
and having heard them reason
ing together, and perceiving that he
had answered them well, asked him,
Which is the first commandment of
all? 2 And Jesus answered him, The
first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel ; The Lord our God
is one : And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind, and with all thy strength :
that is the first commandment.
3 And the second is like it, namely
this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these.
4 And the scribe said to him,
Well, Master, thou hast said the
truth : for there is one God ; and
there is none other but he. And to
love him with all the heart, and
with all the understanding, and with
all the soul, and with all the strength,
and to love his neighbor as himself,
is more than all whole burnt offer
ings and sacrifices.
5 And when Jesus saw that he
answered discreetly, he said to him,

Thou art not far from the kingdom
of God.
6 And a certain lawyer stood up,
and put him to the test, saying,
Master, what shall I do to inherit
eternal life? He said to him, What
is written in the law ? how readest
thou ? And he answered, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind ; and thy neighbor as
thyself. 7 And he said to him, Thou hast
answered right : this do, and thou
shalt live. But he, willing to justify
himself, said to Jesus, And who is
my neighbor?
8 Jesus answered, A certain man
went down from Jerusalem to Jeri
cho, and fell among thieves, who
stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving
him half dead. And by chance there
came down a certain priest that way:
and when he saw him he passed by on
the other side. Likewise a Levite,
when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the
other side. But a certain Samaritan,
as he journeyed, came where he was:
and when he saw him, he had com
passion on him, and went to him, and
bound up his wounds, pouring in oil
and wine, and set him on his own
beast, and brought him to an inn,
and took care of him. And on the
morrow when he departed, he took
out two pence, and gave them to the
host, and said to him, Take care of
him ; and whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again I will repay
thee. 9 Which now of these three, think-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

133

est thou, was neighbor to him. that
fell among the thieves? And he
said, He that showed mercy on him.
Then said Jesus to him, Go, and do
thou likewise.
10 Now it came to pass, as they
went, that he entered into a certain
village : and a certain woman named
Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary,
who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard
his word. But Martha was cum
bered about much serving, and com
ing to him, said, Master, dost thou
not care that my sister hath left me
to serve alone? bid her therefore
that she help me. Jesus answered,
Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and
troubled about many things : only
one thing is needful : and Mary hath
chosen the good part, which shall
not be taken away from her.
1 1 And Jesus said, while he taught
in the temple, How say the scribes
that Messiah is the son of David?
For David himself said by the Holy
Spirit, The LORD said to my Master,
Sit thou on my right hand, till I
make thine enemies thy footstool.
David therefore himself calleth him
Master ; whence is he then his son ?
12 And the common people heard
him gladly. To them he said in his
teaching, Beware of the scribes, who
love to go in long clothing, and love
salutations in the marketplaces, and
the chief seats in the synagogues,
and the uppermost rooms at feasts :
who devour widows' houses, and for
a pretence make long prayers : these
shall receive greater condemnation.
13 Jesus sat over against the
treasury, and beheld how the people
cast money into the treasury: and

many that were rich cast in much.
And there came a certain pool
widow, and she threw in two mites,
which make a farthing. Then he
called to him his disciples, and saith
to them, Truly I say to you, That
this poor widow hath cast more in,
than all they who have cast into
the treasury : for all they did cast in
of their abundance ; but she of her
want did cast in all that she had,
even all her living.
SELECTION XXIX. '
Jesus teaches that we should always
recognize divine authority and at th'. same
time submit to lawful human authority.
A ND it came to pass, that on one
of those days, as he taught the
people in the temple, and preached
the gospel, the chief priests and the
scribes came upon him with the el
ders, and demanded of him, saying,
Tell us, by what authority doest
thou these things ? or who is he that
gave thee this authority ? And he an
swered, I will also ask you one thing:
The baptism of John, was it from
heaven, or of men ?
2 And they reasoned with them
selves, saying, If we reply, From
heaven ; he will say, Why then be
lieved ye him not ? But if we say, Of
men ; all the people will stone' us :
for they are persuaded that John was
a prophet. So they answered that
they could not tell whence it was.
And Jesus said to them, Neither
tell I you by what authority I do
these things.
3 Then began he to speak to the
people this parable : A certain man
planted a vineyard, and let it forth
to husbandmen, and went into a far

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

country for a long time. And at the
season he sent a servant to the hus
bandmen, that they should give him
of the fruit of the vineyard : but the
husbandmen beat him, and sent him
away empty.
4 Again he sent another servant :
and they beat him also, and entreated
him shamefully, and sent him away
empty. And again he sent a third :
and they wounded him also, and cast
him out.
5 Then said tne master of the vine
yard, What shall I do? I will send
my beloved son : it may be they will
reverence him when they see him.
But when the husbandmen saw him,
they reasoned among themselves,
saying, This is the heir: come, let us
kill him, that the inheritance may be
ours. So they cast him out of the
vineyard and killed .him.
6 What therefore shall the mas
ter of the vineyard do to them ? They
answered, He will miserably destroy
those wicked men, and will let out his
vineyard to other husbandmen, who
shall render him the fruits in their
seasons. 7 Jesus said to them, Did ye
never read in the scriptures, The
stone which the builders rejected,
the same has become the head of the
corner: this is the Lord's doing, and
it is marvellous in our eyes ? There
fore say I to you, The kingdom of
God shall be taken from you, and
given to a nation bringing forth the
fruits thereof. Whosoever shall fall
on this stone shall be broken : but
on whomsoever it shall fall, it will
scatter him as dust. And when the
chief priests and Pharisees had heard
his parables, they perceived that he
spake of them.

8 And they watched him, and sent
forth spies, who should feign them
selves sincere men, that they might
take hold of his words, and so might
deliver him to the power and author
ity of the governor. And they asked
him, Master, we know that thou say
est and teachest rightly, neither ac-
ceptest thou the person of any, but
teachest the way of God truly : Is it
lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar,
or not?
9 But he perceived their crafti
ness, and said to them, Why tempt
ye me ? Show me a penny. Whose
image and superscription hath it
They answered, Caesar's. And he
said to them, Render therefore to
Caesar the things which are Caesar's,
and to God the things which are
God's. io So they could not take hold
of his words before the people : and
they marvelled at his answers and
held their peace.
1 1 Then spake Jesus to the multi
tude and to his disciples, saying, The
scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses'
seat : Therefore whatsoever they bid
you observe, that observe ; but do
not ye after their works : for they
say and do not, and they bind heavy
burdens, grievous to be borne, and
lay them on men's shoulders ; but
they themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers.
12 But all their works they do to
be seen of men : they make broad
their phylacteries, enlarge the bor
ders of their garments, and they love
the uppermost rooms at feasts, the
chief seats in the synagogues, greet
ings in the places of assembly, and
to have men say to them, My Master,
My Master. But be ye not called My

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

'35

Master ; for one is your teacher, and
all ye are brethren. And call no man
on the earth your father ; for one is
your father, even the Heavenly One.
Neither be ye called leaders ; for ye
have one leader, even Messiah.
SELECTION XXX.
Jesus shows that reason and the in
stincts of nature are the revelations and
teachings of God.
HTHE Pharisees also with the Sad-
ducees came, and tempting de
sired him that he would show them
a sign from heaven. He answered
and said to them, When it is even
ing, ye say, It will be tair weather:
for the sky is red. And in the morn
ing, It will be foul weather to-day :
for the sky is red and lowering. And
when ye see the south wind blow, ye
say, There will be heat, and it com
eth to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can
discern the face of the sky and of the
earth ; but how is it that ye do not
discern this time ? Yea, and why
even of yourselves judge ye not what
is right ?
2 When thou goest with thine ad
versary to the magistrate, as thou art
in the way, give diligence that thou
mayest be delivered from him ; lest
lie hand thee over to the judge, and
the judge commit thee to the officer,
and the officer cast thee into prison.
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart
thence, till thou hast paid the very
last mite.
3 And the Pharisees came, and
asked him, Is it lawful for a man to
put away his wife ? putting him to
the test. He answered, What did
Moses command you ?
4 And they said, Moses suffered

to write a bill of divorcement, and to
put her away. Jesus answered, On
account of the sensuality of your
natures he wrote you this precept.
5 From the beginning of the crea
tion God made them male and fe
male : for this cause shall a man
leave his father, and mother, and
cleave to his wife ; and they twain
shall be one flesh : So then they are
no more twain, but one flesh. What
therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.
6 And in the house his disciples
asked him again of the same matter.
And he said to them, Whosoever
shall put away his wife, in order to
marry another, committeth adultery
against her. And if a woman shall
put away her husband, in order to
be married to another, she commit
teth adultery. And I say to you,
Whosoever shall put away his wife,
except it be for fornication, and shall
marry another, committeth adultery;
and whoso marrieth her who is put
away for fornication, doth commit
adultery. 7 Then came to him certain of the
Sadducees, who deny that there is
any existence after death, and they
asked him, saying, Master, Moses
wrote to us, If any man's brother
die, having a wife, and he die with
out children, that his brother should
.take his wife, and raise up children
to his brother.
8 Now there were seven brethren:
the first took a wife and died with
out children. The second married
her, and he died childless. And
the third married her ; in like man
ner the seven also : and they left no
children, and died. Last of all the

136

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

woman died also. Therefore in the
future life whose wife shall she be ?
for seven had been married to her.
9 And Jesus answering said to
them, The children of this world
marry, and are given in marriage : but
they who shall be accounted worthy
to obtain that world, and the life
from the dead, neither marry, nor
are given in marriage: Neither can
they die any more : for they are
equal to the angels ; and are the
children of God, being children of
the Immortal Life.
10 That the dead live again, even
Moses showed at the bush, when he
called the Lord the God of Abra
ham, and the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob. For he is not a God
of the dead, but of the living : for
all live unto him. Then certain of
the scribes said to him, Teacher, thou
hast answered well. And after that
they durst not ask him any more
questions. 1 1 When they were come to Ca
pernaum, they that collected taxes
came to Peter, and said, Doth not
your master pay tax ? He answered,
Yes. And when he had come into the
house, Jesus said to him, What think-
est thou, Simon? of whom do the
kings of the earth take custom? of
their own children, or of strangers?
Peter answered, Of strangers. Jesus
said to him, Then are the children
free. Nothwithstanding, lest we
should offend them, go thou to the
sea, cast an hook, and take the fish
that first cometh up ; when thou
hast opened his mouth, thou shalt
find a shekel : take that and give it
to them for thee and me.

SELECTION XXXI.
Jesus proclaims God as an infinite Spirit
of holiness and love.
JESUS left Judaea, and departed
again into Galilee. And he
must needs go through Samaria.
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria,
which is called Sychar, near to the
parcel of ground that Jacob gave to
his son Joseph.
2 Now Jacob's well was there.
Jesus therefore, being wearied with
his journey, sat thus on the well :
and it was about the sixth hour.
There cometh a woman of Samaria
to draw water : Jesus said to her,
Give me to drink. (His disciples had
gone to the city to buy meat.)
3 Then said the woman to him,
How is it that thou, being a Jew,
askest drink of me, who am a woman
of Samaria ? for Jews have no deal
ings with Samaritans. Jesus an
swered, If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who it is that is saying to
thee, Give me to drink ; thou would
est have asked of him, and he would
have given thee living water.
4 The woman said to him, Sir,
thou hast nothing to draw with, and
the well is deep : from whence then
hast thou that living water ? Art
thou greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us the well, and drank
thereof himself, and his children, and
his cattle ?
5 Jesus answered, Whosoever
drinketh of this water will thirst
again : but whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him will never
thirst ; the water that I shall give him
will be in him a well of water spring
ing up into everlasting life.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

137

6 The woman said to him, Sir, I
perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped in this moun
tain ; but ye say that in Jerusalem is
the place where men ought to wor
ship. 7 Jesus answered, Woman, believe
me ; the hour is coming, when ye shall
neither in this mountain, nor yet at
Jerusalem, worship the Father. The
hour is coming, and even now is,
when true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth ;
for the Father seeketh such. God is
Spirit : and they that worship him
must worship in spirit and in truth.
8 The woman said to him, I know
that the Anointed cometh ; when he
comes he will tell us every thing.
Jesus answered, That am I, who
speak to thee.
9 And upon this came his disciples,
and marvelled that he talked with
the woman : yet no man said, What
seekest thou ? or, Why talkest thou
with her?
10 The woman then left her
waterpot, and went into the city, and
said to the men, Come, see a man
who revealed to me all that ever I
did : is not this the Anointed ? Then
they went out of the city, and came
to him.
1 1 Meanwhile his disciples prayed
him, saying, Master, eat. But he
said, I have meat to eat that ye know
not of.
12 Therefore said the disciples
one to another, Hath any man
brought him ought to eat ? Jesus
said to them, My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to fin
ish his work.
1 3 Do not say, There are yet four

months before the harvest : for be
hold, I say, Lift up your eyes, and
look on the fields ; they are white al
ready to harvest. And he that reap-
eth shall receive wages, and gather
fruit unto life eternal ; that both he
that soweth, and he that reapeth may
rejoice together.
14 And herein is that saying true,
One soweth and another reapeth. I
sent you to reap that whereon ye
bestowed no labor : other men la
bored, and ye are entered into their
labors. 15 And many of the Samaritans
of that city believed on him for the
report of the woman, who testified,
He revealed to me all that ever I did.
So when they came to him, they be
sought him that he would tarry with
them : and he abode there two
days. And many more believed be
cause of his own words : and said to
the woman, Now we believe, not be
cause of thy report : for we have
heard him ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Saviour of the
world. SELECTION XXXII.
Jesus shows that his teachings concern
ing God are the living water and bread
which are able to communicate sustenance
and life to the souls of men.
"\JOW the Jews' feast of taberna-
cles was at hand. His broth
ers therefore said to him, Depart
hence, and go into Judaea, that thy
followers may see the works that
thou doest : for no man doeth any
thing in secret, when he himself
seeketh to be known openly. If
thou canst do these things, show thy
self to the world. For neither did
his brothers believe in him.

i38

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

2 Then Jesus said to them, My
time has not yet come : but your
time is always ready. The world
cannot hate you ; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that its deeds
are evil. Go ye up to this feast : I
go not up, for my time has not yet
come. When he had said these
words to them, he remained in Gali
lee. 3 But when his brothers were
gone up, then went he also up to the
feast, not openly, but as it were in
secret. And the Jews sought him at
the feast, saying, Where is he ? And
there was much discussion among
the people concerning him: for some
said, He is a good man : others said,
Nay, he deceiveth the people. But
no man spake openly of him for fear
of the Jews.
4 Now about the midst of the
feast Jesus went up into the temple,
and taught : and the Jews marvel
led, saying, How knoweth this man
letters, having never learned ? Jesus
answered them, My doctrine is not
mine, but his that sent me: if
any man will do his will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be
¦of God, or whether I speak of my
self. He that speaketh of himself
seeketh his own glory : but he that
seeketh his glory that sent him, the
same is true, and no unrighteousness
is in him.
5 Then said they to him, What
shall we do, that we may do the
works of God? Jesus answered,
This is the work of God, that ye be
lieve him whom he hath sent.
6 They said therefore to him,
What sign showest thou then, that
we may see, and believe thee ? what

dost thou work? Our fathers did
eat manna in the desert ; as it is
written, He gave them bread out of
heaven to eat.
7 Then Jesus said to them, Truly^
truly, I say to you, Moses gave you
not the real bread of heaven ; but
my Father giveth you true heavenly
bread. The bread of God is that
which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life to the world.
8 Then said they to him, Master,
evermore give us this bread. And
Jesus said to them, I am bread of
life : he that cometh to me shall
never hunger ; and he that believeth
in me shall never thirst : for I came
from heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent
me. 9 The Jews then murmured at
him, because he said, I am bread
that came from heaven : and they
said, Is not this Jesus, the son of
Joseph, whose father and mother we
know ? how is it then that he saith,
I came from heaven ?
io Jesus answered, Murmur not
among yourselves. No man can
come to me, except he be drawn by
the Father who sent me : and in the
last day I will cause him to be ex
alted. n It is written in the prophets,
And they shall all be taught of God.
Every one therefore that hath heard,
and learned of the Father, cometh
to me : no one hath seen the Father,
except he who is of God, he hath
seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say
to you, He that believeth hath ever
lasting life.
12 I am bread of life. Your
fathers did eat manna in the wilder-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

139

ness, and yet they died ; this is bread
coming from heaven, that any one
may eat of it, and not die. I am
living bread that came from heaven :
if any one eat of this bread, he shall
live for ever. And the bread that I
will give is my flesh, which I will
give for the life of the world.
13 The Jews therefore strove
among themselves, saying, How can
this man give us his flesh to eat?
Then Jesus said to them, Truly,
truly, except ye eat the flesh of the
son of man, and drink his blood, ye
shall have no life in you : whoso
eateth my flesh, and drinketh my
blood, hath eternal life ; and I will
exalt him at the last day: for my
flesh is meat indeed, and my blood
is drink indeed.
14 He that eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him : — even as the living
Father hath sent me, and I live by
the Father: so he that eateth me,
even he shall live by me. This is
bread from heaven : not as your
fathers did eat, and died ; he that
eateth of this bread shall live for
ever. 15 These things said he in the
synagogue, as he taught in Caper
naum. And many of his disciples,
when they heard it, said, This is a
difficult saying; who can understand
it ? When Jesus knew that his dis
ciples murmured at it, he said to
them, It is the spirit that quick-
eneth, the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak to you, they
are spirit and they are life.
16 From that time many of his
disciples went back, and walked no
more with him. Then said Jesus to

the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Simon Peter answered, Master, to
whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life.
SELECTION XXXIII.
Jesus shows that he is one with the
Father in spirit and in purpose ; but de
nies the charge of putting himself on an
equality with God.
XHEN said they to him, Where is
thy Father? Jesus answered,
Ye neither know me nor my Father:
if ye had known my Father ye would
have known me also.
2 Therefore the Jews sought the
more to kill him, because he not only
had broken the sabbath, but said
also that God was his Father, put
ting himself on an equality with
God. 3 Then answered Jesus, Truly,
truly, I say to you, The son can do
nothing of himself, but what he
seeth the Father do. As the Father
hath life in himself ; so hath he given
to the son to have life in himself ; I
can of mine own self do nothing : as
I hear, I judge : and my judgment
is just because I seek not mine own
will, but the will of the Father who
hath sent me. I and the Father are
one. 4 Then the Jews took up stones
again to stone him. Jesus said to
them, Many good works have I
showed you from my Father; for
which of those works do ye stone
me? The Jews answered, For a
good work we stone thee not ; but
for blasphemy, because thou, be
ing a man, makest thyself a god.
Jesus answered them, Is it not writ
ten in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

140

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

If he called them gods, to whom the
word of God came, and the scripture
cannot be broken ; say ye of him,
whom the Father hath sanctified,
and sent into the world, Thou blas-
\ phemest ; because I said, I am son
I of God ?
5 If I do not the works of my
Father, believe me not : but if I do,
though ye believe not me, believe
the works : that ye may know, and
understand, that the Father is in me,
and I in the Father.
6 Then said Jesus to them, When
ye have lifted up the son of man,
then shall ye know that I am noth
ing of myself, and do nothing of my
self : as my Father hath taught me,
I speak ; and he that sent me is
with me: the Father hath not left
me alone ; for I do always those
things that please him.
7 As he spake these words, many
believed on him. Then said he to
those Jews who believed on him, If
ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed ; and ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free. They answered him,
We are Abraham's children, and were
never in bondage to any man : how
sayest thou, Ye shall be made free ?
Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to
you, Whosoever committeth sin is
the bond-slave of sin.
8 Then said they to him, We are
not born of fornication ; we have one
Father, even God. Jesus said to them,
If God were your Father, ye would
love me : for I came from God ;
neither came I of myself, but he sent
me. Why do ye not understand my
speech ? it is because ye do not at
tend to my words.

9 Then spake Jesus again to them,
saying, I am a light of the world :
he that followeth me shall not walk
in darkness, but shall have the light
of life.
10 Search the scriptures ; in them
ye think ye have eternal life : and
they testify of me.
1 1 I receive not honor from men.
1 2 I am come in my Father's name,
and ye receive me not : if another
shall come in his own name, him ye
will receive.
13 How can ye believe, who re
ceive honor one of another, and
seek not the honor that cometh from
God only?
SELECTION XXXIV.
Jesus shows that the true shepherd of
men is he who loves them unselfishly and
is willing, if need be, to give his life for
them. HPRULY, truly, I say to you, He
that entereth not by the door
into the sheepfold, but climbeth up
some other way, the same is a thief
and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the
door is the shepherd of the sheep ;
to him the porter openeth ; the sheep
hear his voice : he calleth them by
name, and leadeth them out.
3 And when he putteth forth his
own sheep, he goeth before them,
and the sheep follow him : for they
know his voice. A stranger will they
not follow, but will flee frdm him :
for they know not the voice of stran
gers. 4 This parable spake Jesus to
them : but they understood not what
things they were which he spake to
them.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GOSPELS.

141

5 Then said Jesus to them again,
I am the door : by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved, and shall
go in and out, and find pasture. The
thief cometh not, but to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy : I am come that
they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.
6 I am the good shepherd, for the
good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep. But he that is an hireling,
and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming,
and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth :
and the wolf catcheth them, and
scattereth the sheep. The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and
careth not for the sheep.
7 I am the good shepherd, and
know my sheep, and am known of
mine. As the Father knoweth me,
even so know I the Father: and I
lay down my life for the sheep.
8 And other sheep I have, which
are not of this fold : them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my
voice ; and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd.
9 But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep, as I said to you :
My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me : and I
give to them eternal life, and they
shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father who gave them me, is
greater than all ; and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's
hand. 10 Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on
me, but on him that sent me : and
he that seeth me seeth him that sent
me. I am come a light into the

world, that whosoever believeth on
me should not abide in darkness.
But if any man hear my words, and
believe not, I judge him not : for I
came not to judge the world, but to
save the world.
11 He that rejecteth me, and re-
ceiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him : the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in
the last day. For I have not spoken
of myself ; the Father who sent me,
he gave me a commandment, what I
should say, and what I should speak.
And I know that his commandment
is life everlasting : whatsoever I speak
therefore, even as the Father said
to me, so I speak.
12 In the last day, that great day
of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
saying, If any man thirst, let him
come to me, and drink. He that be
lieveth on me, as the scripture hath
said, out of his soul shall flow rivers
of living water. This spake he of
the Spirit, whom they that believe
on him should receive.
13 Many of the people therefore,
when they heard this saying, said, Of
a truth this is a Prophet : others said,
This is Messiah. But some said,
Shall Messiah come out of Galilee ?
Hath not the scripture said, That
•Messiah cometh of the seed of David,
and out of the town of Bethlehem,
where David was? So there was a
division among the people because
of him : and some of them would
have taken him; but no man laid
hands on him.
14 Then came the officers to the
chief priests and Pharisees ; and they
said to them, Why have ye not
brought him ? The officers answered.

142

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

Never man spake like this man. Then
answered them the Pharisees, Are ye
also deceived ? Have any of the rul
ers or of the Pharisees believed on
him ? But this people who know
not the law are cursed. Nicode
mus said to them, (he that came
to Jesus by night, being one of
them,) doth our law judge any man,
before it hear him, and know what
he doeth ? They answered, Art thou
also of Galilee ? Search and look :
for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
1 5 And every man went to his own
house.
SELECTION XXXV.
The common people love and honor Jesus,
but he perceives that his enemies will soon
put him to death.
'THEN Jesus six days before the
passover came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was whom he had
raised up from the dead. There they
made him a supper ; and Martha
served : but Lazarus was one of them
that sat at the table with him.
2 Then took Mary a pound of
ointment of spikenard, very costly,
and anointed the feet of Jesus, and
wiped his feet with her hair: and
the house was filled with the odor
of the ointment.
3 Then said one of his disciples,
(Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who af
terward betrayed him.) Why was
not this ointment sold for three hun
dred pence, and given to the poor ?
This he said, not that he cared for
the poor ; but because he was a thief,
and had the bag, and bare what was
put therein.
4 Then said Jesus, Let her alone :
against the day of my burying hath

she kept this. The poor always ye
have with you ; but me ye have not
always. 5 On the next day many people
that were come to the feast, when
they heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, took branches of palm
trees, and went forth to meet him,
and cried, Hosanna, to the son of
David : Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord : Hosanna
in the highest !
6 And as he went, they spread
their clothes -in the way : and when
he had come nigh, even now at the
descent of the mount of Olives, the
whole multitude of the disciples be
gan to rejoice and praise God with a
loud voice for all the mighty works
that they had seen, saying, Blessed
is the king that cometh in the name
of the Lord : peace in heaven, and
glory in the highest.
7 And some of the Pharisees from
among the multitude said to him,
Master, rebuke thy disciples. And
he answered, I tell you that, if these
should hold their peace, the stones
would immediately cry out
8 And he went into the temple,
and began to cast out them that sold
therein, and them that bought ; say
ing to them, It is written, My house
is the house of prayer : but ye have
made it a den of thieves.
9 And he taught daily in the tem
ple. And the chief priests and the
scribes and the chief of the people
sought to destroy him, but could not
decide what to do : for all the peo
ple were very attentive to hear him.
io And when the chief priests and
scribes saw the wonderful things
that he did, and the children crying

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

143

in the temple, and saying, Hosanna
to the son of David ; they were sore
displeased, and said to him, Hearest
thou what these say ? And Jesus
said to them, Yea: have ye never
read, Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?
11 From that time forth began
Jesus to show to his disciples, how
he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer
many things of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be put to
death : Then Peter took him aside,
and began to rebuke him, saying,
Be it far from thee, Master: this
shall not be to thee. But he turned,
and said to Peter, Get thee behind
me, Satan : thou art an offence to
me : for thou considerest not the
things that are of God, but those
that are of men.
12 Then said Jesus to his disciples,
If any man will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me. Whosoever
will save his life shall lose it : and
whosoever will lose his life for my
sake shall find it. And what is a
man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul ?
or what shall a man give in exchange
for his soul ?
13 And Jesus said to them, No
man, having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of God.
SELECTION XXXVI.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, and fore
tells its destruction and the calamities of
the Jewish nation.
A ND as he went out of the tem-
¦^^ pie, one of his disciples said to
him. Master, see what manner of

stones and what buildings are here !
Jesus answering said to him,
Seest thou these great buildings?
there shall not be left one stone
upon another, that shall not be
thrown down.
2 And when he was come near, he
beheld the city, and wept over it,,
saying, If thou hadst known, even
thou, at least in this thy day, the
things which belong to thy peace !
but now they are hid from thine
eyes. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets, and stonest
them who are sent to thee, how
often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not ! Behold,
your house is left to you desolate :
for I say to you, Ye shall not see me
henceforth, till ye shall exclaim,
Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
3 And as he sat upon the mount
of Olives over against the temple,
Peter and James and John and An
drew asked him privately, Tell us,
when shall these things be? and
what shall be the sign when all these
things shall be fulfilled ?
4 And Jesus answering them be
gan to say, Take heed lest any man-
deceive you : for many shall come
in my name, saying, I am Messiah ;
and shall deceive many. And when
ye shall hear of wars and rumors of
wars, be ye not troubled : for such
things must needs be ; but the end
shall not be yet. For nation shall
rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom : and there shall be
earthquakes in divers places, and.
there shall be famines and troubles .-

144

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

these are the beginnings of sorrows.
5 But take heed to yourselves:
for they shall deliver you up to coun
cils ; and in the synagogues ye shall
be beaten : and ye shall be brought
before rulers and kings for my sake,
for a testimony against them. For
the gospel must first be published
among all nations.
6 But when they shall lead you,
and deliver you up, take no thought
beforehand what ye shall speak,
neither do ye premeditate ; but what
soever shall be given you in that
hour, that speak ye : for it is not ye
that speak, but the Holy Spirit.
7 Now the brother shall betray the
brother to death, and the father the
son ; and children shall rise up
against their parents, and shall cause
them to be put to death.
8 And ye shall be betrayed both
by parents, and brethren, and kins
folks, and friends ; and some of you
shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for
my name's sake : but there shall not
an hair of your head perish. In
your patience shall ye possess
your souls.
9 Now learn a parable of the fig
tree ; When his branch is yet tender,
and putteth forth leaves, ye know
that summer is nigh : likewise ye,
when ye shall see all these things,
know that it is near, even at the
doors. Truly I say to you, This
generation shall not end, till all
these things be fulfilled.
io Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but my words shall not pass
away. n Take heed to yourselves, lest
at any time your hearts be over

charged with surfeiting and drunk
enness, and cares of this life, and
so that day come upon you una
wares. For as a snare shall it come
on all them that dwell on the face
of the earth. Watch ye therefore,
and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass, and
to stand before the son of man.
12 Then one of the twelve, called
Judas Iscariot; went to the chief
priests, and said to them, What will
ye give me, and I will deliver him
to you ? And they covenanted with
him for thirty pieces of silver : and
he promised, and sought opportuni
ty to betray him to them in the
absence of the multitude.
SELECTION XXXVII.
Jesus' last evening with his disciples ;
he explains the necessity of his death, as a
testimony and seal to the truth he had
taught ; assures his disciples that the
Father is revealed through him, and tells
them that the spirit of Truth will be their
Helper and Guide.
TVTOW the first day of the feast of
unleavened bread the disci
ples came to Jesus, saying, Where
wilt thou that we prepare for thee
to eat the passover? And he re
plied, Go into the city to such a
man, and say to him, The Master
saith, My time is at hand ; I will
keep the passover at thy house with
my disciples. The disciples did as
Jesus had appointed them, and made
ready the passover.
2 And in the evening he cometh
with the twelve: and as they sat
and did eat, Jesus said, The hour
is come, that the son of man should

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

145

be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to
you, Except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth
alone : but if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit. He that loveth his life
shall lose it ; and he that sacrificeth
his life in this world shall keep it
unto life eternal.
3 If any man serve me, let him
follow me ; and where I am,, there
shall also my servant be : if any
man serve me, him will the Father
honor. 4 Now is my soul troubled :
What shall I say? Shall I say, Fa
ther, save me from this suffering?
But for this cause came I to this hour.
Now is the judgment of this world :
now shall the prince of this world
be rejected. And I, if I be lifted
up from the earth, will draw all men
unto me.
5 Little children, yet a little while
I am with you. Ye shall seek me :
and as I said to the Jews, Whither
I go, ye cannot come ; so now I say
to you. A new commandment I
give to you, That ye love one anoth
er; as I have loved you, that ye
also love one another. By this shall
all men know that ye are my disci
ples, if ye have love one to another.
6 Let not your heart be troubled :
ye have faith in God, believe there
fore what I now say. In my Fa
ther's house are many mansions : if
it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive
you to myself ; that where I am,
there ye may be also. Whither I go
ye know, and the way ye know.
7 Thomas said to him, Master, we

know not whither thou goest ; and
how can we know the way? Jesus
answered, I am the way, the truth,
and the life ; by me every man may
come to the Father.
8 Philip said to him, Master, show
us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Jesus answered, Have I been so long
with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? Believest thou
not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me ? the words that I
speak to you I speak not of myself :
the Father that dwelleth in me, he
doeth the work. He that hath
seen me hath seen the Father ; how
sayest thou then, Show us the
Father? Believe me that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me :
or else believe me for the very works'
sake. At that day ye shall know
that I am in the Father, and ye in
me, and I in you.
9 He that hath my command
ments, and keepeth them, he it is
that loveth me : and he that loveth
me shall be loved of the Father ; and
I will love him, and will manifest
myself to him. Judas said to him,
(not Iscariot,) Master, how is it that
thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and
not to the world? Jesus answered,
If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him, and make
our abode with him.
10 Truly, truly, I say to you, He
that believeth on me, the works that
I do shall he do also ; and greater
works than these shall he do ; be
cause I go to the Father.
11 If ye love me, keep my com
mandments: and I will pray the
Father, and he shall give you another

146

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

helper, that will abide with you for
ever, even the spirit of Truth ; which
the world cannot receive, because it
seeth it not, neither knoweth it : but
ye know it, for it dwelleth with you,
and is in you.
12 I will not leave you bereaved :
•I will come to you. Yet a little
while, and the world shall see me no
more ; but ye shall see me : because
I live, ye shall live also.
13 He that loveth me not keepeth
not my words : and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the Father's
who sent me.
14 These things have I spoken to
you, being present with you. But
the helper, which is the spirit of the
Holy One, which the Father will
send in my stead, shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have
said to you.
15 Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give to you : not as the world
giveth, give I to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid. 16 Ye have heard how I said to
you, I go away, and come again to
you. If ye loved me, ye would re
joice, because I said, I go to the
Father : for the Father is greater
than I. SELECTION XXXVIII.
Jesus shows that love among his dis
ciples for one another, and for him, will
cause them to be like branches abiding in
their vine, and bringing forth much fruit.
T AM the true vine, and my Father
is the husbandman. Every one of
my branches that beareth not fruit he
taketh away: and every branch that

beareth fruit he purifieth, that it may
bear more fruit. Now ye are puri
fied through the word which I have
spoken to you.
2 Abide in me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine ; no more
can ye, except ye abide in me. I am
the vine, ye are branches : he that
abideth in me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit : for
separated from me, ye can accom
plish nothing. If one abide not in
me, he is cast forth as a branch, and
is withered ; and men gather it, and
cast it into the fire, and it is burned.
3 If ye abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ask what ye will, and it
shall be done to you.
4 Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit ; so shall ye
be my disciples.
5 As the Father hath loved me,
so have I loved you : continue ye in
my love. If ye keep my command
ments, ye shall continue in my love;
even as I have kept my Father's
commandments, and continue in his
love. 6 These things have I spoken to
you, that my joy might remain in
you, and that your joy might be fulL
My commandment is, That ye love
one another, as I have loved you :
greater love hath no man than this,
that he lay down his life for his
friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do
whatsoever I command you.
7 I call you not servants ; for the
servant knoweth not what his master
doeth : I have called you friends ; for
all things that I have heard of my
Father I have made known to you.
Ye did not choose me, but I chose

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

147

you, and commissioned you, that ye
should go and bear fruit, and your
fruit should remain ; so that what
soever ye should request from the
Father, in my name, he would grant
it to you.
8 These things I command you,
Love ye one another: If the world
hate you, ye know that it hated me
before it hated you : if ye were of the
world, the world would love his own :
because ye are not of the world, but
I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.
9 Remember the word that I said
to you, The servant is not greater
than his master. If they have perse
cuted me, they will also persecute
you ; if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also : all these
things will they do to you for my
name's sake, because they know not
him that sent me.
io If I had not come and spoken
to them, they had not had sin : but
now they have no excuse for their
sin. He that hateth me hateth my
Father also. If I had not done among
them works which no other man did,
they had not had sin : but now have
they both seen and hated both me
and my Father. The word is fulfilled
that is written in 'their law, They
hated me without cause.
1 1 These things have I spoken to
you, that ye should not be discour
aged. They shall put you out of the
synagogues : yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think
that he doeth God service : and these
things will they do to you, because
they have not known the Father, nor
me. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, that

ye shall weep and lament, but the
world shall rejoice : and ye shall be
sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be
turned into joy. A woman when she
is in travail hath sorrow, because her
hour is come : but as soon as she is
delivered of the child, she remem-
bereth no more the anguish, for joy
that a man is born into the world.
Even so ye now have sorrow : but I
will see you again, and your heart
shall rejoice, and your joy no man
shall take from you.
13 But now I go my way to him
that sent me ; and none of you ask-
eth me, Whither goest thou ? I came
forth from the Father, and am come
into the world : again, I leave the
world, and go to the Father. Because
I have said these things to you, sor
row hath filled your heart. Never
theless I tell you the truth ; It is
expedient for you that I go away :
for if I go not away, .the helper will
not come to you ; but if I depart, I
will send it to you. And when it is
come, it will convict the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judg
ment. 14 I have yet many things to say
to you, but ye cannot bear them
now. Howbeit when that one, the
spirit of Truth, is come, it will guide
you into all truth : for it shall not
speak of itself ; but whatsoever it
shall hear, it shall speak, and show
you things to come.
15 His disciples said to him, Lo,
now speakest thou plainly, and speak
est no proverb. Now we are sure that
thou knowest all things, and needest
not that any man should ask thee :
by this we believe that thou earnest
forth from God. Jesus answered

148

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

them, Do ye now believe ? Behold,
the hour cometh, yea, is now come,
that ye shall be scattered, every man
to his own, and shall leave me alone.
Yet I shall not be alone, because the
Father will be with me.
1 6 These things I have spoken to
you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribula
tion : but be of good cheer ; I have
overcome the world.
SELECTION XXXIX.
By bread and wine Jesus symbolizes his
approaching death ; and by washing his dis
ciples' feet he teaches humility and mutual
service.
A ND as they did eat, Jesus took
bread, and blessed, and break
it, and gave to them, and said, Take,
eat : this is my body. And he took
the cup, and when he had given
thanks, he handed it to them : and
as they drank of it, he said, This is
the new covenant of my blood, which
is shed for many. Truly I say to
you, I will drink no more of the fruit
of the vine, until that day that I
drink it new in the kingdom of
God. 2 And while they were eating, he
said, Truly I say to you, that one of
you shall betray me. And they
were exceeding sorrowful, and be
gan every one of them to say to him,
Master, is it I ? He answered, He
that dippeth his hand with me in the
dish, the same shall betray me. The
son of man goeth as it is written of
him : but woe to that man by whom
the son of man is betrayed ! it had
been good for that man if he had
not been born. Then Judas said,

Master, is it I ? He answered, Thou
hast confessed it.
3 Then said Jesus to him, That
thou doest, do quickly. Now no
man at the table knew for what in
tent he spake this to him : some of
them thought, because Judas had the
bag, that Jesus had said to him, Buy
those things that we have need of
against the feast ; or, that he should
give something to the poor.
4 Supper being ended, the tempt
er having now put into the heart of
Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to be
tray him ; Jesus knowing that the
Father had given all things into his
hands, and that he came from God,
and went to God ; he arose from
supper, laid aside his garments, took
a towel, and girded himself. After
that he poured water into a bason,
and began to wash the disciples' feet,
and to wipe them with the towel
wherewith he was girded : when he
came to Simon Peter, Peter said to
him, Master, dost thou wash my
feet? Jesus answered, What I do
thou knowest not now ; but thou
shalt know hereafter. Peter said,
Thou shalt never wash my feet.
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee
not, thou hast no part with me.
Peter said to him, Master, not my
feet only, but also my hands and
my head.
5 After he had washed their feet,
and had taken his garments, and was
set down again, he said to them,
Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Teacher;
and ye say well ; for so I am. If I
then, your Teacher and Master, have
washed your feet, ye also ought to
wash one another's feet. I have

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

149

given you this example, that ye
should do as I have done to you.
Truly, truly, I say to you, The ser
vant is not greater than his master ;
neither he that is sent greater than
he that sent him. If ye know these
things, happy are ye if ye do them.
SELECTION XL.
With prayer and singing Jesus closes
his interview with his disciples, and de
parts with them into an adjoining garden.
HPHESE words spake Jesus, and
lifted up his eyes to heaven,
and said, Father, the hour is come ;
glorify thy son, that thy son also
may glorify thee. As thou hast
given him power over all human kind,
that he should bring eternal life to
as many as thou hast* appointed to
him : and this is life eternal, that
they might know thee the only true
God, and him whom thou hast sent
forth, even Jesus the Anointed. I
have glorified thee on the earth: I
have finished the work which thou
gavest me to do : and now, Father,
glorify thou me thine own self, with
the glory which I had in thy keep
ing before the world was. I have
manifested thy name to the men
whom thou gavest me out of the
world : thine they were, and thou
gavest them me ; and they have kept
thy word.
2 I am no longer in the world, but
these are in the world, and I come
to thee. Holy Father, keep in thy
name them that thou hast given
me, that they may be one even as
we are. While I was with them in
the world, I guarded them in thy
name : those that thou gavest me I
have guarded, and none of them is

lost, but the son of perdition. And
now come I to thee ; these things have
I spoken in the world, that they might
have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them thy word ; and
the world hath bated them, because
they are not of the world, even as I
am not of the world. I pray not
that thou shouldest take them out
of the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil. They are
not of the world, even as I am not
of the world : sanctify them through
thy truth : thy word is truth. As
thou hast sent me into the world,
even so have I also sent them into
the world : for their sakes I sanctify
myself, that they also might be sanc
tified through the truth.
3 Now they have known that all
things whatsoever thou hast given
me are from thee, for I have given
to them the words which thou gav
est me ; and they have received
them, and have known surely that I
came out from thee, and have believed
that thou didst send me. I pray for
them : not for the world do I now
pray, but for them whom thou hast
given me ; they are thine : for all
mine are thine, and thine are mine ;
and I am glorified in them all.
4 Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also who shall believe
on me through their word ; that
they all may be one; even as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they in like manner may be one in
us : that the world may believe that
thou didst send me. And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given
them ; that they may be one, even
as we are one : I in them, and thou
in me, that they may be made per-

•So

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

feet in one ; and that the world may
know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me. 5 Father, I desire that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am ; and that they may
behold the glory which thou hast
given me : for thou didst love me
before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world hath
not known thee : but I have known
thee, and these have known that
thou hast sent me. I have declared
to them thy name, and will declare
it: that the love wherewith thou hast
loved me may be in them, and I in
them. 6 When they had sung an hymn,
they went out into the mount of
Olives. And Jesus said to them,
All ye shall be offended because of
me this night : as it is written, I will
smite the shepherd, and the sheep
shall be scattered. But Peter said to
him, Although all shall be offended,
yet will not I. Jesus answered, Tru
ly I say to thee, That this day, even
in this night, before the cock crow
twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
But he spake the more vehemently,
If I should die with thee, I will not
deny thee in any wise. Likewise
also said they all.
SELECTION XLI.
Jesus spends the night in prayer and
sorrow; is apprehended by his enemies,
and led away to the Assembly of the
Jews.
JESUS went forth with his disci
ples over the brook Cedron,
where was a garden, into which he
entered, with his disciples. Judas

also, who betrayed him, knew the
place : for Jesus ofttimes resorted
thither with his disciples. And they
came to a place which was called
Gethsemane : and he said to his dis
ciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
2 And he taketh with him Peter
and James and John, and began to
be in great anguish, and to be full
of sorrow ; and he said to them, My
soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto
death : tarry ye here, and watch.
3 And he went forward a little,
and fell on the ground, and prayed
that, if it were possible, the hour
might pass from him. And he said,
Abba, Father, all things are possible
to thee ; take away this cup from
me : nevertheless not what I will
but what thou wilt.
4 And he came and found them
sleeping, and said to Peter, Simon,
sleepest thou ? couldest not thou
watch one hour ? Watch and pray,
lest ye enter into temptation. The
spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is
weak. 5 And again he went away, and
prayed, and spake the same words,
Father, if thou be willing, remove
this cup from me : nevertheless not
my will, but thine, be done.. And
there appeared an angel to him from
heaven, strengthening him. And
being in an agony he prayed more
earnestly: and his sweat was as it
were great drops of blood falling
down to the ground.
6 And when he returned, he found
them asleep again, (for their eyes
were heavy,) neither wist they what
to answer him.
7 And he came the third time,
and said to them, Sleep on now, and

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

151

take your rest : it is enough, the hour
is come ; behold, the son of man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Rise up, let us go ; lo, he that be-
trayeth me is at hand.
8 Judas then, having received a
band of men and officers from the
chief priests and Pharisees, came
thither with lanterns and torches
and weapons. And he that be
trayed him had given them a token,
saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that
same is he ; take him, and lead him
away safely. And forthwith he came
to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and
kissed him. But Jesus said to him,
Judas, betrayest thou the son of man
with a kiss ?
9 Then Simon Peter having a
sword drew it, and smote the high
priest's servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Mal-
chus. Then said Jesus to Peter, The
cup which my Father hath given me,
shall I not drink it ? Put up again
thy sword into its place : for all they
that take the sword shall perish with
the sword. Thinkest thou that I
cannot now pray to my Father, and
he shall presently give me more than
twelve legions of angels ?
10 Then Jesus said to the chief
priests, and captains of the temple,
and the elders, who were come to
him, Have ye come out, as against a
thief, with swords and staves ? When
I was daily with you in the temple,
ye stretched forth no hands against
me : but this is your hour, and the
power1 of darkness.
11 Then took they him, and led
him, and brought him into the high
priest's house.
12 And all his disciples forsook
him and fled. I

SELECTION XLII.
The trial and condemnation of Jesus.
A ND they led Jesus away to the
high priest : and with him were
assembled all the chief priests and
the elders and the scribes. And
Peter followed him afar off, even
into the palace of the high priest :
and he sat with the servants, and
warmed himself at the fire.
2 Now the chief priests, and elders,
and all the council, sought false wit
ness against Jesus, to put him to
death ; but found none : yea, though
many false witnesses came, yet found
they none. At last came two false
witnesses, and said, This fellow said,
I am able to destroy the temple of
God, and to build it in three days.
And the high priest arose, and said
to him, Answerest thou nothing?
what is it which these witness against
thee? 3 But Jesus held his peace. And
the high priest said to him, I adjure
thee by the living God, that thou
tell us whether thou be Messiah, son
of God. Jesus answered him, Thou
hast said : nevertheless I say to you,
Hereafter shall ye see the son of
man sitting on the right hand of
power, and revealed in the clouds of
heaven. 4 Then the high priest rent his
clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy ; what further need have
we of witnesses? behold, now ye
have heard his blasphemy. What
think ye ? They answered and said,
He is guilty of death.
5 The high priest then asked Jesus
of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Jesus answered him, I spake openly
to the world ; I ever taught in the

152

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

synagogue, and in the temple,
whither the Jews always resort ; and
in secret have I said nothing. Why
askest thou me ? ask them who
heard me, what I have said to them :
behold, they know what I said.
6 And when he had thus spoken,
one of the officers who stood by
struck Jesus with the palm of his
hand, saying, Answerest thou the
high priest so ? Jesus said to him,
If I have spoken evil, bear witness
of the evil ; but if well, why smitest
thou me?
7 And some began to spit on him,
and to cover his face, and to buffet
him, and to say to him, Prophesy :
and the servants did strike him with
the palms of their hands.
8 And when they had blindfolded
him, they struck him on the face, and
asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is
it that smote thee ? And many other
things blasphemously spake they
against him.
9 When the morning had come,
all the chief priests and elders of the
people took counsel against Jesus to
put him to death : and when they
had bound him, they led him away,
and delivered him to Pontius Pilate
the governor.
io And when he was accused of
the chief priests and elders, he an
swered nothing. Then said Pilate to
him, Hearest thou not how many
things they witness against thee?
And he answered him also never a
word ; insomuch that the governor
marvelled greatly.
1 1 And they began to accuse him,
saying, We found this fellow pervert
ing the nation, and forbidding to give
tribute to Caesar, saying that he him
self is an anointed king.

12 Pilate therefore said to him,
Art thou a king then ? Jesus an
swered, Thou sayest that I am a
king : but this is the end for which I
was born, and for this cause came I
into the world, that I should bear
witness to the truth. And every one
that is of the truth heareth my
voice. Pilate said to him, What is
truth ? And when he had said this,
he went out to the Jews, and said to
them, I find in him no fault at all.
13 And they were the more fierce,
saying, He stirreth up the people,
teaching throughout all Jewry, be
ginning from Galilee to this place.
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he
asked whether the man were a Gali-
laean. And as soon as he knew that
he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod, who himself
also was at Jerusalem at that time.
14 And when Herod saw Jesus, he
was exceeding glad : for he was
desirous to see him of a long season,
because he had heard many things of
him ; and he hoped to have seen
some wonders wrought by him. So he
questioned him in many words ; but
he answered him nothing. And the
chief priests and scribes stood and
vehemently accused him : and Herod
with his men of war set him at
nought, and mocked him, and ar
rayed him in a gorgeous robe, and
sent him again to Pilate.
15 Now at that feast the governor
was wont to release to the people a
prisoner, whom they would. And
they had then a notable prisoner,
called Barabbas : therefore when they
were gathered together, Pilate said to
them, Whom will ye that I release
unto you ? Barabbas, or Jesus who is
called Messiah? (For he knew that:

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

153

for envy they had delivered him.)
16 But the chief priests and elders
persuaded the multitude that they
should ask Barabbas, and destroy
Jesus. The governor again said to
them, Whether of the twain will ye
that I release to you ? They said,
Barabbas. Pilate said to them, What
shall I do then with Jesus who is
called Messiah? They all answered,
Let him be crucified. And the
governor said, Why, what evil hath
he done? But they cried out the
more, saying, Let him be crucified.
17 When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tu
mult was made, he took water, and
washed his hands before the multi
tude, saying, I am innocent of the
blood of this just person : see ye to it.
Then answered all the people, and
said, His blood be on us, and on our
children. 18 Then released he Barabbas un
to them : and when he had scourged
Jesus, he delivered him to be cruci
fied. SELECTION XLIII.
Peter denies Jesus and repents ; Judas
repents and hangs himself ; Jesus is
scourged, crucified, and temporarily
placed in a sepulchre close at hand*
XT OW Peter sat without in the pal-
ace: and a damsel came to him,
saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of
Galilee. But he denied before them
all, saying, I know not what thou
sayest. And when he had gone out
into the porch, another maid saw
him, and said to them that were
there, This fellow was also with Je
sus of Nazareth. And again he de

nied with an oath, I do not know the
man. 2 And after awhile came they that
stood by, and said to Peter, Surely
thou also art one of them ; for thy
speech betrayeth thee. Then began
he to curse and to swear, and to say,
I know not the man. And immedi
ately the cock crew. And Peter
remembered the word of Jesus, who
said to him, Before the cock crow,
thou shalt deny me thrice. And he
went out, and wept bitterly.
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed
Jesus, when he saw that he was con
demned, repented, and brought the
thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests and elders, saying, I have
sinned in that I have betrayed inno
cent blood. They answered, What
is that to us? see thou to that. And
he cast down the pieces of silver in
the temple, and departed, and went
and hanged himself.
4 Then the soldiers of the gov
ernor took Jesus into the common
hall, and gathered around him the
whole band of soldiers: and they
stripped him, and put on him a scar
let robe. And when they had platted
a crown of thorns, they put it upon
his head, and a reed in his right
hand : and they bowed the knee be
fore him, and mocked him, saying,
Hail, King of the Jews ! And they
spit upon him, and took the reed,
and smote him on the head.
5 And after they had mocked him,
they took the robe off from him, and
put his own raiment on him, and led
him away to crucify him.
6 And as they led him away, they
laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyre-
nian, coming out of the country, and

* See Note (b) at the end of Gospel Selections.

154

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

on him they laid the cross, that he
might bear it after Jesus.
7 And there followed him a great
•company of people, and of women,
who also bewailed and lamented him.
But Jesus turning to them said,
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not
for me, but weep for yourselves, and
for your children.
8 And there were also two male
factors, led with him to be put to
death. And when they were come
to the place, which is called Calvary,
there they crucified him, and the
malefactors, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left.
9 Then said Jesus, Father, for
give them ; for they know not what
they do.
io And they that passed by re
viled him, wagging their heads, and
saying, Thou that destroyest the
temple, and buildest it in three days,
save thyself. If thou be a son of God,
come down from the cross. Like
wise also the chief priests mocking
Mm, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others ; himself he cannot
save. If he be King of Israel, let
him now come down from the cross,
and we will believe him. He trusted
in God ; let him deliver him now, if
be will have him : for he said, I am
a son of God. The thieves also, who
were crucified with him, cast the
same in his teeth.
1 1 Now from the sixth hour there
was darkness over the land to the
ninth hour. And about the ninth
hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?
that is to say, My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me ? Some
of them that stood there, when they

heard that, said, This man calleth for
Elias. And straightway one of them
ran, and took a sponge, and filled it
with vinegar, and put it on a reed,
and gave him to drink. The rest
said, Let him alone, let us see whether
Elias will come to save him.
12 And when Jesus had cried with
a loud voice, he said, Father, into
thy hands I commend my spirit ; and
having said thus, he gave up the
ghost. 13 Now when the centurion saw
what was done, he glorified God,
saying, Certainly this was a righteous
man : and all the people that came
together to that sight, beholding the
things which were done, smote their
breasts, and returned.
14 And many women were there
beholding afar off, who followed
Jesus from Galilee, ministering to
him : among whom were Mary Mag
dalene, and Mary the mother of
James and Joses, and the mother of
Zebedee's children.
15 And after this Joseph of Ari-
mathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,
but secretly for fear of the Jews, be
sought Pilate that he might take
away the body of Jesus : and Pilate
gave him leave. He came therefore,
and took the body of Je'sus. And
there came also Nicodemus, who at
the first came to Jesus by night, and
brought a mixture of myrrh and
aloes. Then took they the body of
Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices, as the manner of the
Jews is to bury.
16 Now in the place where he was
crucified there was a garden ; and in
the garden a new sepulchre, wherein
was never man yet laid. There laid

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

155

they Jesus therefore because of the
Jews' preparation day ; for .the sepul
chre was nigh at hand.
17 And the women also, who
came with him from Galilee, fol
lowed after, and beheld the sepul
chre, and how his body was laid :
and returned, and prepared spices
and ointments ; and rested the sab
bath day according to the command
ment. SELECTION XLIV.
The reappearance of Jesus after his
death; by various manifestations he re
veals himself to many of his followers,
tand encourages them to spread abroad his
-teachings. *
'THE first day of the week came
Mary Magdalene early, while it
was yet dark, to the sepulchre, and
found the stone taken away from the
door. Then she ran and came to
Simon Peter, and to the other dis
ciple, whom Jesus loved, and said
to them, They have taken away the
Master out of the sepulchre, and we
know not where they, have laid him.
Then arose Peter, and ran to the
sepulchre ; and stooping down,
he saw the linen clothes laid by
themselves, and departed, wonder
ing in himself at that which had
happened. 2 But Mary remained without at
the sepulchre weeping: and as she
wept, she stooped down, and looked
into the sepulchre : and there ap
peared two angels in white sitting,
the one at the head, and the other
at the feet, where the body of Jesus
had Iain. And they said to her,
Woman, why weepest thou ? She
said to them, Because they have

taken away my Master, and I know
not where they have laid him.
3 And when she had thus said,
she turned herself back, and saw
Jesus standing, but knew not that it
was Jesus. He said to her, Woman,
why weepest thou ? whom seekest
thou ? She, supposing him to be
the gardener, said to him, Sir, if
thou hast borne him hence, tell me
where thou hast laid him, and I will
take him away. Jesus said to her,
Mary. She turned, and exclaimed,
Rabboni ; which is to say, Master.
Jesus said to her, Touch me not ;
for I am not yet ascended to my
Father : but go to my brethren, and
say to them, I ascend to my Father,
and your Father ; and to my God,
and your God.
4 Mary Magdalene came and told
the disciples that she had seen the
Master, and that he had spoken
these things to her. And they,
when they heard that he was alive,
and had appeared to her, believed
not. 5 Then the disciples went away
to their own home.
6 And certain other women also
of our company made us astonished,
who were early at the sepulchre :
for when they found not his body,
they came, saying, that they had
also seen a vision of angels, who
said that he was alive And certain
of them who were with us went to
the sepulchre, and found it even so
as the women had said : but him
they saw not.
7 After that he appeared in an
other form to two of them, as they
walked and went into the country;
and they went and told it to the

* See. Note (c) at the end of Gospel Selections.

i56

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

residue : neither believed they them.
8 Afterward he appeared to the
eleven as they sat at meat, and re
proved them for their unbelief and
hardness of heart, because they be
lieved not them who had seen him
1 after he was risen. And he said to
them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved ; but he that be
lieveth not shall be condemned.
9 Then the same day at evening,
being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the
disciples were assembled for fear of
the Jews, came Jesus and stood in
the midst, and said to them, Peace
be unto you. And when he had so
said, he showed them his hands and
his side. Then were the disciples
glad, when they saw the Master.
io Then said Jesus to them again,
Peace be unto you : as the Father
sent me, even so send I you. And
when he had said this, he breathed
on them, and said, Receive ye the
Holy Spirit. SELECTION XLV.
Some beautiful accounts of the reappear -
a?ice of Jesus not historically verified : —
that is, given by one biographer, but not
confirmed or in any way referred to by
the others.
A ND it came to pass, as they were
"^ much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in
shining garments ; and as they were
afraid, and bowed down their faces
to the earth, they said to them,
Why seek ye the living among the
dead ? He is not here, but is risen.
2 And, behold, two of them went

that same day to a village called
Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem
about threescore furlongs : and they
talked together of all these things
which had happened.
3 And it came to pass, that, while
they communed together and reason
ed, Jesus himself drew near, and
went with them : but their eyes were
holden that they should not know
him. 4 And he said to them, What
manner of communications are these
that ye have one to another, as ye
walk, and are sad ? And the one
of them, whose name was Cleopas,
answering said to him, Art thou
only a stranger in Jerusalem, and
hast not known the things which are
come to pass there in these days?
He said to them, What things ? and
they said, Concerning Jesus of Naza
reth, who was a prophet mighty in
deed and word before God and all
the people : and how the chief priests
and our rulers delivered him to be
condemned to death, and have cruci
fied him. But we trusted that it
was he who should redeem Israel :
and besides all this, to-day is the
third day since these things were
done. Yea, and certain women also
of our company made us astonished,
who were early at the sepulchre;.
and when they found not his body,
they came, saying, that they had
seen a vision of angels, who said
that he was alive. And certain of
them who were with us went to
the sepulchre, and found it even so
as the women had said : but him
they saw not.
5 Then he said to them, O foolish
men, and slow to believe after all

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

157

that the prophets have spoken :
Ought not. Messiah to suffer these
things, and to enter into his glory?
And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, he expounded to them in
all the scriptures the things which
concerned himself.
6 And they drew near to the vil
lage, whither they went : and he ap
peared as though he would have
gone further. But they constrained
him, saying, Abide with us : for it is
toward evening, and the day is far
spent. And he went in to tarry
with them.
7 And it came to pass, as he sat
at meat with them, he took bread,
and blessed it, and brake, and gave
to them. And their eyes were opened,
so that they knew him ; and he van
ished out of their sight.
8 And they said one to another,
Did not our hearts burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way,
and while he opened to us the script
ures? 9 And they rose up the same hour,
and returned to Jerusalem, and found
the eleven gathered together, and
them with them, who were saying,
The Lord is risen indeed, and hath
appeared to Simon.
10 And they told what things were
done in the way, and how he was
known of them in breaking of bread :
and as they thus were speaking,
Jesus himself stood in the midst
of them, and said, Peace be unto
you. 1 1 But Thomas, one of the twelve,
called Didymus, was not with them
when Jesus came. The other dis
ciples therefore said to him, We have
seen the Master. But he said, Ex

cept I shall see in his hands the print
of the nails, and put my finger into
the print of the nails, and thrust my
hand into his side, I will not believe.
12 And after eight days again his
disciples were within, and Thomas
with them : then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the
midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then said he to Thomas, Reach
hither thy finger, and behold my
hands ; and reach hither thy hand,
and thrust it into my side : and be
not faithless, but believing. And
Thomas exclaimed, My Lord and
my God ! Jesus said to him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed : blessed are they that have
not seen, and yet have believed.
13 After these things Jesus ap
peared again to the disciples at the
sea of Tiberias ; and on this wise ap
peared he.
14 There were together Simon
Peter, and Thomas called Didymus,
and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,
and the sons of Zebedee, and two
other of his disciples. Simon Peter
said to them, I go a fishing. They
replied, We also will go with thee.
They went forth, and entered into a
boat immediately; and that night
they caught nothing. When the
morning was come, Jesus stood on
the shore : but the disciples knew
not that it was Jesus.
15 Then Jesus said to them, Chil
dren, have ye any meat ? They
answered him, No. And he said to
them, Cast the net on the right side
of the ship, and ye shall find. They
cast therefore, and now they were
not able to draw it for the multitude
of fishes. Therefore that disciple

158

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GOSPELS.

whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It
is the Master.
1 6 When Simon Peter heard that
it was the Master, he girt his fisher's
coat unto him, (for he was naked,)
and cast himself into the sea. And
the other disciples came in a small
boat, (for they were not far from land,
but as it were two hundred cubits,)
dragging the net with fishes.
17 As soon then as they were come
to land, they saw a fire of coals there,
and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Jesus said to them, Bring of the fish
which ye have now caught. Simon
Peter went up, and drew the net tp
land full of great fishes, an hundred
and fifty and three : and for all there
were so many, yet was not the net
broken. Jesus said to them, Come
and dine. And none of the disciples

durst ask him, Who art thou ? know
ing that it was the Master.
18 When they had dined, Jesus said
to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me more than these?'
He answered, Yea, Master ; thou
knowest that I love thee. He said
to him, Feed my lambs. Again the
second time he said to him, Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He
answered, Yea, Master ; thou know
est that I love thee. He said to him,
Feed my sheep. He said to him
the third time, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was
grieved because he said to him the
third time, Lovest thou me ? And
he said to him, Master, thou know
est all things ; thou knowest that I
love thee. Jesus said to him, Feed
my sheep.

NOTES.
(a) The difficulty is here acknowledged of making the story of the ' ' resurrection "of Lazarus (given-
only in the biography according to John, and not in any way even referred to in any of the other New
Testament writings) appear to be, what it very probably originally was, a brief and simple tradition
of the resuscitation, or bringing to life again, of one supposed to be dead. Passing from mouth to
mouth for a half century or more, it naturally became twisted, interwoven, and expanded into some
thing much more marvellous than it really was : the author of the fourth biography also has evidently
woven into it much of his own peculiar imagery and detail. The impulse, therefore, of a critical
compiler, would be to omit the entire story as being not only fabulous in itself, but also as having no-
word or hint of confirmation from any other New Testament writer. However, there is enough of
naturalness and beauty in it to make it appear (to the present compiler) to have been founded orig
inally upon certain simple facts : these simple facts, disentangled without breaking a sentence or
doing violence to the translation of a word (as the story is rendered in the Greek text), are what the
present compiler has sought to discover and bring together.
(b) Accounts of the Crucifixion are various and conflicting. The conflicting details, so far as
possible, are here omitted ; and no miraculous recitals or explanations are included, except those
which are clearly stated by at least two of the four Gospels.
(c) For the meaning of the word ¦ • resurrection " see Preface. All is given in this Selection
concerning the reappearance of Jesus that is reported by two out of the four New Testament Bio
graphies or Gospels ; all the rest is confused and conflicting, having the appearance of a fanciful or
mythical origin. As to the " bodily Ascension " of Jesus, all reference to it is omitted from these
Selections from the fact that while in Matthew and John it is not referred to, or even indirectly
hinted at, the single sentence referring to it in Luke, and the twelve verses describing it in Mark,
are both declared by Tischendorf and other most critical scholars to be interpolations, and no part
of the original Gospels. The Revised Edition also notes them as "omitted by the most ancient
manuscripts and by some other authorities."

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— THE ACTS.

SELECTION I.
The enthusiasm with which the disciples
of Jesus enter upon the work of proclaim
ing the teachings of their Master.
rTHE former treatise have I made,
O Theophilus, of all that Jesus
began both to do and teach, until
the day in which he, through the Holy
Spirit, gave commandments to the
apostles whom he had chosen : and
was received up.
2 To whom also he manifested
himself after his crucifixion by many
unquestionable proofs, appearing to
them forty days, and speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of
God. And, being assembled, he
commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait
for the promise of the Father, which,
saith he, ye have heard of me. For
John truly baptized with water ; but
ye shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit not many days hence.
3 Then returned they to Jeru
salem from the mount called Olivet,
which is from Jerusalem a sabbath
day's journey : 'and when they had
come into the city, they went up in
to an upper room, where they abode.
Peter, and James, and John, and An
drew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholo
mew, and Matthew, James the son of
Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and

Judas the brother of James : these all
continued with one accord in prayer
and supplication, with certain women,
and with Mary the mother of Jesus,
and with his brothers.
4 And on the day of Pentecost
they were all together in one place.
5 And they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit, and began to speak
with strange tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance.
6 And there were dwelling at
Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of
various nations, and when this was
noised abroad, the multitude came
together, and were surprised as they
heard them tell of the wonderful
works of God.
7 And they were all amazed, and
in doubt, saying one to another,
What meaneth this? Others making
sport said, These men are intoxi
cated with wine.
8 But Peter, standing up with the
eleven, lifted up his voice, and said
to them, Ye men of Judaea, and all
ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this
known to you, and hearken to my
words: These are not drunken men,
as ye suppose, seeing it is but the
third hour of the day: but this is
that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; And it shall come to
pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon
59

i6o

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

all flesh : and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and
your old men shall dream dreams :
and on my servants and on my hand
maidens I will pour out in those days
of my Spirit ; and they shall
prophesy, . . . Ye men of Israel, hear
these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a
man approved of God among you by
mighty works, wonders, and signs,
which God did by him in the midst
•of you, as ye yourselves also know :
this man, ye, by the hand of god
less men, crucified and slew. But
God raised him up, having loosed the
bonds of death : because it was not
possible that he should be held by it.
Of this Jesus whom God hath raised
up, we are all witnesses. He, being
by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received of the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit, hath
shed forth this, which ye now see
and hear. Therefore let all the house
of Israel know assuredly that God
hath made that same Jesus, whom
ye have crucified, both Master and
Messiah. 9 Now when they heard this, they
were pierced to the heart, and said to
Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do ?
10 Then Peter said to them, Re
pent and make open confession (be
baptized) every one of you in the
name of Jesus, for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit, for the
promise is to you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God
shall call.
ii And with many other words

did he testify and exhort, saying,
Save yourselves from this perverse
generation. Then they that received
his word were baptized, and contin
ued steadfastly in the apostles' doc
trine and fellowship, and in breaking
of bread, and in prayers.
12 And all that believed were in
a community, and had all things in
common, and sold their possessions
and goods, and parted them to all, as
each had need. And they, continuing
daily with one accord in the temple,
and going from house to house, did
eat their food with gladness and
singleness of heart.
13 Praising God, and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord
added to their numbers daily such as
were in the way of salvation.
SELECTION II.
The boldness of the first followers of
Jesus, and their loyalty to his teaching in
the face of oppositions and persecutions.
A ND as they spake to the people,
the priests, and the captain of
the temple, and the Sadducces, came
upon them ; being enraged be
cause they taught the people, and
preached through Jesus resurrection
from the dead. And they laid hands
on them, and put them in hold unto
the next day : for it was now even
tide. 2 And it came to pass on the mor
row, that their rulers, and elders,
and scribes , and Annas the high
priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and
Alexander, and as many as were of
the kindred of the high priest, were
gathered together at Jerusalem.
3 And they called them, and com
manded them not to speak at all nor

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

161

teach in the name of Jesus. But
Peter and John answered and said to
them, Whether it be right in the
sight of God tohearken to you more
than to God, judge ye ; but we cannot
refrain from speaking of the things
which we have seen and heard.
4 Now when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were unlearned and igno
rant men, they marvelled ; and they
took knowledge of them, that they
had been with Jesus.
5 So when they had further threat
ened them, they let them go, finding
nothing how they might punish them,
because of the people : for all men
glorified God for that which was
done. 6 And being released they went to
their own company, and reported all
that the chief priests and elders had
said to them. And when the others
heard that, they lifted up their voice
to God with one accord, and said, Lord,
thou art God, who hast made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and all that
in them is : Who by the mouth of
thy servant David hast said, Why did
the heathen rage, and the people
imagine vain things ? The kings of
the earth stood up, and the rulers
were gathered together against the
Lord, and against his Anointed. And
now, Lord, behold their threatenings:
and grant to thy servants, that with
all boldness they may speak thy word.
7 And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit, and
they spake the word of God with
boldness. 8 Now when the high priest and

the captain of the temple and the
chief priests heard these things, they
doubted whereunto this would grow.
9 Then came one and told them,
Behold, the men whom ye put in
prison are standing in the temple,
and teaching the people. Then the
captain and the officers went and
brought them without violence : for
they feared the people, lest they
should have been stoned.
IO And when they had brought
them, they set them before the coun
cil ; and the high priest asked them,
Did not we straitly command you
that ye should not teach in this
name? and, behold, ye have filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine, and
intend to bring this man's blood
upon us.
1 1 Then Peter and the other apos
tles answered, We ought to obey
God rather than men. The God of
our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye
slew by hanging him on a cross.
Him hath God exalted with his right
hand to be a Leader ; and also a
Saviour, to give repentance to Israel,
and forgiveness of sins. And we are
his witnesses of these things ; and so
also is the Holy Spirit, which God
hath given to them that obey him.
12 When they heard that, they
were enraged, and took counsel to
slay them.
13 Then stood there up one in the
council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel,
a doctor of the law, had in reputa
tion among all the people, and
commanded to put the apostles
forth a little space ; and said to
them, Ye men of Israel, take heed
to yourselves what ye intend to do
as touching these men. For before

1 62

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

these days rose up Theudas, boast
ing himself to be somebody ; to
whom a number of men, about four
hundred, joined themselves : who
was slain ; and all, as many as obeyed
him, were scattered, and brought to
nought. After this man rose up
Judas of Galilee in the days of the
taxing, and drew away much people
after him : he also perished ; and all,
even as many as obeyed him, were
dispersed. And now I say to you,
Refrain from these men, and let
them alone ; for if this counsel or
this work be of men, it will come to
nought : but if it be of God, ye can
not overthrow it ; lest unfortunately
ye be found even to fight against
God. 14 And to him they agreed : and
when they had called the apostles,
and beaten them, they commanded
that they should not speak in the
name of Jesus, and let them go.
15 And they departed from the
presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to
suffer shame for his name. And
daily in the temple, and in every
house, they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus. SELECTION III.
The early followers of Jesus organize
themselves into a community, and the first
church is administered according to com
munistic principles.
A ND in those days, when the
"^^ number of the disciples was
multiplied, there arose a murmuring
of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected
in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the con

gregation of the disciples together,
and said, It is not reason that we
should leave the word of God, and
serve tables. Wherefore, brethren,
look ye out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom, whom we may
appoint over this business. But we
will give ourselves continually to
prayer, and to the ministry of the
word. 3 And the saying pleased the
whole congregation : and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of
the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Pro-
chorus, and Nicanor, and Timon,and
Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte
of Antioch : whom they set before
the apostles; and when they had
prayed, they laid their hands on
them. 4 And the word of God increased ;
and the number of the disciples mul
tiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and
many of the priests were obedient
to the faith.
5 And the congregation of believ
ers were of one heart and of one
soul : neither said any of them that
ought of the things which he pos
sessed was his own ; but they had
all things in common.
6 And with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection
of the Master, Jesus, and great grace
was upon them all.
7 Neither was there any among
them that lacked : for as many as
were possessors of lands or houses
sold them, and brought the prices of
the things that were sold, and laid
them down at the apostles' feet : and
distribution was made to every man
according as he had need.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

163

8 And Joses, who by the apostles
was surnamed Barnabas, (which is,
being interpreted, The son of conso
lation,) a Levite, and of the country
of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and
brought the money, and laid it at the
apostles' feet.
9 But a certain man named Ana
nias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a
possession, and kept back part of the
price, his wife also being privy to it,
and brought a certain part, and laid
it at the apostles' feet. But Peter
said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled
thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit,
and to keep back part oi the price of
the land ? While it remained, was
it not thine own ? and after it was
sold, was it not in thine own power ?
why hast thou conceived this thing
in thine heart ? thou hast not lied
to men but to God.
SELECTION IV.
The martyrdom of Stephen, and the be
ginning of persecutions by the Jews.
A ND Stephen, full of faith and
power, did great wonders and
signs among the people : and there
arose to dispute with him certain of
the synagogue, which is called the
synagogue of the Libertines, and Cy-
renians, and Alexandrians, and of
Cilicia and of Asia.
2 And they were not able to re
sist the wisdom and the spirit by
which he spake : so they procured
false witnesses, who said, We have
heard him speak blasphemous words
against M.oses,awd against God. And
they stirred up the people, and the
elders, and the scribes, and came
upon him, and caught him, and

brought him to the council : and set
up false witnesses, who said, This
man ceaseth not to speak blasphe
mous words against this holy place,
and the law : we have heard him say,
that this Jesus of Nazareth shall de
stroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered to us.
3 And all that sat in the council,
looking steadfastly on him, saw his
face as it had been the face of an
angel. 4 Then said the high priest, Are
these things so ? And he said, ....
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in
heart and ears, ye do always resist
the Holy Spirit : as your fathers did,
so do ye. Which of the prophets
have not your fathers persecuted ?
and they have . slain them who
showed before of the coming of that
just man, of whom ye have been
now the betrayers and murderers.
Ye have received the law by the dis
position of angels, and have not kept
it. 5 When they heard these things,
they were cut to the heart, and they
gnashed their teeth at him.
6 But he, being full of the Holy
Spirit, looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing on the right hand
of God, and said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the son of man
standing on the right hand of God.
7 Then they cried out with a loud
voice, and stopped their ears, and
ran upon him with one accord, and
cast him out of the city, and stoned
him : and the witnesses laid down
their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul.
8 And they stoned Stephen, call-

164

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

ing out, and saying, Jesus, Master,
receive my spirit. And he kneeled
down, and cried with a loud voice,
Master, lay not this crime to their
charge. And when he had said this,
he fell asleep.
9 And Saul was consenting to his
death. And on that day began a
great persecution against the church
which was at Jerusalem ; so that soon
after they were all scattered abroad
throughout the regions of Judaea and
Samaria, except the apostles.
10 As for Saul, he made havoc of
the church, entering into every
house, and haling men and women,
committed them to prison.
1 1 But they that were scattered
abroad went everywhere preaching
the word. SELECTION V.
Saul becomes a disciple of Jesus and
begins to preach the gospel.
A ND Saul, yet breathing out
threatenings and slaughter
against the disciples of the Master,
went to the high priest, and de
sired of him letters to Damascus to
the synagogues, that if he found any
of this way, whether they were men
or women, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem.
2 And as he journeyed, he came
near Damascus : and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from
heaven : and he fell to the earth,
and heard a voice saying to him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me ? And he said, Who art thou ?
And the voice said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest. Arise, and go in
to the city, and it shall be told thee
there what thou must do.

3 And Saul arose from the earth ;
and when his eyes were opened, he
saw nothing ; but they led him by the
hand, and brought him into Damas
cus. And he was three days without
sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
4 And there was a certain disciple
at Damascus, named Ananias; and
to him said the Master in a vision,
Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am
here. And the Master said to him,
Arise, and go into the street which
is called Straight, and enquire in the
house of Judas for one called Saul,
of Tarsus : for, behold, he prayeth,
and hath seen in a vision a man
named Ananias coming in, and put
ting his hand on him, that he might
receive his sight. Then Ananias
answered, Master, I have heard by
many of this man, how much evil he
hath done to thy followers at Jeru
salem : and here he hath authority
from the chief priests to bind all that
profess thy name. But the Master
said to him, Go thy way: for he is a
chosen vessel to me, to bear my
name before the Gentiles, and kings,
and the children of Israel: for I
will show him how great things he
must suffer for my name's sake.
5 And Ananias went his way, and
entered into the house ; and putting
his hands on him said, Brother Saul,
the Master, even Jesus, that appear
ed to thee in the way as thou
earnest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be
filled with the Holy Spirit; and
immediately there fell from his eyes
as it had been scales : and he received
sight, and arose, and was baptized.
And when he had received meat, he
was strengthened.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

I65

6 Then was Saul certain days with
the disciples who were at Damas
cus. And straightway he preached
Jesus in the synagogues, that he is
the son of God. But all that heard
him were amazed, and said, Is not
this he that destroyed them who
professed this name in Jerusalem,
and came hither for that intent, that
he might bring them bound to the
chief priests ?
7 But Saul increased the more in
strength, and confounded the Jews
which dwelt at Damascus, proving
that this is truly the Messiah.
8 And after that many days were
fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to
kill him : but their laying wait was
known of Saul. And they watched
the gates day and night to kill him.
Then the disciples took him by night,
and let him down by the wall in a
basket. 9 And when Saul was come to
Jerusalem, he assayed to join him
self to the disciples : but they were
all afraid of him, and believed not
that he was a disciple. But Barna
bas took him, and brought him to
the apostles, and declared to them
how he had seen the Master in the
way, and that he had spoken to him,
and how he had preached boldly at
Damascus in the name of Jesus.
10 And he was with them coming
in and going out of Jerusalem. And
he spake boldly in the name of Jesus,
and disputed against the Grecians :
but they went about to slay him.
Which when the brethren knew, they
brought him down to Caesarea, and
sent him forth to Tarsus.
11 Then had the churches rest
throughout all Judaea and Galilee

and Samaria, and were edified ; and
walking in the fear of the Lord, and
in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
were multiplied. SELECTION VI.
The disciples of Jesus break down the
walls of sectarianism by beginning to
preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
"IP HERE was a certain man in
Caesarea called Cornelius, a
centurion of the band called the
Italian band : a devout man, and one
that feared God with all his house,
who gave much alms to the people,
and prayed to God alway.
2 He saw in a vision evidently
about the ninth hour of the day an
angel of God coming in to him, and
saying to him, Cornelius. And when
he looked on him, he was afraid,
and said, What is it, Lord ? And he
said to him, Thy prayers and thine
alms are come up for a memorial be
fore God. And now send men to
Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname is Peter: he shall tell thee
what thou oughtest to do.
3 And when the angel who spake
to Cornelius had departed, he called
two of his household servants, and a
devout soldier of them that waited
on him continually ; and when he
had declared all these things to them,
he sent them to Joppa.
4 On the morrow, as they went
on their journey, and drew nigh to
the city, Peter went up on the house
top to pray about the sixth hour:
and he became very hungry, and
would have eaten : but while they
made ready, he fell into a trance,
and saw heaven opened, and a cer
tain vessel descending to him, as it

i66

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

had been a great sheet knit at the
four corners, and let down to the
earth: wherein were all manner of
fourfooted beasts of the earth, and
wild beasts, and creeping things, and
fowls of the air. And there came a
voice to him, Rise, Peter ; kill, and
eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord ;
for I have never eaten any thing that
is common or unclean. And the
voice spake to him again the second
time, What God hath cleansed, that
call not thou common. This was
done thrice : and the vessel was re
ceived up again into heaven.
5 Now while Peter doubted in
himself what this vision which he
had seen should mean, behold, the
men who were sent from Cornelius
had made enquiry for Simon's house,
and stood before the gate, and called,
and asked whether Simon, who
was surnamed Peter, were lodged
there. 6 Then Peter went down to the
men who were sent to him from
Cornelius ; and said, Behold, I am
he whom ye seek : what is the cause
wherefore ye are come ? And they
said, Cornelius the centurion, a just
man, and one that feareth God, and
of good report among all the nation
of the Jews, was warned from God
by an holy angel to send for thee
into his house, and to hear words of
thee. 7 Then called he them in, and
lodged them. And on the morrow
Peter went away with them, and
certain brethren from Joppa accom
panied him.
8 And the morrow after they
entered into Caesarea. And Cor
nelius waited for them, and had

called together his kinsmen and near
friends. 9 And as Peter was coming in,
Cornelius met him, and fell down at
his feet, and did him reverence. But
Peter took him up, saying, Stand
up ; I myself also am a man.
io And as he talked with him, he
went in, and found many that were
come together. And he said to them,
Ye know how that it is an unlawful
thing for a man that is a Jew to keep
company, or come to one of another
nation ; but God hath showed me
that I should not call any man com
mon or unclean. Therefore came I
to you without gainsaying, as soon as
I was sent for : I ask therefore for
what intent ye have sent for me ?
ii And Cornelius said, Four days
ago I was fasting until this hour ; and
at the ninth hour I prayed in my
house, and, behold, a man stood be
fore me in bright clothing, and
said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard,
and thine alms are had in remem
brance in the sight of God. Send
therefore to Joppa, and call hither
Simon, whose surname is Peter; who,
when he cometh, shall speak to thee.
Immediately therefore I sent to
thee ; and thou hast well done that
thou art come. Now therefore are
we all here present before God, to
hear all things that are commanded
thee of God.
12 Then Peter opened his mouth,
and said, Of a truth I perceive that
God is no respecter of persons : but
in every nation he that feareth him,
and worketh righteousness, is accept
ed with him. The word which God
sent to the children of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus, the Anoint-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

167

ed ; that word, / say, ye know, which
was published throughout all Judaea,
and began from Galilee, after the
baptism which John preached ; how
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power:
who went about doing good, and
healing all who were oppressed of
the evil one ; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things
which he did both in the land of the
Jews and in Jerusalem ; whom they
slew and hanged on a tree. Him
God raised up the third day, and
showed him openly after he rose from
the dead ; not indeed to all the peo
ple, but to witnesses chosen before
of God, even to us, who beforetirne
did eat and drink with him. And
he commanded us to preach to the
people, and to testify that he was
ordained of God, who is judge of
the living and of the dead. To him
give all the prophets witness, that
through his name whosoever believ
eth in God shall receive remission of
sins. 13 While Peter yet spake these
words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them
who heard the word.
14 And they of the circumcision
who believed were astonished, as
many as came with Peter, because
that on the Gentiles also was poured
out the gift of the Holy Spirit ; for
they heard them speaking, and mag
nifying God.
15 Then said Peter, Can any man
forbid water, that these should not
be baptized, who have received the
Holy Spirit as well as we? And he
commanded them to be baptized in
the name of the Master. Then prayed
they him to tarry certain days.

16 Now the apostles and brethren
that were in Judaea heard that the
Gentiles had also received the word
of God.
17 And when Peter was come up
to Jerusalem, they that were of the
circumcision contended with him,
saying, Thou wentest in to men un-
circumcised, and didst eat with them.
18 But Peter rehearsed the matter
from the beginning, and expounded
it by order to them, and said : For
asmuch as God gave them the like
gift as he did to us, who believed on
the Master, Jesus the Anointed ;
what was I, that I could withstand
God ? When they heard these things,
they held their peace, and glorified
God, saying, Then hath God also to
the Gentiles granted repentance unto
life. SELECTION VII.
Philip teaches the gospel of Jesus lo the
Samaritans and to the Ethiopian ambas
sador. '"PHEN Philip went down to the
city of Samaria, and proclaimed
to them the Messiah. And the people
with one accord gave heed to those
things which Philip spake. And there
was great joy in that city.
2 But there was a certain man,
called Simon, who beforetirne in the
same city used sorcery, and bewitch
ed the people of Samaria, giving out
that himself was some great one :
to whom they all gave heed, from
the least to the greatest, saying, This
man is the mighty power of God.
And to him they had regard, because
that of long time he had astonished
them with sorceries. But when they
believed Philip preaching the things

1 68

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

concerning the kingdom of God, and
the name of Jesus the Messiah, they
were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also :
and when he was baptized, he con
tinued with Philip, and beholding
the wonders and great powers which
were done, he was amazed.
3 Now when the apostles who
were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of God, they
sent to them Peter and John : who,
when they were come down, prayed
forthem, that they might receive the
Holy Spirit; for as yet it had fallen
upon none of them, although they
had been baptized in the name of
the Master, Jesus. Then laid they
their hands on them, and they re
ceived the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit. 4 And when Simon saw that
through laying on of the apostles'
hands the Holy Spirit was given, he
offered them money, saying, Confer
upon me also this power, that on
whomsoever I lay my hands he may
receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter
said to him, Thy silver perish with
thee, because thou hast thought
that the gift of God may be pur
chased with money. Thou hast nei
ther part nor lot in this matter ; for
thy heart is not right in the sight of
God. Repent therefore of this thy
wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps
the thought of thine heart may be
forgiven thee : for I perceive that
thou art in the gall of bitterness,
and in the bond of iniquity. Then
answered Simon, Pray to the Lord
for me, that none of these things
which ye have spoken come upon me.
5 And they, when they had testi

fied and proclaimed the word of the
Master, returned to Jerusalem, and
preached the gospel in many villages
of the Samaritans.
6 And the angel of the Lord
spake to Philip, saying, Arise, and
go toward the south to the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza,
which is desert. And he arose, and
went : and, behold, a man of Ethio
pia, of great authority under Can-
dace, queen of the Ethiopians, who
had the charge of all her treasure,
and had been to Jerusalem for wor
ship, was returning, and, seated in
his chariot, read from the book of
Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit
said to Philip, Go, join thyself to
this chariot.
7 And Philip ran thither to him,
and heard him read the prophet
Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou
what thou readest? He answered,
How can I, except some one should
guide me ? And he desired Philip
to come up and sit with him. The
place of the scripture which he read
was this, He was led as a sheep to
the slaughter ; and like a lamb dumb
before his shearer, so opened he not
his mouth: in his humiliation his
judgment was taken away : and who
shall declare his generation ? for his
life is taken from the earth. And
he said to Philip, I pray thee, of
whom speaketh the prophet this? of
himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip began at the same
scripture, and declared unto him the
gospel of Jesus.
8 And as they went on their way,
they came to a certain water: and
the ambassador said, See, here is
water; what doth hinder me to be

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

169

baptized ? And he commanded the
chariot to stand still ; and both of
them went down to the water, and
Philip baptized him. And when
they came up, the Spirit of the Lord
took Philip away : so the ambassador
saw him no more, but went on his
way rejoicing. SELECTION VIII.
Among the Grecian converts, Jesus
begins to be called "Christ," and the dis
ciples begin to be known as " Christians."
The sympathy and benevolence of the
Christians for each other. Saul begins to
be known among the Grecians as Paul,
and being chosen by them as preacher
enters upon his ministry.
XT OW about that time Herod the
king stretched forth his hands
to vex certain of the church. And
he killed James the brother of John
with the sword : and because he saw
it pleased the Jews, he proceeded
further to take Peter also.
2 Now they who were scattered
abroad on account of the persecution
that began with the martyrdom of
Stephen, travelled as far as Phenice,
and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching
the word to none but to Jews only.
And some of them were men of Cy
prus and Cyrene, who, when they
were come to Antioch, spake to the
Grecians also, preaching Jesus the
Master. And the hand of the Lord
was with them : and a great number
believed, and turned to the Master.
3 Then tidings of these things
came to the ears of the church which
was in Jerusalem : and they sent forth
Barnabas, that he should go as far
as Antioch. Who, when he came,
and had seen the grace of God, was

glad, and exhorted them all, that with
purpose of heart they would cleave
to the Master. He was a good man,
and full of the Holy Spirit and of
faith : and many people were added
to the discipleship of the Master.
4 Then departed Barnabas to Tar
sus, to seek Saul. And when he had
found him, he brought him to An
tioch. And it came to pass, that a
whole year they assembled them
selves with the church, and taught
many people ; and the disciples were
called Christians first in Antioch.
5 And in these days came prophets
from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And
there stood up one of them named
Agabus, and signified that there was
about to be a great famine through
out the world (which came to pass
in the days of Claudius Caesar). So
the disciples, every man according to
his ability, determined to send relief
to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea:
which also they did, and sent it to
the elders by the hands of Barnabas
and Saul.
6 Now there were in the church
that was at Antioch certain proph
ets and teachers : as Barnabas, and
Simeon that was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who
had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. But as they min
istered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barna-
'bas and Saul for the work whereunto
I have called them. And when they
had fasted and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away.
7 Now when Paul and his com
pany loosed from Paphos, they came
to Perga in Pamphylia: and John
departing from them returned to Je-

170

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

rusalem. But when they departed
from Perga, they came to Antioch in
Pisidia, and went into the synagogue
on the sabbath day, and sat down.
And after reading of the law and the
prophets the rulers of the synagogue
sent to them, saying, Ye men and
brethren, if ye have any word of ex
hortation for the people, say on.
8 Then Paul stood up, and beck
oning with his hand said, Men of
Israel, and ye that fear God, give
audience, . . . When John, before
his coming, had preached the bap
tism of repentance to all the people
of Israel: and as he fulfilled his
course, he said, Whom think ye that
I am ? I am not he : behold, there
cometh one after me, whose shoes of
his feet I am not worthy to loose.
9 Men and brethren, children of
the stock of Abraham, and whoso
ever among you feareth God, to you
is the word of this salvation sent :
for they that dwell at Jerusalem, and
their rulers, because they recognized
him not, nor understood the voices of
the prophets which are read every
sabbath day, have condemned him.
And though they found nothing de
serving of death in him, yet desired
they Pilate that he should be slain.
And when they had accomplished
this, they took him down from the
cross, and laid him in a sepulchre.
But God raised him up, and he was
seen during many days of them who
came up with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses
to the people.
10 And we declare to you glad
tidings, how that the promise which
was made to the fathers, God hath
fulfilled the same to us their chil

dren, in that he hath raised upjesus ;
as it is also written in the second
psalm, Thou art my son, this day
have I begotten thee.
n Be it known to you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this
man is announced to you the for
giveness of sins : and by him all that
believe are freed from those things,
which they could not be freed from
by the law of Moses.
12 Beware therefore, lest that come
upon you which is spoken of in the
prophets ; Behold, ye despisers : won
der, and perish ! for I work a work
in your days, a work which ye shall
in no wise believe, though aman de
clare it to you.
13 And when the Jews were gone
out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
besought that these words might be
preached to them the next sabbath.
14 Now when the congregation
was broken up, many of the Jews
and devout proselytes followed Paul
and Barnabas : who, speaking to
them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God.
SELECTION IX.
Opposition and persecution begin to be
awakened against Paul.
A ND the next sabbath day came
¦^ almost the whole city together
to hear the word of God. But when
the Jews saw the multitudes, they
were filled with envy, and spake
against those things which were
spoken by Paul, contradicting and
blaspheming. 2 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed
bold, and said, It was necessary that
the word of God should first have
been spoken to you : but seeing ye

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

171

put it from you, and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we
turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the
Lord commanded us, saying, I have
set thee to be a light of the Gentiles,
that thou shouldest be for salvation
unto the ends of the earth.
3 And when the Gentiles heard
this, they were glad, and glorified
the word of God.
4 And the word of God was pub
lished throughout all the region.
But the Jews stirred up the devout
and honorable women, and the
chief men of the city, and raised per
secution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them out of their
coasts. But they shook off the dust
of their feet against them, and came
to Iconium.
5 And the disciples were filled
with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.
6 And it came to pass in Iconium
that they went both together into
the synagogue of the Jews, and so
spake, that a great multitude both
¦of the Jews and also of the Greeks
believed. But the unbelieving Jews
stirred up the Gentiles, and made
their minds evil affected against the
brethren. Long time, however,
abode they speaking boldly, with
trust in the Lord, who gave testi
mony to the word of his grace,
granting evidences and powers to be
wrought by their hands.
7 But the multitude of the city
was divided : part held with the
Jews, and part with the apostles.
And when there was an assault made
both of the Gentiles, and also of the
Jews with their rulers, to use them
despitefully, and to stone them :
they became aware of it, and fled

to Lystra and Derbe, cities of
Lycaonia, and to the region that
lieth round about : and there they
preached the gospel.
8 And the people, when they saw
the cures that Paul wrought, lifted
up their voices, saying, in the speech
of Lycaonia, The gods are come
down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter ;
and Paul, Mercurius, because he was
the chief speaker. And the priest of
Jupiter, who was before their city,
brought oxen and garlands to the
gates, and would have offered sacri
fice with the people.
9 Which when the apostles, Bar
nabas and Paul, heard of, they rent
their clothes, and ran in among the
people, crying out, Sirs, why do ye
these things? We also are men of
like passions with you, and preach
to you that ye should turn from
these vanities to the living God,
who made heaven, and earth, and
the sea, and all things that are there
in. Who in times past suffered all
nations to walk in their own ways :
nevertheless left not himself without
witness, in that he did good, and
gave us rain from heaven, and fruit
ful seasons, filling our hearts with
food and gladness.
10 And with these sayings scarce
restrained they the people, that
they had not offered sacrifice to
them. 1 1 And there came thither certain
Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and, hav
ing stoned Paul, drew him out of the
city, supposing he had been dead.
Howbeit, as the disciples stood
about him, he rose up and came into

172

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

the city : and the next day he de
parted with Barnabas to Derbe.
12 And when they had preached
the gospel to that city, and had
taught many, they returned again to
Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
confirming the souls of the disciples,
and exhorting them to continue in
the faith ; and saying that we must
through many tribulations enter into
the kingdom of God.
13 And when they had ordained
them elders in every church, and had
prayed with fasting, they commended
them to the Lord, on whom they
believed. 14 And when they had preached
the word in Perga, they went down
into Attalia : and thence sailed to
Antioch, from whence they had been
recommended to the grace of God
for the work which they fulfilled.
And when they were come, and had
gathered the church together, they
rehearsed all that God had done with
them, and how he had opened the
door of faith to the Gentiles.
15 And there they abode long
time with the disciples.
SELECTION X.
The strife about conformity to ordi
nances, and how it was settled.
A ND certain men who came down
from Judaea taught the breth
ren, and said, Except ye conform to
the ordinances of Moses, ye cannot
be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Bar
nabas had no small dissension and
disputation with them, they deter
mined that Paul and Barnabas, and
certain other of them, should go up

to Jerusalem to the apostles and
elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their
way by the church, they passed
through Phenice and Samaria, declar
ing the conversion of the Gentiles:
and they caused great joy to all tht
brethren. 4 And when they were come to
Jerusalem, they were received of the
church, and of the apostles and el
ders, and they declared all things that
God had done through them.
5 But there rose up certain of the
sect of the Pharisees who believed,
saying, That it was needful to com
mand them to keep the law of Moses.
So the apostles and elders came to
gether to consider of this matter.
6 And when there had been much
disputing, Peter rose up, and said to
them, Men and brethren, ye know
how that a good while ago God made
choice among us, that the Gentiles
by my mouth should hear the word
of the gospel, and believe. And God,
who knoweth the hearts, bare them
witness, giving them the Holy Spirit,
even as he did to us ; and put no
difference between us and them, puri
fying their hearts by faith.
7 Now therefore why tempt ye
God, to put a yoke upon the neck of
the disciples, which neither our fa
thers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we shall be saved
through the grace of the Master,
Jesus, the same as they.
8 Then all the multitude kept
silence, and gave audience to Barna
bas and Paul, declaring what God
had wrought among the Gentiles by
them. 9 And after they had spoken,

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

173

James answered, Men and brethren,
hearken to me : Symeon hath de
clared how God at the first did visit
the Gentiles, to make them a people
for his name.
10 And to this agree the words of
the prophets ; as it is written, After
this I will return, and will build again
the tabernacle of David, which is
fallen down ; and I will build again
the ruins thereof, and I will set it up :
that the residue of men might seek
after the Lord, and all the Gentiles,
upon whom my name is called, saith
the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning of the world.
11 Wherefore my advice is, that
we trouble not them, who from among
the Gentiles are turned to God : but
that we write to them, that they ab
stain from pollutions of idols, and
from fornication, and from things
strangled, and from blood.
12 Then pleased it the apostles
and elders, with the whole church,
to send chosen men of their own
company to Antioch with Paul and
Barnabas ; namely, Judas surnamed
Barsabas, and Silas, chief men
among the brethren. And they
wrote letters by them after this man
ner :
1 3 " The apostles and elders and
brethren send greeting to the breth
ren who are of the Gentiles in An
tioch and Syria and Cilicia. Foras
much as we have heard, that certain
who went out from us have troubled
you with words, subverting your
souls, saying, Ye must keep the law
o£ Moses : to whom we gave no such
instructions : it seemed good to us,
being assembled with one accord, to

send chosen men to you with our
beloved Barnabas and Paul : men that
'have hazarded their lives for the
name of our Master, Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and
Silas, who shall also tell you the same
things by mouth. For it seemed
good to the Holy Spirit, and to us,
to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things ; that
ye abstain from pollutions of idols,
and from blood, and from things
strangled, and from fornication :
from which if ye keep yourselves, ye
shall do well. Farewell."
14 So when they were dismissed,
they came to Antioch : and when
they had gathered the multitude to
gether, they delivered the epistle:
which when they had read, they re
joiced for the consolation.
15 And Judas and Silas, being
prophets also thernselves, exhorted
the brethren with many words, and
confirmed them. And after they had
tarried there a space, they were dis
missed in peace from the brethren
to the apostles.
16 Paul and Barnabas however
continued in Antioch, teaching and
preaching the word of the Lord, with
many others also.
SELECTION XI.
Paul and Silas continuing their mission
ary journey are imprisoned, but by their
midnight songs of praise and subsequent
teachings convert their jailer and his house
hold. A ND a vision appeared to Paul in
the night ; There stood a man
of Macedonia, beseeching him, and
saying, Come over into Macedonia,
and help us.

174

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

2 And after he had seen the vision,
immediately we endeavored to go
into Macedonia, assuredly gathering
that the Lord had called us to preach
the gospel to them. Therefore loos
ing from Troas, we came with a
straight course to Samothracia, and
the next day to Neapolis ; and from
thence to Philippi, which is the chief
city of that part of Macedonia, and
a colony : and we were in that city
abiding certain days.
3 And on the sabbath we went
out of the city by a river side, where
prayer was wont to be made ; and
we sat down, and spake to the women
who resorted thither.
4 And a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city
of Thyatira, who worshipped God,
heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended to the
things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her
household, she besought us, saying,
If ye have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come into my house,
and abide there. And she con
strained us.
5 And it came to pass, as we went
to prayer, a certain damsel of Del
phi met us, who brought her masters
much gain by soothsaying : the same
followed Paul and us, and cried,
These men are the servants of the
most high God, who show to us the
way of salvation. And this did she
many days. But Paul, being an
noyed, turned and said, I command
thee in the name of Jesus Christ to
be silent. And she ceased her sooth
saying from that hour.
6 And when her masters saw that
the hope of their gains was gone,

they caught Paul and Silas, and drew
them into the marketplace to the
rulers, and brought them to the
magistrates, saying, These men, being
Jews, do exceedingly trouble our
city, and teach customs which are
not lawful for us to receive, neither
to observe, being Romans.
7 And the multitude rose up to
gether against them : and the magis
trates stripped off their clothes,
and commanded to beat them. And
when they had laid many stripes.
upon them, they cast them into
prison, charging the jailer to keep
them safely: who, having received
such a charge, thrust them into the
inner prison, and made their feet
fast in the stocks.
8 And at midnight Paul and Silas
prayed, and sang praises to God :
and the prisoners were listening to
them. 9 And suddenly there was an
earthquake, so great that the founda
tions of the prison were shaken.
And immediately all the doors were
opened, and the prisoners' hands
were loosed.
io And the overseer of the prison-
awaking out of his sleep, and seeing
the prison doors open, drew his
sword, and would have killed him
self, supposing that the prisoners
were fled.
n But Paul cried with a loud
voice, Do thyself no harm : for we
are all here. Then he called for a
light, and sprang in, and came trem
bling, and fell down before Paul and
Silas,and brought them out, and said,
Masters, what must I do to be saved ?
And they said, Believe on Jesus as
thy Master, and thou shalt be saved,

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

175

and thy house. And they spake to
him the word of God, and to all that
were in his house.
12 And he took them the same
hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and
all his, straightway. And when he
had brought them into his house he
set meat before them, and rejoiced,
believing in God with all his house.
13 And when it was day the
magistrates sent the Serjeants, say
ing, Release those men. And the
keeper of the prison told this to
Paul, The magistrates have sent to
release you : now therefore depart,
and and go in peace.
14 But Paul said to them, They
have beaten us openly uncondemned,
being Romans, and have cast us into
prison ; and now do they thrust us out
privily ? No, indeed ; let them come
themselves and bring us out.
15 And the Serjeants told these
words to the magistrates ; and they
feared, when they heard that they
were Romans. And they came and
besought them, and brought them
out, and desired them to depart out
of the city.
16 And they went out of the
prison, and entered into the house of
Lydia : and when they had seen the
brethren, they comforted them, and
departed. SELECTION XII.
Driven from place to place Paul and
Silas at length come to Athens, where
Paul makes his famous discourse.
TVfOW when they had passed
"^ through Amphipolis and Apol-
lonia, they came to Thessalonica,
where was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And Paul, as his manner was,
went in to them, and three sabbath
days reasoned with them out of the
scriptures, opening and alleging, that
it behooved the Messiah to suffer,
and to rise from the dead ; and this
Jesus, whom I preach to you, said
he, is Messiah.
3 And some of them believed,
and consorted with Paul and Silas ;
and of the devout Greeks a great
many, and of the chief women not a
few. 4 But the Jews who believed not,.
moved with envy, took unto them
certain lewd fellows of the baser sort,.
and gathered a company, and set all
the city in an uproar, and assaulted
the house of Jason, and sought to
bring them out to the people : and
when they found them not, they
drew Jason and certain brethren to
the rulers of the city, crying, These
that have turned the world upside
down are come hither also : whom
Jason hath received : and these all
do contrary to the decrees of Caesar,
saying that there is another king, one
Jesus. 5 And it troubled the people and
the rulers of the city, when they
heard these things : but when they
had taken security of Jason, and of
the other, they let them go.
6 And the brethren immediately
sent away Paul and Silas by night
to Berea : who coming thither went
into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those
in Thessalonica, in that they re
ceived the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures
daily to find out if these things were
so. Therefore many of them be-

176

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

lieved ; also of honorable women
who were Greeks, and of men not
a few. 7 But when the Jews of Thessa
lonica had knowledge that the word
of God was preached of Paul at
Berea, they came thither also, and
stirred up the people. And then
immediately the brethren sent away
Paul to go as it were to the sea : but
Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
8 And they that conducted Paul
brought him to Athens : and receiv
ing a commission for Silas and Timo
theus to come to him with all speed,
they departed.
9 Now while Paul waited for them
at Athens, his spirit was aroused in
him, when he saw the city given over
to idolatry. Therefore disputed he
in the synagogue with the Jews,
and with other devout persons ; also
in the places of public assembly,
every day, with them that met him.
10 Then certain of the Epicurean
and of the Stoic philosophers en
countered him, and some of them
said, What will this babbler say?
and others said, He seems to be a
setter forth of new gods (because he
preached to them about Jesus and
the Resurrection).
1 1 And they brought him to the
Areopagus, and said, May we know
what this new teaching, whereof
thou speakest, is ? Thou bringest
certain new things to our ears : we
would know therefore what they
mean. (For all the Athenians and the
strangers sojourning there spent their
time in nothing else, but either to
tell, or to hear something new.)
12 Then Paul stood in the midst
of the Areopagus, and said, Men of

Athens, I perceive that ye are some
what superstitious : for as I passed
by, and observed your devotions, I
found an altar with this inscription,
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Whom therefore ye worship without
knowing him, this one declare I to
you : —
13 The God that made the world
and all things therein, even he who
is Lord of heaven and earth, does
not dwell in temples made by hands ;
neither is he worshipped with men's
hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing it is he that giveth to
all life, and breath, and all things.
14 And he hath made of one blood
all nations of men to dwell on all the
face of the earth, and hath deter
mined the seasons appointed to each
of them, and the bounds of their
habitation. 15 Therefore they should seek
God, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he is not
far from each one of us ; for in him we
live, and move, and exist ; as certain
of your own poets have well said,
We are his offspring.
16 If then we are the offspring of
God, we ought not to think that the
Divinity is like gold, or silver, or
stone, graven by art and man's de
vice. The times of ignorance God
overlooked ; but now he commands
all men everywhere to repent.
17 He hath appointed a day also,
in which he will administer judg
ment in accordance with righteous
ness to the inhabited earth, through
the influence of this man whom he
hath anointed ; and to all hath he
given testimony concerning him, by
raising him up from among the dead.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

177

18 And when they heard of the
resurrection of the dead, some
mocked, and others said, We will
hear thee again of this matter.
19 So Paul departed from among
them ; but certain clave to him, and
believed : among whom were Dio-
nysius the Areopagite, and a woman
named Damaris, and others.
SELECTION XIII.
Paul is persecuted in Corinth, and going
on to Ephesus, arouses great enthusiasm
among a few disciples of John the Bap
tist whom he happens to find there.
A FTER these things Paul depart-
ed from Athens, and came to
Corinth : and found a certain Jew
named Aquila, born in Pontus,
lately come from Italy, with his wife,
Priscilla ; (because that Claudius had
commanded all Jews to depart from
Rome : ) and he came to them ;
and because he was of the same
trade, he abode with them, and
worked : for by their occupation they
were tentmakers.
2 And he reasoned in the syna
gogue every sabbath, and persuaded
the Jews and the Greeks.
3 And when Silas and Timotheus
were come from Macedonia, Paul
was pressed in spirit, and testified to
the Jews that Jesus was Messiah.
And when they opposed themselves,
and reviled, he shook his raiment,
and said to them, Your blood be up
on your own heads ; I am clean :
from henceforth I will go to the Gen
tiles. 4 Then spake the Lord to Paul in
the night by a vision, Be not afraid,
but speak on, and be not silent : for
I am with thee, and no man shall

lay hands on thee to hurt thee : for
I have much people in this city.
And he continued there a year and
six months, teaching the word of
God among them.
5 And when Gallio was the depu
ty of Achaia, the Jews made insur
rection with one accord against Paul,
and brought him to the judgment
seat, saying, This fellow persuadeth
men to worship God contrary to the
law. 6 And when Paul was now about
to open his mouth, Gallio said to the
Jews, If it were a matter of wrong
or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, rea
son would that I should bear with
you : but if it be a question of mere
words and names, and of 'your law,
look ye to it ; for I will be no judge of
such matters. And he drove them
from the judgment seat.
7 Then all the Greeks took Sos
thenes, the chief ruler of the syna
gogue, and beat him before the
judgment seat. And Gallio cared
for none of those things.
8 And it came to pass, that,
while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul
having passed through the upper
country came to Ephesus, and found
certain disciples : and he said to
them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit
when ye believed ? And they re
plied, Nay, we did not so much as
hear whether there was a Holy
Spirit. And he said, Into what
then were ye baptized ? And they
answered, Into John's baptism.
9 And Paul said, John baptized
with the baptism of repentance, say
ing to the people, that they should
believe on him who should come
after him, that is, on Jesus.

i;8

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

IO When they heard this, they
were baptized in the name of the
Master, Jesus : and when Paul had
laid his hands upon them, the Holy
Spirit came on them ; and they
spake with tongues, and prophesied.
And they were in all about twelve
men. n And Paul entered into the
synagogue, and spake boldly for the
space of three months, reasoning and
persuading as to the things concern
ing the kingdom of God.
12 But when some were hardened
and disobedient, speaking evil of the
Way before the multitude, he depart
ed from them, and separated the disci
ples, reasoning daily in the school of
Tyrannus. And this continued for
the space of two years; so that all
they who dwelt in Asia heard the
word of the Master, both Jews and
Greeks. SELECTION XIV.
The riot in Ephesus stirred up against
Paul by the workmen who made shrines
for Diana.
A FTER these things were ended,
Paul purposed, when he had
passed through Macedonia and
Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying,
After I have been there, I must also
see Rome. So he sent into Mace
donia two of them that ministered to
him, Timotheus and Erastus ; but he
himself stayed in Asia for a season.
2 And the same time there arose
no small stir about that Way ; for a
certain man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines
for Diana, brought no small gain to
the craftsmen, whom he called to
gether with the workmen of like

occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know
that by this craft we have our wealth.
Moreover ye see and hear, that not
alone at Ephesus, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul hath
persuaded and turned away much
people, saying that they are no gods,
which are made with hands. So that
not only this our craft is in danger
to be set at nought ; but also there
is danger that the temple of the
great goddess Diana should be de
spised, and her magnificence de
stroyed, whom all Asia and the
world worship.
3 And when they heard this, they
were full of wrath, and cried out,
Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
4 And the whole city was filled
with confusion : and having caught
Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Mace
donia, Paul's companions in travel,
they rushed with one accord into the
theatre. And when Paul would have
entered in to the people, the dis
ciples suffered him not. And certain
of the chief of Asia, who were his
friends, sent to him, desiring him
that he would not adventure himself
into the theatre. Some therefore
cried one thing, and some another:
for the assembly was confused ; and
the greater part knew not wherefore
they were come together.
5 And they drew Alexander out
of the multitude, the Jews putting
him forward. And Alexander beck
oned with the hand, and would have
made his defence to the people. But
when they knew that he was a Jew,
all with one voice, about the space of
two hours, cried out, Great is Diana
of the Ephesians.
6 And when the townclerk had

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

179

appeased the people, he said, Men
of Ephesus, who is there among men
that does not know that the city of
the Ephesians is a worshipper of the
great goddess Diana, and of the
image which fell down from Jupiter?
Seeing then that these things cannot
be denied, ye ought to be quiet,
and to do nothing rashly. For ye
have brought hither these men, who
are neither robbers of temples nor
yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the
craftsmen who are with him, have
a complaint against any man, the
court is open, and there are deputies :
let them implead one another. But
if ye enquire any thing concerning
other matters, it shall be determined
in a lawful assembly. For we are in
danger to be called in question for
this day's uproar, there being no
cause whereby we may give an ac
count of this concourse. And when
he had thus spoken, he dismissed the
assembly. 7 And after the uproar had ceased,
Paul called to him the disciples, and
embraced them, and departed to go
into Macedonia. And when he had
gone over those parts, and had given
them much exhortation, he came
into Greece, and there abode three
months. And when the Jews laid
wait for him, as he was about to sail
into Syria, he resolved to return
through Macedonia. SELECTION XV.
An exhibition of Paul's love for those
who followed his ministry, and of his heroic
consecration to his work.
A ND from Miletus Paul sent to
^*- Ephesus, and called the elders
of the church.

2 And when they were come to
him, he said to them, Ye know, from
the first day that I came into Asia,
after what manner I have been with
you at all seasons, serving the Lord
with humility of mind, and with
many tears and trials, which befell
me by the plots of the Jews : and
how I kept back nothing that was
profitable, but have instructed you,
and have taught you both publicly,
and from house to house, preaching
both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, repentance toward God, and
faith toward Jesus Christ, our Master.
3 And now, behold, I go bound
in the spirit to Jerusalem, not know
ing the things that shall befall me
there : save that the Holy Spirit
witnesseth in every city, saying that
bonds and afflictions abide me. But
none of these things move me,
neither count I my life dear to my
self, so that I may finish my course
with joy, and the ministry, which I
have received of Jesus, the Master, to
testify the gospel of the grace of God.
4. And now, behold, I know that
ye all, among whom I have gone
preaching the kingdom of God, shall
see my face no more. Wherefore I
take you to record this day, that I
am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare
to you all the counsel of God.
5 Take heed therefore to your
selves, and to all the flock, over
which the Holy Spirit hath made
you overseers, to feed the church of
the Master, which he purchased with
his own blood.
6 For I know this, that after my
departing shall grievous wolves en
ter in among you, not sparing the
flock : also of your own number shall

i8o

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

men arise, speaking perverse things,
to draw away disciples after them.
7 Therefore watch, and remember,
that by the space of three years I
ceased not to warn every one, night
and day, with tears.
8 And now, brethren, I commend
you to God, and to the word of his
grace, which is able to build you up,
and to give you an inheritance
among all them who are sanctified.
9 I have coveted no man's silver,
or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye your
selves know, that these hands have
ministered to my necessities and to
those that were with me. I have
showed you all how that laboring ye
ought to support the weak, and to
remember the words of Jesus, the
Master, how he said, It is more
blessed to give than to receive.
io And when he had thus spoken
he kneeled down, and prayed with
them all. And they all wept sorely,
and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed
him, sorrowing most of all for the
words which he had spoken, that they
should see his face no more. And
they accompanied him to the ship.
1 1 And when we had finished our
course from Tyre, we came to Ptole
mais, and saluted the brethren, and
abode with them one day. And the
next day we that were of Paul's com
pany departed, and came to Caesarea :
and we entered into the house of
Philip the evangelist, who was one of
the seven ; and abode with him.
12 And as we tarried there many
days, there came down from Judaea
a certain prophet, named Agabus,
And when he had come to us, he
took Paul's girdle, and bound his
own hands and feet, and said, Thus

saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the
Jews at Jerusalem bind the man
that owneth this girdle, and shall
deliver him into the hands of the
Gentiles. 13 And when we heard these
things, both we, and they of that
place, besought him not to go up
to Jerusalem. But Paul answered,
What mean ye to weep and to break
mine heart ? for I am ready not to
be bound only, but also to die at Je
rusalem for the name of Jesus, the
Master. 14 And when he would not be per-
suaded, we ceased, saying, The will
of the Lord be done.
SELECTION XVI.
Paul again visits Jerusalem ; to pacify
the Jewish Christians he conforms to the
ordinance of purification ; but this does not
preserve him from their persecutions.
A ND after those days we took our
baggage and went up to Jeru
salem. And when we arrived the
brethren received us gladly.
2 And the day following Paul went
in with us to James : and all the el
ders were present. And when he had
saluted them, he declared particu
larly what things God had wrought
among the Gentiles by his ministry.
3 And when they heard it, they
glorified the Lord, and said to him,
Thou seest, brother, how many thou
sands of Jews there are among the
believers, but they are all zealots for
ordinances. And they are informed,
that thou teachest all the Jews who
are among the Gentiles to forsake
Moses, saying that they ought not
to circumcise their children, neither
to walk after the customs.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

181

4 What then is to be done? the
multitude will come together : for
they will certainly hear that thou art
come. Do therefore this that we
advise thee : We have four men who
have a vow on them ; them take,
and purify thyself with them, accord
ing to the custom : and all will know
that those things, whereof they were
informed concerning thee, are false ;
but that thou thyself also walkest
orderly, and keepest the ordinances.
As touching the Gentiles who be
lieve, we have written and concluded
that they are not required to observe
such things, save only that they
keep themselves from pollutions of
idols, and from blood, and from things
strangled, and from fornication.
5 Then Paul took the men, and
having conformed to the custom of
purification, the next day entered
into the temple to give notice of the
accomplishment of the days of puri
fication. 6 And when the seven days were
almost ended, the Jews who were of
Asia, when they saw him in the tem
ple, stirred up all the people, and
laid hands on him, crying out, Men
of Israel, help : This is the man, that
teacheth all men everywhere against
the people, and the law, and this
place : and besides he even brought
Greeks into the temple, and so pol
luted this holy place. For they had
seen before with him in the city
Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they
supposed that Paul had brought into
the temple.
7 And all the city was moved, and
the people ran together: and they
took Paul, and drew him out of the
temple: and forthwith the doors

were shut. And as they went about
to kill him, tidings came to the chief
captain of the band, that all Jerusa
lem was in an uproar : who immedi
ately took soldiers and centurions,
and ran down to them : and when
they saw the chief captain and the
soldiers they left beating of Paul.
8 Then the chief captain came
near, and took him, and commanded
him to be bound with two chains ;
and demanded who he was, and what
he had done. And some cried one
thing, some another, among the
multitude : and when he could not
know the certainty for the tumult,
he commanded him to be carried in
to the castle. And when he came
upon the stairs, so it was, that he
was borne of the soldiers for the vio
lence of the people. For the multi
tude of the people followed after,
crying, Away with him.
9 And as Paul was to be led in
to the castle, he said to the chief
captain, May I speak to thee ? Who
said, Canst thou speak Greek ? Art
not thou that Egyptian, who be
fore these days madest an uproar,
and leddest out into the wilderness
four thousand men that were mur
derers ? But Paul said, I am a man
who am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in
Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city:
and, I beseech thee, suffer me to
speak to the people.
SELECTION XVII.
Paul rehearses the incidents of his con
version, and enrages the Jews by proclaim
ing himself divinely appointed to preach
the gospel to the Gentiles.
A ND when he had given him
"^ license, Paul stood on the stairs,

182

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

and beckoned with his hand to the
people. And when there was made
a great silence, he spake to them in
the Hebrew tongue, saying ; —
2 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear
my defence which I make now to
you. I am verily a man who am a
Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia,
yet brought up in this city at the
feet of Gamaliel, and taught accord
ing to the perfect manner of the law
of the fathers, and was zealous tow
ard God, as ye all are this day.
And I persecuted this way unto the
death, binding and delivering into
prisons both men and women. As
also the high priest doth bear me
witness, and all the estate of the
elders : from whom also I received
letters to the brethren, and went to
Damascus, to bring them who were
there to Jerusalem, bound, that they
might be punished.
3 And it came to pass that, as I
made my journey, and was come
nigh to Damascus about noon, sud
denly in a vision from heaven a great
light shone round about me. And I
fell to the ground, and heard a voice
saying to me, Saul, Saul, why perse
cutest thou me ? And I answered,
Who art thou ? And the voice said,
I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou
persecutest. And they that were with
me beheld indeed the light, but they
heard not the voice of him that
spake to me. And I said, What shall
I do, Master? And the Master said
to me, Arise, and go into Damascus;
and there it shall be told thee of all
things which are appointed for thee
to do.
4 And being led by the hand of
them that were with me, I came into

Damascus. And one Ananias, a de
vout man according to the law, hav
ing a good report of all the Jews
who dwelt there, came to me, and
standing by me said to me, Brother
Saul, receive thy sight. And in that
very hour I looked upon him. And
he said, The God of our fathers hath
chosen thee, that thou shouldest
know his will, and see that Just One,
and receive a command from his
mouth. For thou shalt be his wit
ness to all men of that which thou
hast received. And now why tar-
riest thou ? arise, and be baptized,
and put away thy sins, calling on the
name of the Lord.
5 And it came to pass, that, when
I was come again to Jerusalem, even
while I prayed in the temple, I was
in a trance ; and saw him, and he
said to me, Make haste and get
quickly out of Jerusalem ; for they
will not receive thy testimony con
cerning me. And I said, Master,
they know that I imprisoned and
beat in every synagogue them that
believed on thee : and when the
blood of thy martyr Stephen was
shed, I also was standing by, and
consenting to his death, and kept
the raiment of them that slew him.
And he said to me, Depart : for I
will send thee far hence to the Gen
tiles. 6 And they gave him audience to
this word, and then lifted up their
voices, and said, Away with such a
fellow from the earth : for it is not
fit that he should live.
7 And as they were crying out,
and shaking their garments, and
throwing dust into the air, the chief
captain commanded him to be

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

183

brought into the castle, and bade
that he should be examined by
scourging; that he might know
wherefore they cried so against him.
8 On the morrow, because he
would know the certainty wherefore
he was accused of the Jews, he
loosed him from his bands, and com
manded the chief priests and all
their council to appear, and brought
Paul down, and set him before them.
9 And Paul looking earnestly up
on the council, said, Men and breth
ren, I have ordered my life in all
good conscience before God until
this day.
10 And the high priest Ananias
commanded them that stood by him
to smite him on the mouth.
11 Then said Paul to him, God
shall smite thee, thou whited wall :
for sittest thou to judge me after the
law, and commandest me to be smit
ten contrary to the law ?
12 And they that stood by said,
Revilest thou God's high priest?
Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren,
that he was the high priest, for it is
written, Thou shalt not speak evil of
the ruler of thy people.
13 But when Paul perceived that
the one part were Sadducees, and
the other Pharisees, he cried out in
the council, Men and brethren, I am
a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee :
touching the hope of the resurrec
tion of the dead I am now on trial.
And wben he had so said, there
arose a dissension between the Phar
isees and the Sadducees : and the
multitude was divided. For the
Sadducees say that there is no resur
rection, and no angels or spirits : but
the Pharisees affirm both.

14 And there arose a great cry:
and the scribes that were of the
Pharisees' part arose, and strove,
saying, We find no evil in this man :
but if a spirit or an angel hath
spoken to him, let us not fight
against God.
15 And when there arose a great
dissension, the chief captain, fearing
lest Paul should have been pulled in
pieces of them, commanded the sol
diers to go down, and to take him
by force from among them, and to
bring him into the castle.
16 And the night following, the
Master stood by him, and said, Be
of good cheer, Paul : for as thou
hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so
must thou bear witness also at
Rome. SELECTION XVIII.
The priests and elders conspire io assas
sinate Paul, but the chief officer hearing
of it sends him by night to Ccesarea.
A ND certain of the Jews banded
together, and bound themselves
under a curse, saying that they
would neither eat nor drink till they
had killed Paul. And they were
more than forty who made this con
spiracy. 2 And they came to the chief
priests and elders, and said, We have
bound ourselves under a great curse,
that we will eat nothing until we
have slain Paul. Now, therefore,
ye with the council signify to the
chief captain that he bring him down
to you to-morrow, as though ye
would inquire something more per
fectly concerning him : and we, or
ever he come near, are ready to kill
him.

1 84

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

3 And when Paul's sister's son
heard of their lying in wait, he went
and entered into the castle, and told
Paul. Then Paul called one of the
centurions to him and said, Bring
this young man to the chief captain :
for he hath a certain thing to tell
him. So he took him and brought
him to the chief captain.
4 Then the chief captain took him
by the hand, and went with him
aside privately, and asked him, What
is that thou hast to tell me ? And
he said, The Jews have agreed to
desire thee that thou wouldest bring
down Paul to-morrow into the coun
cil, as though they would inquire
somewhat of him more perfectly.
But do not yield to them : for there
lie in wait for him of them more than
forty men, who have bound them
selves with an oath, that they will
neither eat nor drink till they have
killed him : and now are they ready,
looking for a promise from thee:
5 So the chief captain let the
young man depart, and charged him,
See thou tell no man that thou hast
showed these things to me. And he
called to him two centurions, saying,
Make ready two hundred soldiers to
go to Csesarea, and horsemen three
score and ten, and spearmen two
hundred, at the third hour of the
night ; and provide them beasts, that
they may set Paul on, and bring him
safe to Felix the governor.
6 And he wrote a letter after this
manner: Claudius Lysias to the most
excellent governor Felix sendeth
greeting. This man was taken of
the Jews, and would have been killed
of them : then came I with an army,
and rescued him, having understood

that he was a Roman. And when I
would have known the cause where
fore they accused him, I brought him
forth into their council : whom I
perceived to be accused of questions
of their law, but to have nothing
laid to his charge worthy of death or
of bonds. And when it was told me
that the Jews laid wait for the man,
I sent straightway to thee, and gave
commandment to his accusers also
to say before thee what they had
against him. Farewell.
7 Then the soldiers, as it was com
manded them, took Paul, and brought
him by night to Antipatris. On the
morrow they left the horsemen to
go with him, and returned to the
castle : who, when they came to
Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to
the governor, presented Paul also
before him.
8 And when the governor had
read the letter, he asked of what prov
ince he was. And when he under
stood that he was of Cilicia : I will
hear thee, said he, when thine accus
ers are also come. And he com
manded him to be kept in Herod's
judgment hall.
SELECTION XIX.
Paul's accusation and defence before
Felix, Festus, and Agrippa.
A ND after five days Ananias the
¦^^ high priest descended with
the elders, and with a certain orator
named Tertullus, who informed the
governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called forth,
Tertullus began to accuse him, say
ing, We have found this man a pes
tilent fellow, and a mover of heresies
among all the Jews throughout the

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

185

world, and a ringleader of the sect
of the Nazarenes : who also hath
gone about to profane the temple :
whom we took, and would have
judged according to our law. But
the chief captain Lysias came upon
us, and with great violence took him
away out of our hands, commanding
his accusers to come to thee : by ex
amining of whom thyself mayest take
knowledge of all these things, where
of we accuse him.
3 And the Jews also assented, say
ing that these things were so.
4 Then Paul, after the governor
had beckoned to him to speak, an
swered, Forasmuch as I know that
thou hast been of many years a judge
to this nation, I do the more cheer
fully answer for myself : because
thou mayest understand, that there
are yet but twelve days since I went
up to Jerusalem to worship. And
they neither found me in the temple,
nor in the synagogues, nor in the
city disputing or seeking to inflame
the people. Neither can they prove
the things whereof they now accuse
me.
5 But this I confess to thee, that
after the way which they call heresy,
so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing the things which are writ
ten in the law and in the prophets :
And having hope toward God, which
they themselves also entertain, that
there shall be a resurrection, both of
the just and unjust. And herein do
I exercise myself, to have always a
conscience void of offence toward
God, and toward men.
6 Now after many years I came
to bring alms to my nation, and of
ferings. Whereupon certain Jews

from Asia found me purified in the
temple, neither with multitude, nor
with tumult. And they themselves
ought to have been here before thee,
if they had ought against me, to
make their own charges. Or else
let these who are here say, if they
found any evil doing in me, while I
stood before the council, except it
be for this one expression, that I
cried standing among them, Touch
ing the resurrection of the dead I
am put on trial before you this day.
7 And when Felix heard these
things, having knowledge of that be
lief, he put them off, and said, When
Lysias the chief captain shall come
down, I will know the uttermost of
your matter. And he commanded
a centurion to keep Paul, and to let
him have liberty, and that he should
forbid none of his acquaintance to
minister or come to him.
8 And after certain days, when
Felix came with his wife Drusilla,
who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul,
and heard him concerning the faith
in Christ. And as he reasoned of
righteousness, temperance, and retri
bution, Felix trembled, and said,
Go thy way for this time ; when it
is more convenient, I will call for
thee. He hoped also that money
should have been given him of Paul,
that he might release him : where
fore he sent for him the oftener, and
conversed with him.
9 But after two years Porcius Fes
tus came into Felix' room : and
Felix, willing to show the Jews a
pleasure, left Paul bound.
io When Festus had come into
the province, after three days he
went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

Then the high priest and the chief
of the Jews informed him against
Paul, and besought him, and desired
favor against him, that he would
send for him to Jerusalem, and they
would place men in wait by the way
to kill him. But Festus answered,
that Paul should be kept at Caesarea,
and that he himself would depart
shortly thither.
ii Let them therefore, said he,
who among you are able, go down
with me, and accuse this man, if
there be any wickedness in him.
12 And when he had tarried
among them more than ten days,
he went down to Caesarea ; and
the next day sitting on the judg
ment seat commanded Paul to be
brought. 13 And when he had arrived, the
Jews who came down from Jeru
salem stood round about, and laid
many and grievous complaints
against Paul, which they could not
prove. To which he answered,
Neither against the law of the Jews,
neither against the temple, nor yet
against Caesar, have I offended any
thing at all.
14 But Festus, willing to do the
Jews a pleasure, answered Paul,
Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and
there be judged of these things be
fore me? Then said Paul, I stand at
Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought
to be judged : to the Jews have I
done no wrong, as thou very well
knowest. For if I be an offender, or
have committed any thing worthy of
death, I refuse not to die : but if
there be none of these things where
of these accuse me, no man may de
liver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.

15 Then Festus, when he had
conferred with the council, answered,
Hast thou appealed to Caesar? to
Caesar shalt thou go.
16 And after certain days king
Agrippa and Bernice came to Caes
area to salute Festus. And on the
morrow, when Agrippa was come,
and Bernice, with great pomp, and
was entered into the place of hear
ing, with the chief captains, and
principal men of the city, at Festus'
commandment Paul was brought
forth. 17 And Festus said, King Agrippa,
and all men who are here present
with us, ye see this man, about
whom all the multitude of the Jews
have dealt with me, both at Jerusa
lem, and also here, crying that he
ought not to live any longer. But
when I found that he had committed
nothing worthy of death, and that
he himself hath appealed to Augus
tus, I have determined to send him.
Of whom I have no certain thing to
write to my lord. Wherefore I have
brought him forth before you, and
specially before thee, O king Agrippa,
that, after examination had, I might
have somewhat to write. For it
seemeth to me unreasonable to send
a prisoner, and not withal to signify
the crimes laid against him.
18 Then Agrippa said to Paul,
Thou art permitted to speak for thy
self. Then Paul stretched forth the
hand, and answered for himself:
19 I think myself happy, king
Agrippa, because I shall answer for
myself this day before thee touching
all the things whereof I am accused
of the Jews : especially because I
know thee to be expert in all eus-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

187

toms and questions which are among
the Jews : wherefore I beseech thee
to hear me patiently.
20 My manner of life from my
youth, which was at the first among
mine own nation at Jerusalem, know
all the Jews ; who knew me from
the beginning, if they would testify,
that after the most strict sect of our
religion I lived a Pharisee. And
now I stand and am judged for the
hope of the promise made of God
to our fathers : to the realization of
which promise our twelve tribes, in
stantly serving God day and night,
hope to come. For which hope's
sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of
the Jews. Why should it be thought
a thing incredible, that God should
raise the dead?
21 I verily thought with myself,
that I ought to do many things con
trary to the name of Jesus of Naza
reth. Which thing I also did in
Jerusalem : and many of the saints
did I shut up in prison, having re
ceived authority from the chief
priests ; and when they were put to
death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every
synagogue, and compelled them to
blaspheme ; and being exceedingly
mad against them, I persecuted them
even to strange cities.
22 Whereupon as I went to Da
mascus with authority and commis
sion from the chief priests, at mid
day, O king, I saw in the way a light
from heaven, above the brightness
of the sun, shining round about me
and them who journeyed with me.
And I heard a voice speaking to me,
and saying in the Hebrew tongue,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou

me ? it is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks. And I said, Who
art thou ? And the voice said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest. But
rise, and stand upon thy feet : for I
have appeared to thee for this pur
pose, to make thee a minister and a
witness both of these things which
thou hast seen, and of those things
which I will reveal to thee. And
I will deliver thee from the people,
and from the Gentiles to whom
now I send thee, to open their eyes,
and to turn them from darkness to
light, awd from the power of Satan
to God ; that they may receive for
giveness of sins, and inheritance
among them who are sanctified by
faith that is in me.
23 Whereupon, O king Agrippa,
I was not disobedient to the heaven
ly vision : but showed first to them
of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and
throughout all the coast of Judaea,
and then to the Gentiles, that they
should repent and turn to God, and
do works meet for repentance. For
these causes the Jews caught me in
the temple, and went about to kill me.
24 Having therefore obtained
help of God, I continue to this day,
witnessing both to small and great,
saying none other things than those
which the prophets and Moses did
say should come to pass : that the
Messiah should suffer, and that he
should be the first that should rise
up from the dead, and show light
to the people, and to the Gentiles.
25 And as he thus spake for him
self, Festus said with a loud voice,
Paul, thou art beside thyself :
much learning doth make thee mad.
26 But he said, I am not mad,

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

most noble Festus ; but speak forth
the words of truth and soberness.
For the king knoweth of these things,
before whom also I speak freely : I
am persuaded that none of these
things are hidden from him ; for this
was not done in a corner. King
Agrippa, believest thou the proph
ets ? I know that thou believest.
27 Then Agrippa said to Paul,
Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian. 28 And Paul said, I would to God,
that not only thou, but also all that
hear me this day, were both almost,
and altogether such as I am, except
these bonds.
29 And when he had thus spoken,
the king rose up, and the governor,
and Bernice, and they that sat with
them: and when they were gone
aside, they talked between them
selves, saying, This mari doeth noth
ing worthy of death or of bonds.
30 Then said Agrippa to Festus,
This man might have been set at
liberty, if he had not appealed to
Caesar. SELECTION XX.
A glimpse of Paul at Rome.
A ND after three months we de
parted in a ship of Alexandria,
which had wintered in the isle, whose
sign was Castor and Pollux. Land
ing at Syracuse, we tarried there
three days : and from thence we
fetched a compass, and came to
Rhegium : and after one day the
south wind blew, and we came the
next day to Puteoli : where we found
brethren, and were desired to tarry
with them seven days : and so we
went toward Rome.

2 And from thence, when the
brethren heard of us, they came to
meet us as far as Appii forum, and
The three taverns : whom when Paul
saw, he thanked God, and took cour
age. 3 And when we came to Rome,
the centurion delivered the prison
ers to the captain of the guard : but
Paul was suffered to dwell by him
self with a soldier that kept him.
4 And it came to pass, that after
three days Paul called the chief of
the Jews together : and when they
were come together, he said to them,
Men and brethren, though I have
committed nothing against the peo
ple, or customs of our fathers, yet
was I delivered prisoner from Jeru
salem into the hands of the Romans.
Who, when they had examined me,
would have let me go, because there
was no cause of death in me. But
when the Jews spake against it, I
was constrained to appeal to Caesar;
not that I had ought to accuse my
nation of.
5 For this cause therefore have I
called for you, to see you, and to
speak with you : because that for the
hope of Israel I am bound with
this chain.
6 And they said to him, We
neither received letters out of Ju
daea concerning thee, neither any of
the brethren that came showed or
spake any harm of thee. But we de
sire to hear of thee what thou think-
est : for as concerning this sect, we
know that everywhere it is spoken
against. 7 And when they had appointed
him a day, there came many to him
into his lodging ; to whom he ex-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THE ACTS.

189

pounded and testified the king
dom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the
law of Moses, and out oi the proph
ets, from morning till evening.
8 And some believed the things
which were spoken, and some be
lieved not.
9 And when they agreed not
among themselves, they departed,
after that Paul had spoken one word,
Well spake the Holy Spirit by
Esaias the prophet to our fathers,
saying, Go to this people, and say,
Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
understand ; and seeing ye shall see,
and not perceive: for the heart of
this people is waxed gross, and their
ears are dull of hearing, and their

eyes have they closed ; lest they
should see with their eyes, and hear
with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and should be converted,
and I should heal them.
10 Be it known therefore to you,
that the salvation of God is sent to
the Gentiles, and that they will hear
it. 11 And when he had said these
words, the Jews departed, and had
great discussions among themselves.
12 And Paul dwelt two whole
years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in to him,
preaching the kingdom of God, and
teaching those things which concern
Jesus Christ, the Master, with all
confidence, no man forbidding him.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— LETTERS.
LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

SELECTION I.
God has revealed himself in nature as
well as in written records and in the char
acters and teachings of holy men.
P)AUL, a servant of Christ Jesus,
a called apostle, set apart to
preach the gospel of God through
his prophets in the sacred writings,
even the gospel concerning his son ;
who was born of the lineage of David
as to the flesh, shown to be the son of
God with power, and, on account of
his holiness of spirit, resurrected
from the realms of the dead, Christ
Jesus our Master: through whom
also we received grace and the office
of an apostle in behalf of his name,
in order to produce obedience to
the faith among all nations ; among
whom are ye also, the called of Jesus
Christ : — To all the beloved of God
at Rome, called to be holy : Grace
be to you, and peace, from God
our father, and from Jesus Christ the
Master. 2 In the first place, I thank my
God through Jesus Christ for all of
you, that your faith is spoken
of throughout the whole world. God
is my witness, whom I serve with
my spirit in the gospel of his son,
how constantly I make mention of
you, always in my prayers suppli

cating that, if it be possible, I may
at last through the will of God be
favored with an opportunity of
coming to you.
3 For I long to see you, that I
may impart to you some spiritual
gift, which may be for your confir
mation ; that is, that I with you
may be edified, and you also with
me, through each other's faith, both
yours and mine. I would not have
you ignorant, brethren, that I often
purposed to come to you, though I
have been hindered hitherto, for the
purpose that I might have some
fruit of my labors among you also,
as among the other Gentiles : for I
am debtor both to Greeks and Bar
barians, both to the wise and the
unwise. 4 So, according to my ability, I
am ready to preach the gospel to
you also in Rome. I am not asham
ed of the gospel ; for to every be
liever, to the Jew not only, but also to
the Greek, it is the power of God
unto salvation. Because therein is
revealed the righteousness which is
of God from faith to faith ; as it is
written, The righteous shall live by
faith. 5 Moreover, the indignation of
God is revealed from heaven against

190

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

i9r

all impiety and unrighteousness of
men, who hinder the truth because
of their unrighteousness. For that
which may be known of God is re
vealed within them ; God has re
vealed it to them. Ever since the
creation of the world, his invisible
attributes, even his eternal power
and divinity, are clearly seen, being
revealed in his works, so that all
are without excuse.
6 And yet though they knew God,
they did not glorify him, as God,
nor were they thankful to him ; but
became perverse in their reasonings,
and their senseless minds were dark
ened. Professing to be wise, they
became fools, and for the glory of
the incorruptible God, they substi
tuted images of corruptible man,
and of birds and four-footed beasts
and creeping things.
7 On this account God gave them
over in the lusts of their hearts to
impurity, to debase their bodies with
one another ; for they had changed
the truth of God into a lie, and both
sought and served created things
rather than the Creator, who is
blessed forever. Amen.
8 On this account also God gave
them up to vile passions : for even
their women indulged in unnat
ural lust, and in like manner the
men also : practising that which is
shameful, and receiving in them
selves the due recompense of their
error. 9 And as they did not choose to
retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them up to a reprobate mind,
to do things which are shameful : so
they became filled with all unright
eousness, malice, covetousness, wick

edness, envy, murder, strife, deceit,
malignity ; they became backbiters,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent,
proud, boasters, inventors of mis
chief, disobedient to parents, sense
less, faithless, without natural affec
tion, without pity.
io Although knowing the decree
of God, that they who practise such
things deserve death, they not
only do them themselves, but
even approve of others who do
them. SELECTION II.
God is a just and impartial judge, and
judgment belongs to him alone.
TXTHEREFORE thou art with
out excuse, O man that judg-
est, whoever thou art ; for in judging
another, thou condemnest thyself ;
inasmuch as thou doest the same
things. But we know that the
judgment of God against all who
practise such things is according to
truth. 2 And dost thou suppose, O man,
who art judging those who do such
things, and art thyself doing the
same, that thou wilt escape the
judgment of God ? Dost thou de
spise the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and long-suffering, not
knowing that the goodness of God
is designed to lead thee to repent
ance ?
3 According to the hardness and
impenitence of thy heart, art thou
treasuring up for thyself indignation
against the day of indignation and
of the manifestation of the righteous
judgment of God. Who will render
to every one according to his works ;
everlasting life, to those who by pa-

192

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

tient continuance in well-doing seek
for glory, and honor, and incorrup-
tion ; but to those who are conten
tious, who disobey the truth, and
practise unrighteousness, there will
be displeasure and indignation.
4 For tribulation and distress will
come upon every soul of man whose
works are evil, upon the Jew as well as
upon the Greek; but glory, honor,
and peace, to every one whose works
are good, to the Jew not only, but
also to the Greek.
5 And there is no respect of per
sons with God ; for as many as have
transgressed without a written law,
will also be judged without a writ
ten law ; and as many as have trans
gressed under a written law, will be
judged by a written law.
6 And it is not the hearers of a
law who are righteous before God,
but the doers of a law will be ac
counted righteous ; — for when the
Gentiles, who have no written law,
do by nature what is required, these,
having no written law, are a law to
themselves ; since they show that
what the law requireth is written
in their hearts, their conscience bear
ing witness, and their thoughts in
turn accusing or defending them.
7 Thus it is that God shall judge
the secrets of men, according to the
gospel of Jesus Christ, which I have
preached. 8 But thou callest thyself a Jew,
and restest on the written law, and
makest thy boast before God, that
thou knowest his will, and approvest
the things that are more excellent,
being instructed out of the written
law! And thou art confident that
thou thyself art a guide of the blind,

a light to those who are in darkness.
an instructor of those who lack wis
dom, a teacher of babes !
9 Having the form of knowledge
and of the truth in the written
Law, thou teachest others ! — Dost
thou not also teach thyself? Thou
who proclaimest that others should
not steal, dost thou steal ? Dost
thou who forbiddest to commit
adultery, thyself commit adultery?
Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou
rob temples? Thou who boastest
of the written Law, dost thou dis
honor God by breaking that law?
As it is written, The name of God
is on account of your inconsisten
cies, blasphemed among the Gen
tiles. 10 And conformity to ordinances!
— these are indeed a benefit to thee,
if thou keep the law ; but if thou
art a breaker of the law, thy con
formity to ordinances is of no ac
count. If then he who is without
ordinances keep the precepts of the
law, shall not he be accepted of
God ? Yea, those who are without
ordinances, if they perform the law,
will even judge thee, who, having a
written law and ordinances, art a
breaker of the law.
11 For he is not a Jew, who is
one outwardly ; nor is that con
formity to ordinances, which is out
ward, in the flesh : but he is a
Jew who is one inwardly; and con
formity is of the heart, spiritual, not
literal, the approval of which is not
of men, but of God.
12 What then is the advantage of
the Jew? or what the benefit of
ordinances? Great, every way ; but
chiefly in that through them were

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

193

communicated the revelations of-
God. SELECTION III.
All men without exception, are born into
a condition of moral imperfection in this
life, and also are more or less guilty of
wilfully violating the laws of virtue and
of duty.
TIT" HAT if some were unfaith-
1 fui ? Shall their unfaithfulness
cause God to be unfaithful? By no
means ! Yea, let God be true, even
though every jnan be false ; as it is
written, That thou mayest be justi
fied in thy words, and mayest stand
acquitted when thou art arraigned.
2 But (it is said) our unrighteous
ness serves to display the righteous
ness of God. What shall we answer
to that ? Is not God unjust to in
flict punishment ? (I am speaking as
men do.) Far be it ! for how then
could God be a judge of the world ?
3 If, through my being un
righteous, the truth of God hath
been more abundantly manifested
to his glory, why am I still judged as
a trangressor? And why not say
(as some slanderously charge us with
saying), Let us do evil, that good
may come?
4 The condemnation of men who
say such things is just.
5 What then? Are we better
than others ? By no means : for we
have already brought the charge
both against Jews and Greeks, that
they are all transgressors.
6 As it is written : There is none
righteous, no, not one ; there is none
that understandeth or that diligently
seeketh God ; they have all turned
aside from the right way, they have

all become unprofitable ; there is
none righteous, not even one. Their
throat is an open sepulchre ; with
their tongues they have practised de
ceit. The poison of asps is under
their lips. Their mouth is full of
slander and bitterness. Swift are
their feet to carry revenge ; oppres
sion and misery are in their ways ;
and the path of peace they have not
known. There is no fear of God be
fore their eyes.
7 Now we know that whatever
the law saith, it saith to those who
are under the law : that every boast
ful mouth may be stopped, and all
the world acknowledge unworthiness
before God.
8 And by ceremonial observances
no flesh shall be accepted as
righteous : for these are acknowledg
ments of trangression.
9 But now, in addition to the
written law, the righteousness which
is of God (to which the law and the
prophets bear testimony), yea, the
righteousness which is of God hath
been revealed through the faith of
Jesus Christ, to all and for all be
lievers. 10 And there is no distinction;
for all have transgressed, and come
short of the glory of God.
1 1 But now, by the grace of God
through the redemption made known
by Christ Jesus we are freely ac
counted as righteous. For God set
him forth, through confidence in his
complete consecration, to be pro
pitiatory, and to exhibit righteous
ness as seen in the forbearance of
God with respect to passing over the
transgressions of the past ; to ex
hibit his righteousness, I say, at this

194

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

ptesent time, that he might himself
be righteous, and also account as
righteous him that hath the faith of
Jesus. 12 Where then is boasting? It
is excluded. By what law ? of cere
monial observances? Nay, but by
the law of faith ; for we reckon that
a man is accepted as righteous
through his faith alone, apart from
his conformity to ordinances.
13 Do ye think that God is the
God of Jews only ? Is he not the
God of Gentiles also ? Yea, of Gen
tiles also. If so be that there
is but one God, then shall he
accept as righteous on account of
their faith, both those who con
form to ordinances and those who
do not.
14 Do we thus, on account of faith,
make void the ordinances of the law?
By no means ; on the contrary, we
establish them.
1 5 What shall we say, then, about
Abraham, our ancestor according to
the flesh ? For if he was accounted
righteous because of his ceremonial
observances, then had he cause for
boasting : but not so according to
the word of God, for what saith the
scripture ? Abraham believed God,
and therefore was accounted right
eous. 16 And David also pronounceth
blessings upon the man whom God
accounteth righteous, apart from
his ceremonial observances, saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities
are forgiven, and whose trans
gressions are forgotten. Blessed
the man whose transgressions the
Lord will not treasure up against
him.

SELECTION IV.
In the consecrated life and dtath of
Christ Jesus we have a representation of
the love of God for mankind ; by this also
we are brought into unity with God, and
are inspired to renounce iniquity and seek
for holiness. >
'"PHEREFORE being accepted as
righteous through faith, we
have peace with God through Jesus
Christ our Master : through whom
also we have been admitted into this
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in the hope of the glory which God
will confer.
2 And not only so, but we rejoice
in afflictions also, knowing that afflic
tion produceth endurance, and en
durance proof, and proof hope ; and
hope will not disappoint us, because
the love of God hath shed it abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
which hath been given to us.
3 While we were yet without
strength, and in our transgressions,
in due season Christ died for us :
now even for a righteous man hardly
will one die ; perhaps, however, for
a benefactor one might even offer to
die : but God represented his own
love for us in this manner that, while
we were yet transgressors, Christ
died for us. Being now accepted as
righteous through the faith which
his death inspired, much more, then,
shall we, through him, be saved from
indignation. 4 Since, if while at enmity we
were, through the death of his son,
brought into unity with God, much
more, having been brought into unity
with him, shall we be saved through
his life : and not only saved, but also
shall we have joy in God through

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

195

Jesus Christ our Master, by means
of whom we have now been united
to God.
5 Moreover, law came in, that the
knowledge of transgression might
abound : but where transgression
abounded, grace abounded much
more ; so that as transgression
reigned in death, so grace might
reign through righteousness to ever
lasting life, through Jesus Christ our
Master. 6 Shall we say then, Let us con
tinue in transgression, that grace
may abound still more ? God for
bid ! How shall we, who died to
transgression, live any longer in it ?
Are ye ignorant, that all of us who
were consecrated to Jesus Christ by
baptism, were consecrated to his
death ? We then by this consecra
tion to his death were buried with
him ; that as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glorious power
of the Father, so we also might walk
in newness of life.
7 For if we have been made com
pletely like him in his death, we shall
be made like him in his resurrection
also ; knowing this, that our old man
was crucified with him, in order that
the body of sin might be destroyed,
and that we might no longer be in
slavery to sin ; for he that hath died
hath been set free from sin.
8 And if we died with Christ, we
believe that we shall also live with
him ; since we know that Christ,
having been raised up from the dead,
dieth no more ; death hath dominion
over him no longer. For in that he
died, he died to trangressioa once
for all; but in that he liveth, he
liveth to God. So do ye also con

sider yourselves as dead to trans
gression, but alive to God through
Jesus Christ.
9 Let not then iniquity reign in
your mortal body, bringing you into
subjection to its lusts, nor yield your
members to it as instruments of un
righteousness ; but yield yourselves
to God, as being alive from the
dead, and your members to God as
instruments of righteousness ; so
shall transgression no longer hold
dominion over you ; for ye are no
longer governed by law, but rather
by love.
10 What then? Because we are
no longer governed by law but by
love, shall we therefore transgress ?
God forbid ! Do ye not know that
whomever ye choose to obey as a
master, his bondmen ye are, whether
of disobedience, whose fruit is death,
or of obedience, whose fruit is right
eousness ?
11 But thanks be to God that,
though ye were the slaves of error,
ye became obedient from the heart
to that form of teaching which was
delivered to you : and being made
free from your wrongdoings, ye be
came the servants of righteousness.
12 On account of the weakness of
human nature I now speak in a way
common among men : As ye formerly
yielded your members to be slaves
of impurity, and of iniquity, in or
der to enjoy iniquity, so now yield
your members to be servants of
righteousness, in order that ye may
become holy. For when ye were
the slaves of iniquity, ye were not
the servants of righteousness : and
what fruit had ye then from those
things of which ye are now ashamed ?

196

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

For, indeed, the end of those things
is death. 13 But now, having been delivered
from the slavery of iniquity, and
having become the servants of God,
ye have holiness as the fruit, and
everlasting life as the end. For the
wages of iniquity is death ; but the
free gift of God is everlasting life,
through Christ Jesus, our Master.
SELECTION V.
The reign of law and the reign of love
contrasted. Law only reveals the baseness
of iniquity, love inspires men to hate and
forsake it. Carnal-mindedness tends to
spiritual corruption and decay ; but spiril-
ual-mindedness is life and peace.
VyHEREFORE, my brethren, ye
are dead to law through the
death of Christ, that ye might be
united to him who was raised from
the dead, and bear fruit unto God.
2 For when we were in slavery to
the flesh, the depraved appetites,
which were kept alive by law, were
working in our members, to bear
fruit unto death. But now we are
delivered from law, having escaped
from that by which we were enslaved,
that we might serve in the new life
of the Spirit, and not in the old way
of the letter.
3 What then shall we say? Is
law the cause of transgression ? God
forbid ! However, I should not have
been conscious of transgression ex
cept by law ; for I should not have
known the baseness of lust, unless
law had said, Thou shalt not lust.
But seizing the opportunity, notwith
standing my knowledge of the com
mandment, base appetites wrought
in me all manner of impure desires.

4 Now, apart from law, iniquity is
dead. I once lived apart from law ;
but when the commandment came,
iniquity revived, and I died ; and
the commandment, which was unto
life, this I found to be unto death :
because my impure desires, finding
an opportunity, through the com
mandment beguiled me, and through
it slew me. And yet law is holy,
and the commandment holy, and
righteous and good.
5 Did then that which is good be
come death to me ? Far be it ! but
iniquity was made manifest as iniqui-
ty,working death to me notwithstand
ing my knowledge of that which is
good ; in order that through my
knowledge of the commandment in
iquity might appear exceedingly
wrong. 6 We know that law is spiritual ;
but I was unspiritual, a slave sold to
transgression. For I knew not what
I did : and I did not what I wished
to do, but I did what I hated. Now
if I do what I would not, I assent to
law that it is good.
7 However, it was no longer I
that did it, but the evil that was
in me : for I know that in me, that
is, in my flesh, there is not any
good thing; because to desire was
present with me, but not to perform
that which is good. So the good
that I wished to do, I did not ; but
the evil which I wished riot to do,
that I did.
8 Now if I do what I would not,
it is no more I that do it, but the
evil that is in me. So then I found
that there was a law in me, that
when I would do good, evil was
present : for I delighted in the law of

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

I97

God, as to the inward man ; but I
perceived another law in my mem
bers warring against the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of wrong which was in
my members.
9 Then I cried out, 0 wretched
man that I am ! Who will deliver
me from this body of death ? Thanks
be to God, who hath delivered me
through Jesus Christ the Master.
10 So it was that I, the same per
son, with the mind served the law of
God, but with the flesh the law of
evil. 1 1 But now there is no longer con
demnation to those who believe in
Christ Jesus ; for (speaking of my
self) the law of the Spirit of life set
me free, through belief in Christ
Jesus, from the law of transgression
and death. What law could not do,
in that it was weak through the
weakness of human nature, God hath
done ; who, on account of trangres-
sion sent his son in the likeness of
erring human nature, and passed
sentence of condemnation on carnal
lusts. 12 So now what is required by
law may be accomplished in us, who
walk not according to carnality but
according to the Spirit; for they
who walk according to carnality have
their mind on carnal things, but
they who walk according to the
Spirit have their mind on the things
of the Spirit.
13 Now, to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace ; because the carnal
mind is at enmity with God, and
doth not submit itself to the law of
God, neither indeed can it. So then

they who are carnally minded can
not please God.
14 But ye are not carnally mind
ed, but spiritually minded, if indeed
the Spirit of God abideth in you.
15 Now if any one hath not the
Spirit of God, he belongs not to
him. But if the Spirit that was in
Christ be in you, the body of sin is
dead, and the spirit is alive because
of righteousness.
16 And if the Spirit of him who
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell-
eth in you, he who raised him up
will also raise you up, because of his
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
17 So then, brethren, we are debt
ors not to the flesh, to live accord
ing to the flesh ; for if we live
according to the flesh, we are sure
to die ; but if by the Spirit we do
mortify the lusts of the body, we
shall live. SELECTION VI.
God's true children are those who are
spiritually minded ; for them there is
peace and hope; and moreover, whatever
their afflictions, all things will result in
their good.
A S many as are led by the Spirit
¦^ of God, they are sons of God.
For we did not receive the spirit of
bondage so as to be again in fear ;
but we received the spirit of adopted
children, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father! The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are
children of God : and if children
then heirs ; heirs of God, and fellow-
heirs with Christ ; if indeed we are
suffering with him, that we may also
be glorified with him.
2 I esteem the sufferings of the

198

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

present time as of no account, when
compared with the glory which is
about to be revealed to us. For the
earnest expectation of all creation is
waiting for the glorification of the
sons of God : inasmuch as creation
was made imperfect (not of itself,
but by him who created it) in an
ticipation that it also in like manner
should be set free from the bondage
of imperfection, and brought into
the same glorification, even that of
the children of God.
3 For we know that all creation is
together groaning and suffering the
pains of labor, up to this time ; and
not only so, but also we ourselves,
having received the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we groan within our
selves, waiting for redemption from
carnality, and for the adoption of
sons. 4 We are saved only by hope ; but
hope which is seen is not hope;
how can a man hope for that which
he seeth? But if we hope for that
which we do not see, then do we
with patience wait for it.
5 In like manner the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities, inasmuch as
we know not what to ask for as we
ought : but the Spirit inspires us
with aspirations which cannot be ex
pressed in words : and he that
searcheth the heart, knoweth,
through the Spirit, what is in the
mind, because it inspires us to that
which is holy, according to the will
of God.
6 Moreover, we know that all
things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who
walk according to his purpose.
7 What then shall we say to these

things ? If God is for us, who can be
against us? He who delivered not
his own son from death, but for our
sakes yielded him up, how shall he
not also with him freely give us all
things? 8 And who shall bring any charge
against the chosen of God ? God it
is who accepteth them as righteous ;
who shall condemn them ? Christ it
is who died, yea rather, who rose
again, and is at the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession
for us.
9 What then shall separate us
from the love revealed in Christ for
us? Shall affliction or distress or
persecution or famine or nakedness
or peril or sword ? (As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day
long ; we are accounted as sheep for
slaughter.) 10 Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors, through him
that loved us ; for I am persuaded,
that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth nor any created
thing, will be able to separate us
from the love of God, revealed to us
in Christ Jesus our Master.
SELECTION VII.
All righteous persons among the Gen
tiles as well as among the Jews are the
spiritual offspring of Abraham, and the
accepted children of God.
T SPEAK truth in Christ, I do not
lie, my conscience bearing witness
with me in the Holy Spirit, that I
have great grief and unceasing an
guish in my heart ; yea, that I could
even wish myself rejected and cast

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

I99

away from Christ, if thereby I might
save my brethren, my kinsmen as to
the flesh ; the Israelites, T mean,
whom God adopted as sons.
2 For to them were revealed the
glory and the covenants, and the
law, and the worship, and the prom
ises ; to them belong also the fathers,
from whom, according to descent,
was Christ.
3 He who is over all, is God ; let
him be blessed for ever ! Amen.
4 And yet the word of God hath
not failed ; for not all that are
descended from Israel are Israelites :
nor because they are descendants
¦of Abraham are they all children
of Abraham. That is, not only the
children by natural descent are chil
dren of God, but all to whom the
promise is made are accounted his
offspring. 5 What then shall we say? Is
God unjust to account as his offspring
those who are not the descendants of
Abraham? Far be it! For he
saith in Moses, On whom I have
mercy to him will I show my mercy,
and on whom I have compassion to
him will I manifest my compassion.
So then, it is not of him that choos-
eth, nor of him that striveth, but of
God who showeth mercy.
6 Again, the scripture saith to
Pharaoh, For this very purpose did
I make thee king, that through thee
I might manifest my power, so that
my name might be made known in
all the earth. Thus he exalteth
whom he will, and whom he will he
debaseth. Thou wilt reply to me,
Why then doth he find fault? for
who resisteth his will ?
7 But, O man, who art thou that

thus answerest to God? Shall the
thing that is wrought say to the
workman, Why hast thou made me
thus ? Hath not the potter a right
out of the same lump of clay to
make one vessel more honorable
than another? What if God endured
with much patience vessels of wrath
adapted to destruction, in order to
show his indignation and to make
known his power ; in order also
to make known the riches of his
glory upon vessels of mercy pre
pared for glory, even us, whom he
hath called not only from among the
Jews, but also from among the
Gentiles? 8 As he also saith in Hosea, I will
call that my people, which before
was not known as my people ; and
her beloved, that before was not
known as beloved ; and it shall be,
that in the place where it was said
to them, Ye are not my people, there
shall they be called sons of the liv
ing God.
9 For God is accomplishing his
word and speedily fulfilling it in
righteousness ; for a speedily fulfilled
word will the Lord execute upon
the earth.
10 What then shall we say? That
the Gentiles, who did not strive
after righteousness, obtained right
eousness ? Yea, but a righteousness
which is by faith ; while Israel, who
strove after a law of righteousness,
did not attain to it. Why ? Because
they did not strive for it by faith,
but by ceremonial observances : — for
they stumbled against that stum
bling-stone. 1 1 But, brethren, my heart's desire
and my prayer to God for ,them is,

200

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

that they may be saved. I bear
them witness that they have a zeal-
for God, but it is not according to
knowledge. For being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and endeavor
ing to establish a righteousness of
their own, they have not submit
ted themselves to God's righteous
ness. Now Christ is the fulfilment
of the ceremonial law, so that every
one that believeth in him may obtain
righteousness. 12 And there is no difference be
tween Jew and Greek ; for one and
the same Lord is over all, rich in
mercy to all that call upon him ; and
every one who calleth upon him
shall obtain salvation.
13 But how shall they call on him,
in whom they have not believed ?
and how shall they believe in him, of
whom they have not heard? and how
-^hall they hear without a preacher ?
and how shall men preach, unless
they are sent forth ? As it is writ
ten, How beautiful are the feet of
those who preach the gospel of
peace, who bring glad tidings of
good things !
14 But they did not all hearken to
the glad tidings. Then Isaiah saith,
Lord, who hath believed our report?
Nevertheless, belief cometh of hear
ing, even of hearing that which is
spoken of God.
SELECTION VIII.
Jews and Gentiles alike live in God,
none but the disobedient and unholy
he reject.
SAY then, Did the Israelites
stumble in order to be cast
away? God forbid! But by their
stumbling salvation is come to the

ana
does

I

Gentiles to excite them to emula
tion ; and if their stumbling is the
riches of the world, arid of the Gen
tiles, how much greater will the
riches of their restoration be?
2 I am now speaking to you that
are Gentiles; inasmuch as I am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I mag
nify my office, that I may, if pos
sible, excite to emulation those who
are my kindred according to the
flesh, and may restore some of them.
For if the rejection of them is the
reconciliation of the world, what will
the restoration of them be, but life
from the dead ?
3 If the first portion of the dough
is holy, will not also the lump be
holy? And if the root is holy, will
not also the branches be holy? If
then some of the branches have been
broken off, and thou, a wild olive,
hast been grafted in among them,
and become a partaker with them of
the root and fatness of the olive
tree, do not boast, for thou dost not
bear the root, but the root thee.
4 Thou wilt answer, The branches
then were broken off, in order that
I might be grafted in. Well, be it so.
But on account of their unbelief they
were broken off, and thou abidest on
account of thy faith.
5 Be not high-minded then, but
fear ; for if God spared not the natu
ral branches, take care lest he spare
not thee. Consider the severity as
well as the goodness of God ; — se
verity toward those who fell ; but
toward thee goodness, if thou con.
tinue in his goodness ; otherwise
thou also shalt be rejected.
6 And also they, if they do not
persist in their unbelief, will be

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— ROMANS.

201

grafted in again ; for God is able to
graft them in ; for if thou hast been
cut off from an olive tree wild by
nature, and hast against thy nature
been ingrafted into a good olive tree,
how much more shall these, the nat
ural branches, be ingrafted into their
own olive-stock?
7 For lest ye should be wise in
your own conceits, I would not
have you ignorant of this mystery,
that blindness hath to some ex
tent come upon Israel, until the
gathering in of the Gentiles shall be
accomplished ; after that shall all
Israel be saved. As it is written,
There shall come out of Zion the
Deliverer ; he shall turn away ungod
liness from Jacob ; and this will be
my covenant with them, when I
shall have taken away their sins.
8 In regard to the gospel then,
they are enemies to it, because they
hate you ; but in regard to God's
, favor, they are still beloved of him
for the fathers' sake ; for in respect
to his gifts and appointments, there
is no change of purpose with God.
9 Ye in times past were disobedi
ent to God, but have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief; so they
too, though now disobedient, shall
also obtain mercy through the mercy
shown to you : for God permitted all
to become disobedient in order that
he might show mercy to all.
io O the depth of the riches, both
of the wisdom and of the knowledge
of God ! How unsearchable are his
purposes, and his ways past finding
out ! Who hath known the mind of
the Lord ? or who hath been made his
counsellor ? Who first gave to him,
so as to merit a reward ? For from

him, and through him, and to him
are all things ; to whom be the glory
forever ! Amen.
SELECTION IX.
Entire self-consecration, humility, and
unfeigned love enjoined.
T BESEECH you therefore, breth
ren, by the mercies of God, to
present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, well-pleasing to God, which is
your reasonable service. And do
not conform yourselves to the fash
ion of this world, but rather be trans
formed by the renewal of your mind,
that ye may learn by experience the
will of God ; what is good, and well-
pleasing, and perfect in his sight.
2 Through the grace given to me
I warn every one among you, not to
think of himself more highly than
he ought to think, but to think so
berly, according to the measure of
faith which God hath imparted to
each. Even as in one body we have
many members, and the members
have not all the same office, so we,
though many, form one body in-
Christ, and each of us is a member
of it in common with the rest.
3 Having then gifts which differ
according to the grace which hath
been bestowed upon us, if we have
the gift of speaking, let us speak ac
cording to the measure of our faith ;
or if we have the gift of service, let
us serve ; or of teaching, let us teach;,
or of directing others, let us do it
with diligence ; or of advising, let us
do it with simplicity; or of giving,
let us do it generously ; or of presid
ing over others, let us do it faith
fully ; or of doing deeds of mercy, let
us do them with cheerfulness.

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

4 Let love be unfeigned. Abhor
evil, cling to the good.
5 Be affectionate to one another;
love as brethren ; in honor, give each
other the preference.
6 Be not deficient in zeal, but be
fervent in spirit and in the service
of the Lord; rejoice in hope; be
patient in affliction ; persevere in
prayer. 7 Relieve the wants of the breth
ren; be given to hospitality; bless
those who persecute you ; bless, and
curse not.
8 Rejoice with those who rejoice ;
weep with those who weep ; be of a
common mind among yourselves.
9 Set not your desires on lofty
things, but content yourselves with
what is humble; and be not wise in
your own conceits.
io Render to no one evil for evil,
but have regard to what is honorable
in the sight of all ; and if it be pos
sible, so far as dependeth on you,
live in peace with all men.
1 1 Dearly beloved, be not revenge
ful, but rather subdue and put away
your wrath. Even as it is written,
Retribution belongeth to me; I will
repay, saith the Lord. But, if thy
-enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst,
.give him drink. Be not overcome
by evil, but overcome evil with good.
SELECTION X.
All forms of civil government are prov
idential, therefore men should be submis
sive to lawful authority ; and toward
¦all should be just and pure.
T ET every one submit to the gov
ernment that is over him ; for
there is no form of government
which is not providential ; all gov

ernments which exist have been ap
pointed by God ; he therefore that
rebelleth against the government re-
belleth against what God hath ap
pointed. And they who are rebel
lious will bring upon themselves
punishment ; for governments are
not a terror to the good, but to the
evil. 2 Wouldst thou then not be
afraid of the government ? Do that
which is good, and thou wilt have
praise, and the government shall be
come God's servant to thee for good.
But if thou doest evil, be afraid ; for
they who bear the sword bear it not
in vain ; they too are God's servants,
avengers to inflict wrath upon him
that doeth evil.
3 It is necessary therefore to be
loyal to your government, not only
through fear of punishment, but also
for your conscience' sake.
4 And for the same reason pay
tribute also ; for they who collect
these are also God's servants, attend
ing continually to this special busi
ness. Render to all what is due to
them : tribute, to whom tribute is
due ; custom, to whom custom is
due ; fear, to whom fear is due ;
honor, to whom honor is due.
5 Owe no man any thing but
brotherly love; for he that loveth
others hath fulfilled the law; for
these, Thou shalt not commit adul-
try, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt
not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and
all the other commandments, are
summed up in this precept, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Love worketh no ill to one's neigh
bor ; therefore love is the fulfilling of
the law.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — ROMANS.

203

6 And now, since we know these
things, it is already high time for us
to awake out of sleep ; for our salva
tion is nearer than we first believed ;
the night is far spent, the day is at
hand ; let us then throw off the
works of darkness, and put on the
armor of light.
7 Let us walk becomingly, as in
the day ; not in revelling and drunk
enness, not in lewdness and wanton
ness, not in strife and envy, but let
us be imbued with the spirit of Jesus
Christ the Master, and think no
longer about satisfying the lusts of
the flesh. SELECTION XI.
Toleration and charity to be exercised
toward all, because God alone is judge,
and each mans conscience is his own judg
ment-bar. T T IM that is weak in his faith re-
ceive with sympathy, and do
not pass judgment on his opinions.
One man thinks that he can eat
every kind of food ; another, who is
sickly, can eat nothing but herbs;
let not him who can eat every thing,
despise him who can eat but a few
things ; and let not him who can eat
but a few things, judge him that eat
eth every thing: for God accepts
them both.
2 Moreover, who art thou that
judgest the servant of another ? To
his own master he standeth or fall
eth ; yea, he shall be assisted to
stand, for the Lord is able.
3 One man esteems one day as
more sacred than another; another
man esteems every day alike: let
each be fully convinced in his own
mind. He that regardeth the day
rightly, regardeth it in honor of the

Master ; and he that regardeth it not
in honor of the Master, he doth not
rightly regard it.
4 Also he that eateth rightly, eat
eth in remembranee of the Master,
and giveth thanks to God ; and he
that doth not eat in remembrance of
the Master, and giveth not thanks to
God, he doth not eat rightly.
5 None of us liveth to himself,
and none dieth to himself.- If we
live, we live to the Lord ; if we die,
we die to the Lord ; whether we live
or die therefore, we are the Lord's.
6 Why then dost thou judge thy
brother? Or thou again, why dost
thou set at nought thy brother?
For we shall all stand before the
judgment-seat of God ; as it is writ
ten, As I live, saith the Lord, to me
every knee shall bow, and every
tongue shall give praise to God. ,
7 So then, as every one of us will
give account of himself to God, let
us no longer judge each other; but
let this rather be our judgment, not
to put a stumbling-block, or an occa
sion to fall, in a brother's way.
8 I know, and am persuaded in
Jesus the Master, that no kind of
food is unclean in itself ; but to him
that thinketh it unclean, to him it is
unclean: now, if on account of thy
food thy brother is made to stumble,
thou art no longer walking accord
ing to love.
9 Do not with thy food injure him
for whom Christ was willing even to
die. Let not the freedom which we
enjoy be made a stumbling-block to
others ; for the kingdom of God con
sists not in eating and in drinking,
but in righteousness, and peace, and
joy through the Holy Spirit.

204

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

io And he who in this matter of
self-sacrifice followeth the example
of Christ is well-pleasing to God, and
approved' by men: so then let us
strive to promote peace, and the edi
fication of each other; and not for
the sake of food undo the work of
God. 1 1 All things indeed are pure ;
but that which is pure becomes evil
to him who useth it in such a way as
to be an occasion of stumbling to
another. It is better neither to eat
flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do
any other thing whereby thy brother
stumbleth, or is put in danger of fall
ing, or is made weak.
12 So it is that we who are strong
ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak, and not merely please our
selves ; each one of us should please
his neighbor, so as to promote what
is good, for mutual edification.

Christ did not seek his own pleasure,
but, as it is written, The reproaches
of them who reproached thee fell on
me. 13 Whatever things were written
aforetime, were written for our in
struction ; that we through the pa
tience and the consolation of the
scriptures might have hope.
14 And now, may the God of pa
tience and consolation grant that
you may be of the same mind one
with another, according to Christ
Jesus; that with one accord ye may
with one mouth glorify God, the
Father of Jesus Christ our Master.
Help one another, even as Christ
helped you, to the glory of God.
15 And may the God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace in believ
ing, that ye may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy
Spirit.

LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS.

SELECTION I.
Sectarianism and party rivalries in re
ligion condemned ; worldly wisdom shown
to be of less account than consecrated lives,
and simple faith in God.
P)AUL, a chosen apostle of Christ
Jesus, by the approval of God,
and Sosthenes the brother, to the
congregation of God which is at
Corinth, consecrated to Christ Jesus,
and appointed to be holy ; also to
all in every place who are called by
the name of Jesus Christ, our Mas
ter and theirs, grace be to you, and
peace, from God our Father, and
from Jesus Christ our Master.
2 I beseech you, brethren, by the

name of our Master Jesus Christ,
that ye all remain united, and that
there be no separations among you,
but that ye be perfectly joined to
gether in the same mind and in the
same spirit ; for I have been in
formed that there are dissensions
among you.
3 What I mean is this, that all of
you are saying, one, I am a disciple
of Paul ; another, I am a disciple
of Apollos ; another, I am a disci
ple of Cephas ; and another, I am
a disciple of Christ. What then?
Is Christ divided ? Was Paul cruci
fied for you ? Or were ye baptized
into the name of Paul? I thank

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

205

God that. I baptized none of you,
save Crispus and Gaius ; lest any
man should say that ye were bap
tized into my name. And I bap
tized also the household of Stepha
nas : besides, I know not whether I
baptized any other.
4 Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel ; not with
wisdom of speech, lest the cross of
Christ should be made of no effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to
those who are perishing, foolishness ;
but to us who are being saved, it is
the power of God. As it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and will bring to nought the discern
ment of the discerning.
5 Where now are the wise men,
the scribes, the disputers of the
world? Hath not God made their
wisdom to appear foolish? For
since the world by its wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God, in his wis
dom, by the simplicity of preaching
to illuminate those who believe.
6 The Jews ask for signs, and the
Greeks seek for profound knowledge,
but we preach Christ crucified ; to
the Jews he is a stumbling-block,
and to the Greeks foolishness, but to
those who are called, both Jews and
Greeks, he is the power of God, and
the wisdom of God. So it is that
the foolishness of God is wiser than
men ; and the weakness of God is
stronger than men.
7 For consider, brethren, who they
are that have accepted Christ; not
many wise men after the fashion
of the world, not many mighty,
not many noble. So it is that God
hath chosen the foolish things of
the world, to put to shame the

'wise; and the weak things of the
world hath he chosen, to put to
shame the things which are strong;
and the mean things of the world,
and the things which are despised,
yea, and the things which are es
teemed of no account, hath God ap
pointed, to bring to nought things
that are ; that no flesh might boast
before God.
8 And so it is that we are in
Christ Jesus, who was chosen by
God to become to us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption. According, then,
as it is written, so let it be, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
SELECTION II.
The higher truths of God can only be
revealed through the Divine Spirit lo those
who are spiritually minded ; and spiritual
babes must not expect lo understand those
truths which only spiritual manhood is
competent to receive.
A ND I, brethren, when I came to
you, came not with eloquence
of speech, or of wisdom, to declare
to you the testimony of God ; for
I resolved not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and
him crucified. I was with you in
weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling; and my speech and my
preaching were not in persuasive
words of wisdom, but in demon
stration of the Spirit, and of power ;
and this, in order that your faith
might not rest on the wisdom of
men, but on the power of God.
2 But to the wise we do speak
wisdom ; not indeed the wisdom of
the age, nor of the rulers of the age,
which amounts to nothing : but we

206

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTU RES. — CORINTH IANS.

speak God's wisdom in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom, which God,
before the age began, appointed for
our glory. This is the wisdom which
none of the rulers of this age com
prehended ; for- had they compre
hended it, they would not have
crucified the glorious Master who re
vealed it.
3 But as it is written : Eye hath
not seen, ear hath not heard, and it
hath not entered into the mind of
man to comprehend the great things
which God hath prepared for those
that love him ; for God by his Spirit
hath revealed them to us ; and the
Spirit searcheth all things, even the
depths of God.
4 For who among men knoweth
even the secrets of a man, but the
spirit of the man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth
no one but the Spirit of God.
5 We did not receive the spirit of
worldly wisdom in order to know the
things that have been revealed to us
by the grace of God ; but we re
ceived the Spirit of God ; and the
things thereby revealed we also
speak, not in words taught by man's
wisdom, but in words taught by the
Spirit, connecting what is spiritual
with what is spiritual.
6 For the man of unspiritualized
mind cannot receive the things of
the Spirit of God ; they are foolish
ness to him, and he cannot under
stand them ; because they must be
spiritually discerned. But he that is
spiritually minded understandeth all
these things, even though he himself
is understood by no one ; for who
hath known the mind of the Lord,
to be instructed by him ? We have

the spiritual mind which was in
Christ. 7 On this account, brethren, I was
not able to speak to you as to spir
itual men, but as to those who are
not spiritual, even as to babes in
Christ ; so I fed you with milk, in
stead of meat, because ye were not
then able to bear it.
8 Nor indeed are ye even now
able to bear it ; for ye are yet un-
spiritual ; while there is among you
rivalry and strife, are ye not unspir-
itual, walking after the manner of
worldly-minded men ? For while
one is saying, I am a disciple of
Paul ; and another, I am a disci
ple of Apollos ; are ye not like com
mon men ?
9 Who then is Apollos ? and what
is Paul ? Servants through whom ye
believed ; and that according to the
wisdom which the Lord gave to each
of us? I planted, Apollos watered;
but it was God who gave the growth.
io So then, neither he that plant-
eth nor he that watereth is any thing,
but God that giveth the growth:
also he that planteth and he that
watereth are one ; and each will re
ceive his own reward, according to
his own labor. For we are God's
fellow-laborers, and ye are God's
tilled land. SELECTION III.
Those who receive the teachings and in
spirations of the Divine Spirit are thereby
made temples of God ; therefore every one
should seek to be holy, humble, and full of
loving self-sacrifice toward others.
"IVr OW ye are God's building. Ac
cording to the grace of God
bestowed on me, I, as a skilful mas-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

207

ter-builder, laid the foundation ; and
another buildeth thereon : but let
every one take heed how he build
eth ; for a different foundation is no
man strong enough to lay than that
which I have already put in place,
that is, Christ Jesus.
2 But if any one build upon this
foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble, the work
of every one will be made manifest ;
for the day will show it^ because it
will be tried by fire ; and the fire it
self will prove what kind of work it
is. If the work which any one hath
built thereon remaineth, he will re
ceive reward ; if any one's work shall
be consumed, he will lose the reward,
but he himself will be saved, yet as
one saved by escaping through fire.
3 Know then that ye are God's
temple, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you? If any one de-
faceth the temple of God, God will
deface him ; for the temple of God
is holy, and such are ye.
4 Let no one deceive himself ; if
any one thinketh himself wise among
you in this age, let him become as a
fool, in order that he may become
truly wise ; for the wisdom of this
world is foolishness with God ; as it
is written : He taketh the wise in
their craftiness ; and again : The
Lord knoweth the reasonings of the
wise, that they are vain. So then,
let no one be too confident of the
wisdom of men.
5 All things are yours ; whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come, — all are
yours ; and ye are of Christ, and
Christ is of God. Let us be considered

then, as only servants of Christ, and
stewards of God's mysteries.
6 But it is required of stewards,
that they should be found faithful.
However, with me it is a very
small thing that I should be judged
as to my faithfulness by you, or by
any human tribunal ; nay, I do not
even judge myself ; for though I
may be conscious to myself of noth
ing wrong, yet not by this am I
cleared of blame ; for he that judg-
eth me is the Lord.
7 So then judge nothing prema
turely, bul wait for the Lord, who-
will both bring to light the hidden.
things of darkness, and make mani
fest the purposes of men's hearts ;
and then shall every one have his.
just praise from God.
8 These things, brethren, I have
transferred in a figurative language
to myself and Apollos for your sakes,
that through us ye may learn not to.
esteem yourselves too highly ; and
that no one of you may exalt him
self over another. For who maketh
thee to differ from another? And
what hast thou that thou didst not
receive? And if thou didst receive
it, why dost thou boast, as if thou
hadst not received it ?
9 Already ye think ye are full !
already ye think ye are rich ! already
ye have become kings as ye think,
and that without our help ! I would
indeed ye were kings, that we also
might reign with you ; for God, as it
appears, hath set forth us the apos
tles as the very lowest of men. Sen
tenced to death, we are made a spec
tacle to the age, both before angels
and men. We are fools for Christ's
sake, but ye think ye are wise in

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Christ ; we are weak, but ye think
ye are strong ; ye are in honor, but
we are despised. Even to this very
hour we both hunger, and thirst, and
are naked, and are buffeted, and have
no certain dwelling-place, and labor,
working with our own hands ; being
reviled, we bless ; being persecuted,
we endure it ; being slandered, we
exhort ; we have become as the filth
of the world, the offscouring of all
things until now.
io I do not write these things to
shame you, but to admonish you as
my beloved children : for though ye
should have ten thousand teachers
in Christ, yet have ye not many
fathers ; I begot you in Christ Jesus,
through the gospel ; I exhort you
therefore, be ye followers of me.
SELECTION IV.
Only those who strive to be pure in heart
and life should be admitted to, or retained
in, the church of God on earth ; for the
church is designed to be a brotherhood of
those who are seeking to be holy, and to
glorify God both in body and in spirit.
T/" NOW ye not that a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump?
Cleanse out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump.
2 I wrote to you in my letter, not
to keep company with fornicators;
certainly not meaning the fornica
tors, or the covetous and extortion
ers, or idolaters, of the world in gen
eral ; for to do this it would be
necessary to go out of the world.
But this is what I meant, not to
keep in your company any one who
calls himself a brother, and yet is a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idola
ter, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an

extortioner ; with such a one do not
even eat.
3 What have I to do with judging
those who are without ? Judge ye,
those who are among yourselves;
and those who are without, God will
judge : put away bad men from
among you.
4 Doth any one of you, who hath
a matter of law against another, pre
sume to bring it for settlement be
fore the unrighteous, and not before
the righteous? Do ye not know,
that righteous men shall judge the
world ? And if the world is judged
by you, are ye unworthy to judge in
causes of the least importance ?
Know ye not that we shall judge
angels, much more matters of this
present life?
5 If then ye have any causes re
lating to this life, why do ye set men
to judge who are of no repute in the
congregation ? I speak this to your
shame. Is it so, that there is not a
wise man among you, not one that
is able to judge between his breth
ren ? Brother going to law with
brother, and that before unbelievers!
This is altogether an evil among you,
that ye have law-suits against each
other. Why do ye not rather sub
mit to wrong ? Why do ye not rather
allow yourselves to be defrauded ?
6 But ye yourselves wrong, and
defraud, and that too your own
brethren ! Do ye not know that
wrongdoers shall have no place in
the kingdom of God ? Do not be
deceived ; neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves
with mankind, nor thieves, nor the
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

209

nor extortioners, shall have any place
in the kingdom of God.
7 And such were some of you : but
ye were washed, and made holy, and
accepted as righteous in the name
of Jesus the Master, and the Spirit
of our God.
8 All things are permitted to me,
but all things are not profitable ; all
things are permitted to me, but I
will not be made the slave of any
thing. Meats are for the stomach,
and the stomach for meats ; but God
will bring them both to an end. The
body is not designed for sensual
gratifications, but for the Lord, and
the Lord for it. And as through his
power God raised up the Master, so
will he in like manner raise us up.
9 Know ye not that your body is
consecrated to Christ ? Shall I then
take that which is consecrated to
Christ, and give it away to a harlot ?
God forbid ! Do ye not know that
he who is connected with a harlot is
one body with her ? But he that is
connected with the Lord is one spirit
with him. Flee then from sensual
gratifications ; for all other sins which
a man may commit, are apart from
the body ; but he that is sensual,
sinneth against his own body.
10 Do ye not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit which
is in you, which ye have received
from God ? And that ye are not your
own, but are bought with a price?
Therefore glorify God in your body.
1 1 Knowledge puff eth up, but love
buildeth up. If any one think that
he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
nothing yet, as he ought to know ;
but if any one love God, the same is
known by him.

SELECTION V.
Teachers of religion have a right to re
ceive needful material sustenance from those
whom they serve ; and yet rather than com
promise their liberty as truth-speakers,
they should refuse either to claim or to re
ceive it.
AMI not free? Am I not an
apostle ? Have I not seen
Jesus our Master? Are not ye my
work in the Lord ? If I am not an
apostle to others, yet surely I am to
you ; and ye are the seal of my
apostleship in the Lord.
2 This is my answer to those who
question me. Have not we a right
to eat and drink ? Who ever serveth
as a soldier at his own charges ? Who
planteth a vineyard without eating
its fruit? Or who tendeth a flock
and doth not eat of the milk of the
flock? 3 And it is not on man's authority
alone that I am saying this, for it is
written in the law of Moses, Thou
shalt not muzzle an ox while tread
ing out grain. Is it for oxen only that
God careth ? Or doth he not say it
also on our account ? On our ac
count, no doubt, it was also written,
that he who plougheth might plough
in hope, and that he who thrasheth
should do it in the hope of partaking.
4 If we have sown to you spiritual
things, is it a great obligation on our
part if we reap from you things need
ful for the body ? If others possess
this right in relation to you, do not
we still more ? Nevertheless we have
not used this right, but have sub
mitted to all things, that we might
occasion no hindrance to the gospel
of Christ.
5 Do ye not know, that they

2IO

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

who minister in the offerings of the
temple live from the temple ? and
they who serve at the altar share
with the altar? In like manner also
both the Lord ordained that they
who preach the gospel should obtain
their livelihood from the gospel.
6 But I have claimed no right of
this kind : neither do I write this
now, that any thing should thus be
done for me ; for it were better for
me to perish for want of bread, than
that any one should deprive me of
that in which I glory.
7 In preaching the gospel, I have
nothing to boast of ; for I am under
a necessity to do it : yea, woe is
me, if I preach not the gospel ! If I
do it willingly I have a reward ; but
if unwillingly, I simply fulfil a stew
ardship. What then is my reward ?
It is that, when I preach the gospel,
I make the gospel free of charge, in
that I do not use to the full, my right
as a preacher ; so being free from all
men, I make myself a servant to all,
that I may gain the more.
8 Among the Jews, I conform to
the customs of a Jew, that I may
gain Jews ; among those under the
law, I conform to the customs of
the law, not being myself under it,
. that I may gain those who are under
it ; to those without the law, I live
as without the law, being not law
less before God, but under the law of
Christ, that I may gain those who
have no law. To the weak I become
weak, that I may gain the weak ; I
conform to the customs of all men,
that I may by all means win some :
And all this I do for the sake of the
gospel, that others may with me be
partakers of it.

9 Know ye not, that of those who
run in the race-course all run, but
one receiveth the prize ? So run
that ye may win. And every one
who contendeth in the games is ab
stemious in all his habits : they, how
ever, do these things to obtain a
perishable crown ; but we seek an
imperishable. io I therefore so run, not as one
uncertain ; I so fight, not as one
striking the air ; but I keep my body
under and bring it into subjection,
lest perchance, when I have been a
herald to others, I should myself be
rejected for my own shortcomings.
SELECTION VI.
Instructions concerning the proper and
profitable observance of the memorial sup
per of Jesus.
*\17"HETHER therefore ye eat or
drink or whatever ye do, do
all to the glory of God ; giving no
occasion of stumbling either to Jews,
or to Greeks, or to the church of
God. I strive to please all in all
things, not seeking mine own advan
tage, but that of the many, that they
may be saved. Follow my example
as I follow that of Christ.
2 All things are permitted, but all
things are not profitable ; all things
are permitted, but all things do not
edify. Let no one seek his own
pleasure, but the good of others.
3 But in this .charge I commend
you not. For in the first place, when
ye come together in the meetings of
the congregation, I hear that there
are divisions among you ; and I partly
believe it ; for there must needs be
parties among you, that they who
are approved may become manifest.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

211

4 And again I hear that when ye
come together in the same place,
there is no proper eating of the Mas
ter's supper ; for before any distri
bution is made, every one begins to
eat his own supper, and one eats to
excess, and another drinks to excess.
What ! have ye not your own houses
to eat and drink in ? Or have ye no
regard for the church of God ?
Those who have nothing to eat and
drink, will ye put them to shame ?
What shall I say to you about this ?
Shall I commend you ? I do not
commend you.
5 For I received concerning the
Master, what I also delivered to you,
that the same night in which he was
betrayed, he took a loaf, and when
he had given thanks, he broke it, and
said, This is my body, which is for
you ; this do in remembrance of me.
In like manner also the cup, when
he had supped, saying, This cup is
the new covenant, in my blood ; this
do, as oft as ye drink, in remem
brance of me.
6 Now therefore as often as ye
partake of the bread, and of the cup,
ye keep in remembrance the Master's
death, till his coming ; whoever then
eateth this bread or drinketh this
cup in an unworthy manner will be
guilty of dishonoring the body and
the blood of the Master.
7 So let every one examine him
self, and thus let him eat of the
bread, and drink of the cup ; for he
that eateth and drinketh, eateth and
drinketh condemnation to himself,
unless he discerns the body of the
Master. 8 Wherefore, my brethren, when
ye assemble to eat the memorial sup

per, wait for one another ; and if any
one is hungry, let him eat at home ;
that ye may not come together to
condemnation. And concerning the
rest I will give directions when I
come. SELECTION VII.
Co-oper%tion taught and illustrated, in
the sense of common sympathy, helpfulness,
and love.
1VTOW concerning spiritual endow
ments, brethren, I would not
have you ignorant ; for ye know that
when ye were Gentiles, ye were
carried away to dumb idols, as ye
happened to be led.
2 I wish you to understand that
no one speaking by the Spirit of God
saith, Accursed be Jesus ; and that
no one can accept Jesus as Master,
but by the Holy Spirit.
¦ 3 But there are diversities of gifts,
though but one Spirit ; and there are
diversities of services, though but
one Lord ; and there are diversities
of operations, but it is the same God
who worketh all things in all : for the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to
each one for the good of all the rest.
4 That is, to one is given by the
Spirit the word of wisdom, to an
other the word of knowledge, to an
other faith, to another gifts of heal
ing, to another the working of won
ders, to another prophecy, to another
spiritual discrimination, to another
the gift of speaking divers languages,
to another the gift of translating
languages ; but all of these are opera
tions of one and the self-same Spirit,
which bestows its gifts upon each
one as it will.
5 Even as the body is one, and

212

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

hath many members, and all the
members of the body, though many,
are yet one, so are we one in Christ ;
for in one Spirit we are all joined
by baptism into a common body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether
slaves or freemen ; and were all made
to partake of one Spirit.
6 Now, the body is not one mem
ber, but many. If the foot should
say, Because I am not a hand, I am
not a part of the body, would it for
this reason not be a part of the body ?
And if the ear should say, Because I
am not an eye, I am not a part of
the body, would it for this reason not
be a part of the body ? If the whole
body were an eye, where would be
the hearing ? If the whole were hear
ing, where would be the smelling?
7 But as it is, God hath set the
members every one of them in the
body, as it pleased him. If they
were all one member, where would
be the body? But now there are,
indeed, many members, but one
body ; so that the eye cannot say to
the hand, I have no need of thee ;
nor the head to the feet, I have no
need of you.
8 Nay, still more, those members
of the body which seem to be weak,
are necessary ; and what we think to
be less honorable parts of the body,
upon these we bestow more abun
dant honor, in order that our un
seemly parts may have more seemli-
ness; while our seemly parts have
honor enough already.
9 God so put the body together, as
to give special honor to that part
which lacked, that there might be no
division in the body, but that the
members should have the same care

one for another ; so that if one mem
ber should suffer, all the members
might suffer with it ; or if one mem
ber should be honored, all the mem
bers might rejoice with it.
io Now we are the body of Christ,
and members individually; God ap
pointed some of us in the church
to be apostles, others preachers,
others teachers, others wonder-work
ers, others healers of the sick, others
helpers, others to govern, others to
speak languages.
1 1 Are all apostles ? Are all
preachers ? Are all teachers ? Are
all wonder-workers ? Have all the
gifts of healing ? Do all speak divers
languages? Do all interpret?
12 Desire earnestly the best of
these gifts, but now I am going to
show you by far the most excellent
way. SELECTION VIII.
Faith, hope, and love, the substance of
all desirable spiritual gifts : but love is
greatest of all.
HP HOUGH I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels,
and have not love, I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 Though I have the gift of prophe
cy, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and though I
have all faith, so as to remove moun
tains, and have not love, I am noth
ing. 3 Though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, and though I give
up my body that I may be burned,
and have not love, it profiteth me
nothing. 4 Love suffereth long, is kind, en-
vieth not, vaunteth not herself, is

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

213

not puffed up, doth not behave her
self unseemly, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, maketh no
account of an injury, rejoiceth not
at iniquity but rejoiceth in the
truth, beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things.
5 Love never faileth ; but whether
there are prophesyings, they will
come to an end ; whether tongues,
they will cease ; whether knowledge,
it will be done away.
6 For we know in part, and proph
esy in part ; but when that which
is perfect is come, that which is in
part will be done away.
7 When I was a child, I spoke as
a child, I had the feelings of a child,
I thought as a child ; but since I
have become a man, I have put
away childish things.
8 Now we see as in a mirror, ob
scurely, but then we shall see face to
face ; now we know in part, then we
shall know fully, even as we also are
now fully known.
9 And now there abideth these
three: faith, hope, love; and the
greatest of all is love.
SELECTION IX.
Instructions as to public religious teach
ings, or exhortations ; they should be
earnest, clear, comprehensible, and at the
same time wise and sincere.
STRIVE to possess love.
2 Desire earnestly spiritual en
dowments, but especially that of
speaking to edification; for he that
speaketh in unintelligible language
may be speaking to God, but not to
men: no one understandeth him, even
though in the Spirit he may be utter
ing mysteries.

3 But he that speaketh to edifica
tion, giveth to men instruction, ex
hortation, and comfort : he that speak
eth in an unintelligible language may
edify himself ; but he that speaketh
in simple words edifieth the church.
4 Now, brethren, if I come to you
speaking unintelligible words, what
shall I profit you? What shall I
profit you unless I speak to you
either by interpretation, or by knowl
edge, or by preaching, or by instruc
tion ?
5 Even things without life that
give sound, whether pipe or harp,
if they make no distinction in the
sounds, how shall that be known
which is piped or harped ? And if
the trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who will prepare himself for the
battle ? So also ye, unless ye utter
by the tongue words easy to be un
derstood, how shall that be known
which is spoken? For ye will be
speaking into the air.
6 There are indeed many kinds of
languages in the world, and not one
is without meaning ; but if I know
not the meaning of the language,
to him that speaketh it I shall be as
a foreigner, and he that speaketh
will be as a foreigner to me.
7 Since, then, ye are eager to pos
sess spiritual endowments, be earnest
to abound in them to the edifi
cation of the church ; and let
him that speaketh in unintelligible
language pray that he may speak in
telligibly. 8 Now, if I pray in words which I
do not understand, my spirit per
chance prayeth, but my understand
ing is unfruitful. What shall I do
then ? I will pray with the spirit,

214

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

and I will pray with the understand
ing also ; I will sing with the spirit,
and I will sing with the understand
ing also.
9 Otherwise, how shall he that
occupieth the place of the unlearned
say the Amen at thy giving of thanks,
since he understandeth not what
thou art saying ? For thou mayest
indeed give thanks well ; but the
other is not edified.
io I thank God that I speak
foreign languages : and this more
than ye all ; yet in the church I
would rather speak five words under-
standingly, that I might thereby in
struct others, than ten thousand
words in an unintelligible tongue.
1 1 Brethren, be not children in
understanding ; in malice be children
but in understanding be men.
12 If therefore the whole church
be assembled in one place, and all
are speaking in unintelligible words,
and there come in those who are
unlearned, or unbelievers, will they
not say that ye are mad ?
13 But if all speak with words
easy to be understood, and there
come in one that is an unbeliever,
or unlearned, he will be convinced
by all ; he will be searched through
by all ; the secrets of his heart will
become manifest ; and so, falling
down on his face, he will worship
God, and report that God is indeed
within you.
14 How is it then, brethren?
When ye come together let every
one of you have a psalm, or a lesson
of instruction, or an exhortation, or
a word that hath an interpretation :
and so let all things be done to
edifying.

15 One by one ye can all speak,
that all may learn, and all may be
comforted ; but remember that the
spirits of prophets are under subjec
tion ; for God is not a God of confu
sion, but of peace.
16 If any one thinketh himself to
be a prophet, or spiritual, let him.
know surely that the directions I am
writing to you are the Lord's ; but
if any one be ignorant, let him be
ignorant !
17 Wherefore, brethren, desire
earnestly to speak to edification,
and let all things be done decently,
and in order.
SELECTION X.
The resurrection, or reappearance of
Jesus from the dead, and its suggestions
as to immortality.
TV/T OREOVER, brethren, I declare
anew the gospel which I
preached to you, which also ye re
ceived, and wherein ye stand ; by
which also ye are saved, so long as ye
hold fast the same teaching ; other
wise ye have believed it in vain.
2 For I delivered to you first of
all what I also received, that on ac- '
count of our transgressions Christ
died, according as it is written ; and
that he was buried, and that he reap
peared from the dead on the third
day, according as it is written ; and
that he appeared to Cephas, then
to the twelve, then to more than
five hundred brethren at once, of
whom the greater part are still living,
but some have fallen asleep. And
after that, he appeared again to
James, then again to all the apostles ;
and last of all, as to one born out of
due time, he appeared also to me.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

215

3 For I am the least of the
apostles, one not worthy to be called
an apostle, because I persecuted the
congregation of God ; nevertheless
by the grace of God I am what I am.
And his grace which was bestowed
upon me was not in vain, for I
have labored more abundantly than
they all ; yet not I, but the grace of
God which was with me
4 Whether, then, it were I or they
to whom Christ reappeared, thus we
preach, and thus ye believe. But if
Christ be preached that he hath
reappeared from the dead, how is it
that some among you say, that
there is no resurrection of the dead ?
. If there be no resurrection of the
dead, then Christ did not rise ; and
if Christ did not rise, then is our
preaching vain, and vain also is your
faith. 5 And we are also found false
witnesses concerning God ; because
we testified concerning God that he
raised up Christ, whom he did not
raise up, if so be that the dead do
not rise. For if the dead rise not,
then Christ hath not risen ; and if
Christ hath not risen, in vain is your
faith, ye are yet in your transgres
sions ; and also they that have fallen
asleep in Christ have perished.
6 If only in the present life we
have hope in Christ, then of all men,
we are most miserable.
7 But now hath Christ been raised
from the dead, as the firstfruits of
them that have fallen asleep. By
man came death, by man also the
resurrection of the dead. For as in
Adam all die, so also in Christ
shall all be made alive.
8 But each in his own order:

Christ as a firstfruit, then they that
are Christ's.
9 Then in the end, he shall deliver
up the kingdom to God, even the
Father ; when he shall have abolished
all rule and all authority and power.
io But he must reign, till he
hath put all his enemies under his
feet. The last enemy that shall be
abolished is death.
1 1 And when all things have been
subjected to him, then shall the
son also himself be subjected, that
God may be all in all.
12 I protest by that glorying in
you, brethren, which I have in
Christ Jesus our Master; I die daily.
If after the manner of men I fought
with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it
profit me ?
13 If the dead are .not raised,
let us eat and drink, for to-morrow
we die. But be not deceived : Evil
company doth corrupt good man
ners. 14 Awake up righteously, and
transgress not ; for some have no
knowledge of God : I speak this to
move you to shame.
SELECTION XI.
The resurrection is spiritual survival,
or, a rising up of the spirit from the power
of death.
"DUT some one will say, How are
the dead raised up ? With what
kind of a body do they appear?
Thou foolish one ! that which thou
sowest is not brought to life unless it
die ; and not the body that is to be,
dost thou sow, but a simple grain,
of wheat, perhaps, or of some of
the other kinds of grains ; and God
provideth it a body such as he

2l6

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

pleaseth, and to each seed its own
body. 2 There are heavenly bodies, even
as there are earthly bodies ; but the
glory of the heavenly is one, and the
glory of the earthly is another; even
as there is one glory of the sun, and
another glory of the moon, and an
other glory of the stars ; and among
the stars one differeth from an
other in its glory ; so is it in the
resurrection of the dead.
3 They are sown in corruption,
they are raised in incorruption ;
they are sown in dishonor, they are
raised in glory; they are sown in
weakness, they are raised in power ;
they are sown as animal bodies, they
are raised as spiritual bodies.
4 If there is an animal body, there
is also a spiritual body ; the spirit
ual, however, is not first, but the
animal ; and afterward the spiritual.
5 The first condition of man is of
the earth, earthy ; the second is from
heaven : as the earthy is perishable,
so also are they that are earthy ;
as the heavenly is enduring, so
also are they that are heavenly ; and
as we have borne the image of the
earthy, so also shall we bear the
image of the heavenly.
6 Now this I affirm, brethren, that
flesh and blood .cannot inherit the
kingdom of God, neither doth corrup
tion inherit incorruption ; this corrup
tible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality.
7 So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality,
then will be brought to pass that
which is written : Death is swallowed
up in victory.

8 Where, O death, is thy sting?
and, Where is thy victory? The
sting of death is transgression ; and
the law gives it power. But thanks
be to God who giveth us, the victory,
through Jesus Christ our Master.
9 Therefore, beloved brethren,
be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord,
since ye know that your labor is not
in vain.
io Watch ye, stand fast in the
faith, quit you like men, be strong.
SELECTION XII.
How the true benefactor of men re
joices in their joys, and is distressed in
their sorrows.
"DLESSED be the God and Father
of Jesus Christ our Master,
the Father of mercies, and God of
all comfort, who comforteth us in
all our distress ; that we also may
be able to comfort those who are in
any distress by the same comfort as
that wherewith we ourselves are
comforted by God.
2 For as the same sufferings which
Christ endured abound in us, so
through Christ doth our comfort also
abound to others.
3 And whether we are distressed,
it is for your comfort and salvation,
the power of which is manifest in
enabling you to bear patiently the
same sufferings which we also bear,
and our hope is steadfast in your be
half ; or whether we are comforted,
it also is for your comfort and
salvation ; for we know that as ye
are sharers, in the sufferings, so also
ye will be sharers in the comfort.
4 And our glorying is this, the
testimony of our conscience, that we

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

217

have conducted ourselves in the
world, and especially toward you, in
simplicity, and in the sincerity which
is of God ; not according to worldly
wisdom, but according to the grace
of God. And I trust ye will ac
knowledge even to the end, as also
ye have already acknowledged in
part, that we are your glorying, as
ye also are ours, in the day of Jesus
Christ our Master.
5 Now he who maketh us with
you steadfast in the Anointed, and
hath anointed us also, is God ; he
also hath sealed us, and hath given
the Spirit as a pledge in our hearts.
6 Out of much distress and an
guish of heart I write to you with
many tears, not that ye should be
made sorrowful, but that ye might
¦ know the exceeding love which I
have for you.
7 If any one hath caused grief, he
hath caused it not to me alone, but
in a measure (not to be too severe
on him) to all of you. Sufficient for
such a one is this punishment, that
he hath caused grief to many; so
that instead of greater punishment
ye ought rather to forgive, and con
sole him, lest perchance he should be
swallowed up with over-much sor
row. 8 Wherefore I beseech you to
confirm your love toward him; to
whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive
also ; and what I have forgiven for
your sakes, I forgave it in the name
of Christ.
9 Let not the Evil One gain an
advantage over us, and let us not be
ignorant of his devices.
10 But thanks be to God, who
maketh us always to triumph through

Christ, and manifesteth through us
the blessedness of the knowledge
of him in every place. We are to
God a sweet savor of Christ, both
among those who are being saved,
and among those who are perishing ;
to the latter we are indeed the
savor of death, producing death ;
but to the former, the savor of life,
producing life.
11 Who is sufficient for these
things ? Let us not be as the many,
who make merchandise from the
word of God ; but as from sincerity,
as from God, as in the sight of God,
even as Christ spake, so let us speak.
SELECTION XIII.
The Divine Spirit, communicating with
the soul of man, is true revelation, granted
to all who will receive it ; but on account
of increase in wisdom, the letter of revela
tion is always perishing, while the spirit.
both remains alive and gives life.
C HALL we begin again to recom-
mend ourselves? Do we need,
like some others, letters of recom
mendation to you, or from you ?
2 Ye are our letter, written in our
hearts, known and read by all men ;
since, by means of our service, ye are
manifestly shown to be a letter of
Christ, written not with ink, but with
the Spirit of the living God; not
on tablets of stone, but on the more
sensitive tablets of the heart.
3 Such confidence as this we have
through Christ toward God ; not
that we are able unassisted to think
of any thing, as from ourselves ; for
our ability is from God ; who also
enabled us to be ministers of a new
covenant, which is not of the letter,

.218

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

but of the spirit ; for the letter kill-
•eth, but the spirit giveth life.
4 Now, if the ministration of death
was so glorious when engraved in
letters on stones, that the children
of Israel could not steadfastly look
into the face of Moses on account of
the brightness of his countenance,
(which written ministration was only
temporary, and designed to pass
away,) shall not the ministration of
the Spirit be even more glorious ?
If the ministration of condemnation
had glory, shall not the ministration
of righteousness exceed in glory?
5 Thus, even that which was once
glorious hath ceased to be glorious,
on account of the glory by which it
is now exceeded ; for if that which
was to be superseded was glorious,
much more glorious is that which is
to endure.
6 Having therefore such hope, we
use great plainness of speech, and do
not as Moses did ; for he put a veil
over his face, that the children of
Israel might not clearly see the end
of that which was to be superseded.
So it was that their understandings
were blinded ; and until this day,
when the old covenant is read, the
same veil remaineth, since it is not
revealed to them that the law is
¦superseded by the gospel of Christ.
Even till this day, when Moses is
read, there lieth a veil upon their
heart ; but whenever they turn to
the Lord, the veil is removed; for
the Lord is a Spirit ; and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is lib
erty. 7 But we all, by the Spirit of the
Lord, look with unveiled face; and
beholding as in a mirror the glory of

the Lord, we are changed into the
same image from glory to glory.
8 Therefore, having this gospel,
through the favor we received, we
are no longer faint-hearted ; having
renounced the dishonesty and shame
of hidden things, we no longer walk
in craftiness, nor adulterate the word
of God, but by speaking the truth
we commend ourselves to the con
science of every man, as in the sight
of God.
9 And if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to them that perish ; the God
of this world having blinded their
understandings, so that they, being
unbelievers, cannot behold the light
of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the semblance of God.
io And we do not proclaim our
selves as the Master, but Christ
Jesus, and ourselves your bond-ser
vants on Jesus' account ; for God,
that said, Out of darkness light shall
shine, even he, through the person
of Christ, hath shined in our hearts
with the illumination of his own
knowledge and glory.
SELECTION XIV.
Death is only the spirit' s change of ha
biliment and surroundings ; those whose
present lives have been self-sacrificing,
courageous, devout, and pure, may desire
rather than fear it, as a departure to better
companionships and to a brighter home.
"DUT we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the ex
ceeding greatness of the power may
be of God, and not of us ; for we are
troubled on every side, yet not dis
turbed ;, we are perplexed, but not
in despair; we are persecuted, but
not forsaken ; we are cast down, but

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

219

not destroyed. Continually we bear
about in the body the death of Jesus,
that the life also of Jesus may be
manifested through us.
2 For we who are alive are unceas
ingly delivered up to death for Jesus'
sake, that the life also of Jesus may
be revealed in us; thus it is that
death worketh in us, in order to pro
duce life in you.
3 But we have the same spirit of
faith as he had who wrote, I believ
ed, and therefore I spoke. We also
believe, and therefore speak; know
ing that he who raised up Jesus will
raise up us also with Jesus, and will
present us with you.
4 For all that we do, we do for
your sakes: that grace, being multi
plied through the many, may cause
thanksgiving to abound to the glory
of God.
5 On this account we are not
faint-hearted ; but though our out
ward man is perishing, yet is the in
ward man renewed day by day. And
our light affliction, which is but for
a moment, is working out for us, in
a higher and still higher degree, an
everlasting weight of glory; while
we look not at things seen, but at
things unseen ; for the things which
are seen are but for a time ; but the
things which are unseen are everlast
ing. 6 And we know that, if our earth
ly tent, in which we now tabernacle,
be destroyed, we have a building
provided by God, a house not made
with hands, everlasting, in the
heavens. While we remain in this,
we groan, earnestly desiring to be
clothed upon with our habitation
which is from heaven; for, indeed,

when we have put off our present
habitation, we shall not be found
naked. 7 So while in this habitation we
groan, being burdened ; not that we
desire to be unclothed, but to be
clothed upon, that mortality may be
swallowed up by life.
8 Now he that hath created us
with this very longing is God ; who
also hath given to us the Spirit as a
pledge of its fulfilment.
9 We have courage, therefore, al
ways, and know that while we are at
home in the body, we are absent
from the Lord ; for we walk by faith,
not by sight. We have courage, I
say, and would be pleased rather to
depart from the body, in order to be
at home with the Lord.
10 However, we also strive that,
whether at home or absent, we may
be approved by him ; for before the
tribunal of Christ we must all be
made manifest in judgment, that
each one may receive the things
done in his body, according to what
he did, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the judg
ments of the Lord, we persuade
men ; but before God we are already
made manifest, and I trust also are
made manifest before your con
sciences. SELECTION XV.
As Christ sought to reconcile men to
God, so all true followers of Christ will
seek to do ; and this, as he did, with com
plete consecration, even to yielding up life
itself, if need be, in testimony to the truth.
"\y\/"E are not again commending
ourselves to you, but giving
you occasion to glory on our behalf ;

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CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

that ye may have somewhat to an
swer those who glory in outward ap
pearance, and not in heart. For
whether we be beside ourselves, it is
in zeal for God ; or whether we are
in our sound mind, it is in zeal for
you ; for the love of Christ constrain-
eth us.
2 Because we thus judged, that if
one died for all, then all were dead ;
also that he died for all in order
that they, awakened to the new life,
should no longer live to themselves,
but to him who died for their sakes,
and lived again.
3 So that we henceforth should
know no man in a mere bodily sense ;
and if we have known Christ in this
sense, now let us no longer know
him thus, because, if any one is in
Christ, he is a new creation ; the old
things have passed away ; behold,
all things have become new.
4 And all things are from God,
who reconciled us to himself through
Christ, and gave to us the gospel of
reconciliation ; seeing that through
Christ, God was reconciling the
world to himself, not exacting pun
ishment for every one of our tres
passes, but committing to us the
reconciling word.
5 We, then, are ambassadors for
Christ ; as though God were entreat
ing you by us, in the name of Christ
we entreat you, Be reconciled to
God. For him, who knew no trans
gression, he permitted to suffer as a
transgressor for our sakes, that we
might become God's righteousness
through him.
6 As fellow-workers, then, with
him, we exhort you that ye receive
not the grace of God in vain ; and

give no occasion for stumbling in
any thing, that the gospel may not
be blamed.
7 Let us, as servants of God, rec
ommend ourselves in all things; in
much endurance, in afflictions, in ne
cessities, in distresses, in stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labors,
in watchings, in fastings ; in pure-
ness, in knowledge, in long-suffering,
in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in
love unfeigned, in the word of truth ;
in the power of God, by the weapons
of righteousness on the right hand
and on the left, through honor and
dishonor, through evil report and
good report ; as deceivers, and yet
true; as unknown, and yet well
known ; as dying, and behold, we
yet live ; as chastened, yet not kill
ed ; as sorrowful, yet always rejoic
ing ; as poor, yet making many rich ;
as having nothing, yet possessing all
things. 8 Our mouth is open to you, our-
heart is enlarged. Ye have not a
narrow place in my heart, even
though ye may have a narrow place
for me in yours : in return, then, I
speak to you as children, let your
hearts be enlarged for me.
9 Be not strangely yoked with the
ungodly ; for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness?
What communion hath light with
darkness ? What concord hath Christ
with Belial? What sympathy is
there between a believer and an infi
del? io What agreement also hath the
temple of God with idols ? For ye
are the temple of the living God ; as
God said : I will dwell among them,
and walk among them ; and I will be

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

221

their God, and they shall be my,
people. n Wherefore come out from the
midst of them, and be separated,
saith the Lord, and touch not un
clean things ; then will I receive you,
and will be to you a father, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty.
12 In view of these promises, be
loved, let us cleanse ourselves from
all pollution of flesh and spirit, per
fecting holiness in the fear of God.
SELECTION XVI.
Every true benefactor of men faithfully
rebukes error and wrong ; and also opposes
selfishness by calling upon men to gener
ously share with those about them whatever
blessings they enjoy.
"D ECEIVE me into your hearts;
for I have wronged no one, I
have corrupted no one, I have de
frauded no one. I do not say this
to reproach you ; for as I have said
before, it is in my heart both to live
and die for you.
2 My confidence in you is great,
and great is my glorying on your ac
count; I am filled with comfort, I
overflow with joy even in the midst
of all my trouble.
3 When I had come into Macedo
nia, my flesh had no rest, but I was
troubled on every side ; without were
fightings, within were fears. But
God, that comforteth those who are
brought low, comforted me ; not only
by the coming of Titus, but also ity
the comfort which he communicated
from you, when he told me of your
earnest desire, your mourning, your
zeal in my behalf ; so that I rejoiced
the more.

4 For though by the letter which
I wrote I caused you sorrow, I do
not regret it now, though at first I
did regret it ; for I perceive that the
sorrow was but for a short time. I
rejoice, not that ye were made sor
rowful, but that your sorrow pro
duced repentance ; for the sorrow
which ye felt had respect to God,
and not to any injury received from
me. 5 For sorrow before God worketh
repentance to salvation never to be
regretted ; but the sorrow of the
world worketh death. And behold
in this, very thing, in which your
sorrow had respect to God, what
earnestness it wrought in you ; yea,
what clearing of yourselves ; yea,
what indignation ; yea, what fear ;
yea, what longing desire ; yea, what
zeal ; yea, what readiness to suffer
punishment !
6 Moreover, brethren, I make
known to you the grace of God
which hath been bestowed upon the
congregations of Macedonia ; how
that, notwithstanding great trials of
distress, their deep poverty increased
the riches of their liberality and the
abundance of their joy. I bear them
witness that according to their
power, and beyond their power,
they gave ; and that of their own ac
cord, even begging of us with much
entreaty the favor of sharing in the
ministration to the saints ; and this,
not because we expected it, but of
themselves they gave, first, as to the
Lord, and then as to us by the will
of God.
7 Now inasmuch as ye abound in
all other things, in faith, and utter
ance, and knowledge, and earnest-

222

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

ness, and in your love to us, see to
it that ye abound also in this exer
cise of liberality ; I do not say it by
way of command, but on account of
the earnestness of others, and to
prove the genuineness of your love.
For ye know the graciousness of
Je'sus Christ our Master, that though
he was rich, yet for our sakes he be
came poor, that we through his pov
erty might be rich.
8 Therefore, as there was a readi
ness to will on your part, so let there
now be a performance also, according
to that which ye possess ; for if there
be first the willing mind, it is accepted
according to what a man hath, not
according to what he hath not.
9 And it is not that others may be
eased, and you burdened, but to
make an equality; at the present
season your abundance meeting
their deficiency, that their abun
dance may at another time meet your
deficiency ; that there maybe equal
ity ; as it is written : He that gath
ered much, had nothing over ; and
he that gathered little, had no lack.
io And this also I will say : He
that soweth sparingly, shall reap
also sparingly ; and he that soweth
bountifully, shall reap also bounti
fully. Each one as he purposeth in
his heart, so let him give ; not grudg
ingly, or of necessity ; for God lov
eth a cheerful giver.
1 1 And God is able to make every
blessing abound toward you, in order
that ye, having always a sufficiency
in every thing, may also abound to
every good work ; even as it is writ
ten : He dispersed abroad, he gave
to the poor; his righteousness re-
maineth for ever.

12 Now, he that ministereth seed
to the sower, and bread for food,
will supply and multiply your seed
sown, and increase the fsuits of your
righteousness ; that ye may be en
riched in every thing to all liberality,
which worketh through us thanks
giving to God,
13 For the ministration of this
service not only supplieth the wants
of the saints, but also overfloweth
through many to the praise of God.
By the proof afforded through such
ministrations men will glorify God
both for your obedience to your pro
fession in regard to the gospel of
Christ, and also for the liberality of
your contribution in regard to them
and in regard to all. At the same
time they will long for you, and
offer supplication in your behalf, on
account of the exceeding gracious
ness of God which is exhibited in
you. 14 Thanks be to God, for his un
speakable gift.
SELECTION XVII.
Goodness of heart, greatness of mind,
and usefulness of life, indicate a man's
worth, whatever physical or material
deficiencies may accompany them.
"\JOW I Paul myself beseech you
by the meekness and gentle
ness of Christ : I who in your pres
ence am indeed humble, but being
absent am bold toward ydu.
2 For though we live in the body
we do not war according to the body.
The weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty before God
to the casting down of strongholds ;
— casting down vain reasonings, and
every high thing that exalts itself

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

225

against the knowledge of God, -and
bringing every thought captive to
the obedience of Christ.
3 Ye look at outward appear
ances ! If any man boasteth that
he belongs to Christ, let him consider
this again with himself, that even as
he belongs to Christ, so also do we.
For though I should boast some
what overmuch concerning my au
thority (which the Lord gave for
building you up, and not for casting
you down), I shall not be put to
shame. 4 His letters, they say, are weighty
and strong ; but his bodily presence
is weak, and his speech of no account.
Let such understand this, that what
I am in word by letters when I am
absent, such am I also in deed when
I am present.
5 I am not bold enough to num
ber or compare myself with certain
that commend themselves : for they,
measuring themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves with one
another, are not wise.
6 I will not boast of myself ac
cording to my measure, but accord
ing to the rule of measurement
which God hath delivered to us, — a
measure by which you also should
measure yourselves. And I stretch
not myself beyond this measure, in
order to reach your approbation ; for
I seek your approbation only in
preaching the gospel of Christ.
7 Neither do I go beyond this
measure, in esteeming the labors of
other men ; but I have hope, when
your faith is" increased, that my in
fluence will through you be still fur
ther extended, so that I may preach
the gospel in the regions beyond.

8 Not he that commendeth him
self is approved, but he whom the
Lord commendeth. Yet I would
that ye could bear with me in a
little folly ! I entreat you to bear
with me; for I am jealous over you
with a godly jealousy ; inasmuch as
I espoused you to one husband, to
present you as a pure virgin to
Christ ; and I am afraid, lest by some
means your minds should be cor
rupted from single-heartedness tow
ard Christ.
9 Though I am rude in speech,
yet I am not destitute of knowledge ;.
and this knowledge did I in every
respect manifest to you in all things.
io Have I committed an offence in
abasing myself that ye might be ex
alted, in that I preached to you the
gospel of God without charge? I
robbed other congregations, taking
wages of them, in order to serve you
freely ; and when I was among you,
and in want, I was a charge to no
one. The brethren, when they came
from Macedonia, supplied my wants;
so that in every thing I kept myself
from being burdensome to you, and
so will I keep myself.
1 1 In whatsoever any one is bold,
(I speak in folly,) I am as bold as
they. Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they Israelites ? So am I. Are
they Abraham's offspring ? So am
I. Are they ministers of Christ ? (I
speak as beside myself,) I am more ;
in labors more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more fre
quently, in deaths often ; of the Jews,
five times I received forty stripes
save one ; thrice I was beaten with,
rods, once I was stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day

224

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — CORINTHIANS.

I spent in the deep ; in journeyings
often ; in perils of rivers, in perils of
robbers, in perils from my country
men, in perils from the heathen, in
perils in the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the sea, in
perils among false brethren ; in weari
ness and painfulness, in watchings
often, in hunger and thirst, in fast
ings often, in cold and nakedness ;
and besides all these troubles, there
are those which press upon me every
day, — my anxiety for all the congre
gations. 12 Who are weak, without causing
me to suffer with them in their
weakness? who is in danger of stum
bling, and I do not burn? If I must
glory, I will glory even in these
things for which I am reproached.
13 But it is not necessary for me
to glory in reproaches alone ; I can
speak also of visions, and of revela
tions from the Lord.
14 I know a man in Christ, four
teen years ago, — whether in the body
or out of the body, I know not; God
knoweth, — such a one caught up
even to the third heaven. And I
know such a man, — whether in the
body or without the body, I know
not ; God knoweth, — that he was
caught up into paradise, and heard
unspeakable words, which it is not
lawful for a man to utter. Of such
a one will I glory ; but of myself I

will not glory, except in my infirmi
ties. 15 And that I might not be too
much lifted up by the abundance of
the revelations, there was given to
me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger
of evil, to buffet me, that I might
not be too much lifted up. In re
spect to this I besought the Lord
thrice, that it might depart from me ;
and he said to me, My grace is suffi
cient for thee ; for thy strength is
made perfect in weakness.
16 Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that
the strength which was in Christ
may be in me also. With Christ as
my example I even take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessi
ties, in persecutions, in distresses !
for when I am weak, then am I
strong. 17 Behold, I am ready to come to
you this third time, but I will not
be burdensome to you ; for I seek
not yours, but you. Even as chil
dren ought not to lay up for the
parents, but the parents for the chil
dren : so will I very gladly spend
and be spent for your souls ; though
the more I love you, the less I am
loved. 18 Finally, brethren, farewell ! Be
perfect, be of good comfort, be of
one mind, live in peace, and the God
of love and peace shall be with you.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GALATIANS.

225

LETTER TO THE GALATIANS.

SELECTION I.
Paul claims consistency in his teachings
concerning Christ, asserts that they were
his own convictions spiritually communi
cated to him by Jesus himself, and not
traditionally or indirectly received ; re
bukes dissimulation for the sake of secur
ing popular favor ; and declares that, not
by ceremonial piety, but by the faith that
Christ Jesus taught, men are io be ac
cepted as righteous.
DAUL, an apostle, (not from men,
nor through man, but from God
the Father, through Jesus Christ
who was raised from the dead,) and
the brethren who are with me, to the
congregations of Galatia : Grace be to
you and peace from God the Father ;
and from Jesus Christ our Master,
who on account of our transgressions
gave himself, that he might deliver
us from the evils of the present
world, according to the will of God
our Father ; to whom be the glory
for ever and ever ! Amen.
2 I marvel that ye are so soon
turning from him that called you in
the grace of Christ, to another gospel ;
but there is no other gospel ; only
there are certain persons who are
troubling you, and seeking to change
entirely the gospel of Christ. But
even if I or one whose eloquence
causes him to seem like an angel
from heaven should proclaim to you
a gospel contrary to that which we
proclaimed at first, let it be rejected.
As I have said before, so I now say
again, If any one proclaim to you a
gospel contrary to that which ye at
first received, let it be rejected.

3 In saying this do I seek the fa
vor of men, or of God ? Am I en
deavoring to please men ? If I were,
I should not be the servant of Christ.
For I assure you, brethren, that the
gospel which was proclaimed by me
was not according to the traditions
of men : for I did not receive it from
men, nor was I taught it by any man,
but it was revealed to me by Jesus
Christ. 4 Ye have heard of my conduct
formerly in Judaism ; how that be
yond measure I persecuted the con
gregation of God ; and was destroy
ing it, and made progress in Judaism
beyond many of the same age with
me in my nation, being more exceed
ingly zealous for the traditions of the
fathers. 5 But when he who set me apart
from my very birth, and called me
through his grace, was pleased to re
veal in me his son, that I might pub
lish the glad tidings of him among
the Gentiles, immediately I conferred
not with flesh and blood, neither did
I go up to Jerusalem to those who
were apostles before me, but I went
away into Arabia, and returned
again to Damascus.
6 Then, after three years, I went
up to Jerusalem to become ac
quainted with Cephas, and stayed
with him fifteen days ; but no other of
the apostles did I see, save James the
brother of the Master. (As to this
that I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I do not deceive.) Af
terward I came into the regions of
Syria and Cilicia; and I was un.

226

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GALATIANS.

known in person to the congrega
tions of Judaea, which were called
after Christ, they only having heard
that he who was once their persecu
tor wasvxovt preaching the faith which
he once was destroying ; and they
glorified God in me.
7 Fourteen years after that I went
up again by revelation to Jerusalem,
that I might communicate to them
that gospel which I was preaching
among the Gentiles ; but privately
to those who were of reputation I
communicated it, lest by any means
I should run, or had run, in vain.
8 But false brethren were stealthily
brought in, who crept in to spy out
our liberty, which we have in Christ
Jesus, that they might bring us back
into bondage ; to whom not even for
an hour did I yield the subjection
which they required.
9 However, those who were re
puted to be somewhat — whatever
they were, it matters not to me,
God accepteth no man's person,
— those in reputation communicated
nothing new. On the contrary, when
they saw that I was intrusted with the
gospel to the Gentiles, as Peter was
with that to the Jews, and when they
knew the grace that was given to me,
James, and Cephas, and John, who
were reputed to be pillars, gave to
me and Barnabas the right hand of
fellowship, that we should go to the
Gentiles, and they to the Jews ; only
they wished us to remember the
poor ; which very thing I also was
earnest to do.
io But when Cephas came to An
tioch, I withstood him to the face
and rebuked him as he deserved ; for
before certain persons came from

James, he used to eat with the Gen
tiles ; but when they came, he with
drew, and separated himself, in order
to secure the favor of the Jews. And
others also dissembled with him ; so
that even Barnabas was carried away
with their dissimulation.
1 1 But when I saw that they were
not walking uprightly according to
the truth of the gospel, I said to
Cephas in the presence of all, If thou,
a Jew, hast ceased to observe the
customs of the Jews, and livest like
a Gentile, how is it that thou com-
pellest the Gentiles to keep the cus
toms of the Jews ?
12 We, although Jews in descent,
and not of the disobedient Gentiles,
yet understand that a man is not ac
cepted as righteous by the cere
monial observances of the law, but
by the faith which was in Christ
Jesus. We also have believed in
Christ Jesus, that we might be ac
cepted as righteous by the faith
which was in him, and not by the
ceremonial observances of the law ; for
by ceremonial observances shall no
flesh be accepted as righteous.
13 But if, while seeking to be ac
cepted as righteous in Christ, we dis
cover for the first time that we our
selves are transgressors, is Christ on
that account the cause of our trans
gressions ? By no means ! But if I
build up again the superstitions which
I pulled down, I make myself a trans
gressor ; for I through the law died
to the ordinances of the law, that I
might live to God.
14 I have been crucified with
Christ, and no longer do I live, but
Christ liveth in me; and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GALATIANS.

22;

by faith in the son of God, who
loved me, and gave himself for me.
15 I do not reject the grace of
God ; for if righteousness comes
through the ceremonial observances of
the law, then did Christ die for
nought. SELECTION II.
Those reproved who substitute the letter
for fke spirit, or ceremonial observances
for that faith which produces purity in
heart and life. Those who have received
the Spirit are no longer slaves or servants
of God, but sons ; and in this freedom and
holy relationship should stand.
r\ FOOLISH Galatians, who be-
^~"^ witched you ? before whose
eyes Jesus Christ, the crucified one,
was plainly set forth ! This only I
desire to learn from you : Was it
from the ceremonial observances of the
law that ye received the Spirit, or
by the gospel of faith ?
2 Are ye so foolish ? Having be
gun with the spirit, do ye now end
with the letter ? Have ye suffered
so much in vain ? for indeed it seems
to be in vain. Did he, then, who
communicated to you of the Spirit,
and wrought wonders among you, do
it by the ceremonies of the law, or
by the preaching of faith ?
3 Are, then, the observances of the
law in opposition to the promises of
God ? By no means ! For if a law
had been given which was able to
give life, righteousness would indeed
have been by the observances of that
law; but the scriptures include all
as under transgression, in order that
the blessing promised through faith
in Jesus Christ may be given to all
those who believe.

4 But before this faith came, we
were kept in ward under the law,
and were in ignorance of the faith
which was to be revealed ; so that
the law was as a schoolmaster, to
lead us to Christ ; but now faith hav
ing come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster. 5 Now are we all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus ; no
longer is there either Jew or Greek,
bond or free, male or female ; for
we are all one in Christ Jesus.
6 Moreover, I say, that an heir, so
long as he is a child, differeth in no
respect from a bond-servant, though
he may be lord of all ; but he is under
guardians and stewards, until the
time appointed by the father.
7 So also we, when we were chil
dren, were in bondage under the
rudiments of the world; but when
the fulness of time came, God sent
forth his son, born of a woman
under the law, to redeem those who
also were under the law, that we
might know that we also are adopted
as sons.
8 And to convince us that we are
sons, God sent forth the Spirit of
sonship into our hearts, crying,
Abba, Father ! So then we are no
longer bond-servants, but sons ; and
if sons, then heirs through God.
9 And at that time, when ye knew
not God as your Father, ye were in
bondage to those ordinances which
in their nature are ungodly; but
now, after having known God as your
Father, or rather having been claimed
by him as sons, how is it that ye are
looking back to the weak and beg
garly rudiments, desiringto return to
slavery ?

228

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GALATIANS.

io Ye observe days, and months,
and seasons, and years ! I am afraid
of you, lest I may have bestowed
upon you labor in vain.
1 1 My children, with whom I am
again in travail until Christ be formed
in you, — I could wish indeed to be
present with you now, and to change
my tone, for I am in perplexity about
you. 12 Tell me, ye that desire to be
enslaved again to the law, do ye not
understand the law ? For it is writ
ten, that Abraham had two sons ;
the one by the bondwoman, the other
bythefreewoman. But the one by the
bondwoman was born after the flesh ;
while the one by the freewoman
was through the promise. Which
things are written allegorically, for
these women are two covenants ; the
one from mount Sinai, who beareth
children into bondage ; and she cor
responds to the Jerusalem now ex
isting, for she is in bondage with her
children. 13 But the Jerusalem that is above
is free, and she is our mother ; as
it is written : Rejoice, thou barren
that bearest not ; break forth and
cry, thou that travailest not ; for
many are the children of the free-
woman, rather than of her who is in
bondage. 14 Ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are
children of a promise ; but as it was
then, he that was born after the flesh
persecuted him that was born
through the Spirit, so it is now. But
what saith the scripture ? Cast out
the bondwoman and her son ; for the
son of the bondwoman shall not be
heir with the son of the freewoman.
15 So then, brethren, inasmuch

as we are not children of a bond
woman, but of the freewoman, let
us stand firm in the freedom with
which Christ made us free, and not
again be entangled in the yoke of
bondage. 16 Behold, I Paul say to you, that
if ye submit to ordinances Christ
will profit you nothing ; ye are en
tirely separated from Christ if ye
seek to obtain righteousness through
the observances of the law ; yea, ye
have fallen away from grace.
17 For we through the Spirit by
faith steadfastly wait for the hope of
righteousness ; knowing that in Christ
Jesus neither conformity nor non
conformity to ceremonial observ
ances availeth any thing ; but faith
working by love.
SELECTION III.
Those who do not walk according to the
leadings of the Spirit may be known by the
carnality or moral impurities of their lives.
Not formal piety, or professions, or re
ligious ceremonies are acceptable to God,
but pure hearts, as manifest in thoughts
and lives that are pure.
~\T E, brethren, are called to liberty ;
only use not your liberty for
an occasion to the flesh, but by your
love serve one another.
2 For the whole law is fulfilled in
one commandment, even in this :
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. But if ye bite and devour
one another, beware lest ye be con
sumed. 3 I say then, Walk by the Spirit,
and ye will not fulfil the desires of
the flesh. For the flesh hath desires
against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh ; and these oppose

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — GALATIANS.

229

one another, so that ye find it diffi
cult to do the things that ye would.
But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are
no longer enslaved to the law.
4 Now the works of the flesh
are evident ; such as fornication,
uncleanness, wantonness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, strife, rivalry, out
bursts of wrath, cabals, divisions,
factions, envyings, drunkenness,
revellings, and things like these; of
which I tell you beforehand, as I
also told you in time past, that they
who practise such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.
5 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kind
ness, goodness, faithfulness, meek
ness, temperance ; against such
things as these there is no law.
6 And they who belong to Christ
Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and lusts. So then if we
live by the Spirit, let us also walk by
the Spirit : and let us not be vain
glorious, provoking one another, and
envying one another.
7 But, brethren, if any man among
you should be detected in a fault, do
ye who are more spiritual seek to
restore such a one in the spirit of
meekness ; considering that thou thy
self also might have been tempted.
8 Bear ye one another's burdens,
and thus fulfil the law of Christ ; for
if a man thinketh himself to be some
great one, then he is nobody, and
deceiveth himself.
9 Let each one put to the test his
own work, and then will he have his
ground for rejoicing in himself alone,
and not in his superiority over
another ; for every one must be
judged according to his own works.

10 Let him that is taught in the
word join with the teacher in all good
undertakings. 1 1 Be not deceived ; God is not
mocked ; whatever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap ; he that
soweth^to his flesh, shall of the flesh
reap corruption ; but he that soweth
to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting.
12 Let us not be weary in well
doing ; for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not.
13 As we have opportunity, let us
do good to everybody, especially to
those who belong to our own house
hold of faith.
14 Those who desire to make a
fair show in the flesh, are constraining
you to conform to ordinances ; but
they do it that they may escape from
persecution for the cross of Christ.
15 For not even do they who
themselves conform to ordinances
keep the law ; only they desire to
have you conform in order to gain
praise from men.
16 But God forbid that I should
seek praise, save in the cross of Jesus
Christ our Master ; through whom
the world is crucified to me, and I
to the world. For neither is con
formity to ordinances any thing, nor
is nonconformity any thing, but a
new creature.
17 Now to as many as walk by
this rule, and to the Israel of God,
upon them be peace and mercy.
18 Henceforth let no one trouble
me ; for I bear branded upon my
body the marks of Jesus.
19 Brethren, the grace of Jesus
Christ our Master be with your
spirit. Amen.

230

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — EPHESIANS.

LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS.

SELECTION I.
Through the agency of Jesus all parti
tion walls between man and man are to be
broken down, and the whole human family
brought to be partakers of the same Spirit;
thus all shall become fellow -citizens not
only, but also common members of the
household of God.
P)AUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus
¦^ by the will of God, to the
saints, and believers in Christ Jesus :
Grace be to you, and peace, from
God our Father, and from Jesus
Christ our Master.
2 Blessed be God, the Father of
Jesus Christ our Master, who has
blessed us with every spiritual bless
ing in the heavenly regions through
Christ ; according as he chose us in
him, before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and
blameless before him. Having also
in love appointed us to be as sons
adopted for himself, through Jesus
Christ, according to the good pleas
ure of his will, to the praise and
glory of his grace, which he freely
bestowed on us in the beloved :
through whom, by reason of his
death on the cross all have redemp
tion and the forgiveness of our tres
passes, according to the fulness of
his grace, which he caused to abound
toward us, in all wisdom and under
standing. 3 He also has made known to us
the mystery of his will (according to
his good pleasure which he purposed
in himself), with reference to the dis
pensation of the fulness of the times;

that is, his purpose through Christ
to gather for himself into one, all
things ; — things which are in the
heavens, and things on the earth,
even through him, by whom we also
have obtained the inheritance.
4 For according to the purpose of
him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will, we were
chosen, that we should be to the
praise of his glory ; we who have
already placed our hope in the Mes
siah. And ye also, after having
heard the word of truth, the glad
tidings of salvation ; I say, ye also,
having believed in him, were sealed
with the Holy Spirit that was prom
ised, which is a pledge of our son
ship until the redemption of God's
own possession, to the praise of his
glory. 5 For this cause I also, having
heard of your faith in Jesus the
Master, and of your love to all the
saints, do not cease to give thanks
for you, making mention of you in
my prayers ; that the God of Jesus
Christ our Master, the Father of
glory, would give to you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the full
knowledge of him ; that the eyes of
your mind may be enlightened, so
that ye may know what is the hope
of your calling, and what the riches
of the glory of the inheritance which
he hath given among the saints, and
what the exceeding greatness of his
power toward us who believe.
6 For, by the working of his
mighty power, he wrought through

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — EPHESIANS.

231

Christ ; and also raised him from the
dead ; and seated him at his own
right hand in the heavenly regions,
far above all rule, and authority, and
government, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this
age, but also in the ages which are
to come. And he subjected all
things to him, and appointed him to
be head over all in the congregation,
which is his body, and which is also
the fulness of him, who filleth all
with all.
7 Moreover, by the workings of
his mighty power he also raised us
up, who were dead through tres
passes and sins, in which we once
walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince
of the powers of the air, the spirit
that is now working in the sons of
disobedience. Among such as these
even we all had our way of life in
times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the thoughts, and were by nature
children of indignation, even as
others. 8 But God, who is rich in mercy,
on account of his great love where
with he loved us even when we were
dead in trespasses, gave to us life
with Christ, — by grace have we been
saved, — and raised us up with him,
and caused us to sit with him in the
heavenly regions, that he might in
the ages to come display the exceed
ing riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us who are in Christ Jesus.
9 For by grace have we been
saved, through faith ; and it is not
of ourselves ; it is in the gift of God ;
not because of our works, lest any
one should boast ; inasmuch as we

ourselves are his workmanship, cre
ated in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God before appointed that we
should perform.
10 Wherefore remember, that in
time past ye, Gentiles in the flesh,
were without Christ ; being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel
and strangers to the covenants of
the promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world. But now,
through Christ Jesus, even through
his death, ye, who formerly were
afar off, have been brought nigh.
11 For it is he who is our peace,
who made both Jews and Gentiles
one, and broke down the middle
wall of partition that separated us,
that is, the enmity ; having abolish
ed the law of commandments con
tained in ordinances ; that he might
create of the two one new man in
himself, thus making peace, and
might reconcile both to God in one
body by the cross, having slain on it
the enmity.
12 And he came and brought the
glad tidings of peace to you who
were afar off, and of peace to those
that were near ; for through him we
all have access in the same Spirit to
the Father.
13 So then ye are no longer
strangers and foreigners, but are
fellow-citizens with the saints, and
members of the household of God;
and are buih: upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Christ
Jesus himself being the chief corner
stone ; in whom all the building,
fitly framed together, is growing
into a holy temple in the Lord ; in
whom ye also are built together into
a dwelling-place of God in the Spirit.

232

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — EPHESIANS.

SELECTION II.
Every true follower of Christ aspires
to be perfect in wisdom and virtue; in
order to this, all rivalry, hatred, anger
and moral impurities must be striven
against and overcome.
T N other generations was not made
known to the sons of men, as it
hath now been made known to the
holy apostles and prophets by the
Spirit, that the Gentiles are fellow-
heirs of the same body, and par
takers with us of the same promise.
But now hath it been made known in
Christ Jesus through the gospel, of
which I became a minister according
to the gift of the grace of God, and
the effectual working of his power.
2 To me, who am less than the
least of all saints, was this grace
given, to make known among the
Gentiles the glad tidings of the un
searchable riches of Christ : that all
men might see what is the dispensa
tion of the mystery, which hath
been hidden for ages in God, but
which he accomplished in Christ
Jesus our Master, by whom we have
boldness and access in confidence,
through the faith that was in him.
3 For this cause I bend my knees
to the Father, from whom every
family in heaven and on earth re-
ceiveth its name, that he would grant
you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might
by his Spirit, in the inner man ; and
that the faith of Christ may dwell in
your hearts, so that being rooted
and grounded in love, ye may be
able to comprehend, with all the
saints, what is its breadth, and
length, and depth, and height : and
to know the love of Christ, which

passeth knowledge, and may be filled
unto all the fulness of God.
4 To him that is able to do ex
ceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the
power that worketh in us, to him be
glory in the congregation of Christ
Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever. Amen.
5 I exhort you, therefore, I the
prisoner of the Lord, to walk worthi
ly of the calling with which ye were
called, with all humility and meek
ness, with long-suffering ; bearing
with one another in love, endeavoring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace.
6 There is one body, and one
Spirit, even as ye were called in one
hope of your calling; one Master,
one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is over all, and
through all, and in all.
7 But to each one of us was given
grace according to the measure of
the gift of Christ ; some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some
to be evangelists, and some to be
pastors and teachers ; for the per
fecting of the saints for the work of
ministration, for the building up of
the body of Christ ; till we all attain
to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the son of God, to
full-grown manhood, even to the
measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ.
8 So then let us no longer be chil
dren, tossed to and fro and borne
about by every wind of doctrine,
through the dishonest tricks of men,
and their cunning in the wily arts of
error. But cleaving to truth in love,
let us grow up in all things unto

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — EPHESIANS.

233

him who is the head, even Christ ;
from whom the whole body (well put
together and compacted by means of
every supplying joint) is, according
to the working of each part in its
proportion, building itself up in love.
9 This therefore I say, and charge
you in the Lord, that ye no longer
walk as other Gentiles walk in the
vanity of their mind, having their
understanding darkened, being alien
ated from the life of God on account
of their ignorance and the hardness
of their hearts. Who, being past
feeling, have given themselves up to
wantonness, to work all uncleanness
in greediness.
10 But not so did ye learn Christ,
if indeed ye heard and were taught
of him, according to the truth. But,
as to your former way of life, ye
were taught that ye should put off
the old man, which is corrupt accord
ing to deceitful lusts, and should
be renewed in the spirit of your
mind ; putting on the new man,
which is created according to God
in righteousness, and holiness, and
truth. 11 Wherefore having put away
falsehood, speak truth every one
with his neighbor ; for we are
members one of another.
12 Be angry, and sin not ; let not
the sun go down upon your wrath ;
and do not give place to the Evil
One. 13 Let him that stole steal no
more, but rather let him labor, work
ing with his hands at that which is
honorable, that he may have to give
to him that is in need.
14 Let no foul language proceed
out of your mouth, but whatever is

good for edification, as the need
may be, that it may benefit the
hearers. And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye were
sealed unto the day of redemption.
15 Let all bitterness, and wrath,
and anger, and clamor, and evil-
speaking, be put away from you,
with all malice ; and be kind to one
another, tender-hearted, forgiving
one another, even as God in Christ
forgiveth you.
16 Be therefore imitators of God,
as beloved children ; and walk in
love, as Christ also loved you, and
gave himself for you, as an offering
and a sacrifice of sweet odor to God.
SELECTION III.
Precepts of morality and religion, to be
observed by all who profess to follow
Christ. DUT fornication, and all unclean-
ness, or covetousness, let it not
even be named among you, as be
cometh saints, neither obscenity, nor
foolish talking, nor indecent jesting,
which are not becoming ; but rather
giving of thanks.
2 For of this we are sure, that
no fornicator, nor unclean person,
nor covetous man, (who is an idola
ter,) hath an inheritance in the king
dom of Christ and of God. Let no
one with vain words entice you to do
these things ; for because of them
the indignation of God cometh upon
the children of disobedience.
3 Be not therefore partakers with
them ; for though ye were once in
darkness, now are ye light in the
Lord. Walk as children of light ; for
the fruit of light is goodness, and
righteousness, and truth.

234

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — EPHESIANS.

4 Make proof of what is accepta
ble to the Lord ; and have no com
panionship with the unfruitful work
ers of darkness, but rather rebuke
them ; for the things which they do in
secret, it is a shame even to speak of.
5 But all things are made mani
fest by the light, and whatever mak
eth manifest is light ; wherefore
awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ will give
thee light.
6 See, then, that ye walk circum
spectly ; not as fools, but as wise
men ; making good use of your op
portunities, because the days are
evil ; be not unwise, but understand
what the will of the Lord is.
7 And be not drunk with wine,
in which is dissoluteness ; but be
filled with the Spirit, speaking to
one another in psalms, and hymns,
and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the
Lord. 8 Give thanks always for all things
to God the Father, in the name of
Jesus Christ our Master, submitting
yourselves one to another, according
to the commandment of Christ.
9 Wives, submit yourselves to your
husbands, as in the Lord ; for even
as Christ is the head of the congre
gation, so is the husband of the wife ;
and as the congregation yields the
supremacy in all things to Christ, so
let wives yield to their husbands.
io Husbands, love your wives, as
Christ also loved the congregation,
and gave himself for it, that he
might sanctify and cleanse it in the
word, as by the washing of water;
and might present it to himself,
glorious, having no spot or wrinkle,

or any such thing, but holy and
without blemish.
ii In like manner husbands ought
to love their wives as their own
bodies, for he that loveth his wife
loveth himself: and no one ever yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth
and cherisheth it; even so Christ
nourisheth and cherisheth the
church ; for we are members of his
body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
12 For this cause shall a man
leave his father and mother, and
shall cleave to his wife ; and the
twain shall become one flesh. This
mystery is great : but I speak in re
gard of Christ and of the congrega
tion. Nevertheless do ye also sever
ally love each one his own wife even
as himself ; and let the wife see that
she reverence her husband.
13 Children, obey your parents in
the Lord ; for this is right. Honor
thy father and mother ; which is the
first commandment with a promise;
that it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest live long on the earth.
14 And, ye fathers, stir not up the
anger of your children, but bring
them up in the discipline and in
struction of the Lord.
15 Servants, obey those who are
your masters according to the flesh,
with carefulness and respect, in sin
gleness of heart, as though serving
Christ ; not with eye-service, as men-
pleasers, but as servants of Christ,
doing the will of God from the
heart; doing service cheerfully, as
to the Lord, and not to men ; know
ing that whatever good each one
shall have done, for that shall he re
ceive praise from the Lord, whether
he be bondman or free.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PHILIPPIANS.

235

16 And, ye masters, do the same
things to your servants, forbearing
to threaten them ; knowing that both
they and you have a Master in
heaven, and that there is no respect
of persons with him.
17 Finally, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might. Put
on the whole armor of God, that ye
may be able to stand against the
wiles of evil ; for our wrestling is
not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers,
against the world-rulers of this dark
ness, against the spiritual hosts of
evil in the heavenly regions.
18 Wherefore take up the whole
armor of God, that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day ; and
having done all, to stand.
19 Stand therefore, having girded
your loins with truth, and having
put on the breast plate of righteous
ness, and having shod your feet with

the preparation of the gospel of
peace ; taking up, in addition to all,
the shield of faith, by which ye will
be able to quench all the fiery darts
of the Evil One.
20 And receive the helmet of sal
vation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God ; praying
with all prayer and entreaty at all
times in the Spirit. And watching
to this end with all perseverance and
entreaty for all the saints; and for
me, that utterance may be given me
in the opening of my mouth, to
make known with boldness the mys
tery of the gospel, in behalf of which
I am an ambassador in chains ; that
I may speak it boldly, as I ought to
speak. 21 Peace be to the brethren, and
love with faith, from God the Father,
and from Jesus Christ the Master.
Grace be with all those who love
Jesus Christ our Master in sincerity.

LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

SELECTION I.
Tribulations endured for truth's sake
always result both in the advancement of
truth, and in the ennoblement of those
who, in spite of tribulations, advocate or
defend it.
P)AUL and Timothy, servants of
¦*¦ Christ Jesus, to all the saints
in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi,
with the overseers and deacons :
Grace to you and peace from God
our Father, and from Jesus Christ
the Master.
2 I thank my God in all my re
membrance of you, always in every

prayer of mine for you all, praying
with joy because of your fellowship
in the defence of the gospel from
the first day until now.
3 I am confident of this very thing,
that he who began in you a good
work, will perfect it, until the day of
Christ Jesus. And it is natural for
me to think this of you, because I
have you in my heart ; both in my
persecutions, and in the defence and
confirmation of the gospel, all of you
are sharers of the favor bestowed on
me. 4 For God is my witness how

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much I long for you all in the tender
affections of Christ Jesus, praying
that your love may abound yet more
and more in knowledge and in all
discernment. And that ye may ap
prove the things that are most ex
cellent, in order that ye may be pure
and without offence against the day
of Christ, being filled with the fruit
of righteousness which is through
Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise
of God.
5 But I wish you to know, breth
ren, that my tribulations have re
sulted in the furtherance of the gos
pel; so that even my bonds have
become known in connection with
Christ in the whole camp of the im
perial guards, and to all the rest.
6 Moreover, the great part of the
brethren have been emboldened in
the Lord by my bonds, and are much
more courageous to proclaim the
gospel without fear. I confess that
some of them indeed proclaim Christ
from envy and strife ; but some also
from good-will. They who are of
love proclaim Christ, because they
know that I am set for the defence
of the gospel ; but they who are of a
factious spirit proclaim him with no
pure intent, thinking to add affliction
to my bonds.
7 What then ? Notwithstanding
whether it be in pretence or whether
it be in sincerity that Christ is pro
claimed, therein do I rejoice, yea,
and will rejoice.
8 And I know that through your
supplications this will turn out to my
salvation, and to the increase of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to
my earnest expectation and hope ; so
that in nothing shall I be put to

shame, but with all boldness, as
always, so also now, will I magnify
Christ in my body, whether by life,
or by death.
9 Living, to me, means the service
of Christ ; and to die is gain. So long
as I continue in the flesh, this, the
service of Christ, is the object of all
my labor ; but as to my choice, I
cannot say ; for I am held in a strait
by the two, having a desire to depart,
and be with Christ, which is by
far the better ; nevertheless, to abide
in the flesh is more needful for your
sake. And being persuaded of this,
I know that I shall abide and continue
with you all for your advancement
and joy in the faith, that your
glorying of me, in the cause of Christ
Jesus, may be more abundant.
10 Only conduct yourselves in a
manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ, that whether I come to you,
or whether I remain absent, I may
hear of your affairs, and know that
ye stand fast in one spirit, with one
soul striving together for the faith of
the gospel.
1 1 And be in nothing terrified by
your adversaries ; for your tribula
tions, which to them are evident to
kens of perdition, are to you tokens
of salvation ; and that from God ; for
to you it is given in behalf of Christ,
not only to believe in him, but also
in his behalf to suffer.
12 If then there is any exhor
tation in Christ, if any encourage
ment from love, if any partaking of
the Spirit, if any tenderness and com
passion, make my joy full, that ye be
of the same mind, having the same
love, with union of soul cherishing
one mind ; doing nothing in the

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PHILIPPIANS.

237

spirit of faction, or in the spirit of
vainglory, but in humility esteeming
others as better than yourselves ;
looking each of you not to his own
interest alone, but also each to the
interest of others.
13 Yea, let this same mind be in
you which was in Christ Jesus ; who,
being created in the likeness of God,
yet did not consider it a thing to be
aspired to, to appear to be on an
equality with God ; but he made
himself of no reputation, taking the
position of a servant, and becoming
like unto his fellow-men.
14 So, appearing simply as a man,
he humbled himself to the duties which
appertained to him, and was obedient
unto death, even the death of the
cross ; on which account God also
highly exalted him, and gave him a
name which is above every name.
15 For, to the name of Jesus, every
knee, both of those who are in
heaven, and those on earth, and
those under the earth, shall bow ;
and every tongue shall acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Master, to the
glory of God the Father.
SELECTION II.
Salvation from transgression and its
dire results, can only be secured by great
and continued personal efforts. The right
eousness of God, which was exhibited in
Christ, is the righteousness which all must
laboriously seek.
Co then, my beloved, as ye always
*-^ obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling ; for it is God
who worketh in you both to will and
to do according to his good pleasure.

2 Do all things without murmur-
ings and doubts ; that ye may be
blameless and pure, children of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation ;
among whom ye shine as luminaries
in the world, holding forth the word
of life.
3 But if I am even sacrificed, as an
offering and a ministration for your
faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you
all ; for the same reason do ye also
rejoice, and rejoice with me.
4 So, my brethren, rejoice in the
Lord ; to repeat the same things to
you, to me is not burdensome, and
for you it is safe.
5 Beware of the dogs, the evil
workmen who preach the necessity
of conformity to ordinances. We are
the conformists, even we who wor
ship by the Spirit of God, and glory
in Christ Jesus, having no confidence
in the ordinances of the flesh.
6 But if any man thinketh that he
hath reason for boasting in the flesh,
I more than all : circumcised the
eighth day, of the race of Israel, of
the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
the Hebrews ; as to the law, a Phari
see ; as to zeal, persecuting the
church ; as to the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless. But all these
things which once were gain to me,
now for the sake of Christ I have
counted but loss.
7 Nay more, I count all things
to be loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Master; for whom I have already
suffered the loss of all things, and
count them as refuse, that I may
gain Christ, and be found in him, not
having the self-righteousness of the

238

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PHILIPPIANS.

law, but that which comes through
faith in Christ, even the righteous
ness which is from God.
8 And that I may know him, and
the power of his resurrection, and
the fellowship of his sufferings, while
becoming like him in his death, if by
any means I may attain to the resur
rection of the dead.
9 For I have not yet attained,
neither have I yet been made per
fect ; but I press on, if I may also
lay hold of that for which I was
laid hold of by Christ. Brethren, I
do not reckon myself to have laid
hold of it ; but one thing I do, for
getting the things that are behind,
and stretching forth to the things
that are before, I press toward the
mark for the prize of the heavenly
calling of God in Christ Jesus.
io Let us, therefore, as many as
desire to be perfect, be of this mind;
but if ye have a different mind in
any thing, even this will God
reveal to you ; nevertheless, where
to we have reached, in that let us
walk. ii Brethren, be ye followers to
gether of me, and mark those who
walk not according to our example ;
for many walk, of whom I told you
often, and now tell you even weep
ing, that they are enemies to the
cross of Christ ; whose end is de
struction, whose God is their belly,
whose glory is in their shame, and
whose mind is on earthly things.
12 But the country of which we
are citizens is heaven, whence also
we follow the Saviour, Jesus Christ
the Master.
13 He will transform the body of
our humiliation so that it shall be

conformed to the body of his glory,
according to the working of the
power with which he is able to sub
due all things to himself.
14 Therefore, my brethren, belov
ed and longed for, my joy and crown,
so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Rejoice in the Lord always ; again I
will say it, rejoice. Let your mod
eration be known to all men. The
Lord is at hand.
15 Be anxious about nothing, but
in every thing by prayer and suppli
cation with thanksgiving let your re
quests be made known to God ; and
the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, will keep your
hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. 16 Finally, brethren, whatever
things are true, whatever things are
honorable, whatever things are right,
whatever things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever things
are of good report, if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
17 The things which ye learned,
and received, and heard, and saw in
me, these do ; and the God of peace
will be with you.
18 I have learned, in whatever
state I am, therewith to be content.
I know how to be abased, and I
know also how to abound ; in every
thing and in all things I have been
well taught, both to be full and to
be hungry, both to abound and to
be in want ; I can do all things in
him who strengtheneth me.
19 Now to God, our Father, be
glory for ever. Amen.
20 The grace of Jesus Christ the
Master be with your spirit.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — COLOSSIANS.

239

LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS.

SELECTION I.
Every true philanthropist seeks, even as
did Christ Jesus, by love, sympathy, and
consecrated labors to reconcile or to unite
all mankind to God.
P)AUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus
through the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, to the saints
and faithful brethren in Christ at
Colosse ; Grace to you and peace
from God our Father.
2 We give thanks to God, the
Father of Jesus Christ our Master,
praying always for you, since we
knew of your faith in Christ Jesus,
and of the love which ye have to all
the holy, on account of the hope
which is laid up for you in the
heavens. Of which hope ye heard
before in the truth of the gospel,
which has come to you, as it has
come to all the world ; and which is
bearing fruit and growing, as it doth
also in you, from the day ye heard
it, and knew the grace of God in
truth. 3 On this account we also, from
the day we heard of it, cease not to
pray for you, and to ask that ye may
be filled with the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual un
derstanding; that ye may walk
worthily of the Lord so as to please
him in all things, bearing fruit in
every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God ; and that
ye may be endued with all power
according to the might of his glory
to all patience and long-suffering
with joy.

4 Moreover, we give thanks to the
Father, who enabled us to share
with the saints in the inheritance of
light, having rescued us from the
empire of darkness, and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved
Son ; through whom we have our re
demption, and the forgiveness of our
transgressions. 5 For he is an image of the in
visible God, the firstborn of all crea
tion ; in him were all things created,
in the heavens and upon the earth,
things visible and things invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers ; all things
have been created through him, and
unto him ; and he is before all things,
and in him all things consist. And
he is the head of the body, that is,
of the congregation, who is the be
ginning, the firstborn from the dead ;
that in all things he might have the
pre-eminence. 6 For God was pleased that in
him all the fulness should dwell ;
and that by him who through the
blood of his cross declared peace,
by him, I say, God was pleased to
reconcile all things to himself,
whether things on earth, or those in
the heavens.
7 And you, that were once alien
ated, and enemies in your mind
through wicked works, now hath he
in the body of his flesh through
his death reconciled, that he might
present you holy and blameless and
irreproachable in his sight. There
fore continue ye in the faith,
grounded and settled ; and be not

240

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — COLOSSIANS.

moved away from the hope of the
gospel, which ye heard.
8 Now I rejoice in my sufferings
for you, and fill up in my flesh on be
half of his body, which is the congre
gation, that which is wanting of the
afflictions of Christ ; of whom I be
came a minister, according to the
stewardship which God entrusted
to me, for you, to fulfil the word of
God, the mystery which hath been
hidden for ages and generations,
but hath been now revealed to his
saints. 9 To whom it was the will of
God to make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles, which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory ; whom
we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom,
that we may present every man per
fect in Christ ; to which end I also
am laboring, striving earnestly
through his working, which worketh
within me mightily.
SELECTION II.
Of the Divine fulness that was in
Christ, we also should partake ; and thus,
like him, be raised up above the world, from
the power of transgression and death into
¦enduring spiritual life.
'"P HOUGH I am absent in body,
yet in the spirit I am with you,
rejoicing and beholding your order,
and the steadfastness of your faith in
Christ. As therefore ye have re
ceived Christ Jesus the Master, walk
in him, rooted and built up in him,
and established in the faith, as ye
bave been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving.
2 Beware lest there be some one

who shall make a prey of you
through philosophy and vain deceit,
according to the tradition of men,
according to the rudiments of the
world, and not according to Christ.
For in him dwelleth the complete
measure of the Godhead in bodily
form, and ye are made full in him,
who is the head of all principality
and power.
3 And with him, through faith in
the working of God, who raised him
from the dead, were ye also raised to
life ; and to you who were dead in
your trespasses and the lusts of
your flesh, hath he given life together
with him, having forgiven us all our
trespasses. He hath blotted out the
handwriting in ordinances that was
against us, which was opposed to us,
and hath taken it out of the way,
and nailed it to the cross.
4 Let no one then call you to ac
count about food or drink, or a feast-
day, or a new moon, or sabbaths;
which are a shadow of the things
to come, but the substance is in
Christ. 5 Let no one defraud you of the
prize, desiring you to prostrate your
selves and worship angels ; for they in
trude into things which they have not
seen, being puffed up without reason
by the carnal mind, instead of hold
ing fast the Head, from which
the whole body, supported and
compacted by means of the joints
and ligaments, groweth with an in
crease wrought by God.
6 If ye died with Christ to the
rudiments of the world, why, as still
living in the world, do ye subject
yourselves to such ordinances, as
" Handle not, Taste not, Touch

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — COLOSSIANS.

241

not, the things which are to perish
with the using," according to the
commandments and teachings of
men ; these things have indeed a
show of wisdom in will-worship and
humiliation and severity to the body ;
but for the subjugation of the flesh
they are not of any value.
7 If, then, ye were raised togeth
er with Christ, seek the things that
are above, where Christ is, seated on
the right hand of God. Set your
mind on the things above, not on
things on the earth ; for ye are dead
to the earth, and your life is hidden
with Christ in God ; when Christ, our
life, shall be manifested, then will
we also be manifested with him in
glory. 8 Put to death, therefore, your
carnal passions, such as fornication,
uncleanness, lust, evil desire, and
covetousness (which is idolatry) ; on
account of which things cometh the
indignation of God. In which things
ye also once walked, when ye lived
in them ; but now put ye away all
these ; as also such things as anger,
wrath, malice, evil-speaking, obscene
language out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing
that ye have put off the old man
with his deeds, and have put on the
new man, who is renewed unto
knowledge after the image of him
that created him ; where there is
no Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian,
bondman, freeman ; but Christ is all,
and in all.
IO Clothe yourselves, therefore, as
the chosen of God, holy and beloved,
with compassionate affections, kind
ness, lowliness of mind, meekness,

long-suffering ; bearing with each
other, and forgiving each other, if
any one have a complaint against an
other ; even as Christ freely forgave,
so do ye also freely forgive.
1 1 And over all these things put
on the robe of love, which is the
bond of perfectness ; and let the
peace of Christ, to which ye were
called in one body, rule in your
hearts ; and be ye thankful.
12 Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly ; in all wisdom teaching
and admonishing one another with
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
in grace singing in your hearts to
God. And whatever ye do, in
word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father, through him.
13 Wives, submit yourselves to
your husbands, as it is fit in the
Lord. Husbands, love your wives,
and be not bitter against them.
14 Children, obey your parents in
all things ; for this is well-pleasing in
the Lord. Fathers, provoke not
your children, lest they be discour
aged. 15 Servants, obey in all things
those who are your masters accord
ing to the flesh, not with eye-service,
as men-pleasers, but in singleness of
heart, fearing the Lord.
16 Whatever ye do, do it from the
heart, as to the Lord, and not to
men, knowing that it is from the
Lord that ye will receive the recom
pense of the inheritance. Ye serve
the Master, Christ.
17 He that doeth wrong, shall re
ceive back the wrong which he hath
done ; and there is no respect of per
sons.

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1 8 Masters, deal out to your
servants justice and equity, knowing
that ye also have a master in heaven.
19 Persevere in prayer, being
watchful therein with thanksgiving ;
praying at the same time for us also,
that God may open to us a door for
the word, to speak the mystery of
Christ, for the sake of which I am also

in bonds ; that I may speak it, as I
ought to speak.
20 Walk in wisdom toward them
that are without, redeeming the
time. 21 Let your speech be always
with grace, seasoned with salt, that
ye may know how ye ought to
answer every one.

LETTERS TO THE THESSALONIANS.

SELECTION I.
The plainness and truthfulness of teach
ing which all faithful and wise instructors
will be constrained to use.
V/'E yourselves know, brethren,
that our coming among you
hath not been in vain ; but we were
bold in our God to speak to you the
gospel of God in much conflict. For
our teaching is not from error, nor
from impurity, nor in guile ; but as
we have been regarded by God as
worthy to be intrusted with the
gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing
men, but God, who trieth our hearts.
2 And neither at any time did we
use flattering words, as ye know, nor
a cloak of covetousness, God is wit
ness ; nor from men sought we glory,
either from you or from others.
3 And we were gentle in the midst
of you, even as a nurse cherisheth
her own children ; so having a strong
affection for you, we were willing to
impart to you, not only the gospel of
God, but also our own souls, because
ye became dear to us. For ye re
member, brethren, our labor and toil,
how laboring night and day, that we
might not be burdensome to any of

you, we preached to you the gospel of
God. 4 Ye are witnesses, and so is God,
how holily, and righteously, and un-
blamably we conducted ourselves
toward you that believe ; as ye know
how we exhorted, and encouraged,
and charged every one of you, as a
father doth his children, that ye
should walk in a manner worthy of
God, who is calling you to his own
kingdom and glory.
5 And for this cause we also thank
God without ceasing, that when ye
received the word of God which ye
heard from us, ye received it not as
the word of men, but, as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also is
powerfully working in you that
believe. 6 For ye, brethren, became imita
tors of the congregations of God
which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus :
for ye also suffered the same things
from your own countrymen, as they
have from the Jews ; who both killed
Jesus the Master, and the prophets,
and drove us out, and sought not
to please God, but set themselves
against all men, hindering us from

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THESSALONIANS.

243

speaking for the salvation of the
Gentiles. Thus do they fill up their
sins always ; and on this account
the indignation of God is come upon
them to the uttermost.
7 But we, brethren, having been
bereaved of you for a short time,
separated in body, not in heart, used
the greater endeavors with much
earnestness to see your face. For
what is our hope, or joy, or crown of
glorying? Is it not even ye, in the
presence of Jesus our Master at his
coming ? For ye are our glory and joy.
8 May God himself, our Father,
and Jesus our Master, direct our
way to you ; and tlie Lord make you
to increase and abound in love
toward one another and toward all,
even as we do in love toward you.
9 Furthermore then, brethren, we
beseech you, and exhort you in Jesus
the Master, that, as ye received from
us how ye ought to walk and to
please God, even as ye are walking,
so abound ye still more, for this is
the will of God, even your sanctifica
tion. 10 Abstain from fornication ; let
every one of you know how to pro
cure for himself his own companion
in purity and honor, not in the pas
sion of lust, as do the Gentiles who
know not God.
11 Let no one go beyona and
overreach his brother in any matter;
because the Lord is the avenger in
respect to all these things, as we also
told you before and solemnly testi
fied. God did not call us to live in
uncleanness, but in purity ; and he
that rejecteth God's call, rejecteth
not man, but God, who also gave to
us his Holy Spirit.

12 Concerning brotherly love there
is no need of writing to you ; for ye
yourselves are taught of God to love
one another; but we exhort you,
brethren, to abound in love still
more. 13 Study to be quiet, and to do
your own business, and to work with
your own hands, as we commanded
you ; that ye may walk becomingly
toward those without, and may have
need of nothing. SELECTION II.
Death is but a falling off of ihe body, and
a rising up of the soul ; for this transforr
mation all should be in constant readiness.
"DUT we would not have you ig-
norant, brethren, concerning
those who have fallen asleep, that ye
may not sorrow, as others do, who
have no hope. For if we believe that
Jesus died and reappeared, then will
God, with Jesus, also restore those
who have fallen asleep.
2 So, then, comfort one another
with these words; but concerning
times and seasons there is no need of
writing to you ; for ye yourselves
know full well, that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the
night. When they are saying, Peace
and safety, then doth sudden de
struction come upon them, as travail
upon a woman with child ; and they
shall not escape.
3 But ye, brethren, are not in dark
ness, that the day should overtake
you as a thief ; for ye all are sons of
light, and sons of the day ; we are
not of the night, nor of darkness.
4 So, then, let us not sleep, as oth
ers do, but let us watch and be sober ;
for they that sleep, sleep in the night;

244

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — THESSALONIANS.

and they that are drunken, are drunk
en in the night.
5 But let us, as we are of the day,
be sober, putting on the breastplate
of faith and love, and as a helmet, the
hope of salvation ; for God did not
appoint us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation through Jesus Christ our
Master, who died for us, that, whether
in life or in death, we should be
alive together with him. Where
fore, encourage one another, and
edify one another, as indeed ye are
doing. ¦ 6 And we beseech you, brethren,
to know those who labor among you,
and preside over you in the Lord,
and admonish you, and to esteem
them very highly in love for their
work's sake. Be at peace among
yourselves. 7 Moreover we exhort you, breth
ren, admonish the unruly, comfort
the feeble-minded, support the weak,
be forbearing to all.
8 See that none render evil for
evil to any one ; but ever follow
that which is good, both toward one
another and toward all.
9 Be always joyful. Pray with
out ceasing, and in every thing give
thanks ; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus in regard to you.
io Quench not the Spirit ; de
spise not prophesyings, but prove all
things ; hold fast that which is good ;
abstain from every form of evil.
ii And may the God of peace
himself sanctify you wholly; and
may your spirit, and soul, and body,
be preserved entire, and without
blame ; to the coming of Jesus Christ
our Master ; faithful is he who calleth
you, who also will do it.

12 Finally, brethren, pray for us,
that the word of the Lord may run
and be glorified, even as it is with
you ; and that we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men ;
for all have not faith. But faithful
is the Lord, who will establish you,
and guard you from evil ; and in the
Lord we have confidence concerning
you, that ye both do and will do the
things which we command. May
the Lord direct your hearts to the
love of God, and to perseverance in
the cause of Christ.
13 Now we charge you, brethren,
in the name of the Master, Jesus
Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh
disorderly, and not after the tra
dition which they received of us.
For ye know how ye ought to follow
us, inasmuch as we behaved not our
selves disorderly among you, neither
did we eat any man's bread for
nought, but were working with labor
and travail night and day, that we
might not be burdensome to any of
you ; not because we had not au
thority to do otherwise, but to make
ourselves an example to you, that ye
should follow us.
14 When we were with you, this
we commanded you : If any one
will not work, neither let him eat.
Now we hear of some who walk
among you disorderly, working not
at all, but are busybodies ; such we
charge and exhort in the name of
Jesus Christ the Master, that with
quietness they work, and eat their
own bread. But ye, brethren, be not
weary in well-doing. And if any
one obey not our word, mark that
man ; and keep no company with

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

245

him, that he may be shamed; yet
count him not as an enemy, but ad
monish him as a brother.

15 Now the Lord of peace himself
give you peace always in every way;
the Lord be with you all.

LETTERS TO TIMOTHY.

SELECTION I.
God's true service is the service of love j
only the rebellious and impure need the
compulsions of law.
P)AUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus,
¦*- through the command of God,
our Saviour, and of Christ Jesus,
our hope, to Timothy, my true child
in the faith: Grace, mercy, peace,
from God the Father and from Christ
Jesus our Master.
2 I besought thee, when I set out
for Macedonia, to remain still in
Ephesus, that thou mightest charge
certain persons not to teach other
doctrine, nor to give heed to fables
and endless genealogies, which oc
casion disputes rather than promote
God's dispensation, which is in faith ;
so do.
3 For the end of the command
ment is love, out of a pure heart and
a good conscience and faith un
feigned ; from which some swerving
turned aside to vain babbling, de
siring to be teachers of the law,
understanding neither what they say,
nor whereof they affirm.
4 We know that the law is good,
if a man use it lawfully ; but we also
know that it is not designed for
righteous men, but for the lawless
and unruly, for the ungodly and sin
ful, for the unholy and profane, for
murderers of fathers and murderers

of mothers, for man-slayers, for forni
cators, for them that defile them
selves with mankind, for men-stealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and
for all others who do the things which
are contrary to the sound teaching
of the glorious gospel of the blessed
God which was committed to my
trust. 5 And I thank him who gave me
strength, Christ Jesus our Master,
that he accounted me faithful, put
ting me into the ministry, though
formerly I was a blasphemer, and a
persecutor, and a doer of outrage; but
I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly, in unbelief. And the
grace of Christ Jesus the Master was
exceedingly abundant toward me
with faith and love. True is the
saying, and worthy of all acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save transgressors, of whom I am
chief. But to this end I obtained
mercy, that through me especially
Christ Jesus might show forth all his
long-suffering, as an example to those
who should hereafter believe in him
to life everlasting. To the King
eternal — the imperishable, invisible,
only God — be honor and glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
6 This charge I commit to thee,
my child Timothy, in accordance
with the directions of the prophets

246

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

before given to thee, that thou mayest
war the good warfare, having faith,
and a good conscience, which some
thrusting away made shipwreck con
cerning the faith.
7 First of all, then, I exhort that
supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks be made for all
men ; for kings, and all that are in
authority ; that we may lead a quiet
and tranquil life in all godliness and
propriety. For this is good and ac
ceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour, whose will is that all men
should be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth.
8 There is one God, and between
God and men one mediator, the
man Christ Jesus, who gave himself
a ransom for all ; to this truth, testi
mony was to be borne in its own
due time, and for this end I was
appointed a herald and an apostle,
(I speak the truth, I lie not,) to be
even to the Gentiles a teacher in
faith and truth.
9 I desire, then, that men pray in
every place, liftyig up holy hands,
without impatience or doubt.
SELECTION II.
Some instructions as to what should be
the character and what the teachings of a
minister of Christ.
TF a man desire the office of an
overseer in the church, he desir
eth a good work ; but an overseer
must be blameless, the husband of
one wife, sober, discreet, orderly,
hospitable, apt in teaching; not
given to wine, not retaliating, but
inclined to forbearance, not quarrel
some, not a lover of money ; presid
ing well over his own house, hav

ing his children in subjection with
all propriety ; — for if a man knoweth
not how to preside over his own
house, how shall he preside over the
church of God? — not newly con
verted, lest being puffed up with
pride he fall into condemnation ;
moreover, he must also have a good
report from them that are without,
lest he fall into reproach and the
snare of the evil one.
2 Deacons, in like manner, must
be grave, not double-tongued, not
given to much wine, not greedy of
base gain, holding the mystery of
the faith in a pure conscience. And
let these also first be proved, and if
they are without reproach, then let
them serve as deacons. The women
who serve in this office, in like man
ner, must be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things. Also
let deacons be the husbands of one
wife, ruling their children and their
own houses well.
3 These things write I to thee,
that thou mayest know how thou
oughtest to conduct thyself in the
house of God, which is the congre
gation of the living God, the pillar
and foundation of the truth.
4 And confessedly great is the
mystery of godliness, as revealed by
him who was manifest in the flesh,
justified by the Spirit, seen by his
messengers, proclaimed among the
Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received in glory.
5 But the Spirit saith expressly,
that in the latter times some will
depart from this faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits and teachings of
demons, through the hypocrisy of
speakers of lies, who bear a brand on

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

247

their own conscience ; forbidding to
marry, and commanding to abstain
from food which God created to be
received with thanksgiving, for
those who believe and know the
truth. 6 Now we know that every thing
which God has created is good, and
that nothing is to be refused, but
rather is to be received with thanks
giving ; for that by the word of God
and by prayer it is sanctified.
7 If thou lay these things before
the brethren, thou wilt be a good
minister of Christ Jesus, nourished
in the words of the faith, and of the
good teaching, with which thou art
well acquainted.
8 But avoid profane traditions,
and old wives' fables, and exercise
thyself unto godliness ; for bodily
observances are profitable for little ;
but godliness is profitable for all
things, having promise both of the
life that now is, and of that which is
to come. True is this saying, and
worthy of the acceptance of all ; and
with reference to it we both labor
and suffer reproach, because we have
placed our hope in the living God,
who is the Saviour of all men, espe
cially of those that believe.
9 These things command and
teach. Let no one reject thee
because of thy youth, but become
an example to the believers, in word,
in behavior, in love, in faith, in
purity. Give attention to reading,
to exhortation, to teaching ; neglect
not the gift that is in thee : meditate
on these things, give thyself wholly
to them ; that thy progress may be
manifest to all. Give heed to thy
self, and to thy teaching ; continue

in them ; for in doing this- thou wilt
save both thyself and them that hear
thee. 10 Do not sharply rebuke an aged
man, but exhort him as a father;
the younger men, as brethren ; the
elder women, as mothers ; the young
er, as sisters, with all purity.
11 Honor as widows those that
are widows indeed ; and if any
widow have children or grandchil
dren, let them learn first to show
piety to their own family, and to re
quite their parents ; for this is accep
table before God.
12 Now she that is a widow
indeed, and left alone, hath set her
hope on God, and continueth in sup
plications and prayers night and day;
but she that giveth herself up to
pleasure is dead while she liveth.
13 Also that they may be blame
less, enjoin this, that if any one
provideth not for his own, and espe
cially for those of his own house, he
hath denied the faith, and is worse
than an unbeliever.
14 Let not a widow be put on the
relief list, for public maintenance, if
she be less than sixty years old, hav
ing been the wife of one husband,
well reported of for good work, hav
ing brought up children, lodged
strangers, ministered to the saints,
relieved the afflicted, and diligently
followed every good work.
15 But younger widows refuse;
for they learn to be idle, going
about from house to house ; and not
only idle, but tattlers also, and busy-
bodies, speaking things which they
ought not ; I desire, therefore, that
such marry, bear children, guide the
house, and give no occasion to the

248

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

enemies of the congregation to speak
reproachfully. 16 Let the elders that rule well be
counted worthy of double honor ;
especially they who labor in the
word and in teaching. For the
scripture saith, Thou shalt not muz
zle the ox while he is treading out
the grain ; and, The laborer is
worthy of his wages.
17 Against an overseer in the
church receive not an accusation
without two or three witnesses ; but
those that are convicted of trans
gression rebuke openly, that the rest
may be warned.
18 I charge thee before God and
Christ Jesus and the chosen minis
ters, that thou observe these things
without prejudging; do nothing with
partiality ; lay hands hastily on no
one ; be not a partaker in other men's
sins ; keep thyself pure. No longer
drink water only, but use also a little
wine for thy stomach's sake and thy
frequent infirmities.
19 Some men's transgressions are
openly manifest, going before them
to judgment ; while other men keep
them secret ; but judgment shall
follow. In like manner also the
good works of some are openly
manifest; and others do them in
secret ; nevertheless they cannot be
hid. SELECTION III.
The simple teachings of Jesus concern
ing godliness, contentment, purity and love,
are fundamental truths, and should be
assented io by all.
TF any one teacheth other teach
ings, and assenteth not to sound
words, the words of Jesus Christ our

Master, and his teaching which is
according to godliness, such a one
is puffed up with pride, knowing
nothing, but doting about questions
and strifes of words, from which
come envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings, incessant disputings of
men corrupted in their minds, and
destitute of the truth.
2 There are those who suppose
that godliness is a source of gain ;
godliness with contentment is, in it
self, great gain. But as we brought
nothing into the world, it is certain
we can carry nothing out ; therefore
having food and raiment, let us there
with be content.
3 But they who desire to be rich
fall into temptation and a snare, and
into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and
perdition ; for the love of money is
a root of all evils, and some coveting
it have strayed away from the faith,
and have pierced themselves through
with many pangs.
4 But do thou, O man of God,
flee these things ; and seek rather
for righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness ; fight the
good fight of faith, lay hold on ever
lasting life, to which thou wast call
ed, and for which thou didst profess
the good profession before many
witnesses. 5 I charge thee before God, who
giveth life to all things, and before
Christ Jesus, who under Pontius
Pilate testified the good profession,
that thou keep the commandment
without spot, without reproach, until
the appearing of Jesus Christ our
Master. 6 For at the appointed time he

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

249

shall be made manifest, by Him who
is the blessed and only Potentate,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
who only hath incorruption, dwelling
in light unapproachable, whom no
man hath seen, or can see ; to whom
be honor and power everlasting.
Amen. 7 Charge those who are rich in this
world that they be not high-minded,
nor place their hope in uncertain
riches, but in God, who giveth us
abundantly all things to enjoy ; that
they do good, that they be rich in
good works, liberal in imparting,
willing to communicate, laying up in
store for themselves a good founda
tion against the time to come, that
they may lay hold on the true life.
8 O Timothy, keep that which is
committed to thy trust, avoiding the
profane babblings, and oppositions of
the falsely-called knowledge ; which
some professing, have erred concern
ing the faith. Grace be with thee.
9 I thank God, whom I serve from
my forefathers with pure conscience,
that without ceasing I have remem
brance of thee in my prayers night
and day, longing to see thee, being
mindful of thy tears, that I may be
filled with joy. When I call to re
membrance the unfeigned faith which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois,
and thy mother Eunice, I am per
suaded that it dwelleth in thee also.
10 For which cause I remind thee
to stir up the gift of God, which is
in thee, as signified by the laying on
of my hands ; for God gave us not
the spirit of cowardice, but of power,
and of love, and of admonition.
11 Be not then ashamed of the
testimony of our Master, nor of me

his prisoner ; but endure hardship
with me for the gospel through the
power of God, who hath saved us,
and called us with a holy calling ; not
according to our works did he call
us, but according to his own purpose
and the grace which was given us in
Christ Jesus. For his purpose was
before the world began, but now is
it made manifest by the appearing
of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who
abolished death, and brought life and
immortality to light through the
gospel, for which I was appointed a
herald, and an apostle, and a teacher
of the Gentiles.
12 For which cause I suffer all
these things, and am not ashamed ;
for I know in whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which he hath committed
to me unto that day.
13 Hold the pattern of sound
words, which thou heardest from me,
in faith and love which are in Christ
Jesus; the good trust committed to
thee keep through the Holy Spirit
which dwelleth in us.
14 The Lord give mercy to the
house of Onesiphorus, because he
often refreshed me, and was not
ashamed of my bonds ; but on the
contrary, when he arrived at Rome,
he sought me out very diligently,
and found me. The Lord grant to
him that he may find mercy in that
day. SELECTION IV.
Not to ease are Christ 's followers called,
but to struggle, service, and entire self -con
secration. '""PHOU, therefore, my child, be
strong in the grace that is in

250

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

Christ Jesus ; and the things which
thou didst hear from me before many
witnesses, the same commit thou to
faithful men, such as will be able to
teach others also.
2 Endure hardship with me as a
good soldier of Christ Jesus. Now
every one serving as a soldier en-
tangleth not himself with the affairs
of life, because he desireth to please
him who chose him to be a soldier.
3 I suffer hardship even unto bonds
as an evil-doer ; but the word of God
is not bound. I endure all things
for the sake of the chosen, that they
may also obtain the salvation which
is in Christ Jesus, with everlasting
glory. 4 True is the saying : If we died
with him, we shall also live with him ;
if we suffer with him, we shall also
reign with him ; but if we deny him,
he also will deny us. Though we
may be faithless, he remaineth faith
ful ; for he cannot deny himself.
5 Of these things put them in re
membrance, charging them before
the Lord not to carry on a strife of
words, to no useful purpose, but
rather to the subverting of the hear
ers. 6 Study to present thyself ap
proved unto God, a workman not
ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth ; but the profane babblings
shun, for they will go on to a higher
degree of ungodliness, and their word
will eat as doth a canker.
7 Nevertheless God's firm founda-
ation standeth having this seal : The
Lord knoweth them that are his ;
and, Let every one that nameth the
name of the Lord depart from in
iquity.

8 In a great house there ace not
only vessels of gold and of silver, but
also wooden and earthen ones; and
some for honor, and some for dis
honor ; if then any one shall purge
himself from iniquity, he will be a
vessel for honor, hallowed, useful for
the householder, prepared for every
good work.
9 Therefore flee youthful lusts,
and follow righteousness, faith, love,
peace, with those who call on the
Lord out of a pure heart.
10 And avoid foolish and ignorant
questionings, knowing that they gen
der quarrels ; but a servant of the
Lord must not quarrel; rather should
he be gentle to all, apt in teaching, pa
tient of wrong ; in meekness admon
ishing those that oppose themselves;
if haply God may give them repent
ance to attain the full knowledge of
the truth, and that they may awake to
their senses out of the snare of the
Evil One, by whom they have been
taken captive to do his will.
1 1 For know this, that in the last
days grievous times will come, in
which men will be lovers of them
selves, lovers of money, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without
natural affection, implacable, slan
derers, incontinent, fierce, withou
love for what is good, betrayers,
headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleas
ure rather than lovers of God ; hav
ing a form of godliness, but denying
the power thereof.
12 These are they who creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women
laden with sins, led away by divers
lusts ; these are they who are forever
learning, and yet are never able to

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TIMOTHY.

251

come to the knowledge of the truth ;
from such as these turn away.
13 But thou art well acquainted
with my teaching, manner of life,
purpose, faith, long-suffering, love,
patience, persecutions, sufferings ;
what things came upon me, what
persecutions I endured ; and yet,
out of them all the Lord delivered
me. Yea, and all that desire to live
godly in Christ Jesus will suffer per
secution. 14 But evil men and impostors will
wax worse and worse, deceiving and
being deceived.
15 But do thou continue in the
things which thou didst learn and
wast assured of, knowing from what
teachers thou didst learn them, and
that from a child thou hast known the
Sacred Writings, which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation,
through the faith which is in Christ
Jesus. 16 All Sacred Writings are inspired
by God, and are profitable for teach
ing, for reproof, for correction, for
discipline in righteousness ; that the
man of God may be perfect, thor
oughly furnished unto every good
work. 17 I charge thee before God, and
before Christ Jesus, who, by his ap
pearing and his kingdom, will judge
the living and the dead, preach the
word, be urgent in season, out of

season, confute, rebuke, exhort with
all long-suffering and teaching.
18 For the time will come, when
they will not endure sound teaching,
but will procure for themselves teach
ers after their own fancy ; because
they will have itching ears ; so they
will turn away their ears from the
truth, and turn aside to fables. But
be thou watchful in all things, endure
hardship, do the work of an evangel
ist, fully accomplish thy ministry.
19 As for me, I am already about
to be offered as a sacrifice, and the
time of my departure is at hand. I
have fought the good fight, I have fin
ished my course, I have kept the faith;
henceforth there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give
to me at that day ; and not to me
only,but to all those who have loved
his appearing.
20 At my first defence no one
came forward with me, but all for
sook me ; may it not be laid to their
charge ! But the Lord stood by me,
and strengthened me, that the preach
ing might be fully accomplished by
me, and that all the Gentiles might
hear ; and I was delivered out of the
lion's mouth.
21 The Lord will deliver me from
every evil deed, and preserve me
unto his heavenly kingdom ; to whom
be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

252

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.— TITUS.

A SELECTION FROM THE LETTER TO TITUS.

Sound doctrine consists in teaching the
practical virtues ; such as sobriety, temper
ance, humility, self-sacrifice, love, and holi
ness. P)AUL, a servant of God, and an
apostle of Christ Jesus, for the
faith of God's chosen, and for the
knowledge of the truth which is
according to godliness, in hope of
everlasting life ; to Titus, true child
after the common faith : Grace and
peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Saviour.
2 For this cause I left thee behind
in Crete, that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting,
and appoint overseers in every city,
as I directed thee ; but let them be
without reproach, the husband of
one wife, having believing children,
that are not accused of dissoluteness,
or unruly.
3 For an overseer in the church
must be without reproach, as God's
steward; not self-willed, not soon
angry, not given to wine, not a
striker, not greedy of base gain, but
hospitable, a lover of what is good,
discreet, just, holy, temperate, hold
ing fast the sure word according to
what he was taught, that he may be
able by sound teaching both to ex
hort, and to refute the gainsayers.
4 For there are many unruly vain
talkers and deceivers, especially they
who teach ordinances ; whose teach
ings should be confuted, since they
overturn whole houses, promulgating
false doctrines for the sake of base
gain.

5 One of themselves, even a proph
et of their own, said : The Cretans
are always liars, evil beasts, slothful
gluttons. Which testimony is true ;
therefore rebuke them sharply, that
they may be sound in the faith, not
giving heed to Jewish fables, and
commandments of men who turn
away from the truth.
6 To the pure all things are pure :
but to the defiled and unbelieving
nothing is pure, and even their minds
and consciences become defiled.
7 They profess that they know
God, but by their works they deny
him, being abominable and disobedi
ent, and for every good work repro
bate. 8 But do thou speak the things
which become sound doctrine : — that
aged men be sober, grave, discreet,
established in faith, in love, in
patience. That aged women like
wise be in behavior as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not en
slaved to much wine, teachers of
what is good, that they may teach
the young women to love their hus
bands, to love their children, to be
discreet, chaste, workers at home,
good, in subjection to their own hus
bands, that the word of God be not
blasphemed. 9 The younger men likewise ex
hort to be sober-minded ; and in all
things show thyself a pattern of
good works, in teaching showing un-
corruptness, gravity, sound speech
that cannot be condemned ; that he
that is opposed to us may be put to

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — TITUS.

253

shame, having no evil thing to say
of us.
io Exhort servants to be in sub
jection to their masters, in all things
to be well-pleasing to them, not con
tradicting, not purloining, but show
ing all good faith ; that they may
adorn the doctrine of God our
Saviour in all things.
u For the grace of God, that
bringeth salvation to all men, was
manifested, teaching us that, deny
ing ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in the present world ;
looking for the blessed hope, and
manifestation of the glory of the
great God, and of our Saviour Jesus
Christ who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify to himself a people to be
his own, zealous in good works.
12 These things speak and exhort,
and rebuke with all authority. Let
no one despise thee.
13 And put them in mind to sub
mit themselves to governments and
authorities, to obey magistrates, to
be ready for every good work, to
speak evil of no one, to be averse to
strife, to forbear, to show meekness
to all men.
14 For we ourselves also were
once foolish, disobedient, going

astray, slaves to divers lusts and
pleasures, living in malice and envy,
hateful, hating one another. But
when the kindness and love of God
our Saviour for men appeared, not
on account of the works of righteous
ness which we did, but according to
his mercy he saved us ; by the wash
ing of regeneration, and by the re
newing of the Holy Spirit, which he
poured out upon us richly through
Jesus Christ ; that being justified by
his grace, we might become heirs
according to the hope of everlasting
life. 15 These things I desire that thou
affirm earnestly, that they who have
believed in God may be careful to
practise good works. For good
works are profitable to men ; but
foolish questions, and genealogies,
and strifes, and contentions about
the law avoid ; for they are un
profitable and vain ; and a man that
stirs up such divisions, after a first
and second admonition, avoid him ;
knowing that he that doeth such
things is utterly perverted, and trans-
gresseth, being self-condemned.
16 Let those then who belong to
us learn to maintain good works for
profitable uses, in order that they
may not be unfruitful. Grace be
with you alL

254

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

LETTER TO THE HEBREWS.

SELECTION I.
Jesus as son of God and brother of all
men, having lived and died to teach and
promulgate this relationship, has thereby
rendered himself worthy of the highest
gratitude and praise from all mankind.
f~* OD, who at different times and
in different ways spoke of old
to the fathers by the prophets, hath
in these latter times spoken to us by
a son, whom above all the others, he
hath appointed as his heir, and
through whom, he even made the
ages ; who (being a brightness of his
glory, and an impress of the sub
stance of him who upholdeth all
things by the word of his power),
when he had accomplished a cleans
ing of transgressions, sat down on
the right hand of the Majesty on
high ; and has become so superior
to the angels, that he has inherited
even a more excellent name than
they. For of which of the angels is
it written : Thou art my son, I this
day have begotten thee? and again:
I will be to him a Father, and he
shall be to me a son ?
2 Therefore we ought to give the
more earnest heed to the things
which we have heard, lest haply we
let them slip ; for if the word spoken
through angels proved steadfast, and
every transgression and disobedience
received a just retribution, how shall
we escape, if we neglect this great
salvation? What at the first was
spoken by the Master, was afterward
confirmed to us through those who
heard him ; God also bearing them

witness, with signs and wonders, and
divers manifestations, and gifts of
the Holy Spirit, according to his
will ?
3 Not to angels did he commit
the subjection of the world, of which
we are speaking ; for one in a certain
place bore testimony, saying, What
is man, that thou art mindful of
him, or the son of man, that thou
carest for him ? Thou madest him a
little lower than the angels; thou
crownedst him with glory and honor;
thou didst put all things in subjec
tion under his feet.
4 Now, inasmuch as he hath com
mitted the subjection of all things
to man, he hath left nothing that is
not to be put under him ; however,
not yet do we see all things brought
into subjection ; but we do see one
who "was made a little lower than
the angels," even Jesus, crowned
with glory and honor on account of
the death which he suffered, having
by the grace of God tasted death in
behalf of all mankind.
5 For it was the wisdom of him
to whom are all things, and through
whom are all things, in bringing
many sons to glory, to make the
author of their salvation perfect
through sufferings.
6 Now both he that maketh holy
and they who are being made holy,
are all of one family; for which
cause he, the Master, is not ashamed
to call them brethren ; saying, I will
declare thy name to my brethren, in
the midst of the congregation will I

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

255.

sing praise to thee ; and again, I will
put my trust in him ; and again, Be
hold, I, and the children whom God
gave me.
7 Forasmuch then as children are
partakers of a common flesh and
blood, he also was a partaker in like
manner of the same, that through
death he might reduce to nothing
him who had the power of death,
that is, the Evil One, and might de
liver those who, through fear of
death, were all their lifetime subject
to bondage.
8 Surely then he is not the helper
of angels, but he is the helper of the
offspring of Abraham ; on which ac
count it was right for him to become
in all respects like his brethren, that
he, as a high-priest who maketh an
offering for the sins of the people,
might be merciful and faithful in
things pertaining to God. For' in
that he himself hath suffered, being
tempted, he is able to help those
who are tempted.
9 Wherefore, holy brethren, par
takers of a heavenly calling, consider
Jesus, the aposjle and high-priest of
our profession ; who was faithful to
him that appointed him over all the
household of God, even as Moses
also was faithful. But he hath been
counted worthy of more glory than
Moses, even as greater than the
household is he who established it ;
for every household is established by
some one. But he who established
all things is God. Moses indeed was
faithful over all the household of
God, as a servant, that he might
bear witness of those things which
afterward were to be spoken ; but
Christ as a son was faithful over

God's household, whose household
are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and joyousness of our hope.
10 Wherefore, as the Holy Spirit
saith ; To-day, if ye hear his voice,
harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation, in the days of the
temptation in the wilderness ; when
your fathers tempted me, proved me,
and saw my works.
1 1 Brethren, take heed lest there
be in any one of you such an evil
heart of unbelief, in departing from
the living God ; but exhort one an
other daily, as long as it is called
to-day, that none of you may be
hardened through the deceitfulness
of transgression.
12 For we have become partakers
of Christ, if we hold fast our first
confidence firm to the end.
SELECTION II.
The glad tidings of a blessed immortality
to those who love and practise holiness hav
ing been more clearly revealed by Jesus
than by any other teacher, he therefore is
worthy to be called the high-priest of God
to men.
T NASMUCH then as a promise is
still left us, of entering into his
rest, let us take heed lest any one of
us should fail of obtaining it. For
to us were the glad tidings address
ed, the same as to them ; but the
word did not profit them, not being
mixed with faith in those who heard
it ; but we who believed do enter
into rest.
2 Since then it still remained for
some to enter in, and they to whom
the glad tidings were first brought
did not enter in because of disobedi
ence, he again appointed a time, say-

256

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

ing in David, as he had said before,
To-day (after so long a time), to
day, if ye hear his voice, harden not
your hearts.
3 There remaineth therefore a rest
to the people of God. Let us then
give diligence to enter into that rest,
that no one may fall, as a like ex
ample of disobedience.
4 For the word of God is living,
and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, of joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents
of the heart ; for there is no creature
that is not manifest in his sight ; but
all things are naked and laid open to
the eyes of him with whom we have
to do.
5 Since, then, we have Jesus, a
son of God, as a great high-priest,
who has passed through the heavens,
let us hold fast our profession; for
our high-priest is not one who can
not be touched with the feeling of
our infirmities, but, though without
transgression, he was in all points
tempted as we are.
6 Let us therefore come boldly to
the throne of grace, being assured
that we shall obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.
7 Every high-priest, being taken
from among men, is appointed by
men in things pertaining to God,
that he may offer gifts and sacrifices
for transgressions. And he is able
to be forbearing toward the ignorant
and the erring, because he himself is
also compassed with infirmity ; and by
reason of this infirmity he must offer
sacrifice for himself, as well as for
the people. Also no one taketh this

honor upon himself, but only when
called by God, as Aaron was called ;
so Christ did not glorify himself to
be made a high-priest, but he was
called by him who said, Thou art my
son, I this day have begotten thee ;
and in another place it is written,
Thou art a priest for ever, after the
order of Melchizedek.
8 So Jesus, in the days of his
flesh (when he had offered up pray
ers and supplications, with strong
crying and tears, to him that was
able to save him from death, and
was heard by reason of his godly
reverence), though a son, yet learned
his obedience from what he suffered ;
and being made perfect became the
occasion of everlasting salvation to
all who follow him.
9 As to his being appointed by
God as high-priest after the order of
Melchizedek, of this we have much
to say ; but it is hard to be explain
ed, inasmuch as ye are dull of hear
ing ; for while by this time ye ought
to be teachers, ye still have need
that some one should teach you over
again even the first elements of the
oracles of God ; nay, ye are still such
as have need of milk, instead of solid
food. For every one that feedeth
on milk is unacquainted with the
word of righteousness; he is yet a
babe ; but solid food belongs to
those who are of full age, who by
use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
10 Leave, then, the first elements
of the teachings of Christ, and go on
to perfection ; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead
ceremonies, but from faith toward
God, through the teachings of bap-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

257

tisms, and of the laying on of hands,
and of resurrection of the dead, and
of everlasting judgment.
1 1 And this we will do, God help
ing us ; for those who have once been
enlightened, and have received the
heavenly gift, and have been made
partakers of the Holy Spirit, and
have tasted the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to
come, and afterward have fallen back
into dead ceremonies, it is impossible
for them to be again renewed to re
pentance; because they crucify to
themselves the son of God afresh,
and put him to open shame. Even
as the earth, which hath drunk in
the rain that cometh often upon it,
and hath borne plants useful to those
for whose sake it is tilled, receiveth
blessing from God ; but afterward
bearing thorns and briers (whose end
is to be burned), it is disapproved,
and is near to being accursed.
12 But, beloved, of you we are
persuaded better things, even things
that are connected with salvation,
though we do thus admonish you ;
for God is not unjust so as to forget
your work, and the love which ye
showed toward his name, in that ye
ministered and are still ministering
to the saints.
13 But we earnestly desire that
every one of you may show the same
diligence with regard to the full assur
ance of your hope even to the end ;
that ye may not become slothful,
but followers of those who through
faith and patience inherit the prom

ises.

14 For we have strong encourage
ment, who have fled for refuge, to
lay hold upon the hope set before

us ; which hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, sure and steadfast, and
which entereth within the veil ;
where as forerunner for us Jesus
hath entered, having become a high-
priest for ever, after the order of
Melchizedek.
SELECTION III.
Christianity an advance upon Judaism,
inasmuch as direct faith or confidence in the
mercy of God has been substituted for cere
monial observances ; and the law of right
eousness is revealed to each individual mind
and heart, instead of through oracles,
priests, or written codes.
T F perfection had been by the Le-
vitical priesthood, under which
the people received the law, what
further need was there that a differ
ent priest should arise after the
order of Melchizedek, and not be
called after the order of Aaron?
2 Now when the priesthood is
changed, there takes place of neces
sity a change of the law ; but he of
whom these things are spoken be
longed to another tribe, of which no
one had given attendance at the
altar ; for it is well known that our
Master sprang out of Judah, in re
gard to which tribe Moses spake
nothing concerning priests.
3 If, then, after the order of Mel
chizedek there hath arisen a different
priest, who hath been chosen, not
according to the law of a carnal com
mandment, but according to the
power of an endless life, so is it still
more abundantly evident that, on
the one hand there has taken place
an annulling of the commandment
which went before, on account of its
weakness and unprofitableness, (for

258

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

the law perfected nothing,) and on
the other it is evident that there has
been the bringing in of a better
hope, by which we draw near to
God. 4 In this respect, too, hath Jesus
become the surety of a better cove
nant. The Levitical priesthood has
indeed had many priests, because
they have been prevented from con
tinuing by reason of death ; but he,
because he abideth ever, hath an un
changeable priesthood ; on which
account he is able to be an everlast
ing Saviour of all those who ap
proach God through him, since he
ever liveth to make intercession for
them. 5 Such a high-priest also it is fit
ting for us to have ; one who is holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, exalted higher than the
heavens ; who hath not necessity, as
other high-priests have, to offer up
sacrifice daily, first for his own trans
gressions, and then for the trans
gressions of the people ; for this he
did once for all, when he offered up
himself. 6 Moreover, the law appointeth
men as high-priests, who have in
firmity ; but the word of the cove
nant, which came after the law, ap
pointeth a son, who has been made
perfect for ever.
7 Now the principal thing con
cerning that of which we are speak
ing is this : We have a high-priest,
who sat down on the right hand of
the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens; a minister of the-sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle, which
the Lord pitched, not man.
8 And he also hath obtained a

more excellent ministry, in propor
tion as he is the mediator of a better
covenant, which hath been establish
ed upon better promises ; for if that
first covenant had been faultless,
then a place would not have been
sought for a second.
9 But, finding fault with that first
covenant, it is written : Behold, the
days are coming, saith the Lord,
when I will make with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah
a new covenant ; not according to
the covenant which I made with
their fathers, in the day when I took
them by the hand, to bring them
out of the land of Egypt. But this
is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days,
saith the Lord : I will put my laws
into their mind, and on their hearts
will I write them ; and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me
a people. And they shall no longer
be saying every one to his fellow-
citizen, and every one to his brother,
Do ye know the Lord ? for all shall
know me, from the least to the
greatest ; and I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness, and their
transgressions and their iniquities I
will remember no more.
io Now inasmuch as it is said, "a
new covenant," the first must have
become old ; but that which has be
come old, and worn out with age, it
is fitting that it should vanish away.
1 1 So, then, Christ having appear
ed, as high-priest of the better things
which were to come, and passing
through the greater and more per
fect tabernacle, not made with hands,
entered once for all into the sanctu
ary; not indeed with the blood of

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

259

goats and calves, but with his own
blood, hath he obtained for us ever
lasting redemption.
12 For if the blood of goats and
bulls, and the ashes of a heifer
sprinkling those who have been de
filed, cleansed in the purifications of
the flesh, how much more shall the
blood of Christ, who by his everlast
ing spirit offered himself without
spot to God, cleanse our conscience
with reference to dead ceremonies,
and lead us to the worship of the
living God !
13 Under the law almost all things
were purified with blood, and with
out shedding of blood there was no
pardon ; these were copies of the
heavenly things ; and it was neces
sary that they should thus be puri
fied ; but the heavenly things them
selves are purified with sacrifices
better than these.
14 For Christ did not enter into a
sanctuary made with hands, which is
only a copy of the true one, but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the
very presence of God on our behalf ;
not indeed to make an offering of
himself many times, (as the high-
priest entereth into the holy place
every year with blood of others,) for
then must he have suffered many
times since the foundation of the
world ; but now once in the consum
mation of the ages he hath appeared,
to put away transgression by offer
ing himself as a sacrifice.
15 And as it is appointed to men
once to die, and after that the judg
ment ; so also Christ having once
offered himself up to bear the trans
gressions of many, the second time
will appear, not as an offering for

transgressions, but to proclaim sal
vation to those who are waiting for
him. SELECTION IV.
Under the new covenant which Jesus
proclaimed, a higher standard of moral
purity and of humane consecrations is
required of all ; and, as an encouragement
thereto, confident faith in the attainment of
eternal blessedness is presented.
TTAVING therefore, brethren,
boldness for entrance into the
sanctuary by a new and living way,
which Jesus by his blood conse
crated for us, even through the veil
of his flesh : and having a great
priest over the house of God, let us
draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure
water. 2 Let us hold fast the profession
of our hope without wavering, for
he is faithful who promised ; and let
us consider one another, to excite to
love and to good works ; not forsak
ing the assembling of ourselves to
gether, as the. custom of some is,
but exhorting one another; and so
much the more, as we see the time
advancing. 3 Now if we transgress willingly
after we have received the knowl
edge of the truth, there no longer
remaineth a sacrifice for our trans
gressions ; but a certain fearful an
ticipation of judgment, and of that
fiery indignation which will con
sume all adversaries.
4 He that set at nought the law
of Moses died without mercy under
two or three witnesses ; how much

26o

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

heavier punishment, think ye, will
he deserve, who hath trodden un
der foot the son of God, hath count
ed the blood of the covenant where
with he was cleansed an unholy
thing, and hath done despite to the
Spirit of grace ?
5 For we know him of whom it
is written, To me judgment and re
compense belong ; and again, The
Lord will judge his people. It is a
fearful thing to fall beneath the
judgments of the living God.
6 But call to remembrance the
former days, in which, after ye were
enlightened, ye endured a great
struggle with sufferings ; partly,
while ye were made a gazing-stock
both by reproaches and afflictions ;
and partly, while ye became partak
ers with those that were so used.
7 For ye sympathized with those
in bonds, and even took joyfully
the plundering of your goods, be
ing confident that ye had for your
selves a better and an enduring sub
stance. 8 Now, therefore, cast not away
your confidence, which hath great
reward ; for ye have need of endur
ance ; that, after ye have done the
will of God, ye may receive what is
promised. 9 Yet a very little while, and he
that is to come will come, and will
not tarry.
io As it is written, The righteous
man shall live by faith ; but if he
draw back, my soul hath no pleas
ure in him. We are not of those
who draw back unto perdition ; but
of those who have faith to the saving
of the soul.
n Now faith is an assurance of

things hoped for, a conviction of
things not seen.
12 By faith the fathers obtained a
good reputation.
13 By faith we perceive that the
worlds were framed by the word
of God, so that that which is seen
hath not been made out of things
which appear.
14 By faith Abel offered to God a
more excellent offering than did
Cain, through which he received
assurance of righteousness, inasmuch
as God accepted his gifts ; and here
by Abel, though dead, yet speaketh.
15 By faith Enoch was taken
away without the sufferings of
death ; he was not found, because
God had taken him away ; but be
fore his removal he had the assur
ance that he pleased God.
16 But it is impossible to please
God without faith, for he that com
eth to him must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek him.
17 By faith, Noah being warned
of God concerning things not yet
seen, moved with fear, prepared a
floating vessel for the preservation of
his family ; by which he condemned
those who reviled him, and became
heir of the righteousness which is
according to faith.
18 By faith Abraham, when called
to go forth to a place which he
was afterward to receive for an in
heritance, obeyed, and went forth,
not knowing whither he was going ;
and by faith he sojourned in the
land of the promise, as in a foreign
country, dwelling in tents with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the
same promise ; for he was looking

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

26l

for the city which hath foundations,
whose maker and builder is God.
19 These all died in faith, not
having received the promised bless
ings, but having seen them from
afar, and greeted them, and having
confessed that they were strangers
and sojourners on the earth ; they
who confess such things show
plainly that they are seeking a
country. 20 And if indeed they were mind
ful of that from which they came
out, they had opportunity to re
turn ; but now they desire a better
country, that is, a heavenly ; on
which account God is not ashamed
to be called their God, and hath pre
pared for them a city.
21 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob
and Esau even concerning things to
come. 22 By faith Jacob, when dying,
blessed each of the sons of Joseph ;
and worshipped, leaning upon the
top of his staff.
23 By faith Joseph, when dying,
predicted the emancipation of the
children of Israel ; and gave direc
tions concerning the transportation
of his bones.
24 By faith Moses, when born, was
hidden three months by his parents,
because they saw that he was a child
of promise; so they regarded not
the decree of the king.
25 By faith Moses, when he was
come to years, refused to be called
son of Pharoah's daughter, choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of wickedness for a season ;
esteeming the reproach of the chosen
people greater riches than the treas

ures of Egypt ; for he looked to the
recompense of reward; so by faith
he forsook Egypt, not fearing the
wrath of the king ; for he endured,
as seeing him who is invisible.
26 And what more shall I say?
Time would fail me should I at
tempt to tell of Gideon, of Barak, of
Samson, of Jephthah, of David, of
Samuel, and of the prophets ; who
through faith subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained
promised blessings, stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched the power
of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness were made
strong, became mighty in war, put
to flight the armies of the aliens ;
27 Women received back those
condemned to death as by a resur
rection ; but others endured tortures,
not accepting deliverance, that they
might obtain a better resurrection ;
and others had trial of mockings and
scourgings, and also of bonds and
imprisonment ; they were stoned,
they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword ;
they went about in sheep-skins and
goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,
tormented, of whom the world was
not worthy ; they wandered in des
erts and mountains, and caves and
the clefts of the earth.
28 These all, by faith, obtained a
good report ; but received not the
expected blessing, because God had
provided some better thing for our
sake ; that they without us might '
not be made perfect .
29 Therefore, inasmuch as we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the transgression which

262

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

doth easily beset us, and let us run
with perseverance the race that is set
before us, looking to the author and
perfecter of the faith, Jesus, who for
the joy that was set before him en
dured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God.
SELECTION V.
Every faithful advocate of righteous
ness must meet with oppositions, persecu
tions and various discouragements ; but
these are the disciplines of life, and, if pa
tiently endured, will develop nobleness and
joy in the end.
(CONSIDER him also that en
dured such oppositions of the
wicked against himself, lest ye faint
in your souls, and become weary.
Not yet have ye resisted, as did he,
unto blood, striving against wrong.
2 And have ye forgotten the ex
hortation, which reasoneth with you
as with sons ? My son, regard not
lightly the discipline of the Lord,
neither be weary of his reproof; for
whom the Lord loveth, he disciplines ;
even as a father the son in whom he
delighteth. 3 It is discipline that ye are called
upon to endure ; God is dealing with
you as with sons ; and what son is
he, whom the father doth not disci
pline ? If ye are without discipline,
of which all have been made partak
ers, then are ye not sons.
4 Furthermore, we were disciplined
by the fathers of our flesh, and we
gave them reverence ; shall we not
much more be in subjection to the
Father of spirits, and live?
5 For they indeed, for a few days
disciplined us, according as it seemed

good to them ; but he for our bene
fit, that we may become partakers of
his holiness.
6 Now all discipline for the pres
ent indeed seemeth to be not joyous,
but grievous ; nevertheless afterward
it yieldeth the peaceful fruit of right
eousness to those who have been
rightly exercised thereby.
7 So, then, lift up the hands which
hang down, and the feeble knees ;
and make straight paths for your
feet, that the lame may not be turned
out of the way, but may rather be
healed. 8 Follow peace with all men, and
holiness, without which no one will
see the Lord ; looking diligently lest
any one come short of the grace of
God ; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and many
be thereby defiled.
9 Lest there be any fornicator;
or lest there be any profane person
as Esau, who for one meal sold even
his birthright ; ye know that when
he afterward wished to receive the
blessing, he was rejected, and found
no opportunity for regaining his
birthright, though he sought it ear
nestly and with tears.
10 Ye have not come to a mount
that can be touched, burning with
fire ; nor to blackness, and darkness,
and tempest, and the sound of a
trumpet ; nor to the commandments
of words, which commandments they
who heard, entreated that no more
should be spoken to them ; for they
could not bear that which was com
manded ; and so terrible was the
revelation, that even Moses said, I
exceedingly fear and tremble.
11 But ye have come to Mount

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — HEBREWS.

263

Zion, the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem ; and to myriads
of angels, who are the general assem
bly and congregation of those en
rolled in heaven as the first-born ; and
to God the Judge of all ; and to the
spirits of righteous men made perfect ;
and to Jesus the mediator of a new
covenant ; and to a sprinkling with
that blood which speaketh something
better than the blood of Abel.
12 So, then, see to it that ye re
fuse not him who is speaking ; for if
they did not escape, who refused him
who spake his will on earth, much
more shall not we, if we turn away
from him who is speaking from
heaven ; whose voice then shook the
earth ; but now, as he hath said, Once
more will I shake, not the earth only,
but also the heavens.
13 Wherefore, as we are receiving
a kingdom which cannot be shaken,
let us have grace, whereby we may
serve God acceptably, with reverence
and with godly fear.
SELECTION VI.
Various precepts of fraternity and
love. T ET brotherly love continue ; do
not forget to entertain stran
gers, for thereby some have enter
tained angels unawares.
2 Remember those in bonds, as
bound with them ; those in distress,
as being yourselves also in distress.
3 Let marriage in all respects be
honored and undefiled ; but fornica
tors and adulterers God will judge.
4 Let your disposition be without
covetousness, and be content with
what ye have ; for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
5 With boldness let us say, The

Lord is my helper, I will not fear.
What can man do to me ?
6 Remember your leaders, who
communicate to you the word of
God ; and considering well the end
of their manner of life, be obedient
to their faith.
7 Jesus Christ is yesterday and to
day and for ever the same ; therefore
be not carried aside with various and
strange teachings ; for it is good
that the heart be established with
grace, not with ordinances, in which
those who walked were not profited.
8 Here we have no abiding city,
but are seeking that which is to come.
9 Therefore, through him, let us
offer up a sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of lips
giving thanks to his name.
10 But works of kindness and
liberality forget not ; for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.
1 1 Obey your leaders, and submit
yourselves to them ; for they keep
watch in behalf of your souls, as
those who must give an account ;
that they may do this with joy, and
not with grief.
12 Pray for us; for we are per
suaded that we have a good con
science, desiring in all things to con
duct ourselves well.
13 Now may the God of peace,
who, through the blood of an ever
lasting covenant, brought up from
the dead the great Shepherd of the
sheep, even our Master Jesus, make
you perfect in every good work,
to do his will ; accomplishing in you,
through Christ Jesus, that which
is well-pleasing in his sight.
14 To whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
15 Grace be with you all. Amen.

264

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JAMES.

THE LETTER OF JAMES.

SELECTION I.
Though temptations to evil proceed from
the lusts of the body, and not from God,
yet if resisted and overcome they will result
in greater tranquillity andin a higher per
fection of character.
JAMES, a servant of God and of
Jesus Christ the Master, to the
twelve tribes which are scattered
abroad, greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brethren,
when ye fall into various tempta
tions ; knowing that the trying of
your faith worketh endurance.
3 But let endurance have a perfect
work, that ye may be complete and
entire, lacking nothing.
4 If any one of you is deficient in
wisdom, let him seek it from God,
who bestoweth upon all liberally,
and upbraideth not ; and it will be
given him.
5 But let him seek in faith, noth
ing doubting ; for he that doubteth
is like a wave of the sea driven by
the wind and tossed ; let not that
man think that he shall obtain any
thing from the Lord, — a double-
minded man, unstable in all his ways.
6 Let the brother of low degree
glory when he is exalted, but the
rich, when he is humiliated ; for as
the flower of the grass his riches
shall pass away ; the sun rose with
its burning heat, and withered the
grass, and its flower fell off, and the
beauty of its appearance perished ;
so also will the rich man wither
and fade in his ways.
7 Blessed is the man that endur

eth temptation ; for when he is
approved, he will receive the crown
of life, which He promised to them
that love him.
8 Let no one, when he is tempted,
say, I am tempted by God ; for God
cannot be tempted with evil, and he
tempteth no one ; every one is
tempted, when by his own lust he is
enticed and led away; then lust,
having conceived, bringeth forth
transgression ; and transgression,
when completed, bringeth forth
death. 9 Do not err, my beloved breth
ren ; every good gift and every per
fect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of lights, with
whom is no change, nor shadow of
turning. 10 Of his own free will he begot
us through the word of truth, that
we might be a kind of firstfruits in
his spiritual creation ; therefore, let
every one be swift to hear, but
slow to speak, and slow to wrath ;
for the wrath of man worketh not
the righteousness of God ; also, put
off all filthiness, and wicked excess,
and receive with meekness the im
planted word, which is able to save
your souls.
11 Be doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving your
selves, for if any one is a hearer
of the word, and not a doer, he is
like a man beholding his natural face
in a glass; for he beholds himself,
and goes away, and immediately
forgets what manner of man he was.
12 But he who looks into the per-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JAMES.

265

feet law of liberty, and remains
there, being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the word, this man will
be blessed in his deeds.
13 If any one thinks that he is
religious, and bridles not his tongue,
he deceives his own heart, and his
religion is vain.
14 Pure religion, and undefiled be
fore God, the Father, is this : To
visit the fatherless and widows in
their affliction, and to keep one's self
unspotted from the world.
SELECTION II.
Respect of persons on account of their
material possessions rebuked ; also the
boasting of faith when the life is not de
vout. TV/TY brethren, hold not the faith
of our glorious Master, Jesus
Christ, with respect of persons ; for
if there come into your assembly a
man with a gold ring, in splendid
apparel, and there come in also a
poor man in vile raiment, and ye
have respect to him that weareth the
splendid apparel, and say, Sit thou
here in a good place, and say to the
poor man, Stand thou there, or, Sit
under my footstool, are ye not then
partial among yourselves, and with
evil, thoughts have not ye become
judges ?
2 Hearken, my beloved brethren.
Did not God choose the poor of this
world to become rich in faith, and
heirs of the kingdom which he prom
ised to them that love him? Will
ye then despise the poor man ?
3 Is it not the rich who oppress
you ? Is it not they who drag you
before the judgment-seats ? Is it not

they who blaspheme the worthy
name by which ye are called ?
4 If indeed ye fulfil the royal law,
according to the scripture, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,"
ye do well ; but if ye have respect to
persons, ye commit a wrong, and are
convicted by the law as transgres
sors. 5 Whoever shall keep the whole
law, with the exception of one part,
which he violates, he violates all ; be
cause he who said, Do not commit
adultery, also said, Do not kill. So
then if thou commit no adultery, yet
if thou kill, hast thou not become a
violator of the law ?
6 So speak, and so do, as they
that shall be judged by the law of
liberty : to him that showed no
mercy, judgment shall be without
mercy ; for mercy is glorified as su
perior to judgment.
7 What doth it profit, my breth
ren, if any one say that he hath
faith, and haVe not works? Can his
faith save him ? If a brother or sister
be naked, and destitute of daily food,
and one of you say to them, Depart
in peace, be warmed and be filled,
notwithstanding ye give them not
the things needful for the body,,
what doth it profit? So also faith,
if it hath not works, is dead in
itself. 8 Yea, we may speak thus, Hast
thou faith ? I have works ; show me
thy faith without works, and I will
show thee my faith by my works.
Dost thou reply, I believe that God
is one ; thou doest well ; the demons
also believe, and tremble.
9 Know then, O vain man . that
faith without works is dead ; even

266

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JAMES.

as body without spirit is dead, so
also is faith without works.
SELECTION III.
How the tongue is an index of the heart ;
so that pure speech indicates inwardpurity;
while uncharitable, deceitful, and impure
words indicate that there is a fountain of
bitterness within.
TV/TY brethren, do not all seek to
be masters, knowing that thus
ye shall be brought into great confu
sion ; for where there are many mas
ters, all are offended.
2 Now if any one offend not in
his speech, the same is a perfect man,
able to bridle the whole body also ;
even as when we put the bits into the
horses' mouths, that they may obey
us, we turn about also their whole
body. 3 Behold also the ships, which,
though they are so great, and driven
by fierce winds, are yet turned about
with a very small rudder, whitherso
ever the steersman chooseth ; even
so is the tongue a little member but
capable of great things.
4 Behold, how great a conflagra
tion a little fire kindleth ! So is the
tongue ; it is a fire, a world of iniqui
ty ; among our members it is that
which defileth the whole body, and
setteth on fire the wheel of life, and
is itself set on fire by hell.
5 Every kind of beasts and of
birds, of creeping things and things
in the sea, is tamed and hath been
tamed by mankind ; but the tongue
can no man tame ; it is a restless
evil, full of deadly poison.
6 Therewith bless we the Lord
and Father, and therewith curse we
men, who have been made after the

likeness of God ; so it is that, out
of the same mouth, proceed bless
ing and cursing. Brethren, these
things ought not so to be.
7 Doth a fountain from the same
opening send forth sweet water and
bitter ? Can a fig-tree, my brethren,
bear olives? Can a vine bear figs?
Can salt water yield fresh ?
8 Who among you is wise and en-.
dued with knowledge ? let him show
out of a good course of conduct his
works in the meekness of wisdom.
9 But if ye have bitter rivalry and
strife in your hearts, boast not, and
do not lie against the truth ; for such
wisdom is not that which descendeth
from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish ; and where such rivalry and
strife are, there are confusion and ev
ery evil work.
io But the wisdom which descend
eth from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, easy to be en
treated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, without hypoc
risy. 1 1 Now, by those who seek peace,
the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace ; but rivalry and contentions
among you, whence come they?
Come they not hence even from the
lusts that are at war in your mem
bers? 12 Ye lust, and have not; ye de
stroy, and earnestly covet, but do
not obtain ; ye strive and struggle,
yet receive not, because ye ask not ;
or, if ye ask, ye ask amiss, that ye
may consume that which ye ask for
upon your lusts ; therefore ye receive
nothing. 13 Do ye not know that worldly
lusts are at enmity with God ? who-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JAMES.

267

ever therefore chooseth the lusts of
the world, becometh God's enemy.
14 Submit yourselves then to
God ; resist evil, and it will depart
from you ; draw nigh to God, and he
will draw nigh to you.
15 Ye transgressors cleanse your
hands, and purify your hearts ye
double-minded ; be afflicted for your
transgressions, and mourn, and weep ;
let your laughter be turned into
mourning, and your joy into heavi
ness ; thus humble yourselves in the
sight of the Lord, and he will exalt
you. 16 Brethren, speak not against
one another ; for he that speaketh
against his brother, or judgeth his
brother, speaketh against the law,
and judgeth the law ; but if thou
judge the law, thou art not a doer of
the law, but a judge.
17 One is the Lawgiver and Judge,
even He who is able to save, and to
destroy; but who art thou, that
judgest thy neighbor?
18 Therefore to him that knoweth
how to do good, and doeth it not,
to him this is transgression.
SELECTION IV.
The foolish think only of the profits and
pleasures of this life ; but the wise live
with reference to immortality, and labor
chiefly for enduring acquisitions.
pOME now, ye that say, To-day
and to-morrow we will go into
such a city, and spend a year there in
traffic, and so acquire wealth ; in
stead of saying, If the Lord will, we
shall live and do this and that.
2 So it is that ye glory in your
projects ; but all such glorying is
vain ; because ye know not what will

be on the morrow : for what is your
life ? It is even as a vapor that ap-
peareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away.
3 Ye rich men, come now, weep
and bewail the miseries that are com
ing upon you; for your riches are cor
rupted, your garments are become
moth-eaten, your gold and silver are
rusted, and the rust of it will be a
witness against you, and will eat
your flesh as fire ; because ye have
heaped up earthly treasures as your
last good.
4 Behold the reward of the labor
ers who reaped your fields, which ye
fraudulently kept back, now crieth
out against you ; and the cries of
those who reaped have entered into
the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 Ye have lived in luxury on the
earth, and have been given to pleas
ure ; ye have pampered your hearts
as in a day of slaughter ; ye have
condemned, ye have consumed the
just man, and he did not resist you.
6 But, brethren, be ye patient,
until the presence of the Lord ; even
as the husbandman waiteth for the
precious fruit of the earth, and is
patient about it, until it hath received
the early and latter rain, so be ye
also patient, and fortify your cour
age ; for the presence of the Lord
draweth nigh.
7 Behold, the Judge standeth at
the door. Brethren, judge not each
other, that ye be not judged.
8 Take the prophets, who spake in
the name of the Lord, for an example
of affliction, and of patience ; those
who endured, we count happy.
9 Ye also have heard of the pa
tience of Job, and know from his ex-

268

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PETER.

ample, that, in the end, the Lord is
very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
io But above all things, my breth
ren, avoid profanity; do not swear,
either by heaven, or by the earth, or
by any other oath ; but let your yea
be yea, and your nay, nay ; so shall
ye not fall into condemnation.
1 1 Is any among you afflicted ? let
him pray. Is any cheerful ? let him
sing praise. Is any sick among you ?
let him call to him the elders of the
congregation, and let them pray for
him, administering to him remedies
in the name of the Lord.
12 The prayer of faith will save the

sick, and the Lord will raise him up ;
and if he have committed offences,
they shall be forgiven him.
13 Confess your faults to one
another, and pray for one another,
that ye may be forgiven; for the
earnest prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
14 Brethren, if any one among you
be led astray from the truth, and one
turn him back, let him know that he
who turneth a transgressor from the
error of his way will preserve a soul
from death, and cover a multitude of
transgressions.

THE LETTERS OF PETER.

SELECTION I.
The new faith and hope of the gospel
having been received, those who have re
ceived it should thereby be brought into a
new life of purity and of consecration to
God. "DLESSED be God, the Father of
Jesus Christ our Master, who,
according to his abundant mercy,
begot us again into a living hope
through the reappearance of Jesus
Christ from the dead; to an inheri
tance imperishable, and undefiled,
and unfading, reserved in the heavens
for us, who are guarded by the power
of God through faith unto a salvation
ready to be revealed in these latter
times. 2 Herein we greatly rejoice, (though
now for a short time, if need be, made
sorrowful by manifold trials,) that the
proof of your faith, much more pre
cious than gold which perisheth, but

is tried with fire, may be found unto
praise and glory and honor at the
manifestation of Jesus Christ.
3 Whom, having not seen, ye love;
in whom, though now you see him
not, yet believing, ye rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith, even
the salvation of your souls.
4 Concerning which salvation the
prophets, who prophesied of the
grace which was to come, sought
earnestly and searched earnestly ;
searching what or what manner of
time the Messianic spirit which was
in them signified, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings to come
upon the Messiah, and the glories
that were to follow.
5 To which prophets it was re
vealed that not to themselves, but to
future ages, they were ministering
the things which now have been an-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PETER.

269

nounced by them that have brought
to you the gospel by the Holy Spirit
sent forth from heaven; which things
angels desire to look into.
6 Wherefore gird up the loins of
your mind, be sober, and hope un-
doubtingly for the grace that is to be
brought to you at the manifestation
of Jesus Christ ; as children of obe
dience, not conforming yourselves to
the former lusts of your ignorance ;
but as he who called you is holy, be
ye also holy in all your conduct ; for
it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I
am holy.
7 And if ye call him Father, who,
without respect of' persons, judgeth
according to each one's work, pass
the time of your sojourning here in
reverence ; knowing that not with
perishable things, silver or gold, were
ye redeemed from your vain manner
of life received by tradition from
your fathers, but with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.
8 Who indeed was foreknown be
fore the foundation of the world, but
manifested in these last times for
you, who through him have faith in
God, who raised him from the dead
and gave him glory; so that your
faith and hope are in God.
9 Seeing ye have purified your
souls in obeying the truth unto un
feigned brotherly love, love one an
other from the heart, fervently ; being
born again, not of perishable seed, but
of imperishable, through the word
of God,which liveth and abideth.
10 Because, All flesh is as grass,
and all its glory as the flower of
grass ; the grass withereth, and its
flower falleth off; but the word of

the Lord abideth for ever ; and this is
the word which was preached to you.
1 1 Laying aside therefore all mal
ice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all slander, as new
born babes, desire the spiritual pure
milk, that ye may grow thereby to
salvation ; if indeed ye have tasted
that the Lord is gracious.
12 To whom coming, as to a liv
ing stone, rejected indeed by men,
but in the sight of God chosen to be
honored : be ye yourselves also, as
living stones, built into a spiritual
house ; built into a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, accept
able to God through Jesus Christ.
13 It is written in the scriptures :
Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner
stone, chosen, honored ; and he that
believeth in him shall not be put to
shame. 14 To you therefore who believe,
is the honor revealed ; but to the
disobedient, he is the stone which
the builders rejected, and a stone of
stumbling, a rock of offence.
15 But ye are a chosen genera
tion, a royal priesthood, a holy na
tion, a people for a possession, that
ye may show forth the praises of
him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light ; who once
were not a people, but now are the
people of God ; who once had not
obtained mercy, but now have ob
tained mercy. SELECTION II.
Various precepts with regard to that
pure and peaceable conduct of life which
is proper for those who consider themselves
ihe children of God.
DELOVED, I exhort you, as so
journers and strangers, to ab-

270

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PETER.

stain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul ; having your man
ner of life among the Gentiles hon
orable ; that, whereas they now
speak against you as evil-doers, they
may by your good works, which
they behold, glorify God in the day
of visitation.
2 Submit yourselves therefore to
every human institution for the
Lord's sake ; whether to the ruler
as supreme, or to governors, as
being appointed by him for the pun
ishment of evil-doers, and the praise
of those who do well.
3 For so is the will of God, that
with well-doing ye may put to si
lence the ignorance of foolish men ;
as free, and not using your freedom
for a cloak of wickedness, but as ser
vants of God.
4 Respect all men ; love the
brotherhood ; reverence God ; honor
the ruler.
5 Servants, be subject to your
masters with all respect, not only to
the good and considerate, but also
to the perverse ; for this is accepta
ble, if any one on account of a sense
of duty to God endureth hardships,
suffering wongfully.
6 And what glory is it, if, when
for your faults ye are punished, ye
shall take it patiently ? but if, when
ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take
it patiently, that is glory ; and that
is acceptable with God.
7 For to this ye were called ; be
cause even Christ suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that we
should follow his steps ; who com
mitted no wrong, neither was guile
found in his mouth ; who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again ; when

he suffered did not threaten, but
committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously; who himself
suffered on account of our trans
gressions in his own body on the
cross, that we also might die to our
transgressions, and live to righteous
ness. 8 And with his stripes ye were
healed. For ye were going astray
like sheep ; but now have ye re
turned to the Shepherd and Bishop
of your souls.
9 In like manner, ye wives, be in
subjection to your husbands; that
even those who obey not the word,
may, without the word, be won,
when they behold your chaste be
havior coupled with reverence.
Whose adorning, let it not be the
outward adornment of braiding the
hair, and of wearing golden orna
ments, or of putting on apparel;
but the hidden adornment of
the heart, in that which is
imperishable, even the ornament
of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great
price. 10 Dwell likewise, O husband,
with thy wife according to knowl
edge, as with the weaker vessel, giv
ing her honor as being heir with thee
of the grace of life ; to the end
that your expectations be not in
vain. 11 Finally, be all of one mind,
have fellow-feeling, love as brethren,
be compassionate, be humble ; not
rendering evil for evil, or railing for
railing ; but, on the contrary, bless
ing the evil-doer ; because for this
end ye were called, that ye might
inherit blessing.

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — PETER.

271

12 He that would love life, and
see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips from
speaking guile ; let him turn away
from evil, and do good ; let him
seek peace, and pursue it ; for the
eyes of the Lord are upon the right
eous, and his ears are toward their
supplication ; but the face of the
Lord is turned away from those who
do evil.
13 Who is he that shall harm you,
if ye are followers of that which is
good? If ye suffer for righteous
ness' sake, happy are ye ; therefore
be not afraid at their terrors, nor
alarmed. 14 Sanctify in your hearts Christ
as your master ; and so be ready al
ways to give, in reply to every one
that asketh you, a reason for the
hope that is in you ; but give it with
meekness and reverence, having a
good conscience, so that wherein ye
are evil spoken of, they may be
ashamed that falsely accuse your
good conduct in Christ.
15 For it is good, if it be the will
of God, that ye suffer for well-doing,
not for evil-doing; even as Christ
also once suffered for transgressions,
the righteous one for the un
righteous, that he might bring us
to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
16 Christ then having suffered in
the flesh, do ye also strengthen
yourselves with the same experience.
For he that suffereth in the flesh
ceaseth from sin ; so do ye no lon
ger live the remaining time in the
flesh after the lusts of men, but
after the will of God.
17 Sufficient is the time past to

have wrought the will of the Gen
tiles, when ye walked in lascivious-
ness, lusts, excess of wine, revel-
lings, carousings, and abominable
idolatries ; and now are they aston
ished that ye run no longer with
them into the same excess of riot ;
therefore they speak evil of you ;
but they shall give account to him
that is ready to judge the living and
the dead.
18 For to this end was the gospel
preached also to those who were
dead in transgressions, that they
might indeed be condemned accord
ing to men in the flesh, and might
be made alive according to God in
the spirit.
19 But the end of all things is at
hand ; be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer ; above all things,
have fervent, love among yourselves;
for love covereth a multitude of er
rors. 20 Be hospitable to one another
without grudging ; according as each
one hath received, let him minister
of the same to others, so shall ye be
good stewards of the manifold grace
of God.
21 If any one speak, let him speak
as uttering the oracles of God ; if any
minister, let him do it as from the
ability which God giveth ; that in all
things through Jesus Christ, glory
may be given to God, to whom be
the praise and the dominion for ever
and ever. Amen.
SELECTION III.
Continuation of moral and devout pre
cepts. "D ELO VED, be not surprised at the
fiery trial which is taking place

272

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.- -PETER.

among you to prove you, as though
a strange thing were befalling you ;
but, in so far as ye share in Christ's
sufferings, rejoice ; that also at the
manifestation of his glory ye may re
joice with exceeding joy.
2 If ye are reproached for the
name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the
Spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you ; but let none of you suffer
as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil
doer, or as abusybody in other men's
matters. 3 If as a Christian any man suf
fer, let him not be ashamed, but let
him glorify God on this account ; for
the time is come for judgment to be
gin at the house of God ; but if it be
gin with us, what will be the end of
those who obey not the gospel of
God ? If the righteous scarcely is
saved, where shall the ungodly and
the sinner appear ?
4 Wherefore let those who suffer
according to the will of God commit
the keeping of their souls to him in
well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.
5 The elders among you, I, who
am aise a fellow-elder and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, who am
also a sharer in the glory that is to be
revealed, even I exhort you tend the
flock of God which is among you,
overseeing it, not by constraint, but
willingly ; not for base gain, but with
ready mind ; not as lording it over
your allotted charge, but being ex
amples to the flock ; and when the
chief Shepherd shall appear, ye will
receive the crown of glory that fad-
eth not away.
6 In like manner, ye younger
men, submit yourselves to the elder;
and all of you be clothed with hu

mility toward each other ; for God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace
to the humble.
7 Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that
he may exalt you in due time ; cast
ing all your care upon him, because
he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be watchful ; your
adversary, the evil one, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour ; whom resist, stead
fast in the faith, knowing that the
same sufferings are being accom
plished in your brethren in the
world. 9 But the God of all grace, who
called you to his everlasting glory
in Christ Jesus, will, after ye have
suffered a while, himself make you
perfect, establish, strengthen, settle
you. To him be the dominion for
ever. Amen.
io Inasmuch as Divine power hath
given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him who called us by
his own glory and goodness ; through
which also he hath given us ex
ceedingly great and precious prom
ises, that by these we may become
partakers of the Divine nature, hav
ing escaped from the corruption that
is in the world through lust ; —
n Even for this very reason, giving
all diligence, add to your faith virt
ue, and to virtue knowledge, and to
knowledge self-control, and to self-
control endurance, and to endurance
godliness, and to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness
love. 12 If these things are in you and
abound, they will make you neither

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JOHN.

273

inactive nor unfruitful in gaining the
full knowledge of Jesus Christ our
Master ; but he that lacketh these
things is blind, and cannot see afar
off, and hath forgotten that he was
purged from his old iniquities.
13 Wherefore brethren give dili
gence to make your calling and elec
tion sure ; if ye do these things, ye
will never fall ; for in this way the
entrance will be richly furnished
you into the everlasting kingdom
of Jesus Christ our Master and Sav
iour. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that
ye look for these things, be diligent
that ye may be found without

spot and blameless before him in
peace. 1 5 But forget not, beloved, this one
thing, that one day is with the Lord
as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day. The Lord is not
tardy concerning his promise, as some
men count tardiness ; but is long-suf
fering toward you, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance.
16 Seeing that all these things are
thus to be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in holy con
duct and godliness, looking for and
hastening the coming of the day of
God!

THE LETTERS OF JOHN.

SELECTION I.
If we are brethren of Christ and chil
dren of God, the life, light, and righteous
ness of Christ and of God will also be
in us.
*~PHAT which was from the first,
which we have heard, which
we have seen with our eyes, which
we looked upon, and our hands
handled, concerning the word of
life, — and the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear wit
ness, and announce to you the ever
lasting life, which was with the
Father, and was manifested to us, —
that which we have seen and heard
we announce to you, that ye also
may have fellowship with us ; and
truly our fellowship is with the
Father, and with his son Jesus
Christ. 2 These things we write to you,
that your joy may be full.

3 And this is the message which
we have heard from him, and an
nounce to you, that God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.
4 If we walk in the darkness,
and say that we have fellowship
with him, we speak not the truth ;
but if we walk in the light, as he is
in the light, then we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of
Jesus his son will cleanse us from
all our transgressions.
5 If we say that we have no
transgressions, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us ; but if
we confess our transgressions, he is
faithful and righteous to forgive us,
and to cleanse us from all unright
eousness. 6 My children, these things I
write to you, that ye may not trans
gress ; if any one have transgressed,
we have a helper with the Father,

274

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JOHN.

Jesus Christ the righteous : and he
is a propitiation for our transgres
sions ; and not for ours only, but also
for the whole world.
7 Hereby we are assured that we
know him, if we keep his command
ments ; he that saith, I know him,
and keepeth not his commandments,
deceiveth himself, and the truth is
not in him.
8 But whoever keepeth his word,
truly in him is the love of God
perfected ; and hereby we know
that we are in him. Therefore he that
saith he abideth in him ought him
self also to walk, even as Jesus
walked. 9 Beloved, I have written no new
commandment to you, but an old
commandment, which ye have had
from the beginning ; the old com
mandment is the word which ye
have already heard ; but a new com
mandment I will write to you, even
of things which are true in him, and
in you ; because the darkness is pass
ing away, and the true light is now
beginning to shine.
io He that saith he is in the light,
and hateth his brother, is in the
darkness until now ; he that loveth
his brother abideth in the light, and
there is no occasion of stumbling in
him ; but he that hateth his brother
is in the darkness, and walketh in
the darkness, and knoweth not
whither he goeth, because the dark
ness hath blinded his eyes.
1 1 I write to you, my children,
because your transgressions have
been forgiven you for his name's
sake ; I write to you, fathers, be
cause ye know him that was from
the beginning ; I write to you, young

men, because ye have overcome the
evil one.
12 I have written to you, my
children, because ye know the
Father ; I have written to you,
fathers, because ye know him that
was from the beginning ; I have
written to you, young men, because
ye are strong, and the word of God
abideth in you, and ye have over
come the evil one.
13 Love not the world, nor the
things in the world ; if any one
loveth the world, the love of the
Father is not in him : because such
things as the lust of the flesh, and
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, are not of the Father, but are
worldly. 14 The world is passing away,
and the lust thereof ; but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for
ever. 15 Behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called children
of God ! For this cause the world
knoweth us not, because it knew
him not.
16 Beloved, now are we children
of God, and it hath not yet been
manifested what we shall be, but
we know that, when it shall be mani
fested, we shall be like him ; because
we shall see him as he is.
17 And every one that hath this
hope purifieth himself, even as God
himself is pure ; for whoever com
mitteth sin transgresseth thereby
the law ; for sin is a transgression of
the law.
18 And ye know him, even Jesus,
that was manifested to take away
transgressions, that in him was no

.CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — JOHN.

275

transgression. Whoever abideth in
him transgresseth not ; whoever
transgresseth hath not seen him,
nor known him.
19 My children, let no one deceive
you ; he that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous ;
but he that transgresseth is of the
evil one, who hath transgressed
from the beginning. For this pur
pose the son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of
the evil one.
20 Whoever hath been born of
God doth not live in transgression,
because the seed abideth in him ; he
cannot live in transgression, because
he hath been born of God. In this
are manifested the children of God
and the children of the evil one ;
whoever doeth not righteousness,
and loveth not his brother is not of
God. 21 This is the message that ye
have heard from the beginning, that
we should love one another ; not as
Cain, who was of the evil one, and
slew his brother. And wherefore
did he slay him ? Because his own
works were evil, and his brother's
righteous. 22 Wonder not, brethren, if the
world hateth you. We know that
we have passed out of death into
life, because we love the brethren ;
he that loveth not abideth in death.
SELECTION II.
Love the evidence of discipleship to Christ,
and of sonship to God.
TTEREIN we behold love, even
in him who laid down his life
for us ; we in like manner ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren,

But whoever hath this world's
goods, and seeth his brother having
need, and shutteth up his compas
sion from him, how dwelleth the love
of God in him ? j
2 My children, let us not love in
words, nor in tongue, but in deed and
in truth. And hereby we know that
we are of the truth, and shall assure
our hearts before him ; because if our
heart condemn us, God is greater than
our heart, and knoweth all things.
3 Beloved, if our heart condemn
us not, we have confidence toward
God ; and whatever we ask, we re
ceive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do the things
that are pleasing in his sight.
4 And this is his commandment,
that, believing in the name of his
son, Jesus Christ, we should love one
another, even as Jesus also command
ed us. He that keepeth his com
mandments, abideth in him, and he
also in him ; and hereby we know that
he abideth in us, by the Spirit, which
he gave us.
5 Believe not every spirit, beloved,
but prove the spirits, whether they
are of God ; because many false
prophets have gone forth into the
world. Hereby ye may know the
Spirit of God : Every spirit that ac
knowledged that Jesus Christ hath
come in the flesh, is of God ; and ev
ery spirit that doth not acknowledge
Jesus, is not of God, but is that
spirit of Antichrist, which ye have
heard is to come ; and even now it
is already in the world.
6 Ye are of God, my children, and
have overcome the world, because
greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.

276

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

7 Beloved, let us love one anoth
er; for love is from God, and every
one that loveth hath been born of
God, and kno"weth God ; he that lov
eth not hath not known God ; for
God is love.
8 In this was manifested the love
of God in regard to us, that God
sent his only begotten son into the
world, that we through him might
live ; not because we loved God, but
because he loved us, did he send his
son to be a propitiation for our trans
gressions. 9 Beloved, if God so loved us, we
also ought to love one another. No
one hath ever seen God ; but if we
love one another, God dwelleth in
us, and his love is perfected in us.
10 Hereby we know that we dwell
in him, and he in us, because he
hath given us of his Spirit. We have
seen and bear witness, that the
Father hath sent the son, to be the
Saviour of the world ; whoever ac
knowledged that Jesus is son of

God, God dwelleth in him, and he in
God. 11 And we have known and be
lieved the love that God hath in re
gard to us. God is love ; and he
that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,
and God in him.
12 Herein hath love been perfect
ed with us, that we have no fear for
the day of judgment ; because as He
is love, so do we live in this world
without fear. There is no fear in
love, but perfect love casteth out
fear ; because fear hath torment ;
and he that feareth is not made per
fect in love.
13 We love Him, because He first
loved us.
14 If any one saith, I love God,
and hateth his brother, he is a liar;
for he that loveth not his brother,
whom he hath seen, how can he love
God, whom he hath not seen? And
this instruction we have from Jesus,
that he who loveth God loveth also
his brother.

THE REVELATION,

SELECTION I.
The message to the seven churches.
T AM the Alpha and the Omega
saith the Lord God, he who is and
who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty. 2 I, John, your brother, and com
panion in the affliction and kingdom
and endurance of Jesus, was in the
isle that is called Patmos, on account
of the word of God, and the testi
mony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit
on the Lord's day, and I heard be

hind me a loud voice, as of a trum
pet, saying : What thou seest, write
in a book, and send it to the seven
churches ; to Ephesus, and to Smyr
na, and to Pergamos, and to Thy-
atira, and to Sardis, and to Philadel
phia, and to Laodicea.
3 To the messenger of the church
in Ephesus write : I know thy works,
and thy labor, and thy endurance, and
that thou canst not bear evil men ;
for thou didst try those who say they
are apostles, and are not, and didst
find them false ; and thou hast en-

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

277

durance, and hast borne on account
of my name, and hast not become
weary. But I have this against thee,
that thou hast left thy first love.
Remember, therefore, whence thou
hast fallen, and repent, and do the
first works ; or else I will come to
thee, and will remove thy candlestick
out of its place, unless thou repent.
He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith to the churches.
To him that overcometh I will give
to eat of the tree of life, which is in
the paradise of God.
4 And to the messenger of the
church in Smyrna write : I know thy
affliction and poverty, (but thou art
rich,) and the blasphemy of those
who profess to be Jews when they are
not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Fear not the things which thou art
about to suffer ; for now, behold, the
evil one is about to cast some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried ; and
ye will have tribulation, but be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give
thee the crown of life. He that hath
an ear let him hear what the Spirit
saith to the churches. He that over
cometh shall not be hurt by the sec
ond death.
5 And to the messenger of the
church in Pergamos write : I know
where thou dwellest, where the
throne of Satan is ; and thou holdest
fast my name, and hast not denied
my faith. But I have a few things
against thee ; thou hast among thee
them that hold the teaching of Ba
laam, who taught Balak to put a
stumbling-block in the way of the
sons of Israel, and to eat the sacri
fices of idols, and to commit fornica
tion. Repent therefore ; or else I

will come to thee quickly, and will
make war with them with the sword
of my mouth. He that hath an ear
let him hear what the Spirit saith to
the churches. To him that overcom
eth, I will give of the hidden manna,
and will give him a white stone, and
on the stone a new name written,
which no one knoweth but he that
receiveth it.
6 And to the messenger of the
church in Thyatira write : I know thy
works, and love, and faith, and ser
vice, and thy endurance, and that
thy last works are more than the first.
But I have this against thee, that
thou sufferest Jezebel to continue as
thy wife ; for she calleth herself a
prophetess, and teacheth and seduc-
eth my servants to commit fornica
tion, and to eat the sacrifices of idols.
And I gave her time to repent, but
she will not repent of her fornica
tion ; therefore, behold, I will cast
her and those who together with her
commit adultery into great distress,
unless they repent of their deeds ;
and all the churches shall know that
I am he who searcheth the reins and
hearts ; and I will give to every one of
you according to your works. But to
the rest of you who are in Thyatira,
as many as have not this evil teach
ing, and have not known " the
depths " of Satan, of which I speak,
upon you I place no other burden ;
but that which ye have, hold fast till
I come. He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith to
the churches.
7 And to the messenger of the
church in Sardis write : I know thy
works, that thou hast a name that
thou livest, and art dead. Be watch-

278

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

fui, and strengthen the remaining
things, that are ready to die ; for I
have not found thy works perfect be
fore my God. Remember, therefore,
how thou hast received and heard,
and keep those things and repent ;
but if thou shalt not watch, I will
come as a thief, and thou shalt not
know at what hour I will come upon
thee. But thou hast a few names in
Sardis which have not defiled their
garments ; and they shall walk with
me in white, for they are worthy.
He that overcometh, the same shall
be clothed in white garments ; and I
will not blot out his name from the
book of life, and I will acknowledge
his name before my Father, and be
fore his angels. He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith to
the churches.
8 And to the messenger of the
church in Philadelphia write : I know
thy works ; behold, I have set before
thee an open door, which no one can
shut ; for thou hadst but little power,
and yet hast kept my word, and hast
not denied my name. Because thou
hast kept my injunction of endur
ance, I also will keep thee in the
hour of temptation, which is about to
come upon the whole world, to
try those who dwell upon the
earth. I come quickly ; hold fast
that which thou hast, that no one
may take thy crown. He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith to the churches.
9 And to the messenger of the
church in Laodicea write: I know
thy works, that thou art neither cold
nor hot ; I would thou wert cold or
hot. So then, because thou art
lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold,

I am about to spue thee out of my
mouth. Thou sayest, I am rich, and
have gotten wealth, and have, need
of nothing, and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and pitiable, and
poor, and blind, and naked ; I advise
thee to buy of me gold refined by
fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and
white garments, that thou mayest be
clothed, and that the shame of thy
nakedness may. not be made mani
fest ; and eye-salve to anoint thine
eyes, that thou mayest see. As many
as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be
zealous therefore, and repent. Be
hold, I stand at the door, and knock;
if any one hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me.
He that overcometh, I will give to
him to sit with me on my throne,
even as I also overcame, and sat
down with my Father on his throne.
He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith to the churches.
SELECTION II.
A vision of the blessedness of those who,
by lives of purity and self-sacrifice, have
become worthy to receive the final appro
bation of God.
A FTER these things -I saw, and
lo ! a great multitude, which no
one could number, out of every na
tion and all tribes and peoples and
tongues, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb, clothed in
white robes, and palms in their
hands ; and they cry with a loud
voice, saying, Salvation is unto God,
who sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb.
2 And all the messengers were
standing around the throne and the

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

279

elders, (and the four living creatures,)
and they fell before the throne on
their faces, and worshipped God,
saying, Amen ; the blessing, and the
glory, and the wisdom, and the
thanksgiving, and the honor, and
the power, and the might, be to our
God, for ever and ever.
3 And one of the elders answered,
saying to me, These who are clothed
in the white robes, who are they,
and whence came they ? And I said
to him, My lord, thou knowest.
And he said to me, These are they
who came out of the great tribula
tion, who washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of
the Lamb ; therefore are they before
the throne of God, and serve him
day and night in his temple ; and he
that sitteth on the throne will make
his abode with them. They shall hun
ger no more, nor thirst any more ;
neither shall the sun fall upon them,
nor any burning heat ; for the Lamb
who is in the midst before the throne,
is a shepherd to them, and leadeth
them to the fountains of the waters
of life ; and God will wipe away ev
ery tear from their eyes.
4 And I heard a voice from heaven,
as the voice of many waters, and as
the voice of loud thunder ; and the
voice which I heard was as that of
harpers, harping with their harps ;
and they sang a new song before the
throne (and before the four living
creatures) and the elders ; and no
one was able to learn the song but
the hundred and forty-four thousand,
who were redeemed from the earth.
5 These are they who follow the
Lamb wherever he goeth ; who were
redeemed from among men, a first-

fruits to God and to the Lamb ; in
their mouth was found no falsehood,
and they are without fault.
6 And I saw another messenger
flying in mid-heaven, having an ever
lasting message of good tidings to
proclaim to those who dwell on the
earth, and to every nation, and tribe,
and tongue, and people ; saying with
a loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to him, for the hour of his
judgment is come ; and worship him
that made the heaven, and the earth,
and sea, and fountains of waters.
7 And I heard a voice from heav
en, saying, Write, Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord from hence
forth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that
they shall rest from their labors;
and their works do follow them.
8 And I saw, and lo ! a white
cloud, and upon the cloud one sat
like to a son of man, having on his
head a golden crown, and in his hand
a sharp sickle ; and another angel
came out of the temple, crying with
a loud voice to him who sat on the
cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap,
for the time to reap is come, because
the harvest of the earth is ripe. And
he who sat on the cloud thrust in
his sickle upon the earth ; and the
earth was reaped.
9 And I saw as it were a sea of
glass mingled with fire, and those
who had gained the victory over the
beast, and over his image, and over
the number of his name, standing at
the sea of glass, having harps of
God. 10 And they sing the song of
Moses the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb, saying : Great
and rriarvellous are thy works, Lord

28o

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

God Almighty ; just and true are
thy ways, thou King of the nations ;
who shall not fear, O Lord, and
glorify thy name? for thou only art
holy ; for all nations shall come and
worship before thee, because thy
judgments are made manifest.
n After these things I heard as
it were a loud voice of a great mul
titude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah !
The salvation, and the glory, and the
power.belong to our God; for true and
righteous are his judgments. And a
second time they said, Hallelujah !
12 And a voice came forth from
the throne, saying, Praise our God,
all ye his servants, and ye that fear
him, the small and the great.
13 And I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of mighty thunders, saying,
Hallelujah ! for the Lord our God
the Almighty reigneth. Let us re
joice and exult, and we will give
him the glory ; for the marriage of
the Lamb is come, and his wife hath
made herself ready ; and it was given
to her that she should be clothed
in fine linen, shining and pure ; and
the fine linen is the righteousness
of the saints.
14 And he saith to me, Write,
Blessed are they who are called to
the marriage-supper of the Lamb.
And he saith to me, These are the
true words of God.
15 And I fell at his feet to wor
ship him ; and he saith to me, See
thou do it not ; I am a fellow-servant
of thee, and of thy brethren who
maintain the testimony of Jesus;
worship God, for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

SELECTION III.
A vision of the heavenly city and of
those who shall be counted worthy to dwell
in it.
A ND I saw a new heaven and a
"^ new earth; for the first heav
en and the first earth had passed
away, and the sea was no more.
2 And I saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice out
of the throne, saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and
he will dwell with them, and they
will be his people, and God himself
will be with them, their God ; and
God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes, and death shall be no
more, neither shall mourning, nor
crying, nor pain be any more ; for
the former things are passed away.
4 And he that sat upon the throne
said, Behold, I make all things new.
5 And he saith, Write ; for these
words are faithful and true. I am
the Alpha and the Omega, the be
ginning and the end. To him that
thirsteth I will give of the fountain
of the water of life freely. He that
overcometh shall inherit these things,
and I will be his God, and he shall
be my son. But the cowardly, and
unbelieving, and the polluted with
abominations, and murderers, and
fornicators, and sorcerers, and idola
ters, and all the liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone ; which is
the second death.
6 And there came one of the
seven messengers, and talked with
me, saying, Come hither; I will

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

28l

show thee the bride, the wife of
the Lamb.
7 And he carried me away in the
Spirit to a great and high mountain,
and showed me the holy city, Jeru
salem, coming down out of heaven
from God, having the glory of God ;
her light was like to a most precious
stone, as it were a jasper stone, clear
as crystal ; having a wall great and
high ; having twelve gates, and at
the gates twelve angels, and names
written thereon, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the sons of
Israel. On the east, three gates ;
and on the north, three gates ; and
on the south, three gates ; and on
the west, three gates. And the
material of its wall was jasper; and
the city was of pure gold, like to
clear glass. The foundation-stones
of the wall of the city were adorned
with all manner of precious stones :
the first foundation-stone was jas
per, ; the second, sapphire ; the
third, chalcedony; the fourth, emer
ald ; the fifth, sardonyx ; the sixth,
sardius ; the seventh, chrysolite ;
the eighth, beryl ; the ninth, topaz ;
the tenth, chrysoprasus ; the elev
enth, hyacinth ; the twelfth, ame
thyst. And the twelve gates were
twelve pearls ; every several gate
was of one pearl. And the street
of the city was pure gold, like
transparent glass.
8 And I saw no temple therein ;
for the Lord God Almighty is its
temple, and the Lamb. And the
city hath no need of the sun, nor
of the moon, to shine upon it ; for
the glory of God and of the Lamb
is the light thereof. And the na
tions will walk by the light of it;

and the kings of the earth will bring
their glory into it; and the gates
of it shall not be shut by day, for
there will be no night there ; and
they will bring the glory and the
honor of all nations into it.
9 And there shall not enter into
it any thing unclean, or that work
eth abomination and falsehood ; but
only they that are written in the
Lamb's book of life.
10 And he showed me a river of
water of life, clear as crystal, coming
out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb; between the street of the
city and the river, on one side and
on the other, is the tree of life, bear
ing twelve kinds of fruit, and yield
ing its fruit every month ; and the
leaves of the tree are for the healing
of the nations.
11 And there shall be no more
curse ; for the throne of God will be
in it, and the Lamb and his servants
will serve him ; and they will see his
face, and his name will be upon their
foreheads. 12 And there will be no night,
and no need of lamp or light, for the
Lord God will shine upon them ; and
they will reign for ever and ever.
13 And I John am he who heard
and saw these things ; and when I
had heard and when I had seen, I
fell down to worship before the feet
of the messenger who showed me
these things. And he saith to me,
See thou do it not ; I am a fellow-
servant of thee, and of thy brethren
the prophets, and of those who keep
the words of this book ; worship
God. 14 And he saith to me, Seal not
the words of the prophecy of this

282

CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. — REVELATION.

book ; the time is at hand. He that
is unjust, let him be unjust still ; he
that is filthy, let him be filthy still ;
he that is righteous, let him do right
eousness still ; and he that is holy,
let him be holy still.
1 5 Behold, I come quickly, and my
reward is with me, to give to every one
according as his work is. I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the first and
the last, the beginning and the end.
16 Blessed are they that wash

their robes, that they may have a
right to the tree of life, and may
enter by the gates into the city ; for
without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
fornicators, and murderers, and idol
aters, and whoever loveth and prac-
tiseth falsehood.
17 And the Spirit and the bride
say, Come ! And let him that hear
eth say, Come ! And let him that
thirsteth come ! Whoever will, let
him take the water of life freely.

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
The existence and attributes of God.
T T E is the Principle of Goodness
and Truth ; the Eternal Source
of sunshine and light ; the Centre of
all that exists; the Creator of all
things ; the Sovereign Intelligence ;
the All-Seeing ; the Just Judge. He
sitteth on the throne of the good
and the perfect, in regions of pure
light. He pronounced the primeval
word, Be it ! and His own abode of
celestial light sprang into existence,
as far above the sun as the sun is
above the earth.
2 Worship, with humility and
reverence, the Giver of Blessings,
and of all the Spirits to whose care
He has entrusted the universe.
3 God appears in the best
thought, in the truest speech, in
the sincerest action. Through his
Pure Spirit He giveth health, pros
perity, devotion, and eternity to the
universe. He is the Father of all
Truth. 4 The height and depth of the
world is centred in Thee, O Lord.
I know not what Thou art. Thou
art what Thou alone canst be.
5 Think not that our fathers were
worshippers of Fire. That element
was merely an exalted object on the
splendor of which they fixed their

eyes. They humbled themselves
before God. And if thy understand
ing be ever so little exerted, thou
must acknowledge thy dependence
on the Supremely Pure Being.
6 Communicate to me the least
name of God, and I will return to
thee His greatest. Every day He is
in action. One day of His is equal to
a thousand years of man's.
7 O Thou whose light manifests
itself in the vesture of the world!
Thy names are manifested in the nat
ure of man ; Thy knowledge shows
itself in the science of Thy prophets ;
Thy bounty is manifested in the
bounty of great hearts. Recognize
the mark of God in every place.
The world is the image of God.
8 O Thou who existest from eter
nity, and abidest for ever ! sight can
not bear Thy light, praise cannot ex
press Thy perfection. Thy light
melts the understanding, and Thy
glory baffles wisdom ; to think of
Thee bewilders reason ; Thy essence
confounds thought. Science is like
blinding desert-sand on the road to
Thy perfection. The town of litera
ture is a mere hamlet compared
with the world of Thy knowledge.
9 My foot has no power to tread
on this path, which misleads sages.
I have no power to bear the odor of
this wine ; it confounds my knowl-
83

284

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

edge. Man's so-called foresight and
guiding reason wander about bewil
dered in the streets of the city of
Thy glory. Human thought and
knowledge combined can only spell
the first letter of Thy love.
io Praise be to Thee Amplest of
Stars ! Revolving in abundant love
and greatness ! Abiding in the midst
of perfect order ! Cause of whatever
is produced anew, and Creator of the
seasons ! Thou, Maker of the day
in all its splendor, art God : cloth
ing the stars with Thy brilliancy,
Thou causest them to be symbols
of Thy grandeur, rays of Thy glory.
They are as proofs of Thee unto
Thy servants. Through their activi
ty, beaming with glory, I seek Thee,
of whom they are the reflection.
ii Thou art the Establisher and
Limit of all, the Light of lights, the
Lord who giveth harmony to the
worlds. Wilt thou illuminate my soul
with pure light, adorable knowledge,
and lofty excellence ! Enable me to
be one of those who are nigh unto
Thee, who are filled with Thy love !
12 Thou pure and perfect God !
Thine is the world's beauty and do
minion. Thy beauty transcends the
sun, and Thy completeness the uni
verse of forms. I call Thee not high
nor low ; recognizing no limit to
Thy being. Thou art highest, Thou
art deepest, Thou art the essence of
all being. How can I know Thee,
who art beyond the vision of reason ?
Being so concealed, Thou art the
more revealed to the eye of the
heart. 13 The world were an empty tab
let if Thou hadst not written thereon
Thy eternal thought. Of Thy divine

poem the first word is Reason, and
the last is Man ; and whoso shall
trace the words from the first to the
last shall find them the unbroken
series of Thy favors, the varied
names of Thy love.
14 Antagonistic natures blend in
sweet accord : in fine ether behold
the solid sphere suspended ; fire and
water work together for that
great harmony from which The
Good sprang into being. Such har
mony is the sign of The Best.
15 In mines gleam the gems, and
the earth hath its green vesture ; but
deep within me shall that harmony
be found singing praises, with the
revolving spheres, to the Fairest and
the Best.
16 We worship the Pure, the Lord
of Purity. We worship the Omni
present, the True- Spirit, visible and
invisible : who is in all that sustains
the welfare of the good creation.
We praise all good thoughts, all
good deeds which are and will be;
all that keeps pure, all that is good.
17 Thou true, happy Being! we
try to speak and do only what may
promote the two lives of body and
mind. We worship the Wise One,
who formed and furthered the spirit
of earth. We beseech the Spirit of
Earth to yield to our labor beautiful
and fertile fields, for believer and un
believer, for rich and poor. We wor
ship the Wise One with our bodies
and our souls. We worship Him as
being united with the spirits of pure
men and women. We worship the
Promoter of all Good ; all that is
very beautiful, shining, immortal,
bright ; everything that is Good.
18 O God, show compassion on

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

285

the wicked! The virtuous have al
ready been blessed by Thee, in be
ing virtuous. SELECTION II.
Pure hearts, humane deeds, and spiritual
life in God combine to prepare man for a
happy death, and for blessed re-unions and
joys beyond.
' I " H E man who has constantly con
tended against evil, morally
and physically, outwardly and in
wardly, may fearlessly meet death ;
well assured that radiant Spirits will
lead him across the luminous bridge
into a paradise of eternal happi
ness. 2 Souls risen from the graves will
know each other, and say : That is
my father, or my brother, my wife,
or my sister.
3 The wicked will say to the good :
Wherefore, when I was in the world
did you not teach me to act right
eously ? O ye pure ones, it is because
you did not instruct me, that I am
excluded from the assembly of the
blest. 4 Setting out on thy soul's pil
grimage, unite to thyself what hearts
thou canst. Know well that a hun
dred holy temples of Mecca have not
the value of a heart.
5 He needs no other rosary whose
thread of life is strung with beads of
love and thought.
6 He must be a low-minded man
who can pray to God for terrestrial
goods. 7 The best way of worshipping
God is in allaying the distress of the
times, and improving the condition
of mankind.
8 All good thoughts, words, and

actions are from the celestial world.
9 Be very scrupulous to observe
the truth in all things.
10 Seek truth by thought, not by
searching for it in mouldy books.
Look up to the sky to see the
moon, instead of seeking for it in
the pond.
11 Once upon a time the fishes of
a certain river took counsel together,
and said : They tell us that our
life and being is from the water ; but
we have never seen water, and we
know not what it is. Then some
among them, wiser than the rest,
said : We have heard that there
dwelleth in the sea a very wise and
learned fish, who knoweth all things.
Let us journey to him, and ask him
to show us water, or explain to us
what water is. So several of them
set out on their travels, and came
at last to the sea wherein the sage
fish dwelt. On hearing their ques
tion, he replied, —
O ye who seek to solve the knot !
Ye live in God, yet know Him not.
12 Once when some pilgrims jour
neyed to Mecca, they found them
selves in a fruitless valley, beholding
the Kaaba, a lofty house of stone.
They sought with zeal to find God,
but they found him not. Long they
encircled the house of stone with
their march, when a voice from with
in was heard saying : Why stand ye
here to worship stone ? Go and wor
ship in God's true house, — the house
of truth, home of the heart ; blessed
is he who enters there ! One of
them, leaving the desert, made a
pilgrimage to his own home, and
found it a temple.
13 Brave heart, arise ! Be free from

286

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

every chain, though it be glittering
with gold. Be nobly courageous !
Follow the true bride of thy life,
even if her name be sorrow. Let the
shell perish, that the pearl may ap
pear. 14 O man ! who art the universe
in little, cease for a moment from
thy absorption in loss and gain.
Take one draught from the hands of
Him who offers the cup of creation
to thy lips ; and so free thyself from
the cares of this world and anxiety
about another.
15 The temple I frequent is the
torquoise dome of the sky. I sell
my rosary and all the holy names
around it, for that wine which fills
creation's cup.
16 The earth is all enchanted
ground. With its light and shadow,
its ebb and flow, it is all Thine, thou
Supreme Wisdom !
17 Behold the morning ! Rise up,
O youth, and quickly fill thyself with
the rosy wine sparkling in the cup
of creation !
18 Look upon yon bush flaming
with roses, like the burning bush of
Moses ! Listen ! If thy soul be not
deaf, thou wilt hear the voice of the
Lord speaking to thee, softly and
clearly, from out that bush.
19 The roses live on dew and sun
shine direct from heaven. They nev
er inquire concerning Moses. Why
should you ?
SELECTION III.
Industry, heroism, charity, gentleness,
and moral purity enjoined.
HPO sew patch upon patch, and be
patient, is better than writing
petitions to great men for clothing.

To use your hands in making mortar
of quicklime is preferable to folding
them on your breast in attendance
upon a king.
2 True greatness, whether in spir
itual or worldly matters, does not
shrink from minute details of busi
ness, but regards their performance
as acts of divine worship.
3 Contend constantly against evil,
morally and physically, internally
and externally. Strive in everyway
to diminish the power of evil.
4 The entire world shall be popu
lous with that action of thine which
saves one soul from despair.
5 The liberal man who eats and
bestows is better than the pious man
who fasts and hoards.
6 Haughty thoughts and thirst of
gold are sins.
7 Take not that which belongs to
another.- 8 Do as you would be done by.
9 Avoid every thing calculated to
injure others. Have no companion
ship with a man who injures his
neighbor. 10 Do not allow thyself to be
carried away by anger. Angry
words and scornful looks are sins.
Reply to thine enemy with gentle
ness. Opposition to peace is a sin.
11 Always meet petulance with
gentleness, and perverseness with
kindness. A gentle hand can lead
even an elephant by a hair.
12 Treat old age with great rever.
ence and tenderness.
13 Let us be such as help the Ufa
of the future.
14 Immodest looks are sins. Ta
think evil is a sin.
15 Avoid licentiousness, because

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

287

it is one of the readiest means to
give Evil Spirits power over body
and soul.
16 Strive, therefore, to keep pure
in body and mind, and thus prevent
the entrance of Evil Spirits, who
are always trying to gain possession
of men. SELECTION IV.
Diligence, justice, and pity commended.
/CULTIVATE the soil, drain
^^ marshes, and destroy danger
ous creatures.
2 He who sows the ground with
diligence acquires a greater stock of
religious merit than he could gain by
ten thousand prayers in idleness.
3 Indulge not in slothful sleep,
lest the duties and good works
which it is necessary for thee to do
remain undone.
4 Be diligent and discreet ; eat
of thine own regular industry, and
form a portion for God and the
good. Diligence in thy occupation
is the greatest good work.
5 The sheep are not for the shep
herd ; but the shepherd is for the
service of the sheep.
6 The rain, in whose nature there
is no partiality, produces tulips in
the garden, but only weeds in a
barren soil. A sterile soil will not
produce spikenard ; therefore waste
not^eed upon it.
7 To show favor to the wicked is
in fact doing injury to the good.
Pardoning oppressors is injuring the
oppressed. 8 When you connect yourself with
base men, and show them favor,
they commit crimes with the power
you give them, whereby you partici
pate in their guilt.

9 King Nowshirvan, being at a
hunting-seat, wished to have some
game cooked, and there was no salt.
A servant, who was sent to a village
to procure some, was ordered to
pay the price, lest the exaction of
salt from the villagers should become
a custom. They said to him,
What harm could come from such
a trifle ? He replied, Oppres
sion was brought into the world
from small beginnings, which every
new-comer increased. If a king
were to take a single apple from a
peasant's garden, his retainers would
pull up the whole tree. If the Sul
tan seized five eggs, his soldiers
would spit a thousand hens.
10 He who is indifferent to the
welfare of others does not deserve
to be called a man.
SELECTION V.
The wisdom which consists in love,
helpfulness toward others, and kindness
to all forms of life commended.
A CERTAIN man quitted a mon
astery, and became a member
of a college. One asked him what
was the difference between religious
men and learned men, that had
induced him to change his associ
ates. He replied : The devotee
tries to save his own blanket from
the waves, and the learned man
endeavors to rescue others from
drowning. 2 The children of Adam are mem
bers of one another, and are all pro
duced from the same substance.
When the world gives pain to one
member, the others suffer uneasiness.
3 To enjoy the benefits of Provi
dence is wisdom ; to enable others
to enjoy them is virtue.

288

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

4 Tell me, gentle traveller, who
hast wandered through the world,
and seen the sweetest roses blow,
and the brightest gliding rivers, —
of all thine eyes have seen, which
is the fairest land ? Shall I tell
thee, child, where Nature is most
blest and fair? It is where those
whom we love abide. The space
may be small, but it is more ample
than kingdoms ; it may be a desert,
but through it runs the river of
Paradise, and there are the enchant
ed bowers.
5 One proof of man's superiority
is his knowledge ; whereby he rises
from a low position to an exalted
station. Knowledge has a root and
branches. Animals have merely the
branch ; men alone have the root,
which consisteth in the teachings of
wisdom. 6 The heart of man attaineth self-
possession, and so effecteth a union
with the soul ; and by means of
knowledge it is elevated to the
glorious nature of angels.
7 But men, by slaying each other,
and killing animals, resemble beasts
of prey rather than angels.
8 The Prophet of the World said:
We deem it sinful to kill harmless
animals, but we consider it right to
destroy ravenous animals. If all
ravenous animals will enter into a
compact not to kill harmless ani
mals, we will abstain from slaying
them, and will hold them as dear
as ourselves. Upon this, the wolf
made a treaty with the ram, and
the lion entered into friendly rela
tions with the stag. And there was
no more tyranny in the world, till
man broke the treaty by killing

animals. The consequence of this
was that nobody observed the treaty,
except the harmless animals.
9 If you do not realize the state
of the ant under your ,foot, know
that it resembles your own condi
tion under the foot of an elephant.
io Multiply domestic animals,
nourish them, and treat them gently.
SELECTION VI.
Bigotry condemned, toleration enjoined ;
the revelations, providence, and pity of
God shown to be universal.
TTAVE the religions of mankind
no common ground ? Is there
not everywhere the same enrapturing
beauty, beaming forth from many
thousand hidden places ? Broad in
deed is the carpet which God has
spread, and beautiful the colors He
has given it. There is but one Lamp
in this house, in the rays of which,
wherever I look, a bright assembly
meets me.
2 Seest thou two or three imbe
ciles who hold the world between
their two hands, and who in their
ignorance believe themselves the
wisest of the universe ? Be not dis
turbed that they regard all as here
tics who are not simpletons.
3 The Holy One will ever be the
same,
The God of all, though oft invoked
by many a different name.
4 The paths to God are more in
number than the breathings of cre
ated beings.
5 Every prophet, whom I send,
goeth forth to establish religion, not
to pull it up.
6 Each prophet that appears is

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

289

not to be opposed to his predeces
sors, nor yet complacently to exalt
his law.
7 O God ! whatever road I take
joins the highway that leads to
Thee. 8 One night Gabriel from his seat
in paradise heard the voice of God
sweetly responding to a human
heart. The angel said, Surely this
must be an eminent servant of the
Most High, whose spirit is dead to
lust and lives on high. The angel
hastened over land and sea to find
this man, but could not find him in
the earth or heavens. At last he
exclaimed, O Lord ! show me the
way to this object of Thy love.
God answered, Turn thy steps to
yon village, and in that pagoda thou
shalt behold him. The angel sped
to the pagoda, and therein found a
solitary man kneeling before an idol.
Returning, he cried, O Master of
the world ! hast Thou looked with
love on a man who invokes an idol
in a pagoda? God said, I consider
not the error of ignorance : this
heart, amid its darkness, hath the
highest place.
9 Abraham would scarcely break
his fast for a week, lest some hungry
traveller might pass who needed his
store. Daily he looked out upon
the desert, and one day he beheld
an aged man, with hair white as
snow, tottering toward his door.
" Guest of mine eyes ! " exclaimed
Abraham, " enter with welcome, and
be pleased to share my bread and
salt." The stranger entered, and the
place of honor was given to him.
When the family gathered round
the board, each one of them said,

" In the name of God !" but the aged
guest uttered no word. Abraham
said : Old man, when thou eatest
food, is it not right to repeat the
name of God ? The stranger replied,
My custom is that of the Fire Wor
shippers. Then Abraham arose in
wrath, and drove the aged man from
his house. But even as he did so,
a swift-winged Spirit stood before
the patriarch and said : Abraham !
for a hundred years hath the divine
bounty flowed out to this man in
sunshine and rain, in bread and life.
Is it fit for thee to withhold thy
hand from him, because his worship
is not thine ?
10 Diversity of worship has divid
ed the human race into seventy-two
nations. From all their dogmas I
have selected one, — Divine Love.
SELECTION VII.
Death not to be feared ; the wicked even
on earth are in punishment, and the virt
uous here and everywhere are blessed.
P\EATH is certain to all things
which are subject to birth, and
regeneration to all things which are
mortal. Wherefore it doth not be
hoove thee to grieve about that which
is inevitable.2 Think not that I fear the world,
nor my departure from it. Death
being a fact, I have no fear of it.
That which I alone fear is not hav
ing lived well enough.
3 In mosque and school, in church
and synagogue, they have a horror
of hell, and a seeking of paradise;
but the seed of this anxiety has
never germinated in the heart that
has penetrated the secret of the Most
High.

290

PERSIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

4 Hell is but a spark of the use
less troubles which we have given
ourselves ; Paradise only an instant
of the repose which we have some
times enjoyed on earth.
5 I am myself hell, purgatory, and
paradise. 6 Just to thy wish the door of
Heaven is found open before thee.
Be free from duplicity, and stand
firm in the path of truth ; be free
from care and trouble, and turn thy
mind to things which are spiritual.
7 Let the motive be in the deed,
and not in the event. Be not one
whose motive for action is the hope
of reward.
8 The world, O my brother ! con
tinueth not to any one ; place your
affections on the Creator of the uni
verse, and that will suffice.

9 Make no reliance, neither rest
upon the kingdom of this world ; see
ing how many like yourself it has
nourished and killed.
10 When the pure soul is about
to depart, what is the difference be
tween expiring on a throne or on the
bare ground ?
1 1 O my child ! in the day of
resurrection they will ask you what
have you done in the world, and not
from whom you are descended.
That is, they will inquire about your
virtue, and not about your father.
12 The cloth that covers the holy
Kaaba, and which they kiss, is not
famous from having been manufact
ured by the silkworm ; it associated
some days with one who is vener
able, on which account it became
venerable like himself.

EGYPTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
God, the source of all, is to be revered
as a Father, loved for his goodness, and
praised for his wisdom and power.
I" AM that which has been, which
is, and which will be ; and no
one has yet lifted the veil which
covers me.
2 The world is not to be compre
hended. God, who made it, has for
bidden it.
3 What we say in secret is known
to Him who made our interior nat
ure. He who made us is present
with us, though we are alone.
4 Who can bless Thee, or give
thanks for Thee or to Thee? How
shall I revere Thee, O Father ? It is
impossible to comprehend Thy hour,
or Thy time.
5 Shall I love Thee as if I were
something of myself, or as if I had
any thing of mine own, or rather as
if I belonged to another ?
6 Thou art what I am ; Thou art
what I do ; Thou art what I say.
Thou art all things, and there is
nothing which Thou art not.
7 Thou art all that is made, and
all that is not made.
8 Thou art the Mind that under
standeth all things ; Thou art the
Good that doeth all things; Thou
art the Father that makest all things ;
Thou art Thyself.
9 Of matter, the most subtle por

tion is the air; of air, .the most subtle
part is the soul; of the soul, the
most subtle part is the mind ; of the
mind, the most subtle part is God.
io What is truth, through me,
sings praises to the Truth. What is
good, through me, sings praises to
the Good.
• 1 1 O All ! receive a rational hom
age from all things. Thou art God.
12 Thy messenger, by the fire, by
the air, by the earth, by the water,
by the spirit, by all beings, proclaim-
eth these things concerning Thee.
SELECTION II.
The spirit survives the body; and when
ever it is sufficiently purified, will enter the
abodes of heavenly glory and rest.
"THE soul lives after the body
dies.
2 The soul passes through the
gate ; he makes a way in the dark-
nes to his Father,
3 He has pierced the heart of evil,
to do the things of his Father. He
has come a prepared Spirit.
4 He says : Hail, thou Self-Cre
ated ! Do not turn me away. I am
one of Thy types on earth. I have
not privily done evil against any
man ; I have not been idle ; I have
not made any to weep ; I have not
murdered ; I have not defrauded ; I
have not committed adulery. I am
pure.

291

292

EGYPTIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

5 Then shall the Judge of the
dead answer : Let this soul pass on ;
he is without sin ; he lives upon truth.
6 He has made his delight in do
ing what is good to men, and what
is pleasing to God. He has given
food to the hungry; drink to the
thirsty ; and clothes to the naked.
His lips are pure, and his hands are
pure. His heart weighs right in the
balance. He fought on earth the
battle of the good, even as his
Father, the Lord of the Invisible
World, had commanded him.
7 O God, the protector of him
who has brought his cry unto Thee,
make it well with him in the world
of Spirits !

8 He loved his father, he honored
his mother ; he loved his brethren,
and never went from home in a bad
temper. He never preferred the
great man to him of low condition.
9 He was a wise man. His soul
loved God.. He was a brother to
the great men, and a father to the
humble ones ; and he never was a
mischief-maker. 10 Such as these shall find grace
in the eyes of the Great God. They
shall dwell in the abodes of glory,
where the heavenly life is led. The
bodies which they have abandoned
will repose for ever in their tombs,
while they will enjoy the presence of
the Great God.

HINDU SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
The one Supreme Mind, Supreme Rul
er, Divine Parent, living and true God.
"PHERE is One Supreme Mind,
which transcends all other in
telligences. Moving, It cannot be
shaken ; distant, yet It is near. It
pervades the system of worlds, and is
yet infinitely beyond it.
2 He exists by himself; He is All
in all, because all is in Him. The
Ganges flows, — it is God. The ocean
roars, — it is God. The cloud that
thunders, the lightning that flashes,
is God. As from all eternity the
universe existed in the Spirit of God,
so to-day all that exists is in His im
age. 3 We meditate on the adorable
light of the Divine Parent. May He
direct our minds !
4 Lord, Thou art every day mani
fested with the rays of the morning,
imparting life to the torpid, and giv
ing form to the shapeless masses of
beings. Heaven and earth take ref
uge with Thee as a child with its
mother. 5 I celebrate the thought of the
Beneficent Father and the Sovereign
Mother, from whom have proceeded
all creatures, their offspring, sharing
their immortality.
6 There is One Living and True
God; everlasting, without parts or
passion ; of infinite power, wisdom,

and goodness ; the Maker and Pre
server of all things.
7 The vulgar look for their gods in
water ; the ignorant think they re
side in wood, bricks, and stones ;
men of more extended knowledge
seek them in the celestial orbs ; but
wise men worship the Universal
Soul. 8 By One Supreme Ruler is the
universe pervaded ; even every world
in the whole circle of Nature.
9 That Spirit who is distinct from
matter, and from all beings contained
in matter, is not various. He is One,
and He is beyond description. His
glory is so great there can be no image
of Him. He is the Incomprehensible
Spirit, who illuminates all, and de
lights all ; from whom all proceed,
by whom they live after they are
born, and to whom all must return.
io He is the Ruler of the Intellect,
self-existent, pure, perfect, omnisci
ent, and omnipresent. From all
eternity He has assigned to all creat
ures their respective purposes. No
vision can approach Him, no lan
guage describe Him, no intellectual
power can comprehend Him.
n A husband is loved, not be
cause we love the husband, but be
cause we love in him the Divine
Spirit. A wife is loved, not because
we love the wife, but because we love
in her the Divine Spirit. Children

293

294

HINDU SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

are loved, not because we love the
children, but because we love in them
the Divine Spirit.
12 Nothing but the Supreme Be
ing should be adored by a wise
man. SELECTION II.
Man is a manifestation of God, and
should adore, obey, and love him as the
Great Soul from whom, by whom, and in
whom he exists.
/^\N that Effulgent Power, which
^-^ is God himself, the light of the
radiant sun, do I meditate ; governed
by the mysterious light which resides
in me for purposes of thought.
2 I myself am a manifestation of
the Supreme Being.
3 There is only One Deity ; He is
the Great Soul ; He is the Soul of
all Beings.
4 The wise give divers names to
that which is One. Poets make the
beautiful-winged manifold by their
words, though He is One.
5 There is only One God, omnipo
tent, eternal, omnipresent. He is
the Great Soul, of which all others
are but parts.
6 In the beginning He arose the
Source of golden light, the only born
Lord of all that is. He established
the earth and the sky.
7 Who is the God to whom we
should offer worship ? He who gives
life. He who gives strength. He
whose blessings all desire. He whose
shadow is death, from whom immor
tality proceeds. He who through
His power is the only King of the
breathing and awakening world. He

whose power is proclaimed by the
snowy mountains, the sea, and the
distant river. He through whom the
sky is bright and the earth is firm.
He through whom heaven was estab
lished ; yea, the heaven of heavens.
He who measured out the light in
the air.
8 Wherever the mighty water-
clouds went, where they placed the
seed and lit the fire, thence arose He
who is the Only Life ; He who is
God above all. He is the God to
whom we should offer worship.
9 The world lay in darkness, as
asleep. Then He, who is self-exist
ent, the Most High, the Almighty,
manifested Himself and dispelled the
gloom. He whose nature is beyond
our reach, whose being escapes our
senses, who is invisible and eternal,
He, the All-pervading, Spirit whom
the mind cannot grasp, even He
shone forth.
io Let us adore the supremacy of
that Spiritual Sun, the Godhead, who
illuminates all, who re-creates all,
from whom all proceed, to whom all
must return ; whom we invoke to di
rect our undertakings aright, in our
progress toward His holy seat.
1 1 O Thou, who givest sustenance
to the world, unveil the face
of that true Sun, now hidden from
us by its veil of golden light ! so that
we may see the truth, and know our
whole duty.
12 May our Father in Heaven
be favorable to us ! May the Eter
nal One protect us evermore ! We
have no other Friend, no other
Father, than the Father of Heaven,
who is the Father of Men.

HINDU SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

295

SELECTION III.
True religion consists not in ceremo
nial acts nor in selfish aspirations, but
in moral purity, and in the proper per
formance of moral duties.
• A WISE man must discharge all
his moral duties, even though
he does not constantly perform the
ceremonies of religion ; he will fall
very low if he performs ceremonial
acts only, and fails in the discharge
of his moral duties.
2 Religious acts which proceed
from selfish views with regard to
this world, such as offering prayers
to obtain rain, or with hope of re
ward in the next world, are exter
nal and selfish.
3 But acts performed with a
knowledge of God, and without
self-love, are internal and disinter
ested. 4 Religious exercises performed
to obtain reputation, or for an ap
pearance of sanctity, come from
inferior influences of the soul, and
are of little worth.
5 The best worship is that which
is offered without expecting to at
tain any particular object ; and that
is the worst which is performed for
the accomplishment of a particular
end. 6 The religious exercise of the
body is to be pure ; of the lips, to
speak always truly and kindly; of
the thoughts, to control selfish in
clinations and cherish benevolent
tendencies. 7 The worship of spiritual wisdom
is far better than worship by the
offering of things.
8 They who are ignorantly de
voted to the mere ceremonies of

religion are fallen into thick dark
ness ; but they are in still thicker
gloom who are solely attached to
fruitless speculations.
9 The Lord of Life should, not
be worshipped with faded flowers.
Those that grow in thine own gar
den are far better than any other.
With the flowers that are gathered,
there must be reverence : itself a
flower. 10 Why say I will go on a pil
grimage to the holy city? . Why
long for the sacred wells ? How
can the true holy city be attained
by an evil-doer ?
1 1 Though we live in the desert,
sanctity is not there ; neither is it
in the sky ; nor is it at the con
fluence of holy rivers on earth.
12 Convert thy body into a tem
ple ; give up evil thoughts, and see
God with thine internal eye.
13 Darkness is never dispelled by
a painted flame ; so Scripture will
never free the soul from fear, with
out the light of inward experience.
14 Though a dog were to roam
to the sacred city, he would not
thereby be changed into a lion ; or
if a swine were to travel to a holy
spot, he would not thereby become
an elephant ; so no pilgrimage will
make a saint of a man who has no
holy aspirations.
15 Be thy creed or thy prayers
what they may, unless thou hast
truth within thee, thou wilt not find
the path to true happiness. He in
whom the truth dwells is twice-
born. 16 The source of final happiness
is in the heart, and he is a fool who
seeks it elsewhere ; he is like the

296

HINDU SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

shepherd who searched for the lamb
that was in his own bosom.
17 Why bring stone from the
hills, to build fine temples for God
to dwell in ? God, as a living being,
constantly dwells within you.
18 Any place where the mind of
man can be undisturbed is suitable
for the worship of the Supreme
Being. SELECTION IV.
God dwells in all, but especially in
those who are merciful, unselfish, just,
truthful, and humane.
*"PHAT Supreme Spirit, which
thou believest to be one and
the same with thyself, resides in
thy bosom perpetually, and is an
all-knowing inspector of thy good
ness and thy wickedness.
2 The soul itself is its own wit
ness and its own refuge. Offend
not thy conscious soul, the supreme
internal witness of men !
3 The simple have said in their
hearts, None sees us. Yet God dis
tinctly sees them, even the Spirit
within their own breasts.
4 The light, like the morning star,
which dwells in the inmost heart of
every man, is our refuge.
5 He is dear to me who is free
from enmity, merciful, the friend of
all nature, exempt from pride and
selfishness, the same in pain and
pleasure, patient of wrongs, con
tented, constantly devout, of sub
dued passions and firm resolves.
6 He also is my beloved of whom
mankind are not afraid, and who is
not afraid of mankind ; who is free
from the influence of impatience
and the dread of harm.

7 He is dear to me, who is un-
expecting, just, pure, impartial, and
free from distraction of mind ; who
is the same in friendship and hatred,
in honor and dishonor ; who is un-
solicitous about the event of things ;
who is of a steady mind ; to whom
praise and blame are the same.
8 The way to eternal beatitude
is open to him who without omis
sion speaketh the truth.
9 To be dumb for the remainder
of life is better than to speak falsely.
10 The sacrifice of a thousand
horses has been put in the balance
with one true word, and the true
word weighed down the thousand
sacrifices. No virtue surpasses that
of veracity.
1 1 There are two roads which con
duct to perfect virtue ; to be true,
and to do no evil to any creature.
12 It is not good to forget a bene
fit, but it is good to forget an injury
on the moment.
13 Return good for evil.
14 Abstain from unlawful gains.
15 Immediately relinquish any
avdantage that has been gained with
out equity.
16 Be chaste. Resist sensual ap
petites. Neither Sacred Scriptures,
nor religious ceremonies, nor pious
austerities, nor the offering of sacri
fices, nor liberality, will procure felici
ty to a man contaminated with sen
suality. 17 Who is this natural beauty who
advances with so much grace ? The
rose is on her cheeks ; her breath is
pure as morning dew ; joy tempered
with modesty animates her counte
nance. It is Health, the daughter of
Exercise and Temperance.

HINDU SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

297

18 The true rule in business is to
guard and do by the things of others
as they do by their own.
19 Do not force upon thy neigh
bor a hat that hurts thine own
head. 20 Among those who labor for fut
ure happiness, he is greatest who
lives well in his own household.
21 He who despises women de
spises his mother. When women are
honored, the Divinities are pleased ;
when they are not honored, all un
dertakings fail.
22 It is true charity when one
builds resting-places or drinking-
fountains for wanderers ; or provides
food, or raiment, or medicine, for the
needy ; not selecting one more than
another. This is true charity, and
bears much fruit.
23 The narrow-minded ask, Is this
one of our tribe, or is he a stranger ?
But to those who are of a noble dispo
sition the whole world is but one
family. SELECTION V.
Sensuality, covetousness, and cruelty con
demned. CHUN wealth and pleasures repug-
nant to law ; and avoid even
lawful acts, if they may cause pain
or offence to mankind.
2 Of all pure things, purity in the
acquisition of riches is the best. He
who preserves purity in becoming
rich, is really pure; not he who is
purified by water.
3 No man can acquire knowledge
of the soul without abstaining from
evil actions, and having control over
his senses and his mind ; nor can he
obtain it, though with a firm mind,

if he is actuated by desire for re
ward. 4 Indestructible wealth is to be
free from coveting the possessions of
others. 5 What a rich man uses and gives,
constitutes his real wealth. That
which thou hoardest, whose is it ?
Other covetous men will sport with
it. 6 Labor makes known the true
worth of a man, as fire brings the per
fume out of incense.
7 What is religion ? It is tender
ness toward all creatures.
8 Large rivers, great trees, whole
some plants, and wealthy persons
are not created for themselves, but
to be of service to others.
9 He who considers all beings as
existing in the Supreme Spirit, and
the Supreme Spirit as pervading all
beings, cannot view with contempt
any creature whatsoever.
10 He who injures any living creat
ure does it unto God. The Deity-
is pleased with him who does good
to others, and who is always desir
ous of the welfare of all creat
ures. 11 He who, to give himself pleas
ure, injures animals that are not in
jurious, adds nothing to his own hap
piness, either living or dead. But he
who never gives pain to any creature,
by confinement or death, but seeks
the good of all sentient beings, en
joys bliss without end.
12 The heartless one, who would
carelessly trample on a worm that
crawls upon the earth, is darkly alien
ate from God, But God dwells with
him who embraces all things with
his love.

298

HINDU SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION VI.
Different systems of faith are not recog
nized by God, but humility and sincerity,
when they produce personal holiness and the
practical virtues, are, under all forms,
alike acceptable lo Him.
P'OOLISH are they who are per
petually inquiring where the
Deity resides. God dwells in all
things in his fulness. Kine are
of different colors, but all milk is
white. The flowers on altars are of
many species, but all worship is one.
Systems of faith are different, but
God is one.
2 The object of all religions is
alike. All men seek the object of
their love, and all the world is love's
dwelling. 3 Why talk of a mosque or church?
He alone is a true Hindu whose
heart is just; and he alone is a true
Mohammedan whose life is true.
4 The Supreme Being is sometimes
with him who counts his prayers on
sacred beads in the mosque, and
sometimes with him who bows down
before idols in the temple. He is the
friend of the Hindu, the intimate of
the Mohammedan, the companion of
the Christian, and the confidant of
the Jew.
5 Heaven is a palace with many
doors, and each one may enter in his
own way.

6 Virtue and Vice are Heaven and
Hell.
7 Virtue is what man owes to him
self. Though there were no Heaven,
nor any God to rule the world, Virt
ue would be none the less the bind
ing law of life.
8 False is the creed of those who
hold that it is profitable to renounce
the present life. Can ye not see that
eternal existence begins in this life ?
9 He who neglects to perform the
duties of this life is not fit for this
world, much less for any higher
world. 10 The soul is the principle of
life, which the Sovereign Wisdom
employed to animate bodies. Mat
ter is inert and perishable. The
soul thinks, acts, and is immortal.
1 1 There is another invisible, eter
nal existence superior to this visible
one, which does not perish when all
things perish. Those who attain to
this never return.
12 The God of the Dead waits en
throned in immortal light to welcome
the good into His kingdom of joy;
to the homes He has prepared for
them, where the One Being dwells
beyond the stars.
13 Justice is so dear to the heart
of Nature, that, if in the last day one
atom of injustice were found, the
universe would shrivel like a serpent's
skin to cast it off for ever.

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
God is the eternal, perfect, truex and mer
ciful One ; whose love and service consist
in goodness, loving-kindness, and universal
charity on the part of men.
(~\ Thou Eternal One, Thou Per-
^^^ fection of Time, Thou Truest
Truth, Thou Changeless Essence of
all Change, Thou most Excellent
Radiance of Mercy, I take refuge
in Thee !
2 As the great universe has no
boundary, and the eight sections of
Heaven have no gate-way, so the
Supreme Reason has no limits.
3 We do not suppose our prayers
are the only prayers in the world.
We ought to respect all prayer.
Men of prayer belong to all coun
tries ; they are strangers nowhere.
Such is the doctrine taught by our
Holy Books.
4 The Divine Law is as a cloud
which, with a garland of lightning,
spreads joy on the earth.
5 The water falls on all creatures ;
on herbs, bushes, and trees ; and
each pumps up to its own leaf and
blossom what it requires for its spe
cial need. So falls the rain of the
Law on the many-hearted world.
The Law is for millions ; but it is
one, and it is alike beautiful to
all. 6 Only the religious man is good.

And what is religion r It is the
perfect agreement of the will with
the conscience.
7 Alms and pious demonstrations
are of no worth compared with the
loving-kindness of religion. The
festival that bears great fruit is the
festival of duty.
8 A man may recite large portions
of the law, but if he is not a doer of
it, he is like a herdsman who counts
the cattle of others.
9 One should seek for others the
happiness one desires for one's
self. io There is no higher duty than
to work for the good of the whole
world. 1 1 Practise not usury in thy lend
ing. Thou shalt abstain from ac
quiring or keeping the property of
another by fraud or violence.
12 Contract no friendships with
the hope of gain.
13 Speak the truth ; do not yield
to anger ; and when asked, give of
the little thou hast. By those steps
thou wilt approach the Immortals.
14 Judge not thy neighbor.
15 Thou shalt not calumniate.
16 Thou shalt not excite quarrels
by repeating the words of others.
17 Indulge not in idle, vain talk.
Speak not words which are to no
purpose but harm.

299

3O0

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

1 8 Do not call ill names. Thou
shalt avoid all anger, hatred, and
bitter language. Thou shalt not
speak of injuries.
19 Not the failures of others, not
their sins of commission or omission,
but his own misdeeds and negligen
ces should a wise man take notice
of. 20 The good man, when reviled,
reviles not again ; when smitten he is
not angry; when treated violently,
he returns love and good-will ;
when threatened with death he re
turns no malice.
21 We should be deaf to hear evil
of others, and blind to perceive their
imperfections SELECTION II.
Domestic love, reverence for parents,
love for all men, forgiveness, and self-con
trol commended and enjoined.
TTAVE virtuous people, the best
of men, for friends.
2 The shrine of worship is in fam
ilies where father and mother are
perfectly honored, venerated, and
served. 3 To feed one good man is infi
nitely more meritorious than attend
ing to questions about heaven and
earth, spirits and demons.
4 It is blessedness without meas
ure to keep the thoughts fixed on
the laws of reason throughout the
entire day's conduct, and from this
religious conduct to realize a deep
principle of faith.
.5 Thou shalt cherish thy father
and thy mother. To honor father
and mother is better than to worship
gods of heaven and earth. If a child
should carry father and mother, one

upon each shoulder, for a hundred
years, he would not then do more
for them than they have done for
him. 6 Overcome anger by love ; over
come greed by liberality ; overcome
falsehood by truth ; overcome evil
by good. Hatred never ceases by
hatred, but by love ; this is an old
rule. 7 If a man foolishly does me wrong
I will return to him the protection of
my ungrudging love. The more evil
comes from him the more good shall
go from me ; the fragrance of those
good actions abiding with me, and
the harm of the slanderer's words
abiding with him.
8 Abstain from wrath. Let a man
keep in subjection his speech, his
arm, and his appetite.
9 Beware of anger of the tongue :
Control thy tongue. Beware of an
ger of the mind : Control thy mind.
Practise virtue with thy tongue and
with thy mind.
10 By reflection, by restraint and
control a wise man can make him
self an island which no floods can
overwhelm. He who conquers him
self is greater than he who in battle
conquers a thousand thousand men.
11 He who is tolerant with the in
tolerant, mild with fault-finders, and
free from passion with the passion
ate, — him I call indeed a wise man.
12 Who is the great man ? He
who is strongest in the exercise of
patience ; he who patiently endures
injury. 13 He for whom there is neither
this shore nor that shore, nor both ;
he who is fearless and unshackled, —
him I call a wise man.

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

301

14 He who has cut all fetters, who
is independent and unshackled, who
never trembles, — him I call a wise
man. 15 He who has cut the girdle, the
strap, and the rope, with all that per
tains to them ; he who has burst the
bar and is awakened, — him I call a
wise man.
16 Like a solid rock unshaken by
the wind, wise people are unfaltering
amid praise or blame.
SELECTION III.
Sensuality and wrong are their own
punishments ; piety and virtue their own
rewards. T F any one speaks or acts with evil
thoughts, suffering will follow
him, as surely as the wheel follows
him who draws the carriage.
2 As a bee gathers nectar without
injuring the beauty or the fragrance
of the flower, so should a wise man
live in this world.
3 He who indulges sensual appe
tites is like a person who runs against
the wind with a lighted torch in his
hand. Foolish man ! If he does not
let go the blazing torch, he must
needs have the pain of a burnt hand.
Just so it is with respect to the fires
of lust, anger, covetousness, and
envy. 4 A man who greedily seeks
wealth, or sensual pleasure, is like a
child who eats honey with a knife ;
scarcely has he tasted the sweetness,
when he finds he has cut his tongue.
5 A man who cherishes sensual
passions is like a vase filled with
dirty water. All sorts of beautiful
things may be placed in it, but the
water, being shaken, obscures them

all. Sensual desires cause confusion
in the heart, as mud does in water,
and prevents our seeing the beauty
of supreme reason. When we get rid
of this pollution, we perceive the spir
itual portion of ourselves, which we
had from the beginning.
6 Is a woman old ? Regard her
as your mother. Is she of honorable
station ? Regard her as your sister.
Is she of small account ? Regard her
as your younger sister. Is she a
child ? Treat her reverently.
7 Abstain from thy neighbor's
wife. Look not upon women un-
chastely. 8 Thou shalt not drink wine, nor
any thing that may intoxicate.
The man who drinks intoxicating
liquor pulls up his own root, even
in this world.
9 Let no one think lightly of evil,
saying in his heart, It will not come
near unto me. As a water-pot is
filled by the falling of drops, so a
foolish man becomes filled with evil,
though it be little by little.
10 Dig up sensual appetites by
the root, that the tempter may not
crush you again and again, as the
stream crushes the reeds.
11 There was once a king of
Benares, named Brahmadatta, whose
righteous administration of justice
put an end to litigation in his king
dom, and left him time to turn at
tention to his own faults, with a
view of correcting them. But when
he questioned his retinue, and the
citizens, they told him only of his
virtues. So he mounted his chariot
and rode through the length and
breadth of the land, inquiring what
were his faults. In a narrow defile,

302

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

he met Mallika, King of Kosala, who
was abroad on a similar mission. It
was necessary for one of the chariots
to make way for the other ; and the
coachmen began to dispute about
precedence. As the kings were
equals in age, wealth, and power, it
was difficult to settle the question ;
and it was finally determined that the
most virtuous should take precedence
of the other. King Mallika' s char
ioteer said : " My master conquers
the strong by strength ; the mild by
mildness ; the good with goodness ;'
and the evil with evil." The chari
oteer of Brahmadatta said : " My
master conquers anger by meekness ;
avarice by liberality ; falsehood by
truth." When King Mallika heard
this, he ordered his coachman to de
scend and turn his chariot aside for
his superior to pass.
12 Glory not in thyself, but rather
in thy neighbor. Be lowly in thy
heart, that thou mayest be lowly in
thy actions.
13 By one's self is evil done, and
by one's self one suffers. By one's
self evil is left undone, and by one's
self one is purified. Purity and im
purity belong to one's self ; no one
can purify another.
14 Out of mud springs the lotus
flower ; out of clay comes gold and
many precious things ; out of oysters
the pearls ; brightest silks, to robe
fairest forms, are spun by a worm ;
bezoar from the bull, musk from the
deer are produced ; from a stick is
born flame ; from the jungle comes
sweetest honey.
15 As from sources of little worth
come the precious things of earth,
even so is it with hearts that hold

their fortune within. They need
not lofty birth or noble kin. Their
victory is recorded.
SELECTION IV.
Indolence and self-conceit condemned,
and compassionate interest in all mankind
extolled as the source of all virtues.
TF any thing is to be done, let a
man do it ; let him attack it
vigorously. 2 He who does not rise when it is
time to rise; who, though young and
strong, is indolent ; whose will and
thought are weak, — that idle man
will never find the way to knowl
edge. 3 I do not say to my disciples.
Go, and by aid of supernatural
power work greater miracles than
man can do ; but I instruct them in
the law, and I say to them, Live,
O saints ! hiding your good works,
and showing your sins.
4 A man who was born blind
denied that there were any such
things as sun, moon, or stars ; and
vain was the effort to persuade him
that other people saw them. He
also said he could see no colors, and
he did n't believe that others could.
But after a while, a skilful physician
operated upon his eyes and enabled
him to see. Then he was trans
ported with wonder and joy, and
acknowledged that he had formerly
been blind. " But now," exclaimed
he, " I see and know every thing!"
A holy man, hearing his conceited
talk, perceived that he had an in
ward blindness, worse than his former
want of eyesight. And he said to
him, " How canst thou say, ' I know
all?' Thou canst not see through

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

303

the walls of thy house ; thou canst
hot read the thoughts of thy fellow-
men ; thou canst not recall any
thing about thy own conception and
birth. Remember with humility
m how much remains obscure, and by
so doing thou wilt see more
clearly." 5 My doctrine makes no distinc
tion between high and low, rich and
poor. It is like water which washes
and purifies all alike. It is like the
sky, for it has room for all ; for men
and women, boys and girls, rich and
poor. 6 A poor man, with a single hand
ful of flowers, heaped the alms-
.bowl of Buddha, which the rich
could not fill with ten thousand
bushels. 7 One should feel compassionate
interest in the welfare of all human
beings. 8 All virtues grow from a com
passionate love of mankind.
9 Love all mankind equally.
10 As a mother so long as she
lives watches over her only child, so
among all beings let boundless good
will, unmixed with enmity, prevail
throughout the world.
11 He who is beloved of God
honors every form of religious faith.
He considers no gift or honor so
much as increase in the substance of
religion. 12 The root of religion is to rever
ence one's own faith, and never to
revile that of others.
13 The good man's purpose is to
increase the mercy, charity, truth,
kindness, and piety of all man
kind.

SELECTION V.
The soul immortal ; man never dies,
but lives on, and ever carries his acquisi
tions of wisdom and goodness with him
wherever he goes, or in whatever form
he exists.
TlHE soul is not born; it does
not die. It was not produced
from any one, nor was any produced
from it. Unborn, eternal, it is not
slain though the body is slain.
Subtler than what is subtle, greater
than what is great ; sitting, it goes
far ; sleeping, it goes everywhere.
Thinking of the soul as unbodily
among bodies, and firm among fleet
ing things, the wise man casts off
all grief.
2 The effect of water poured on
the root of a tree is seen aloft in the
branches and fruit; so in the next
world are seen the effects of good
deeds performed here.
3 There are treasures laid up in
the heart — treasures of charity, piety,
temperance, and soberness. These
treasures a man takes with him be
yond death, when he leaves this
world. 4 Man never dies. The soul
inhabits the body for a time, and
leaves it again. The soul is myself;,
the body is only my dwelling-
place. 5 Birth is not birth ; there is a
soul already existent when the body
comes to it. Death is not death ;
the soul merely departs, and the
body falls. It is because men see
only their bodies, that they love life
and hate death.
6 The pearls and gems which a
man has collected, even from his

3°4

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

youth, cannot go with him to
another world. Friends and rela
tions cannot go with him a step
further than his place of burial.
But a man's actions, good or bad,
go with him to the future
world. 7 As kindred, friends, and dear
ones salute him who hath travel
led far and returned home safe, so

will good deeds welcome him who
goes from this world and enters an
other. 8 Never will I seek or receive
private, individual salvation ; never
will I enter into final peace alone ;
but for ever and ever, and every
where, I will live and strive for the
universal redemption of every creat
ure throughout all the worlds.

CHINESE SCRIPTURES— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
God the parent of men, compassion
ate, wise, and pure ; integrity of heart,
justice, charity, and kindness toward all
men are the offerings acceptable to him.
|-*OD is the Parent of men. He
^¦^ is compassionate and unwearied
in blessing. He inspects kingdoms,
and makes no mistakes. Clear-
seeing and intelligent, He dwells
with men in all their actions. He
is offended with wrong-doing.
2 The reason which can be reason
ed is not the Eternal Reason. The
name which can be named is not the
Eternal Name.
3 Man takes his law from the
earth ; earth takes its law from
heaven; heaven takes its law from
reason ; reason takes its law from
within itself. Use the light to
guide you home to its own bright
ness. 4 Heaven exercises men with
trials, holds in its hands the issues
of things, and determines men's lot
according to their conduct.
5 Only they who carry sincerity
to the highest point, in whom there
remains not a single hair's breadth
of hypocrisy, can see the hidden
springs of things.
6 I know that one must watch
incessantly over himself ; that Heav

en has an intelligence which nothing
escapes, and that Its decrees are
without appeal. I know that It
regards all things ; that It enters
into all ; that It is present inces
santly to all.
7 Heaven penetrates to the depths
of all hearts, as daybreak illumines
the darkest room. We should strive
to reflect Its light, as two instru
ments in complete harmony respond
to one another.
8 Life and death depend on the
law of Heaven, which is immutable.
Poverty and riches are dispensed by
Heaven, who cannot be compelled.
A wise man reveres the dispensa
tions of Heaven, and thus enjoys
inward tranquillity and peace.
9 A disciple of Confucius being ask
ed concerning his teaching, replied:
"The doctrine of our master con
sists solely in integrity of heart, and
treating his neighbor as he himself
wishes to be treated."
io If one strives to treat others
as he would be treated by them, he
will not fail to come near the perfect
life. n What you would not like to
have done to yourself, do it not
unto others. When you labor for
others, do it with the same zeal
as if it were for yourself.
12 That which you dislike in su-

305

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CHINESE SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

periors do not practise it toward
inferiors ; and what you dislike in
inferiors do not practise it toward
superiors. This is the law for meas
uring others by ourselves.
13 To become the superior man,
I must serve my father as I wish
my son to serve me ; I must serve
my elder brother as I wish my
younger brother to serve me ; I
must serve my prince as I should
wish my minister to serve me ; and
I must behave toward my friend as
I would wish him to behave toward
me. 14 The good man loves all men.
He loves to speak of the good of
others. All within the four seas are
his brothers. Love of man is chief
of all the virtues.
15 The mean man sows, that him
self or his friends may reap ; but the
love of the perfect man is universal.
SELECTION II.
The virtues both of ourselves and of
others are what we should commend and
cultivate ; but faults and wrongs should
be covered, and at the same time gradu
ally rooted out.
T_T IDE the faults of others, and
make known their virtues.
2 When you hear people talk of
the wickedness of mankind, partake
not of their pleasure. When you
hear people speak of the virtues of
mankind, approve and rejoice there
in. 3 The disease of men is neglect
ing to weed their own fields, and
busying themselves with weeding
the fields of other people.
4 True politeness consists in never

treating others as you would not like
to be treated by them.
5 Of all noble qualities, loving
compassion is the noblest. To love
and serve all men is to delight in
God. 6 Tread not in crooked paths.
Deceive not in the secrecy of your
house. Rectify your own hearts,
that you may improve others. .
7 To know a thing is right, and
not to do it, is a weakness. When
you know a thing, maintain that you
know it ; when you do not know it,
admit the fact : this is wisdom.
8 Fear not poverty, but fear miss
ing of the truth. Let not thy tongue
say what thy heart denies.
9 Never allow yourself to do a
wrong thing because it seems trifling,
nor to neglect doing a good action
because it seems to be small.
10 Let no man do what his own
sense of right forbids him to do;
and let him not desire what that for
bids him to desire.
11 All men have in themselves
feelings of mercy and pity, of shame
and hatred of vice. They are a part
of the organization of man, as much
as his limbs or his senses ; and they
may be trained as well,
12 The mountains naturally bring
forth beautiful trees ; even when the
trunks are cut down, young shoots
will constantly spring up. If cattle
are allowed to feed on the moun
tain, it looks bare ; shall we there
fore say that bareness is natural to
the mountain ? When the lower
passions are let loose, they eat down
the nobler growths of love and rever
ence in the heart of man ; shall we
therefore say there are no such feel-

CHINESE SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

3°7

ings in his heart ? Under the quiet,
peaceful atmosphere of morning and
evening, the shoots' that have been
browsed tend to grow again.
13 Humanity is the heart of man ;
justice is the path of man. To de
velop the principles of our higher
nature is to know heaven.
SELECTION III.
Goodness, duty, and peace belong together;
friendship, filial piety and kindness toward
all living things, together with humility
and self-control, constitute the sum of all
virtue. PHE good should be met with
goodness, and the not good
should also be met with goodness.
The upright should be dealt with
uprightly, and those who are not
upright should also be dealt with
uprightly. The wise man avenges
injuries by benefits.
2 The path of duty is near, yet
men seek it afar off. The way is
wide, it is not hard to find. Go
home and seek it, and you will not
lack teachers.
' 3 Peace is the highest aim of the
superior man. Begin to regulate
before disorder comes. Where le
gions are quartered briars and thorns
grow. 4 Have only such friends as will
advance you in piety and virtue.
Friends should give each other good
counsel, and stimulate each other to
the love of goodness.
5 Do not exact from others that
they love you as much as they can,
or as much as they ought ; but exact
from yourself that you thus love
them. 6 Deal with evil as you would

with a disease of your own body.
The object of punishment is to make
an end of punishing.
7 They who remember the bene
fits bestowed by parents are too grate
ful to remember their faults.
8 They are happy who can return
to father and mother the care they
received from them in infancy ; still
happier are they who can return
their smiles and caresses, and feel for
them the same love they have re
ceived. 9 Old age sometimes becomes
second childhood: why should not
filial piety become parental love ?
10 The fidelity of the dog should
shame men who are forgetful of
benefits. 1 1 Do not kill a bird three springs
old ; the little ones in the nest are
awaiting the father's and mother's
return. Do not frighten sleeping
birds, nor kill those with young, nor
break eggs unnecessarily.
12 Be humane to all animals, even
to insects. Harm not even plants
or trees.
13 One who shot a stag and hit
his own son, while he was grieving,
heard a voice say, The stag loves
his child as you love yours.
14 He who wishes to secure the
good of others has already secured
his own.
1 5 One forgives every thing to him
who forgives himself nothing.
16 To indulge a consciousness of
goodness is the way to lose it.
17 Be not sorry if men do not
know you, but be sorry if you are
ignorant of men.
18 Not to correct our faults is to
commit new ones.

3o8

CHINESE SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

19 Very near together are hearts
that have no guile.
20 The truly great man is he who
does not lose his child-heart. He
does not think beforehand that his
words shall be sincere, nor that his
actions shall be resolute : he simply
always abides in the right.
21 When you have learned how
to live well, you will know how to
die well.
22 Religions are many and dif
ferent ; but reason is one. We are
all brethren.
23 Maintain a love of harmony,
that through your families the com
mon speech shall be, Let us help one
another ! SELECTION IV.
Virtue and wisdom cultivated in the
individual will purify and establish the
family, society, and the state.
A DROWNING kingdom must
be rescued by right principles;
not, like a drowning person, by the
hands. 2 Great generals are great crimi
nals. The hearts of men do not
submit to force, but to virtue.
3 If wise and virtuous men were
to govern a state for a hundred
years, they would put an end to
tyranny and punishments.

4 A man should not say, I am
concerned because I have no place ;
but, I am concerned how I may
become fit for one.
5 To see a man of eminent virt
ue, and not to promote him to a
high station, shows disrespect to
virtue. To see a base man and not
dismiss him, not send him to a great
distance, is an error.
6 Virtue is the root, and revenue
the branches. If you lightly esteem
the root, and attend principally to
the branches, you spread disorder
and rapine among the people.
7 Advance the upright, and set
aside the crooked, and the people
will be submissive to the laws.
8 A ruler must first have virtue
in himself, then he may require it
in others ; he must be free from vice
himself, then he may reprove it in
others. 9 Things being investigated,
knowledge became complete ; knowl
edge being complete, thoughts were
sincere ; thoughts being sincere,
hearts were rectified ; hearts being
rectified, persons were cultivated ;
persons being cultivated, families
were regulated ; families being reg
ulated, states were rightly govern
ed ; states being rightly governed,
the whole nation was made tranquil
and happy.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
The one God, omnipotent, omnipresent,
eternal, wise, benevolent, holy, — the Father
of Men.
PHERE is One Unknown Being,
prior to all beings, and ex
alted above all. He is the Author
of all things, even of the ethereal
sphere, and of all things below it.
2 He is Life, Counsel, and Light,
— which three names all signify One
Power ; the same that drew all
things, visible and invisible, out of
nothing. 3 We will sing that eternal, wise,
all-perfect Love, which brought or
der out of chaos. The empyrean,
the deep Tartarus, the earth, the
ocean, all that is, all that has been,
and all that will be, was originally
contained in His fruitful bosom.
4 He is the first and the last, the
beginning and the end. All beings
derive their origin from Him.
5 He is the Primeval Father, the
Immortal Virgin, the Life, the Cause,
the Energy of all things. There is
One Only Power, One Only Lord,
One Universal King.
6 There is One Eternal God, the
cause of all things. He is the Divine
Mind, the Infinite Wisdom, who
brought matter out of chaos into
order, and produced the world we
see. 309

7 There is One Supreme Intel
ligence, who acts with order, propor
tion, and design ; the Source of all
that is good and just. He is the
Eternal Living Being; the most
noble of all beings ; distinct from
matter, without extension, without
division, without parts, and without
succession ; who understands every
thing, and gives motion to all things,
continuing Himself immovable.
8 This is the genuine doctrine
of the ancients, which has happily
escaped the wreck of truth, and the
rock of vulgar errors and poetic
fables. 9 God is the Author of all things.
He is too great to owe his existence
to any other than Himself. Noth
ing is hidden from His sight. Night
and slumber never weigh upon that
Infinite Eye, which alone looks upon
the truth. By Him we see ; from
Him we have all which we possess.
10 Giver of all good, Ordainer of
all that is, and of all that happens,
it is He who makes all, and who
gives all. In Him are the begin
ning, the end, the measure, and the
destiny, of every thing.
1 1 God is, by nature, the Father
of men ; and the best men He calls
His sons.
12 When we sin, God does not
turn from us. He is not angry.

3io

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

He never leaves us, and consequent
ly He does not return to us when
we repent. All this is human, and
quite foreign to the Divine.
13 We separate ourselves from
God, by departing from that course
which is in harmony with His nat
ure ; by restoring our original nat
ure, we return to fellowship with
God ; and the act of our own return
to God we ascribe to Him, as if He
came back to us.
14 O thou Great Giver of all bless
ings, preserve us from error ! Re
move all shadows from our minds,
and enable us to follow the laws of
that Eternal Reason by which Thou
guidest the world.
15 Thus honored by a knowledge
of Thy righteous laws, we may be en
abled to honor Thee, as feeble mor
tals should, and offer to Thee inces
sant hymns of praise.
16 For neither mortal nor immor
tal beings can be engaged in nobler
service than celebrating the Divine
Mind, which presides over all Nature.
SELECTION II.
God is infinitely wise and perfect in
goodness ; His perfections should be pat
terned after by all.
'THE One, better than intellect,
from whom all things flow, and
to whom they all ultimately tend, is
The Good.
2 The universe belongs to the
Deity, and He will not neglect what
is His own. He cannot be called a
wise physician, who only attends to
the body in general, and not to par
ticular parts. Nor do governors of
cities, or masters of families, neglect
small things.

3 Let us not then suppose that
God, who is wisest of all, is less wise
than men. He is the Shepherd of
Mankind, taking the same care of
them that a shepherd does of his
sheep and oxen. He provides for all
things, the smallest as well as the
greatest. 4 He is the Architect of the
World, the Father of the Universe,
the Creator of Nature, the Sovereign
Beauty, the Supreme Good, the Rul
ing Mind, which orders all things
and penetrates all things.
5 He made the heavens and the
earth. He is the Original Life and
Force of all things, in the ethereal re
gions, upon the earth, and under the
earth. 6 He is The Being, The Unity,
The Good. He is pre-eminently the
same in the invisible world that the
sun is in this visible world. He is
Truth ; and light is the reflection of
His truth. What light and sight are
in this visible world, truth and intel
ligence are in the real, unchangeable
world. 7 As light and vision resemble the
sun, but are not the sun, so truth and
knowledge resemble The Good, but
they are not The Good ; which is It
self something more worthy of rever
ence. 8 The end and aim of all things
should be to attain to the First
Good ; of whom the visible sun is
but the type, and this material world,
with all its host of ministering spirits,
is but the manifestation and the
shadow. 9 As nothing is like the sun ex
cept through solar influences, so
nothing can resemble The Good ex-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

3"

cept by an erhanation of His divine
light into the soul.
io God is simple and true in word
and deed. He has never changed
Himself, nor does He deceive others ;
neither by visions, nor discourse, nor
the pomp of signs, nor when we sleep,
nor when we wake.
1 1 Reflect that your own mind di
rects your body by its volitions, and
you must be convinced that the In
telligence of the Universe disposes
all things according to His pleas
ure. 12 Can you imagine that your eye
is capable of discerning distant ob
jects, and that the eye of God can
not at the same instant see all things ?
Or that while your mind can contem
plate the affairs of distant countries,
the Supreme Understanding cannot
attend at once to all the affairs of the
universe ?
13 Such is the nature of the Di
vinity, that He sees all things, hears
all things, is everywhere present, and
constantly superintends all things.
14 He who disposes and directs
the Universe, the Source of all that
is fair and good, who amid successive
changes preserves the course of Nat
ure unimpaired, to whose laws all be
ings are subject, — this Supreme Dei
ty, though Himself invisible, is man
ifestly seen in His magnificent opera
tions. 15 Learn, then, from the things
which are produced, to infer the ex
istence of an Invisible Power, and to
reverence the Divinity.
16 The Deity sees and hears all
things, is everywhere present, and
takes care of all things. If men be
lieved this, they would abstain from

all base actions, even in private ; be
ing persuaded that nothing they did
could be unknown to God.
SELECTION III.
God seen in all His works ; Nature re
veals Him, and His revelations are also
made continually to the humble and purified
souls of men.
TTAIL, Great King and Father!
-*¦ -*¦ Thou who hast many names,
but who art the Omnipotent One.
Thou First of Immortals, Thou Sov
ereign of Nature, man is permitted
to call upon Thee, and Thee I in
voke. 2 All things that exist are Thy off
spring, imperfect images of Thy be
ing, echoes of Thy eternal voice. To
Thee will I sing hymns, and praise
Thee without ceasing.
3 The universe spread out above
us, which seems to revolve round the
earth, moves by Thy influence ; at
Thy command its motions are per
formed in silence.
4 The infinite variety of souls that
inhabit the earth, the sea, and the
ethereal regions are subject to Thy
wise control. The thunders are
launched, and the lightnings flash,
from Thy powerful hand, and all
Nature trembles. Thou governest
all creation by unerring laws.
5 The wicked disturb the harmo
nious course of things. They seek
for happiness, but they do not com
prehend Thy universal laws, which,
by making them wise and good,
would render them happy.
6 They deviate from the path of
what is beautiful and just, and reck
lessly pursue the objects that attract
them ; they pant after fame, they

312

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

grasp at sordid treasures, they lust
after pleasures that entice and de
ceive them.
7 But Thou bringest order out of
confusion, and guidest all to good.
8 Thou God of all, infuse light
into the souls of men, whereby they
may be enabled to know what is the
root whence all their evils spring,
and by what means they may avoid
them. 9 Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord,
the Giver and Guide of all reason,
that we may always be mindful of
the nature, of the dignity, and of
the privileges wherewith thou hast
honored us ; that we may act in all
things as becomes free agents, to
the subduing and governing of our
passions, to the refining them from
flesh and sense, and to the rendering
them subservient to excellent pur
poses. io Grant us all Thy assistance in
the forming and directing our judg
ment ; and enlighten us with Thy
truth, that we may discern those
things which are really good, and hav
ing discovered them, may love them
and cleave steadfastly to the same.
1 1 And we pray Thee to disperse
those mists which darken the eyes of
our minds, that so we may have a
perfect understanding, and know
both God and man, and what is due
to each.
12 O God, grant me to have few
things, and to stand in need of none.
Grant whatever it is best for me to
have. 13 Father, give us all good,
whether we ask it of Thee, or not ;
and avert from us all evil, though
we do not pray Thee to do so.

14 And O grant me to be beauti
ful in soul ! May all that I possess
of outward things be in harmony
with those within.
15 Teach me to think wisdom the
only riches ; and give me only so
much wealth as a good and holy
man could manage and enjoy.
SELECTION IV.
Death is only a phase of life j the soul is
immortal, and for the purified there are
pure joys and companionships beyond.
TIT" HEN thou shalt have laid aside
thy body, thou shalt rise,
freed from mortality, and become
an inhabitant of the kindly skies.
2 My body must descend to the
place ordained, but my soul will not
descend : being a thing immortal, it
will ascend on high, where it will
enter a heavenly abode.
3 Death does not differ at all from
life. 4 Not by lamentations and mourn
ful chants ought we to celebrate the
funeral of a good man, but by
hymns ; for in ceasing to be num
bered with mortals, he enters upon
the heritage of a diviner life.
5 It is impossible there should
be much happiness in this life ; but
there is great hope that after death
every person may obtain what he
most wishes for. This doctrine is
not new, but has been known both
to Greeks and other nations.
6 The body is a prison, from which
the soul must be released before it
can arrive at the knowledge of things
real and immutable.
7 The soul of each of us is an im
mortal spirit, and goes to other im»

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

313

mortals to give an account of its
actions. 8 Can the soul be destroyed ? No.
But if, in this present life, it has
shunned being governed by the body,
and has governed itself within itself,
and has separated from the body in
a pure state, taking nothing sensual
away with it, does it not then depart
to that which resembles itself, — to
the invisible, the divine, the wise,
the immortal?
9 And on its arrival there, is it not
freed from errors, ignorance, fears,
wild passions, and all other human
evils? Does it not in truth pass the
rest of its existence with the immor
tals? 10 Those who have lived a holy
life, when they are freed from this
earth, and set at large, as it were
from a prison, will arrive at a pure
abode above, and live without mor
tal bodies through all future time.
They will arive at habitations more
beautiful than it is easy to describe.
11 The soul, which cannot die,
merits all the moral and intellectual
improvement we can possibly give
it. A spirit, formed to live for ever,
should be making continual advances
in virtue and wisdom. A well culti
vated mind regards the body merely
as a temporary prison.
12 At death, such a soul is con
ducted by its invisible guardian to
the heights of heavenly felicity,
where it becomes the associate of
the wise and good of all ages.
13 Is it not strange, my friends,
that after all I have said to convince
you I am going to the society of the
happy, you still think this body to
be identical with me? Bury my

lifeless body where you please ; but
do not mourn over it, as if it were
any longer a part of me.
14 It would be wrong for me not
to be grieved to die, if I did not
think I should go to the wise and
good, and dwell with men who have
departed from this life, and are bet
ter than any who are here.
15 That I shall go to those who
are perfectly good, I can assert posi
tively, if I can assert any thing of
the kind. And be assured I hope
to go and dwell among good men.
16 I entertain a good hope that
something awaits those who die, and
that it will be better for the good
than for the evil ; as has been said
long ago.
SELECTION V.
All truly wise men are divinely inspired;
prayer is only the submissive, ardent, and
humble turning of the soul toward God ;
purity, truthfulness, and justice endear
men to God.
T'HE wise man preserves in his
own bosom the sacred flame
which enlightens him, though winds
may blow and tempests roar without.
2 The wise man carries within
him an unwritten but most divine
law. 3 No man was ever truly great
without divine inspiration.
4 Whatever good you do, ascribe
it to God.
5 Statesmen and enthusiasts, who
by their speeches incite men to noble
deeds, are divinely inspired and pos
sessed by the Divinity.
6 Those who aspire after what is
holy and pure shall have assistance
from above.

314

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

7 A man should never pray for
any thing for himself, because every
one is ignorant of what is really good
for him.
8 Is there not need of much fore
thought in order that a person may
not unconsciously pray for great
evils to himself, while he thinks he
is praying for good ?
9 Prayer is the ardent turning of
the soul toward God ; not to ask any
particular good, but Good itself, —
the Universal, Supreme Good.
io We often mistake what is per
nicious and dangerous for what is
useful and desirable. Therefore re
main silent before God, till He re
moves the clouds from thine eyes,
and enables thee to see, by the light
He gives, what is really good ; not
what appears to thyself to be
good. 1 1 The Divine Nature is not to be
seduced by presents, like a corrupt
judge. It would be a dreadful thing
indeed, if the Divinity looked to gifts
and sacrifices, and not to the soul.
12 To say that God is easily ap
peased is to compare Him to wolves
or dogs, which are pacified by giving
them a portion of the plunder.
13 Let no one who does not wish
to become odious to God perpe
trate, either by word or deed, any
falsehood, or fraud, or adulteration
in any thing, when calling on His
name. 14 He who takes care of the uni
verse has arranged all things for the
safety and good of the whole. The
most beautiful thing in human life is
attainment to a resemblance of the
Divine. 15 It is not life to live for one's

self alone. Let us help one an
other. 16 To speak the truth and perform
good offices are two things that re
semble God. Every man ought to
speak and act with such perfect integ
rity, that no one could have reason
to doubt his simple affirmation.
17 The perfectly just man would
be he who should love justice for its
own sake, not for the honors or ad
vantages that attend it ; who would
be willing to pass for unjust, while he
practised the most exact justice ; who
would not suffer himself to be moved
by disgrace or distress, but would
continue steadfast in the love of jus
tice, not because it is pleasant, but
because it is right.
18 Justice ought to be pursued for
itself, not for rewards to spring from
it. Justice is itself the best reward
to the soul.
19 If a just man happens to be
in penury, or to be afflicted with dis
ease, or any other seeming evils, —
these things issue to him in some
thing good, either while he is living,
or when he is dead ; for he who ear
nestly endeavors to be just, and to
practise virtue, is never neglected by
God. 20 Therefore, whatever people
may think of you, do that which you
believe to be right. Be alike indif
ferent to censure or praise.
SELECTION VI.
Precepts of charity, forgiveness, honesty,
benevolence, temperance, and genuineness in
every prof essed virtue.

T

HAT which thou blamest in an
other, do it not thyself.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

315

2 Do not that to a neighbor which
you would take ill from him.
3 Speak evil of no one ; not even
of your enemies.
4 We should do good to an enemy,
and make him our friend.
5 Let no one remove the landmark
of his friend, or his neighbor, or his
fellow-citizen. 6 One who is injured ought not to
return the injury, as the multitude
think ; for on no account can it be
right to do injustice. Therefore it
is not right to return an injury, or to
do evil to any man, however we may
have suffered from him.
7 He who commits injustice is al
ways more unhappy than he who suf
fers by it. No one will dare main
tain that it is better to do injustice
than to bear it.
8 Shun bad gains, those losses in
disguise. 9 The best thing is to do the pres
ent thing well.
10 That family is the best who
obtain not unjustly, keep not un
faithfully, and spend in a way that
produces no repentance.
11 God is glad when any one
honors father and grandfather, moth
er and grandmother, worn down by
age. 12 The old ought to treat the
young with benevolence ; and men
should be kind to children, remem
bering that childhood is especially
dear to God.
13 Not work, but idleness, dis
graces men. Labor is Nature's phy
sician. 14 Virtue is the health, the good
habit, the beauty of the soul. Vice
is its disease, its bad habit, its deform

ity. Is not he wretched who
enslaves the divine portion of him
self, his soul, to the unclean appe
tites of his body ?
15 Bodily enjoyment depends
upon health, and health depends
upon temperance.
16 Strength of mind depends upon
sobriety; for this keeps reason un
clouded by passion.
17 While the sensual man inflicts
evil upon his friends, he brings far
more evil upon himself. Not only
to ruin his family, but also to bring
ruin on his own body and soul, is
the greatest wrong that any man
can commit.
18 To fare well implies the par
taking only of such food as does not
disagree with body or mind ; hence
only those fare well who live tem
perately. 19 The temperate man is dear to
the Deity because he is assimilated
to him.
20 The first and best of victories
is for a man to conquer himself ; to
be conquered by himself is of all
things the most shameful and vile.
21 True happiness consists in per
fect health, a moderate fortune, and
a life free from effeminacy and ig
norance. 22 A covetous man does not pos
sess his wealth : his wealth possesses
him. 23 If a man makes money at the
expense of his virtue, he dishonors
his soul. He sells honor for gold.
All the gold on earth is of no value
compared with virtue.
24 The life of that man is best
who endeavors to become as good
as possible ; and the man who en-

316

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

joys most is he who feels that he is
constantly advancing in virtue.
25 There is no better way to true
glory than to endeavor to be good
rather than to seem so.
26 Misfortunes come to man
through excessive love of self. He
misjudges things just, good, and
beautiful, through thinking he ought
always to honor what belongs to
himself in preference to truth.
27 If you are handsome, do hand
some things. If you are deformed,
supply the defects of nature by your
virtues. 28 Esteem it a great part of a
good education to be able to bear
with the want of it in others.
29 The discourse of a philosopher
is vain, if no passion of a man is
healed thereby.
30 Let not the disgrace or punish
ment of a father fall upon any of his
children. 31 That commonwealth is hap
piest where the people mind the law
more than they do the lawyers.
32 Justice is the beginning of po
litical equality, but brotherly love is
the completion of it.
SELECTION VII.
This present world is only a reflection
of the ethereal and eternal world above ;
present glories are not worthy to be com
pared with those which shall be revealed.
TN the ethereal regions above is
the real eternal world. All the
objects on this earth are merely im
perfect images, or reflections, of the
things in that world of realities.
2 There are the types of all things,
as they came fresh from the Divine

Mind. All is beautiful, transparent,
and harmonious. Fruits of exquisite
flavor grow spontaneously. Rivers
of nectar flow. The colors of all
things are more pure and brilliant.
3 Those who live there inhale
light, as we breathe air ; and the
water they drink is purer than air.
4 We, who live in the deep abyss
of the material world, imagine that
we are in an elevated place, and we
call the atmosphere heaven.
5 It is as if a man were looking
at the sun or the stars from the bot
tom of the ocean, and, seeing them
reflected through the water, should
imagine that the sea itself was the
sky. 6 A soul embodied on this earth
is like a man imprisoned in a deep
cave, where the only light admitted
comes from a fire that is burning
above him and behind him. Many
objects pass and repass in the light,
but the captive merely sees the
shadows of those things reflected
on the walls of the cave. He thinks
those shadows are realities ; and
if he hears voices, he thinks the
shadows are speaking. If he should
be pulled up out of the cave, he
would shut his eyes at first, because
the light would be too strong for
them. He would need to have prac
tice to enable him to see real ob
jects. First, he would see only the
shadows of men and things, as if
reflected in the water ; then he would
begin to see things themselves, but
better by night than by day : he
would see the moon and stars better
than the sun ; gradually he would
be able to look at the sun itself, and
to see all things properly. Then

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

317

he would understand that to be the
world of realities. Whenever he
remembered his former dwelling in
a cave, he would rejoice in the
change of his condition, and he
would feel pity for those who were
still imprisoned there. Nothing that
could be offered him would tempt
him to go back. If he were dragged

back into the cave, he would be as
much blinded by going out of light
into darkness, as he had been by go
ing out of darkness into light ; and if
he were to tell those imprisoned in
the cave that the things they saw
there were not realities, but mere
shadows, they would say he had
lost his sight by going up above.

THE WRITINGS OF PLATO.

SELECTION I.
Fragments gathered from the writings
of Plato, showing what were the ideas of
Socrates concerning the nature of the soul,
its connection with the body, its proper dis
cipline, and its true emancipation.
T7 VERY soul is immortal ; for
whatever is continually moved
is immortal. Every body which is
moved from without, is soulless, but
that which is moved from within,
that is, of itself, possesses a soul,
since this is the very nature of soul.
But if this be the case, that there is
nothing else which moves itself ex
cept soul, soul must necessarily be
both uncreate and immortal. This,
then, may suffice with reference to
its immortality.
2 But respecting its nature we
must speak as follows : what it is,
would in every way require a divine
and lengthened exposition to tell ;
but what it is like, a human and a
shorter one : in this way, then, we
will describe it.
3 Let it, then, be likened to the
combined power of a pair of winged
steeds and a charioteer. Now the
gteeds and charioteers of the Im

mortals are all both good themselves
and of good extraction, but all others
are mixed. In the first place, then,
our ruling power drives a pair of
steeds ; in the next place, of these
it has one that is beautiful and noble
and of similar extraction, but the
other is of opposite extraction and
opposite character: our driving,
therefore, is necessarily difficult and
troublesome. 4 While the soul is perfect, then,
and winged, it soars aloft and governs
the universe ; but when it has lost its
wings it is borne downward. But
let us now discover the cause of the
loss of the wings, why they fall off
from the soul. It is something of
the following kind : —
5 The natural power of a wing is
to carry up heavy substances by
raising them aloft to the regions
where the Immortals dwell ; and of
the parts connected with the body,
it probably partakes most largely of
that which is divine. But that which
is divine is beautiful, wise, good, and
every thing of that kind. By these,
then, the wings of the soul are chiefly
nourished and increased; but by what
is base and vile, and other similar

3i8

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

contraries, they fall to decay and
perish. 6 Now of justice and temperance
and whatever else souls deem pre
cious, there is no brightness in the
resemblances of this life by which
they can be fully understood ; but
by means of our dull instruments
with difficulty a few only, on ap
proaching the images, are able to dis
cern the character of that which is
represented. 7 But, while the soul was yet
winged, beauty was splendid to look
on, when with that happy choir, in
company with the Supreme One,
and others of the Immortals, we be
held that blissful sight and spectacle,
and were initiated into that which
may be rightly called the most
blessed of all mysteries, which we
celebrated when we were whole and
unaffected by the evils that awaited
us in time to come ; and, moreover,
when we were initiated in, and, in the
pure light, beheld perfect, simple,
calm, and blessed visions, being our
selves pure, and as yet unmasked
with this which we now carry about
with us and call the body, fettered
to it like an oyster to its shell.
8 This is a recollection of those
things which our soul formerly saw
when journeying with Deity, despis
ing the things which we now say are,
and looking up to that which really
is. 9 Wherefore, with justice, the
mind of the lover of Wisdom is alone
furnished with wings ; for, to the
best of his power, his memory dwells
on those things, by the contempla
tion of which even Deity is divine.
io A man who makes a right use

of such memorials as these, by con
stantly perfecting himself in perfect
mysteries, alone becomes truly per
fect ; but on account of keeping
aloof from human pursuits, and
dwelling on that which is divine, he
is found fault with by the multitude
as out of his senses. It escapes the
notice of the multitude that he is
inspired. 1 1 To this, then, comes our whole
argument respecting that kind of in
spiration, on account of which any
one, who, on seeing beauty in this
lower world, being reminded of the
true, begins to recover his wings,
and, having recovered them, longs
to soar aloft ; but being unable to do
it, looks upward like a bird, and de
spising things below, is deemed to
be affected with madness.
12 And, with respect to my an
ticipation of future things, as it
seems, I appear to you to be inferior
to swans ; for they, when they per
ceive that they must needs die though
they have been used to sing before,
sing then more than ever, rejoicing
that they are about to depart to that
Deity whose servants they are.
13 But it is absolutely necessary
that the temperate man, who is also
just, brave, and pious, should be a
perfectly good man ; and that a good
man should do whatever he does
well and honorably, and that he who
does well should be blessed and hap
py ; but that the wicked, who does
ill, should be wretched.
14 I, therefore, thus lay down
these things and affirm that they are
true. But if they are true, as it
seems, he who wishes to be happy
must pursue and practise temper-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

319

ance, and must avoid intemperance,
every one of us with all his might ;
and must endeavor never to stand in
need of punishment, but if he does
need it, either he or any of his
family, (whether it be the case
of a private person or a city,)
justice must be administered, and
punishment inflicted, if he is to be
happy. 15 This appears to me to be the
mark to which we ought to look for
the guidance of our life, referring all
private and public actions to this
point ; that justice and temperance
may be ever present with him who
will be blessed, and to act according
ly ; not suffering his desires to be
intemperate, nor endeavoring to
satisfy them, — which is an irre
mediable evil, causing a man to
live like a robber. For such a one
could neither be dear to any other
man, nor to God ; for it is im
possible there can be any com
munion between them ; and where
there is no communion there can
be no friendship.
16 The well-ordered and wise soul,
then, both follows, and is not igno
rant of its present condition ; but
when death comes, that which
through passion clings to the body,
after vehement resistance and great
suffering, is forcibly, and with much
difficulty, led away by its appointed
guide. 17 And when it arrives at the place
where the others are, if it be impure,
every one shuns it and turns away
from it, and will neither be its fellow-
traveller nor guide, but it wanders
about, oppressed with every kind of
helplessness, until certain periods

have elapsed. But the soul which
has passed through life with purity
and moderation, having obtained the
Immortals for his fellow-travellers
and guides, settles each in the place
suited to it.
18 These things being thus consti
tuted, when the dead arrive at the
place to which their guide leads
them severally, first of all they are
judged, as well those who have lived
well and piously, as those who have
not. 19 And those who appear to have
passed a middle kind of life, pro
ceeding to Acheron, and embarking,
arrive at the lake, and there dwell ;
and when they are purified, and
have suffered punishment for the
iniquities they may have commit
ted, they are set free, and each re
ceives the reward of his good deeds
according to his deserts. But those
who appear to be incurable, through
the magnitude of their offences,
either from having committed
many and great sacrileges, or
many unjust and lawless mur
ders, or other similar crimes, these
a suitable destiny hurls into Tar
tarus, whence they never come
forth. 20 This law, then, respecting men
was in existence in the time of Sat
urn, and always was, and still is
established among the Immortals :
that a man who has passed through
life justly and piously, when he dies
should go to the isles of the blessed,
and dwell in all perfect happiness,
free from evil ; but that he who has
lived unjustly and impiously should
go to a prison of retribution and jus
tice.

320

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

SELECTION II.
Some fragments gathered from the
¦writings of Plato, in which are stated
the reasons and the faith of Socrates with
reference to the soul's immortality.
OUT now I wish to render an
account to you, my judges,
of the reason why a man who has
really devoted his life to the love
of Wisdom, when he is about to
die, appears to me, on good grounds,
to have confidence, and to entertain
a firm hope that the greatest good
will befall him in the other world,
when he has departed this life.
2 Can the soul, then, which is
invisible, and which goes to another
place like itself, excellent, pure, and
invisible, and therefore truly called
the invisible world, even to the pres
ence of a good and wise God, (whith
er, if God will, my soul also must
shortly go,) can this soul of ours, I
ask, being such and of such a nature,
when separated from the body
be immediately dispersed and de
stroyed, as most men assert? Far
from it.
3 This is an ancient saying, which
we now call to mind, that souls
departing hence exist there, and
return hither again, and are pro
duced from the dead. And if this
is so, that the living are produced
again from the dead, can there be
any other consequence than that our
souls are there ?
4 For, indeed, I should not won
der if Euripides speaks the truth
when he says : Who knows whether
to live is not death, and to die, life ?
5 Consider it also thus: that,
when soul and body are together,

nature enjoins the latter to be sub
servient and obey, the former to rule
and exercise dominion. And in this
way, which of the two appears to
you to be like the divine, and which
the mortal? Does it not appear to
you to be natural that the divine
should rule and command, but the
mortal obey and be subservient ?
6 Since, then, that which is im
mortal is also incorruptible, can the
soul, since it is immortal, be any
thing else than imperishable ? When,
therefore, death approaches a man,
the mortal part of him, as it appears,
dies ; but the immortal departs safe
and uncorrupted, having withdrawn
itself from death. The soul, there
fore, is most certainly immortal and
imperishable, and our souls will
really exist in the World of the
Departed. 7 Wherefore, it necessarily follows
from all this, that some such opinion
as this should be entertained by
genuine lovers of Wisdom, so that
they should speak among themselves
as follows : A by-path, as it were,
seems to lead us on in our researches
undertaken by reason ; because as
long as we are encumbered with
the body, and our soul is contami
nated with such an evil, we can never
fully attain to what we desire ; and
this, we say, is truth. For the body
subjects us to innumerable hin
drances on account of its necessary
support ; and, moreover, if any dis
eases befall us, they impede us in
our search after that which is ; and
it fills us with longings, desires,
fears, all kinds of fancies, and a
multitude of absurdities, so that, as
it is said in real truth, by reason

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

321

of the body it is never possible for
us to make any advance.
8 But does not purification consist
in this : in separating as much as
possible the soul from the body, and
in accustoming it to gather and col
lect itself by itself on all sides apart
from the body; and to dwell, as far
as it can, both now and hereafter,
delivered, as it were, from the shack
les of the body ?
9 This, then, is called death, this
deliverance and separation of the
soul from the body. But, as we
affirmed, those who pursue Wis
dom rightly are especially and
alone desirous of this very deliv
erance, and this is the very study
of the lovers of Wisdom, the deliv
erance and separation of the soul
from the body.
10 Then would it not be ridiculous
for a man who has endeavored
throughout his life to live as near as
possible to death, when death arrives,
to grieve ? would not this be ridicu
lous ?
1 1 In reality, then, those who pur
sue Wisdom rightly study to die ;
and to them, of all men, death is
least formidable. Judge from this.
Since they altogether hate the body
and desire to keep the soul by itself,
would it not be irrational if, when
this comes to pass, they should be
afraid and grieve, and not be glad to
go to that place where, on their ar
rival, they may hope to obtain that
which they longed for throughout
life ?
12 But they longed for wisdom,
and to be freed from association
with that which they hated. For as
many as rightly apply themselves to

Wisdom, seem to have left all others
in ignorance, that they aim at
nothing else than to die and to be
dead. 13 Does not the soul, then, when
in this state, depart to that which
resembles itself, the invisible, the di
vine, immortal, and wise ? and on
its arrival there, is it not its lot to be
happy, free from error, ignorance,
fears, wild passions, and all the other
evils to which human nature is sub
ject ? and, as is said Qf the initiated,
does it not in truth pass the rest of
its time with the Immortals ?
14 But, I think, if the soul de
parts from the body polluted and
impure, as having constantly held
communion with the body, and hav
ing served and loved it, and been be
witched by it, through desires and
pleasures, so as to think that there
is nothing real except what is corpo
real, what one can touch and see,
and drink and eat, and employ for
sensual purposes ; but as to what is
obscure and invisible to the eyes,
(what js intellectual and apprehend
ed by reason,) having been accus
tomed to hate, fear, and shun this :
Do you think that a soul thus affect
ed can depart from the body free
and uncontaminated ?
15 Then, are not they the most
happy, and do they not go to
the best place, who have practised
that social and civilized virtue, which
they call temperance and justice, and
which is produced from habit and
exercise ?
16 But it is not lawful for any one,
who has not studied Wisdom and
departed this life perfectly pure, to
pass into the rank of Immortals : but

322

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

only for the true lover of Wisdom.
And on this account, those who are
truly wise abstain from all bodily
desires ; persevere in so doing, and
will not yield to them. Neither do
they fear the loss of property, and
poverty, as do the generality of men
and the lovers of wealth ; nor, again,
do they dread disgrace and igno
miny, and run from them, as do
those who are lovers of power and
honor. 17 And temperance, also, which
even the multitude call temperance,
and which consists in not being carried
away by the passions, but in holding
them in contempt, and keeping them
in subjection, does not this belong
to those only who most despise the
body, and live in the study of Wis
dom ?
18 Would not this, then, be a suffi
cient proof to you, with respect to a
man whom you should see grieved
when about to die, that he was not
a lover of Wisdom but a lover of his
body ? and this same person is proba
bly a lover of riches and a lover of
honor, one or both of these.
19 But it is right, my friends, that
we should consider this, that if the
soul is immortal, it requires our care
not only for the present time, which
we call life, but for all time ;' and
the danger would now appear to be
dreadful, if one should neglect it.
For if death were a deliverance from
every thing, it would be a great gain
for the wicked, when they die, to be
delivered at the same time from the
body, and from their vices, together
with the soul : but now, since it ap
pears to be immortal, it can have no
other refuge from evils, and no safety,

except by becoming as good and
wise as possible. ¦
20 He, then, is truly wise who con
siders most about his soul ; who
during this life disregards all the
pleasures and ornaments of the body
as foreign from his nature, thinking
that they do more harm than good,
and zealously applies himself to the
acquirement of knowledge ; who also
having adorned his soul, not with a
foreign, but with its own* proper,
ornament, temperance, justice, forti
tude, freedom, and truth, thus waits
for his passage to the World of the
Departed, as one who is ready to go
whenever destiny shall summon him.
21 If this, then, is true, my friends,
there is great hope for one who ar
rives where I am going; there, if
anywhere, to acquire in perfection
that, for the sake of which we have
taken so much pains during our past
life ; so that the journey now ap
pointed me is set out upon with good
hope, and will be so by any other
man who thinks that his mind has
been as it were purified.
22 For, if I did not believe that I
should go first of all amongst other
Immortals who are both wise and
good, and, next, amongst men who
have departed this life, better than
any here, I should be wrong in not
grieving at death : but now be assur
ed, I hope to go amongst good
men (though I would not positively
assert it). That, however, I shall go
amongst Immortals who are perfectly
good masters, be assured I can posi
tively assert this, if I can any thing
of the kind. So that, on this ac
count, I am not so much troubled,
but I entertain a good hope that

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

323

something awaits those who die, and
that, as was said long since, it will be
far better for the good than the evil.
23 But for the sake of these things
which we have described, we should
use every endeavor, so as to acquire
virtue and wisdom in this life ; for
the reward is noble, and the hope
great. 24 To affirm positively, indeed,
that these things are exactly as I
have described them, does not be
come a man of sense ; that however
either this, or something of the kind,
takes place with respect to our souls
and their habitations — since our soul
is certainly immortal — this appears
to me most fitting to be believed,
and worthy the hazard of one who
trusts in its reality ; for the hazard
is noble, and it is right to allure our
selves with such things, as with en
chantments. 25 I therefore am persuaded by
these accounts ; and consider how I
may exhibit my soul before the
judge in the most healthy condition.
Wherefore, disregarding the honors
that most men value, and looking to
the truth, I shall endeavor in reality
to live as virtuously as I can, and
when I die, to die so. And I invite
all other men, to the utmost of my
power ; and you too I, in turn, invite
to this life and this contest, which
I affirm surpasses all contests here.
26 Let us use as our guide, then,
the reasoning that has now been
made clear to us, which teaches us
that this is the best mode of life— to
live and to die in the exercise of
justice and the other virtues. This,
then, let us follow, and invite others
to do the same.

SELECTION III.
Fragments gathered from the writings
of Plato, in which are presented ihe be
liefs of Socrates, that the Deity inspires alt
true teachers of men to reveal that Wis
dom that consists in sincerity, justice, love,
and holiness ; andin revealing it requires
and enables them to suffer ridicule, re
proach, and persecution.
"DUT the most important thing in
my art is, that it is able to test
in every possible way whether the
mind of a young man is bringing
forth an image and a cheat, or what
is genuine and true.
2 I myself am barren of wisdom,
and as to what many have reproached
me with, that I question others but
give no answer myself on any subject,
because I have no wisdom, they re
proach me truly. But the cause of
this is as follows : the Deity compels
me to act, as it were, the part of a
midwife, but forbids me to bring
forth myself.
3 I am not, therefore, myself at
all wise, and I have no such discov
ery as is the offspring of my own
mind. But those who associate with
me at first appear, some of them, ex
ceedingly ignorant, but all, as our in
timacy continues, to whom the Deity
grants that privilege, make a wonder-'
fui proficiency, as is evident both to
themselves and others. And this is
clear, that they make this proficiency
without ever learning any thing from
me, but from their own resources
finding and becoming possessed of
many beautiful things.
4 But I am afraid that, from my
love of mankind, I appear to them to
tell every man too freely whatever I
know ; not only teaching without pay,

324

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

but even gladly offering myself, if
anyone is willing to listen to me.
5 But to be laughed at is perhaps
of no consequence, for the Atheni
ans, as it appears to me, do not care
very much whether they think a man
is wise, so long as he does not com
municate his wisdom ; but when
they think a man makes others wise,
they are angry, either through envy
or from some other cause.
6 For call to mind what has al
ready been said, that to a sick man
what he eats appears and is bitter ;
but to a man in health it is and ap
pears the contrary. And in order to
cause it to appear otherwise, there is
no need to make either of them wiser
than the other ; nor must we allege
that the sick man is ignorant, be
cause he is of a different opinion,
and that he who is in health is wise,
because he thinks differently ; but
we must endeavor to make the sick
man -change over to the other side,
for the condition of health is better.
7 In like manner, in instruction,
we should endeavor to make a man
change from one habit to a better.
No one ever makes one who enter
tains false opinions afterward en
tertain true ones; for it is not pos
sible for a man to have opinions
other than those by which he is,
by his own character, affected ; and
these, to him, are always the true
ones. And I think that a man who,
from a depraved habit of soul, forms
opinions corresponding to it, if he
be changed to a good habit, it will
cause him to form different opinions
of the same character.
8 Here it is necessary to observe,
that in each of us there are two

ruling and leading principles, which
we follow wherever they lead : one
being an innate desire of pleasures ;
the other an acquired opinion, which
aims at what is most excellent.
These sometimes agree in us, and
sometimes are at variance ; and some
times one gets the upper hand, at
other times the other.
9 When opinion therefore with
the aid of reason leads to that
which is best, and gets the upper
hand, we give the name of temper
ance to this power ; but when desire
drags us irrationally to pleasures,
and rules within us, this ruling power
takes the name of excess.
io But excess has many names;
for it has many limbs and many
forms. And of these principles, the
one that happens to get the pre
dominance gives its own name to
the person who possesses it: and that
neither honorable nor worth ac
quiring. n For instance, with respect to
food, desire that gets the better
of the highest reason, and of the
other desires, will be called glut
tony ; and will cause the person
who possesses it to be called by
the same name. Again, with respect
to drinking, when it has usurped
dominion, by leading its possessor
in this direction, it is clear what
designation it will acquire. And
with respect to other things akin
to these, and the names of kindred
desires, it is manifest how they
ought to be called, according as
each for the time being happens
to be dominant.
12 Listen to me now in silence.
For in truth the place appears to

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

325

be divine. If, therefore, in the prog
ress of my speech I should be fre
quently entranced by the genius of
the spot, you must not be surprised.
For what I utter now is not very far
removed from inspiration.
13 In the matter I am speaking
about, with respect to what is just
and unjust, holy and unholy, men
will persist that none of these have
by nature an essence of their own,
but that what appears to the com
munity to be true, that becomes
true at the time when it so appears,
and so long as it appears.
14 But is not Holiness itself the
same with itself in every action? and
again, is not Impiety, which is con
trary to all Holiness, in every case
similar to itself; and has not every
thing that is impious some one
character with respect to Impiety?
1 5 Remember, then, that I did not
beg this of you, to teach me some
one or two from among many holy
things ; but the particular character
itself by which all holy things are
holy. Teach me this very character,
what it is ; in order that looking to
it, and using it as a model, I may say
that such a thing of all that you or
any one else does is holy, and that
what is not such is not holy.
16 Fori mean the contrary to what
the poet said, who wrote : " You are
Unwilling to mention the Creator who
made this universe, for where fear is
there is also shame." It does not
appear to me that where fear is there
is also shame ; but wherever shame
is there is fear. For is there any one
who is ashamed of and blushes at any
thing, that is not afraid of and does
not fear the reputation of baseness ?

17 It is not right, therefore, to
say, that where fear is there also is
shame ; but, on the contrary, where
shame is, there also is fear. For I
think that fear is more extensive
than shame ; shame is a part of
fear. 18 I ask ypu then, whether where
the just is, there also is the holy, or
where the holy is there also is the
just. But wherever the just is, there
is not always the holy : for the holy
is a part of the just. If the holy is
a part of the just, it is necessary, as
it seems, that we should find out
what part of the just the holy is.
19 But, my good friend, consider
whether that which is noble and
good is not something else than
merely to save and be saved ; and
whether that principle, that one
should live as long as one can, is not
to be given up by one who is truly
a man. Life should not be too fond
ly loved, but leaving these things
to the care of the Deity, and believ
ing the women, who say that no man
can avoid his fate, one should con
sider this, by what means he may
pass the remainder of his life in the
best possible manner.
20 For there is a law that those
who have already set out in the
heavenward path should never again
enter on darkness and the paths be
neath the earth ; but that, passing a
splendid life, they should be happy
walking with each other ; and that,
for their love's sake, whenever they
become winged, they should be
winged together.
21 If, then, the better parts of
their mind having prevailed so as to
lead them to a well-regulated mode

326

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

of living and to Wisdom, they pass
their life here in bliss and concord ;
having obtained the mastery over
themselves, and being orderly,
through having brought into subjec
tion that part of the soul in which
vice was engendered ; and having
set free that in which was virtue ;
such as these, when they depart this
life, becoming winged and light,
shall be declared victorious in one of
the three truly Olympic contests : a
greater good than which, neither hu
man prudence nor divine inspiration
can possibly bestow on man.
22 O beloved Omnipresence, and
all ye other divinities of this place,
grant me to become beautiful in the
inner man, and that whatever out
ward things I have may be at peace
with those within. May I deem the
wise mari rich, and may I have such
a portion of gold as none but a pru
dent man can either bear or employ.
SELECTION IV.
Fragments gathered from the writings
of Plato, in which are taught the prin
ciple held by Socrates, that while to act
unjustly is a great evil, the greatest and
chief of all evils is seeking or desiring to
escape from merited punishment.
CINCE there are two models in
the nature of things, one divine
and most happy, the other ungodly
and most miserable, they who do
not perceive that this is the case,
through stupidity and extreme folly,
unconsciously to themselves become
similar to the one by unjust actions,
and dissimilar to the other. Where
fore they are punished, by leading
a life suited to that to which they
are assimilated.

2 But if we should tell them, that
unless they abandon this unjust
manner of living, that place which
is free from all evil will not re
ceive them when dead ; but that
as here they lead a life resem
bling themselves, so in like manner
there, they will associate with evil, —
these things, as being altogether
deep and wise, they will listen to
as the extravagances of foolish men.
3 But let us describe the truth as
follows : God is never in any respect
unjust, but as just as possible, and
there is not any thing that resem
bles him more than the man amongst
us who has likewise become as just
as possible. And on this depends
the true excellence of a man, and
his nothingness and worthlessness.
For the knowledge of this is wisdom
and true virtue, but the not knowing
it is manifest ignorance and vice.
4 It is therefore by far the best
not to allow him who acts unjustly,
or who speaks or acts impiously, to
succeed by reason of his wickedness;
for they delight in commendations,
and think they hear that they are
not valueless, mere burdens on the
earth, but men such as they ought
to be who will be useful in a city.
The truth, therefore, must be spoken,
that they are so much the more
what they think they are not, from
not thinking that they are such.
For they are ignorant of the punish
ment of injustice, of which they
ought to be least of all ignorant.
5 For these, my excellent friend,
have managed much the same as one
who being afflicted with the worst
diseases should contrive not to have
his bodily maladies corrected or sub-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

327

jected to medical treatment ; fear
ing, as if he were a child, to be
burnt and cut, because these opera
tions are painful. Being ignorant,
as it seems, of what health is, and
a good habit of the body.
6 Now, from what we have just
•said, those who flee from punish
ment appear to do something of
this kind ; they look to the pain
attending it, but are blind to its
utility, and are ignorant how much
more miserable than an unhealthy
body it is to dwell with an unhealthy
soul, that is corrupt, unjust, and
impious. Whence they do every
thing that they may not be pun
ished, nor freed from the greatest
evil. 7 And do not physicians generally
allow a man in health to satisfy his
desires ; as, for instance, when hun
gry to eat as much as he pleases, or
when thirsty to drink ; but when ill,
is it not true that they scarcely ever
allow him to satisfy himself with
what he desires ?
8 And should not the same method
be adopted with respect to the soul ?
ISo long as it is depraved, as being
without understanding, intemperate,
•unjust, and unholy, one ought to
restrain it from the indulgence of its
desires, and not permit it to do any
thing except what will render it bet
ter? And is not to restrain any one
ifrom what he desires, to punish him ?
To be punished, therefore, is better
for the soul than to permit it to be
intemperate, unjust, and unholy.
9 Therefore Nought every man to
accuse himself, and afterward his
relatives, and any other of his friends,
who may have acted unjustly; and

not conceal the crime, but bring it
to light, in order that he may be
punished, and restored to health.
Moreover, he should compel both
himself and the others to lay aside
fear, and with his eyes shut, and in
a manly way, deliver himself up, as
to a physician, to be cut and cauter
ized, pursuing the good and the
beautiful, without paying any regard
to what is painful ; if he has com
mitted a wrong worthy of stripes,
delivering himself up to be beaten ;
if of bonds, to be bound ; if of a fine,
to pay it ; if of exile, to be banished ;
if of death, to die; being himself the
first accuser of himself, and others
his relatives, not sparing either him
self or them, but employing argu
ment for this very purpose, that, the
crimes being exposed, they may be
freed from the greatest of evils, in
justice. 10 If a man has committed injus
tice, either himself, or any one else
for whom he has regard, he ought of
his own accord to betake himself
thither, where as soon as possible he
will be punished ; going to a judge
as to a physician, taking every pains
lest the disease of injustice becoming
inveterate should render the soul
corrupt and incurable.
11 I say, then, that that is holy,
to prosecute any one who acts un
justly either with respect to murder
or sacrilege, or who commits any
similar offence ; whether he be one's
father or mother, or whoever else In*
may be ; and not to prosecute him
is impious. 12 Will not, then, that good in
structor who follows the rules pf art,
looking to these things, address the

328

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

arguments he uses and all his actions
to souls ? And if he should bestow
a gift, will he not bestow it, and, if
he should take any thing away, will
he not take it away with the same
end, always directing his attention to
this, — that justice may be produced
in the souls of his fellow-citizens, and
injustice banished ; that temperance
may be produced in them, and in
temperance banished ; and, in short,
that every virtue may be planted in
them, but vice driven out.
13 Remember, then, that we said
there were two methods for the cul
tivation of each, both the body and
the soul ; and that one had reference
to pleasure, but the other to that
which is best, that is, not to gratify,
but to oppose, the inclinations. The
first method, then, that looks to
pleasure is ignoble ; but the second
endeavors that that which we culti
vate may be made as excellent as
possible, whether it be the body or
the soul.
14 But it is proper that every one
who is punished, if he is rightly pun
ished by another, should either him
self become better, and be benefited
by it, or should be an example to
others ; that they, beholding his
sufferings, may be made better
through fear. But those that are
benefited, at the same time that
they suffer punishment both from
the Immortals and from men, are
such as have been guilty of curable
offences ; their benefit, however, both
here and in the World of the De
parted, accrues to them by means of
pain and torments ; for it is not pos
sible to be freed from injustice in
any other way,

SELECTION V.
Fragmentary selections from Socrates'
defence before the Athenian tribunal, in
which he explains in what true wisdom con
sists ; and repels the charge that his teach
ings against the established religion had
been the means of corrupting the youth.
I" MUST make my defence then, O
Athenians, and endeavor in this
so short a space of time to remove
from your minds the calumny which
you have long entertained. I wish,
indeed, it might be so (if it were at
all better both for you and me), and
that in making my defence I could
effect something more advantageous
still. I think, however, that it will be
difficult ; and I am not entirely ig
norant what the difficulty is. Never
theless, let this turn out as may be
pleasing to God, I must obey the law,
and make my defence.
2 Let us, then, repeat from the be
ginning what the accusation is from
which the calumny against me has
arisen," and relying on which Melitus
has preferred this indictment against
me. Well, what then do they who
charge me say in their charge ? For
it is necessary to read their deposi
tion as of public accusers. " Socrates
acts wickedly and is criminally curi
ous in searching into things under
the earth, and in the heavens, and
in making the worse appear the bet
ter reason, and in teaching these
same things to others." Such is the
accusation. 3 I will endeavor to show youi
what it is that has occasioned me
this character and imputation. Lis
ten then: to some of you, perhaps, I
shall appear to jest, yet be assured

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

329

that I shall tell you the whole truth.
For I, O Athenians, have acquired
this character through nothing else
than a certain wisdom.
4 Of what kind; then, is this wis
dom ? Perhaps it is merely human
wisdom. For in this, in truth, I ap
pear to be wise. But, O Athenians,
do not cry out against me, even
though I should seem to you to
speak somewhat arrogantly. For the
account which I am going to give
you is not my own, but I shall refer
to an authority whom you will deem
worthy of credit. For I shall adduce
to you the oracle at Delphi as a wit
ness of my wisdom, if I have any,
and of what it is.
5 You doubtless know Chaerepho :
he was my associate from youth, and
the associate of most of you ; he ac
companied you in your late exile, and
returned with you. You know, then,
what kind of a man he was, how ear
nest in whatever he undertook. Hav
ing once gone to Delphi, he ventured
to make the following inquiry of the
oracle, (and as I said, O Athenians,
do not cry out,) for he asked if there
was any one wiser than I. The
Pythian thereupon answered that
there was not one wiser ; and of this,
his brother here will give you proofs,
since he himself is dead.
6 Consider, then, why I mention
these things : it is because I , am
going to show you whence the
calumny against me arose. For
when I heard this, I reasoned thus
with myself : What does the oracle
mean ? What enigma is this ? For
I am not conscious to myself that
I am wise, either much or little.
What, then, does he mean by saying

that I am the wisest ? For assured
ly it does not speak falsely : that
it cannot do.
7 And for a long time, I was in
doubt what it meant ; afterward,
with considerable difficulty, I had
recourse to the following method
of searching out its meaning : I
went to one of those who have the
character of being wise, thinking
that there, if anywhere, I should
confute the oracle, and show, in
answer to the response, that this
man is wiser than I, though it had
been affirmed that I was the wisest.
8 Having then examined this
man, (there is no occasion to men
tion his name ; he was, however, one
of our great politicians, in examin
ing whom I felt as I proceed to de
scribe, 0 Athenians !) having fallen
into conversation with him, this
man appeared to me to be wise in
the opinion of most other men, and
especially in his own opinion, though
in fact he was not so. I thereupon
endeavored to show him that he
fancied himself to be wise, but really
was not. Hence I became odious
both to him, and to many others
who were present.
9 When I left him, I reasoned
thus with myself, I am wiser than
this man, for neither of us appear
to know any thing great and good :
but he fancies he knows something,
although he knows nothing, whereas
I, as I do not know any thing, so I
do not fancy I do. In this trifling
particular, then, I appear to be wiser
than he, because I do not fancy I
know what I do not know.
10 After this I went to others in
turn, perceiving, indeed, and grieving

33°

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

and alarmed that I was making my
self odious ; however, it appeared
necessary to regard the oracle as of
the greatest importance, and that,
in order to discover its meaning, I
must go to all who had the reputa
tion of possessing any knowledge.
n From this investigation, then,
O Athenians ! many enmities have
arisen against me, and those the
most grievous and severe ; so that
many calumnies have sprung from
them, and amongst them this appel
lation of being wise. For those
"who are from time to time present
think that I am wise in those things,
with respect to which I expose the
ignorance of others.
12 The oracle, however, O Atheni
ans ! appears to be really wise, and
to mean this, That human wisdom
is worth little or nothing. And it
is clear that it did not say this of
Socrates, but made use of my name,
putting me forward as an example;
as if it had said, That man is the
wisest among you, who, like Soc
rates, knows that he is in reality
worth nothing with respect to wis
dom. 13 With respect, then, to the
charges which my first accusers have
alleged against me, let this be a suffi
cient apology to you. To Melitus,
that good and patriotic man (as he
says), and to my later accusers, I will
next endeavor to give an answer ;
and here again, as there are different
accusers, let us take up their depo
sition. It is pretty much as follows :
"Socrates," it says, "acts unjustly
in corrupting the youth, and in not
believing in those gods in whom the
city believes, but in other strange

divinities." Such is the accusation.
14 It says that I act unjustly in
corrupting the youth : Is it not evi
dently (according to the indictment
which you have preferred) by teach
ing them not to believe in the gods
in whom the city believes, but in
other strange deities ? Do. you not
say that by teaching these things, I
corrupt the youth ?
15 Come, then, tell me ; do you
not consider it of the greatest im
portance that the youth should be
made as virtuous as possible ? Tell
me further, whether is it better to
dwell with good or bad citizens ? An
swer, my friend : for I ask you noth
ing difficult. Do not the bad work
some evil to those that are continu
ally near them, but the good some
good ?
16 What, then, Melitus, are you at
your time of life so much wiser than
I am at my time of life, as not to
know that the evil are always work
ing some evil to those that are most
near to them, and the good some
good ? Have I arrived at such a
pitch of ignorance as not to know,
that if I make any one of my associ
ates depraved, I shall be in danger of
receiving some evil from him ? And
yet, as you say, I have designedly
brought about this so great evil.
17 In this I cannot believe you,
Melitus, nor do I think would any
other man in the world : but either
I do not corrupt the youth, or if I do
corrupt them I do it undesignedly:
so that in both cases you speak
falsely. 18 But if I corrupt them unde
signedly, for such involuntary offen
ces it is not usual to accuse one here ;

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

331

but to take one apart and to teach
and admonish one. For it is evi
dent that if I am taught, I shall cease
doing what I do undesignedly. But
you shunned me and were not will
ing to associate with and instruct
me ; but you accuse me here, where
it is usual to accuse those who need
punishment and not instruction.
19 But I, through the whole of
my life, if I have done any thing in
public, shall be found to be a man,
and the very same in private, who
has never made a concession to any
¦one contrary to justice : neither to
any other, nor to any one of these
whom my calumniators say are my
disciples. 20 I, however, was never the pre
ceptor of any one ; but if any one
desired to hear me speaking and to
see me busied about my own mis
sion, whether he were young or old,
I never refused him. Nor do I dis
course when I receive money, and
not when I do not receive any, but I
allow both rich and poor alike to
question me ; and, if any one wishes
it, to answer me and hear what I
have to say.
21 And for these, whether any one
proves to be a good man or not, I
cannot justly be responsible, because
I never either promised them any
instruction or taught them at all.
But if any one says that he has ever
learned or heard any thing from me
in private, which all others have not,
be well assured that he does not
speak the truth.
22 But why do some delight to
¦spend so long a time with me? Ye
have heard, O Athenians ! I have
told you the whole truth, that they

delight to hear those closely ques
tioned who think that they are wise
but are not : for this is by no means
disagreeable. 23 But this duty, as I say, has
been enjoined me by the Deity ;
through oracles, through dreams,
and through every mode by which
any other divine decree has ever en
joined any thing to man to do.
24 These things, O Athenians ! are
both true, and easily confuted if not
true. For if I am now corrupting
some of the youths, and have already
corrupted others, it were fitting,
surely, that if any of them, having
become advanced in life, had dis
covered that I gave them bad ad
vice when they were young, they
should now rise up against me, ac
cuse me, and have me punished; or
if they were themselves unwilling to
do this, some of their kindred, their
fathers, or brothers, or other rela
tives (if their kinsmen have ever sus
tained any damage from me), should
now call it to mind.
25 Many of them, however, are
here present, whom I see : some of
whom certainly Melitus ought to
have adduced in his speech as a wit
ness. If, however, he then forgot to
do so, let him now adduce them ; I
give him leave to do so, and let him
say it, if he has any thing of the
kind to allege. But quite contrary
to this, you will find, O Athenians!
all ready to assist me, who have
" corrupted and injured their rela
tives," as Melitus and Anytus say.
26 For those who have been them
selves corrupted might perhaps have
some reason for assisting me ; but
those who have not been corrupted,

332

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

— men now advanced in life, their
relatives, — what other reason can
they have for assisting me, except
that right and just one, that they
know that Melitus speaks * falsely,
and that I speak the truth.
27 And if I had derived any prof
it from this course, and had received
pay for my exhortations, there would
have been some reason for this
charge ; but now you see yourselves,
that my accusers, who have so shame
lessly calumniated me in every thing
else, have not had the impudence to
charge me with this, and to bring
witnesses to prove that I ever either
exacted or demanded any reward.
And I think I produce a sufficient
proof that I speak the truth, namely,
my poverty. SELECTION VI.
Fragmentary selections from Socrates'
defence before the Athenian tribunal, in
which loyalty to convictions of truth and
duty are advocated ; and death shown
to be desirable rather than an unfaithful
or useless life.
"DERHAPS, however, some one
may say, Are you not ashamed,
Socrates, to have pursued a study,
from which you are now in danger
of dying ? To such a person I
should answer with good reason:
You do not say well, friend, if you
think that a man, who is even of the
least value, ought to take into ac
count the risk of life or death ; and
ought not to consider that alone
when he performs any action,
whether he is acting justly or un
justly, and the part of a good man
or bad man.
2 For thus it is, O Athenians: in

truth ; wherever any one has posted
himself, either thinking it to be
better, or has been posted by his
chief, there, as it appears to me, he
ought to remain and meet danger ;
taking no account either of death
or any thing else in comparison with
disgrace. 3 I then should be acting strange
ly if, when the generals whom you
chose to command me assigned me
my post at Potidaea, at Amphipolis,
and at Delium, I then remained
where they posted me, like any
other person, and encountered the
danger of death ; but when the
Deity, as I thought and believed,
assigned it as my duty to pass my
life in pursuit of Wisdom, and in
examining myself and others, I
should on that occasion, through
fear of death or any thing else
whatsoever, desert my post.
4 Strange indeed would it be ;
and then in truth any one might
justly bring me to trial, and accuse
me of not believing in the gods;
because I disobeyed the oracle, fear
ing death, and thinking myself to
be wise when I am not. For to fear
death is nothing else than to appear
to be wise, without being so ; for
it is to appear to know what one
does not know. Now, no one knows
but that death is the greatest of all
goods to man ; but men fear it, as if
they well knew that it is the greatest
of evils.
5 And how is not this the most
reprehensible ignorance, to think that
one knows what one does not know ?
But I, O Athenians ! in this perhaps
differ from most men ; and if I
should say that I am in any thing

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

333

wiser than another, it would be in
this : that not having a complete
knowledge of things in the World
of the Departed, I also think that I
have not such knowledge. But to
act unjustly, and to disobey my su
perior, whether God or man, I know
is evil and base. I shall never, there
fore, fear or shun things which, for
aught I know, may be good, before
evils which I know to be evils.
6 So that even if you should now
dismiss me, not yielding to the in
stances of Anytus, (who said that
either I should not appear here at
all, or that, if I did appear, it was
impossible not to put me to death ;
telling you that if I escaped, your
sons, studying what Socrates teaches,
would all be utterly corrupted); if
you should address me thus : Soc
rates, we shall not now yield to
Anytus, but dismiss you ; on this
condition, however, that you no
longer persevere in your researches
nor study Wisdom, and if hereafter
you are detected in so doing, you
shall die, — if, as I said, you should
dismiss me on these terms, I should
say to you : —
7 O Athenians ! I honor and love
you: but I shall obey God -rather
than you : and as long as I breathe
and am able, I shall not cease the
pursuit of Wisdom, and exhorting
you and warning any one pf you I
may happen to meet, saying as I
have been accustomed to do : O best
of men, seeing you are an Athenian,
of a city the most powerful and most
renowned for wisdom and strength,
are you not ashamed of being care
ful for riches, how you may acquire
them in greatest abundance, and for

glory and honor ; but care not nor
take any thought for wisdom and
truth, and for your soul, how it may
he made most perfect ?
8 And if any one of you should
question my assertion, and affirm that
he does care for these things, I
should not at once let him go, nor de
part, but I should question him, sift
and prove him. And if he should
appear to me not to possess virtue,
but to pretend that he does, I should
reproach him for that he sets the
least value on things of the greatest
worth, but the highest on things that
are worthless.
9 Thus I should act to all whom I
should meet, both young and old,
stranger and citizen, but rather to
you, my fellow-citizens, because ye
are more nearly allied to me. For,
be well assured, this the Deity com
mands. io And I think that no greater
good has ever befallen you in the
city, than my zeal for the service of
God. For I go about doing nothing
else than persuading you, both
young and old, to take no care either
for the body or for riches, prior to,
or so much as for, the soul, how it
may be made most perfect ; telling
you that virtue does not spring from
riches, but riches and all other hu
man blessings, both private and pub
lic, from virtue.
n If, then, by saying these things
I corrupt the youth, these things
must be mischievous ; but if any one
says that I speak other things than
these, he misleads you. Therefore I
must say, O Athenians ! either yield
to Anytus or do not, either dismiss
me or not : since I shall not act

334

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLATO.

otherwise, even though I must die
many deaths.
12 Perhaps, however, some one
will say, Can you not, Socrates,- when
you have gone from us, live a silent
and quiet life ? This is the most
difficult thing of all to persuade
some of you. For if I say that that
would be to disobey the Deity, and
that therefore it is impossible for me
to live quietly, you would not believe
me, thinking I spoke ironically.
13 If, on the other hand, I say
that this is the greatest good to man,
to discourse daily on virtue, and oth
er things which you have heard me
discussing, examining both myself
and others ; but that a life without
investigation is not worth living for,
still less would you believe me if I
said this. Such, however, is the case,
as I affirm, O Athenians ! though it is
not easy to persuade you.
14 The cause of this is that which
you have often and in many places
heard me mention : because I am
moved by a certain divine and spirit
ual influence, which also Melitus,
through mockery, has set out in the
indictment. This began with me
from childhood, being a kind of voice
which, when present, always diverts
me from what I am about to do, but
never urges me on.
15 But if death is a removal from
hence to another place, and what is
said be true, that all the dead are
there, what greater blessing can
there be than this, my judges ? For
if, on arriving in the World of the
Departed, released from these who
pretend to be judges, one shall find
those who are true j udges,and who are
said to judge there, Minos and Rha-

damanthus, ^Eacus and Triptolemus,
and such others of the demigods as
were just during their own life, would
this be a sad removal ?
16 At what price would you not
estimate a conference with Orpheus
and Muszeus, Hesiod and Homer?
I indeed should be willing to die
often, if this be true.
17 You, therefore, O my judges!
ought to entertain good hopes with
respect to death, and to meditate on
this one truth : — that to a good man
nothing is evil, neither while living
nor when dead, nor are his concerns
neglected by the Immortals.
18 And what has befallen me is
not the effect of chance ; but this is
clear to me, that now to die, and be
freed from my cares, is better for
me. On this account the warning
in no way turned me aside ; and I
bear no resentment toward those
who condemned me, or against my
accusers, although they did not con
demn and accuse me with this inten
tion, but thinking to injure me : in
this they deserve to be blamed.
19 In the next place, I desire to
predict to you who have condemned
me, what will be your fate : for I am
now in that condition in which men
most frequently prophesy, namely,
when they are about to die. I say
then to you, O Athenians ! who have
condemned me to death, that im
mediately after my death a punish
ment will overtake you, far more
severe than that which you have
inflicted on me.
20 For you have done this, think
ing you should be freed from the
necessity of giving an account of
your life. The very contrary, how-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

335

ever, as I affirm, will happen to you.
Your accusers will be more numer
ous, whom I have now restrained,
though you did not perceive it ; and
they will be more severe, inasmuch
as they are younger: and you will
be more indignant.
21 For, if you think that by put
ting men to death you will restrain
any one from upbraiding you because
you do not live well, you are much
mistaken. For this method of escape
is neither possible nor honorable, but
that other is most honorable and
most easy, not to put a check upon
others ; but for a man to take heed
to himself, how he may be most per
fect. Having predicted thus much
to those of you who have condemned
me, I take my leave of you.*

22 Thus much, however, I beg of
them. Punish my sons, when they
grow up, O judges! paining them as
I have pained you, if they appear to
you to care for riches or any thing
else before virtue ; and if they think
themselves to be something when
they are nothing, reproach them as
I have done you, for not attending
to what they ought, and for conceiv
ing themselves to be something
when they are worth nothing. If
ye do this, both I and my sons shall
have met with just treatment at your
hands. 23 But it is now time to depart, —
for me to die, for you to live. But
which of us is going to a better
state is unknown to every one but
God.

THE WRITINGS OF PLUTARCH.

SELECTION I.
Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's
discourse on Moral Virtue, in which he
shows that tlie soul and body are at the
beginning antagonistic, the one to the
other ; and that virtue consists in the
gradual but complete mastery of the body
by the soul.
A LL do commonly agree in this
"^^ one thing, in supposing virtue
to be a certain disposition and facul
ty of the governing and directive
part of the soul, of which reason is
the cause ; or rather to be reason

itself, when it consents to what it
ought, and is firm and immutable.
2 And they do likewise think,
that that part of the soul which is
the seat of the passions, and is called
brutal or irrational, is not at all dis
tinct by any physical difference from
that which is rational. For passion,
according to them, is nothing else
but depraved and intemperate rea
son, that through a perverse ' and
vicious judgment is grown over-
vehement and headstrong.
3 Now, it seems to me, all these
were perfect strangers to the clear-

* That this prediction was fulfilled in various ways, history records ; but especially with refer
ence to the immediate accusers, of whom Plutarch writes the following : — ' ' The Athenians had
so utter an abhorrence of those who accused Socrates, that they would neither lend them fire, nor
answer them any question, nor wash with them in the same water, but commanded the servants to
pour it out as polluted; till these sycophants, no longer able to bear up under the pressure of this.
hatred, put an end to their own lives."

336

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

ness and truth of this point, that
we every one of us are in reality
twofold and compound.
4 The soul of man, being a part
or portion of that of the universe,
and framed upon reasons and pro
portions answerable to it, cannot be
simple and all of the same nature ;
but must have one part that is intel
ligent and rational, which naturally
ought to have dominion over a man,
and another which, being subject to
passion, irrational, extravagant, and
unbounded, stands in need of direc
tion and restraint.
5 These principles Aristotle seems
most to have relied upon, as plainly
enough appears from what he has
written. To the last he constantly
maintained that the sensual and
irrational was wholly distinct from
the intellectual and rational part of
the soul.
6 Not that it is so absolutely de
void of reason as those faculties of
the soul which are sensitive, nutri
tive, and vegetative, and are com
mon to us with brute beasts and
plants ; for these are always deaf
to the voice of reason and incapable
of it ; and may in some sort be said
to derive themselves from flesh and
blood, and to be inseparably attach
ed to the body and devoted to the
service thereof.
7 But the other sensual part, sub
ject to the sudden efforts of the pas
sions, and destitute of any reason of
its own, is yet nevertheless naturally
adapted to hear and obey the intel
lect and judgment ; to have regard
to it, and to submit itself to be
regulated and ordered according to
the rules and precepts thereof, — un

less it happen to be utterly cor
rupted and vitiated by pleasure
(which is deaf to all instruction)
and by a luxurious way of living.
8 As for those who wonder how
it should come to pass, that that
which is irrational in itself should yet
become obsequious to the dictates
of right reason, they seem to me not
to have duly considered the force
and power of reason : how great
and extensive it is, and how far it
is able to carry and extend its
authority and command, — not so
much by harsh and arbitrary meth
ods, as by soft and gentle means:
which persuade more and gain obedi
ence sooner than all the severities
and violences in the world.
9 For even the spirits, the nerves,
bones, and other parts of the body
are destitute of reason ; but yet no
sooner do they feel the least motion
of the will, reason shaking (as it-
were), though never so gently, the
reins, but all of them observe their
proper order, agree together, and
pay a ready obedience. As, for in
stance, the feet, if the impulse of
the mind be to run, immediately
betake themselves to their office;
or if the motion of the will be for
the throwing or lifting up of any
thing, the hands in a moment fall
to their business.
io But to let these things pass, I
would gladly know of them, whether,
when they see domestic animals (as
dogs, horses, or birds), by use, feed
ing, and teaching, brought to so high
a degree of perfection as that they
shall utter articulately some sensef ul
words, and by their motions, gest
ures, and all their actions, shall ap-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

337

prove themselves governable, and
become useful to us; and when also
they find Achilles in Homer encour
aging horses, as well as men, to bat
tle ; — whether, I say, after all this,
they can yet make any wonder or
doubt, whether those faculties of the
mind to which we owe our anger, our
desires, our joys, and our sorrows, be
of such a nature that they are capa
ble of being obedient to reason, and
so affected by it as to consent and
become entirely subject to it.
1 1 And these faculties are not
seated without us, or separated from
us, or formed by any thing which is
not in us, or hammered out by force
and violence : but as they have by
nature their entire dependence upon
the soul, so they are ever conversant
and bred up with it ; and also receive
their final complement and perfection
from use, custom, and practice.
12 For this reason the Greeks
very properly called manners, cus
tom : for they are nothing else, in
short, but certain qualities of the ir
rational and brutal part of the mind
(and hence by them are so named), in
that this brutal and irrational part
of the mind being formed and
moulded by right reason, by long
custom and use, has these qualities
or differences stamped upon it.
13 Not that reason so much as at
tempts to eradicate our passions and
affections, which is neither possible
nor expedient ; but only to keep
them within due bounds, reduce
them into good order, and so direct
them to a good end. Thus, reason
seeks to generate moral virtue, —
which consists, not in a kind of in
sensibility, or entire freedom from

passions, but in the well-ordering of
passions and keeping them within
measure ; which she effects by wis
dom and prudence, bringing the fac
ulties of that part of the soul where
our affections and appetite are seat
ed, to a good habit.
14 The business, therefore, of prac
tical reason, governing our actions
according to the order of Nature, is
to correct the excesses as well as the
defects of the passions, by reducing
them to a true mediocrity.
1 5 For as, when through infirmity
of the mind, effeminacy, fear, or in
dolence, the vehemence and keen
ness of the appetites are so abated
that they are ready to sink and fall
short of the good at which they are
aimed and directed, there is then
this practical reason at hand, exciting
and rousing and pushing them on
ward ; so, on the other hand, when it
lashes out too far, and is hurried
beyond all-measure, there also is the
same reason ready to bring it again
within compass, and put a stop to its
career. 16 And thus, prescribing bounds
and giving law to the tendency of
the passions, it produces in the ir
rational part of the soul these moral
virtues (of which we now treat),
which are nothing else but the mean
between excess and defect.
17 Now temperance is that where
by reason governs and manages that
part of the soul which is subject to
the passions (as it were some wild
creature brought up by hand, and
made quite tame and gentle), having
gained an absolute victory over all
its appetites, and brought them en
tirely under the dominion of it.

338

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

1 8 Whereas we call it continence,
when reason has indeed gained the
mastery over the appetites and
prevailed against them, (though not
without great pains and trouble,)
they being perverse and continuing
to struggle, as not having wholly
submitted themselves : so that it is
not without great difficulty able to
preserve its government over them,
being forced to retain and hold them
in, and keep them within compass,
as it were, with stripes, with the bit
and bridle, while the mind all the
time is full of nothing but agony, con
tentions, and confusion.
19 All of which Plato endeavors
to illustrate by a similitude of the
chariot-horses of the soul : the one
whereof, being more unruly, not only
kicks and flings at him that is more
gentle and tractable, but also there
by so troubles and disorders the
driver himself, that he is forced some
times to hold him hard in, and some
times again to give him his head,
" Lest from his hands the purple reins should
slip."
20 And from hence we may see
why continence is not thought wor
thy to be placed in the number of
perfect virtues but is taken to be a
degree under virtue.
21 A wise man is not continent,
but temperate. For remorse, grief,
and indignation do always accompa
ny continence ; whereas, in the mind
of a temperate person there is all over
such an evenness, calmness, and firm
ness, that, seeing with what wonder
ful easiness and tranquillity the
irrational faculties go along with
reason and submit to its directions,

one cannot but call to mind that of
the poet:
Swift the command ran through the raging deep;
Th' obedient waves compose themselves to sleep;
reason having quite deadened and
repressed the vehement raging, and
furious motions of the passions and
affections. 22 In fine, throughout the whole
world, all things are governed and
directed, some by a certain habit ;
some by Nature ; others by a brutal
or irrational soul ; and some again
by that which has reason and under
standing. Of all which things man
does in some measure participate,
and is concerned in all the above-
mentioned differences.
23 For he is contained by habit,
and nourished by nature ; he makes
use of reason and understanding ; he
wants not his share of the irrational
soul. He has also in him a native
source and inbred principle of the
passions ; not as accidental, but es
sential to him, which ought not
therefore to be utterly rooted out,
but only pruned and cultivated.
24 For it is not the method and
custom of reason — in imitation either
of the manner of the Thracians or of
what Lycurgus ordered to be done
to the vines — to destroy and tear up
all the passions and affections indif
ferently, good and bad, useful and
hurtful together. But rather — like
some kind and careful Deity who
has a tender regard to the growth
and improvement of fruit-trees and
plants — to cut away and clip off that
which grows wild and rank, and to
dress and manage the rest that it
may serve for use and profit.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

339

25 And therefore he that in pleas
ures and delights can prescribe
bounds to his passions and desires,
and in punishing offences can moder
ate his rage and hatred to the offend
ers, shall in one case get the reputa
tion not of an insensible, but tem
perate person, and in the other be
accounted a man of justice without
cruelty or bitterness. Whereas, if
all the passions, if that were possible,
were clean rooted out, reason in most
men would grow sensibly more dull
and inactive than the pilot of a ship
in a calm.
26 Agreeably hereunto the Lace
daemonian instructor of youth was
in the right, when he professed that
he would bring it to pass that youths
under his care should take a pleasure
and satisfaction in good and have an
abhorrence for evil ; than which there
cannot be a greater and nobler end
of the liberal education of youth
proposed or assigned.
SELECTION II.
Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's
discourse on Progress in Virtue, in which
he condemns the doctrines of those who
claim that there is such a thing as in
stantaneous or supernatural changes
from vice to virtue ; and shoivs that
virtue is always a growth, never an im
mediate transition.
"\7"OU know very well how much
trouble those give themselves
who raise and maintain this strange
question, Why a wise virtuous man
should never perceive how he be
came such ; but should either be
quite ignorant, or at least doubt,
that ever by little and little, now
adding something, now subtracting

and removing others, he advanced
to the aggregate perfection of virtue.
2 Now if (as they affirm) the
change from bad to good were either
so quick and sudden, as that he that
was extremely vicious in the morn
ing may become eminently virtuous
at night ; or that any one going to
bed wicked might chance to rise a
virtuous man next morning, do you
think that any one in the world
could be ignorant of so extraordi
nary a conversion, and perfectly shut
his eyes upon the beams of virtue
and wisdom so fully and manifestly
breaking in upon his soul ?
3 In my opinion, if any person
should have Caeneus' foolish wish,
and be changed (as it is reported he
was) from one sex to the other, it is
more probable that such a one should
be altogether ignorant of the meta
morphosis, than that any should,
from an indolent, unthinking, de
bauched fellow, become suddenly a
wise, prudent, and valiant hero ; or
from a sottish bestiality advance to
the perfection of divine life, and
yet know nothing at all of the
change. 4 On the contrary, I may be bold
to affirm that the change from bad
to good is very -easily and manifestly
discernible ; not as if one were
drawn out of a pit on a sudden,
and could give no account of the
degrees of the ascent, but so plain
that the several steps and advances
may be computed.
5 The first argument that comes
in my mind is this, by way of simile;
pray examine it. You know the art
of navigation ; when the seamen
hoist sail for the main ocean, they

340

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

give judgment of their voyage by
observing together the space of time
and the force of the wind that driv-
eth them, and compute that, in all
probability, in so many months,
with such a gale, they have gone
forward to such or such a place.
Just so it is in the pursuit of Wis
dom ; he that is always at his busi
ness, constantly upon the road,
never makes any steps or halts, nor
meets with obstacles and lets in the
way, but under the conduct of right
reason travels smoothly, securely,
and quietly along, may be assured
that he has one true sign of a pro
ficient. 6 Astronomers tell us that plan
ets, after they have finished their
progressive motion, for some small
time acquiesce and become station
ary, as they term it. Now in the
pursuit of Wisdom it is not so ;
there is no point of rest or acquies
cence during the whole procedure,
for the nature of progress is to be
always advancing, more or less. The
scales in which our actions are, as it
were weighed, cannot at all stand in
equilibrio, but our soul is continually
either raised by the addition of good,
or cast down with the counterpoise of
evil. 7 Therefore, as the oracle told the
Cirrhaeans that they ought to fight
continually, day and night, so you
and every wise man ought to be
perpetually upon your guard. And
if you can be assured that you main
tain a constant combat with vice ;
that you are always at enmity with
it and never so much as come to
terms ; or receive any diversions,
applications, or avocations (as so

many heralds from the enemies'
camp), in order to a treaty with it ;
— then you may, with a great deal
of confidence and alacrity, go on
with the management of your war
like expedition ; and very reasonably
at last expect a conquest, and enjoy
a crown of righteousness for your
reward. 8 It is another very good argu
ment to prove that by labor and
exercise you have shaken off all
stupidity and sluggishness of tem
per, and that you are arrived at a
perfection of virtue, if for the future
your resolutions be more firm and
your application more intense than
they were when you first set out.
This appears true, if you but observe
its contrary ; for it is a very bad sign
if, after a small time spent in trial,
you find many and repeated intermis
sions, or your affections yielding or
cool in the pursuit.
9 This may be illustrated by what
is observable in the growth of a cane.
At first it appears above ground with
a full and pleasing sprout, which by
little and little, taper-wise, by a
continued and equal distribution of
matter, rises to a very great height.
Toward the root you may observe
that there are formed certain steps
and joints, which are at a considera
ble distance from one another,
because there the juice is plentiful
and strong. But toward the top the
nutrimentive particles vibrate and
palpitate, as if they were quite spent
with the length of their journey, and
thereupon, you see, they form them
selves many small, weak, and tender
joints, as so many supports and
breathing-places.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

341

10 So it happens with those that
pursue Wisdom. At first setting out
they take long steps and make great
advances. But if, after some at
tempts, they perceive not in them
selves any alteration for the better,
but meet with frequent checks and
oppositions the farther they go,
ordinarily they faint ; make any ex
cuses to be off from their engage
ment ; despond of ever going through
with it ; and thereupon proceed no
farther. 11 But, on the contrary, he that
is winged with desire flies at the
proposed advantage, and by a stout
and vigorous pursuit cuts off all pre
tences of delay from crowding in
upon him or hindering his journey.
12 From all these instances you
may collect this great truth : that
whenever you do, by setting the
comforts of virtue and the difficul
ties and errors of study one against
the other, perceive that you have
utterly expelled all emulation, jeal
ousy, and every thing else that uses
to disturb or discourage young men,
you may then assuredly conclude
with yourself that you have made
very laudable progress.
13 Now he that examines his own
failings with the greatest severity,
that impartially blames or corrects
himself as often as he does amiss, or
(which is almost as commendable)
grows firmer and better by present
advice, as well as more able to en
dure a reprimand for the future,
seems to me truly and sincerely to
have rejected and forsaken vice.
14 It is certainly our duty to avoid
all appearance of evil, and to be
ashamed to give occasion even to be

reputed vicious ; yet evil reports are
so inconsiderable to a wise man, that,
if he have a greater aversion to the
nature of evil than to the infamy
that attends it, he will not fear what
is said of him abroad, nor what cal
umnies are raised, if so be he be
made the better by them.
15 Nor is it enough that one take
care of all his discourses and words ;
but he ought also to observe that
the whole tenor of his actions be
guided by profit rather than vain
pomp, and by truth rather than os
tentation. For if a passionate lover
who has placed his affection upon
any beloved object seeks no witnesses
to attest its sincerity, but has such an
eager desire when alone and in pri
vate, that, like a covered flame,: it
burns more vigorously and insensibly
for being shut up ; much more ought
a moralist and a lover of Wisdom
who has attained both the habit
and exercise of virtue sit down self-
contented, and applaud himself in
private, neither needing nor desiring
encomiasts or auditors from abroad.
16 There is a humor in some of
the poets, of an old peevish house
keeper, that calls to his maid aloud :
Do you see, Dionysia (that is his
maid's name), I am now pleased, and
have laid by all choler and passion.
Just such like is the practice of some,
who, as soon as they have done any
thing which is obliging and civil,
presently blaze it abroad, and turn
their own heralds. Such men show
plainly that they look beyond them
selves for satisfaction ; that they are
desirous of praise and applause ; and
that they never were admitted near
spectators of virtue, never saw her

342

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

in her noble, royal dress, but only
had some transient sight of her in a
dream or an empty, airy phantasm ;
and indeed, that they expose their
actions to the public, as painters do
their pictures, to be gazed at and
admired by the idle multitude.
17 Another sign of a proficient in
virtue is, when the proficient has
given any thing to his friend or done
any charity, if he keeps it to him
self and does not report it to any
body ; and (which is more) if he hath
voted right against a majority of
biassed suffragans, withstood the
dishonest attempts of some rich and
powerful man, generously rejected
bribes when offered, abstained from
inordinate drinking when athirst and
alone ; or at night, when none sees
or knows what he does, if he hath
conquered the fiercest passions ; if
(I say) he contain himself from speak
ing of such actions, and do not in
company boast of his performances,
this is a sign of a proficient in virtue.
18 This I affirm, — such a one as
can prove and try himself by himself,
and be fully satisfied in the verdict
of his conscience, as of an unexcep
tionable witness and spectator of what
is right and good, shows plainly that
his reason looks inward and is well
rooted within him, and that the man
(as Democritus said) is accustomed
to take satisfaction from himself.
19 To borrow a simile from hus
bandmen and those that are con
cerned in the business of the fields,
they are always best pleased to see
those ears of corn which decline, and
by reason of their fulness bend down
ward to the earth, but look upon
those as empty, deceitful, and insig

nificant, which, because they have
nothing in them, grow bolt upright
and appear above the rest. So it is
amongst those who seek Wisdom :
those that are most empty-headed,
and have least firmness and solidity,
have always the greatest share of
confidence, formality, and stiffness in
their address ; look largest, walk
with the most state, and top upon
and condemn others, with the high
est arrogance and severity of any
living. But when once their brains
begin to fill and become well poised
with solid notions, they look down
into themselves, and quite lay aside
that insolent and arrogant humor,
which is excusable only in those who
are very young.
20 Those that are to be initiated
in the ceremonies of the gods run
to their temples at first with a great
deal of noise, clamor, and rudeness ;
but as soon as the solemnity is seen
and over, they attend with a pro
found silence and religious fear. So
it is with beginners in the pursuit
of Wisdom : you may perceive a
throng, noise, and pother about the
doors, by reason that several press
thither eagerly, rudely, and violently
for reputation more than learning;
but when you are once in, and mani
festly see the great light, as if some
royal shrine were opened unto you,
you are presently possessed with a
quite different notion of things ; are
struck with silence and admiration,
and begin, with humility and a
reverent composure, to comply with
and follow the divine oracle.
21 That which Menedemus said
in another case is very apposite to
this sort of men. Those that went

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

343

to the school of Athens were first of
all wise, next lovers of wisdom, then
orators, and at last, in course of
time, plain common men ; for the
longer they applied themselves to
study and to the pursuit of Wisdom,
so much the more all vanity, pride,
and pedantry abated in them, and
the nearer they came to plain, down
right, honest men.
22 If any one be employed to
make a dry wall or an ordinary
hedge, it matters not much if he
makes use of ordinary wood or
common stone, any old gravestones,
or the like ; so wicked persons, who
confusedly mix and blend all their
designs and actions in one heap, care
not what materials they put to
gether. 23 But the proficients in virtue,
who have already laid the golden
solid foundation of a virtuous life,
as of a sacred and royal building,
take especial care of the whole
work ; examine and model every
part of it according to the rule of
reason; believing that it was well
said by Polycletus, that the hardest
work remained for them to do whose
nails must touch the clay ; — that is,
to lay the top stone is the great
business and masterpiece of the
work. 24 The last stroke gives beauty
and perfection to the whole piece.
SELECTION III.
Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's
discourse on Anger; its nature, evil results,
and proper control.
P)UT truly, when I behold how
*~^ that vehement and fiery dispo
sition which you had to anger is now,

through the conduct of reason, be
come so gentle and tractable, my
mind prompts me to say with Ho
mer, "O wonder! how much gen
tler is he grown ! "
2 Nor hath this gentleness pro
duced in thee any laziness or irreso
lution; but, like cultivation in the
earth, it has caused an evenness and
a profundity very effectual unto fruit
ful action, instead of thy former ve-
hemency and over-eagerness. There
fore it is evident that thy former
proneness to anger hath not been
withered in thee, either without
effort, or by any decay of vigor which
age might have effected ; but that
it hath been cured by making use of
some mollifying precepts.
3 Now I do not think that reason
cures, like hellebore, by purging out
itself together with the disease it
cures, but by keeping possession of
the soul, and so governing and
guarding its judgments. For the
power of reason, is not like drugs but
like wholesome food ; and, with the
assistance of a good natural disposi
tion, it produceth a healthful consti
tution in all with whom it hath be
come familiar.
4 For whereas other passions, even
when they are in their ruff and acme,
do in some sort yield and admit rea
son into the soul, which comes to
help it from without ; anger does
not, as Melanthius says, " Displace
the mind, and then act dismal
things ; " but it absolutely turns the
mind out-of-doors, and bolts the door
against it ; and, like those who burn
their houses and themselves within
them, it makes all things within full
of confusion, smoke, and noise, so

344

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

that the soul can neither see nor hear
anything that might relieve it.
5 Wherefore sooner will an empty
ship in a storm at sea admit of a pilot
from without, than a man tossed
with anger and rage listen to the ad
vice of another, unless he have his
own reason first prepared to enter
tain it.
6 As therefore it is an easy matter
to stop the fire that is kindled only
in hare's wool, candle-wick, or a little
chaff ; but if it have once taken hold
of matter that hath solidity and
thickness, it soon inflames and con
sumes, as ^Eschylus says, " With
youthful vigor the carpenter's lofty
work; " so he that observes anger
while it is in its beginning, and sees
it by degrees smoking and taking
fire from some speech or chaff-like
scurrility, need take no great pains
to extinguish it, but oftentimes can
put an end to it only by silence or
neglect. 7 For as he that adds no fuel to
the fire hath already as good as put
it out, so he that doth not feed anger
at the first, nor blow the fire in him
self, hath prevented and destroyed
it. 8 When the sea is tossed and
troubled with winds, and casts up
moss and sea-weed, they say it is
purged. But those impure, bitter,
and vain words which anger throws
up when the soul has become a kind
of whirlpool, defile the speakers, in
the first place, and fill them with
dishonor ; and they also indicate
that they have always had such
things in them, and still are full
of them, only now they are dis
covered to have them by their

anger. So for a mere word, the
lightest of things (as Plato says),
they undergo the heaviest of pun
ishments, being ever after accounted
enemies, evil speakers, and of a ma
lignant disposition.
9 As therefore one said of Philip,
when he razed the city of Olynthus:
" But he is not able to build such
another city ;" so may it be said to
anger : Thou canst overthrow, and
destroy, and cut down ; but to re
store, to save, to spare, and to bear
with, is the work of gentleness and
moderation, of a Camillus, a Metel-
lus, an Aristides, and a Socrat^-
io To strike the sting into one
and to bite is the part of serpents
and horse-flies.
n And truly, while I well con
sider revenge, I find that the way
which anger takes for it proves for
the most part ineffectual, being
spent in biting the lips, gnashing
the teeth, vain assaults, and railings
full of silly threats ; and then it acts
like children in a race, who, for want
of governing themselves, tumble
down ridiculously before they come
to the goal toward which they are
hastening. 12 Some, indeed, of the barbarians
poison their swords ; but true valor
has no need of choler, as being
dipped in reason ; but anger and
fury are weak and easily broken.
13 Neither ought any, even in
their playing and jesting, to give
way to their anger, for it turns good
will into hatred ; nor when they are
disputing, for it turns a desire of
knowing truth into a love of conten
tion ; nor when they sit in judg
ment, for it adds violence to author.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH

345

ity ; nor when they are teaching, for
it dulls the learner, and breeds in
him a hatred of all learning ; nor if
they be in prosperity, for it increases
envy ; nor if in adversity, for it
' makes them to be unpitied, if they
are morose and apt to quarrel with
those who commiserate them.
14 On the other hand, good tem
per doth remedy some things, put
an ornament upon others, and sweet
en others ; and it wholly overcomes
all anger and moroseness, by gentle
ness. As may be seen in that ex
cellent example of Euclid, who,
when his brother had said in a
quarrel : Let me perish if I be not
avenged of you, replied : And let
me perish if I do not persuade you
into a better mind ; and by so say
ing he straightway diverted him
from his purpose, and changed his
mind. 15 If every one would always re
peat the question of Plato to himself :
" But am not I perhaps such a one
myself?" and turn his reason from
abroad to look into himself, and put
restraint upon his reprehension of
others, he would not make so much
use of his hatred of evil in reproving
other men, seeing himself to stand
in need of great indulgence.
16 And, what is most truly shame
ful of all, we do in our anger reprove
others for being angry ; and what was
done amiss through anger we punish
in our passion, therein not acting
like physicians, but rather increas
ing and exasperating the disease
which we pretend to cure.
17 But above all the rest, I look
on that of Empedocles as a divine
saying: " To fast from evil." And I

commended also those vows and
professions made in prayers, as things.
neither indecent in themselves nor
unbecoming the wise, — for a whole
year to abstain, serving God with
temperance all the while ; or else
again, for a certain time to abstain
from falsehood, minding and watch
ing over ourselves, that we speak
nothing but what is true, either in
earnest or in jest.
18 After the manner of these vows
then I made my own, supposing it
would be no less acceptable to God
and sacred than theirs ; and I set
myself first to observe a few sacred
days also, wherein I would abstain
from being angry, as if it were from
drunkenness or from drinking wine,
celebrating a kind of Nephalia and
Melisponda with respect to my anger.
19 Then, making trial of myself
little by little for a month or two, I
by this means in time made some
good progress unto further patience
in bearing evils, diligently observing
and keeping myself courteous in lan
guage and behavior, free from anger,
and pure from all wicked words and
absurd actions, and from passion,
which for a little (and that no grate
ful) pleasure brings with itself great
perturbations and shameful repent
ance. 20 Whence experience, not with
out some divine assistance, hath, I
suppose, made it evident that that
was a very true judgment and asser
tion, that this courteous, gentle, and
kindly disposition and behavior is
not so acceptable, so pleasing, and
so delightful to any of those with
whom we converse, as it is to those
that have it.

346

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

SELECTION IV.
Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's
discourse on Superstition and Atheism,
showing that both are great evils, but Super
stition being the cause of Atheism, besides
being more slavish and degrading, is there
fore the greater evil.
A THEISM, which is a false per
suasion that there are no blessed
and incorruptible beings, tends, by
its disbelief of a Divinity, to bring
men to a sort of unconcernedness
and indifferency of temper ; for the
design of those that deny a God is
to ease themselves of his fear.
2 But superstition appears by its
appellation^ to be a distempered
opinion and conceit, productive of
such mean and abject apprehensions
as debase and break a man's spirit :
while he thinks there are divine
powers indeed, but withal sour and
vindictive ones.
3 So that the atheist is not at all,
and the superstitious is perversely,
affected with the thoughts of God ;
ignorance depriving the one of the
sense of his goodness, and superadd
ing to the other a persuasion of his
¦cruelty. Atheism, then, is but false
reasoning single, but superstition is a
disorder of the mind produced by
this false reasoning.
4 Every distemper of our minds is
truly base and ignoble ; yet some
passions are accompanied with a sort
¦of levity, that makes men appear
gay, prompt, and erect ; and none, we
may say, is wholly destitute of
force for action. But the. common
charge upon all sorts of passions is,
that they excite and urge the reason,
forcing it by their violent stings.
Fear alone, being equally destitute

of reason and audacity, renders our
whole irrational part stupid, distract
ed, and unserviceable.
5 But of all fears, none so dozes
and confounds as that of super
stition. He fears not the sea that
never goes to sea ; nor a battle, that
follows not the camp ; nor robbers,
that stirs not abroad ; nor malicious
informers, that is a poor man ; nor
emulation, that leads a private life ;
nor earthquakes, that dwells in Gaul ;
nor thunderbolts, that dwells in
Ethiopia. But he that dreads divine
powers dreads everything: the land,
the sea, the air, the sky, the dark,
the light, a sound, a silence, a dream.
6 Even slaves forget their masters
in their sleep : sleep lightens the
irons of the fettered ; their angry
sores, mortified gangrenes, and
pinching pains allow them some in
termission at night.
Dear sleep, sweet easer of my irksome grief,
Pleasant thou art ! how welcome thy relief !
7 But superstition will not permit
a man to say this : it alone will give
no truce at night, nor suffer the poor
soul so much as to breathe or look
up, or respite her sour and dismal
thoughts of God a moment.
8 Neither have they, when awake,
enough wisdom, to slight and smile
at all this, or to be pleased with the
thought that nothing of all that ter
rified them was real ; but they still
fear an empty shadow, that could
never mean them any ill, and cheat
themselves afresh at noonday.
9 They that were careful to pre
serve good singing used to direct the
practisers of that science to sing
with their mouths in their true and
proper postures. Should not we

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

347

then admonish those that would ad
dress themselves to the Heavenly
Powers to do that also in a true
and natural way, lest, while we are
so solicitous that the sacrifice be
pure and right, we distort and abuse
our own with silly and canting lan
guage, and thereby expose the dig
nity of our divine and ancient piety
to contempt and raillery ?
io Polycrates was formidable at
Samos, and so was Periander at
Corinth ; but no man ever feared
either of them, who had made his es
cape to an equal and free govern
ment. But he that dreads the di
vine government, as a sort of inex
orable and implacable tyranny,
whither can he remove ? Whither
can he fly ? What land, what sea
can he find where God is not ?
ii Wretched and miserable man!
in what corner of the world canst
thou so hide thyself as to think thou
hast now escaped him ? Slaves are
allowed by the laws, when they de
spair of obtaining their freedom, to
demand a second sale in hopes of
kinder masters. But superstition
allows of no change of Gods.
12 Nor could he indeed find a God
he would not fear, — he who dreads
his own and his ancestors' guardians ;
who quivers at his preservers and
benign patrons ; and who trembles
and shakes at those of whom we ask
wealth, plenty, concord, peace, and
direction to the best words and ac
tions. 13 A slave may fly to an altar,
and many temples afford sanctuary
to thieves ; and they that are pur
sued by an enemy think themselves
safe if they can catch hold on a stat

ue or a shrine. But the superstitious
fears, quivers, and dreads most of
all there, where others when fearful-
lest take greatest courage. Never
hale a superstitious man from the al
tar. It is his place of torment : he
is there chastised.
14 In one word, death itself, the
end of life, puts no period to this
vain and foolish dread ; but it tran
scends those limits and extends its
fears beyond the grave, adding to it
the imagination of immortal ills ;
and after respite from past sorrows,
it fancies it shall next enter upon
never-ending ones. I know not what
gates of hell open themselves from
beneath, rivers of fire together with
Stygian torrents present themselves
to view ; a gloomy darkness appears
full of ghastly spectres and horrid
shapes, with dreadful aspects and
doleful groans, together with judges
and tormentors, pits and caverns,
full of millions of miseries and woes.
Thus does wretched superstition
bring inevitably upon itself, by its
fancies, even those calamities which
it has once escaped.
15 Atheism is attended with none
of this. True, indeed, the ignorance
is very lamentable and sad. For to
be blind or to see amiss in matters
of this consequence cannot but be a
fatal unhappiness to the mind ; it
being then deprived of the fairest
and brightest of its many eyes, the
knowledge of God. Yet this opinion
(as hath been said) is not necessarily
accompanied with any disordering,
ulcerous, frightful, or slavish pas
sion. 16 The one, therefore, hath neither
a sense nor belief of that Divine

348

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

Good he might participate of ; and
the other dreads and fears it. In
a word, atheism is an absolute insen
sibility to God, which does not rec
ognize Goodness ; while supersti
tion is a blind heap of passions,
which imagine Good to be Evil.
The superstitious are afraid of their
Gods, and yet run to them ; they
fawn upon them, and reproach them;
they invoke them, and accuse them.
17 Consider well the atheist, and
observe his behavior first in things
not under the disposal of his will.
If he be otherwise a man of good
temper, he is silent under his pres
ent circumstances, and is providing
himself with either remedies or palli
atives for his misfortunes. But if
he be a fretful and impatient man,
his whole complaint is against Fort
une. He cries out, that nothing is
managed here below either after the
rules of a strict justice or the order
ly course of a providence, and that
all human affairs are hurried and
driven without either premeditation
or distinction.
18 This is not the demeanor of
the superstitious ; if the least thing
do but happen amiss to him, he sits
him down plunged in sorrow ; and
raises himself a vast tempest of in
tolerable and incurable passions ;
and presents his fancy with nothing
but terrors, fears, surmises, and dis
tractions ; until he hath overwhelmed
himself with groans and fears. He
blames neither man, nor Fortune,
nor the times, nor himself ; but
charges all upon God, from whom
he fancies a whole deluge of ven
geance to be pouring down upon
him ; and, as if he were not only un

fortunate but in open hostility with
Heaven, he imagines that he is
punished by God and is now mak
ing satisfaction for his past crimes,
and saith that his sufferings are all
just and owing to himself.
19 Again, when the atheist falls
sick, he reckons up and calls to his
remembrance his several surfeits and
debauches; his irregular course of
living, excessive labors, or unaccus
tomed changes of air or climate.
Likewise, when he miscarries in any
public administration, and either
falls into popular disgrace or comes
to be ill presented to his prince, he
searches for the causes in himself
and those about him, and asks,
Where have I erred ? What have I done amiss?
What should be done by me that undone is ?
20 But the fanciful superstitionist
accounts every little distemper in his
body or decay in his estate, the death
of his children, and crosses and dis
appointments in matters relating to
the public, as the immediate strokes
of God and the incursions of some
vindictive demon. And therefore
he dares not attempt to remove or
relieve his disasters, or to use the
least remedy, or to oppose himself
to them, for fear he should seem to
struggle with God, or to make resist
ance under correction.
21 Such, then, is the behavior of
superstition in times of adversity,
and in things out of the power of
man's will. Nor doth it a jot excel
atheism in the more agreeable and
pleasurable part of our lives.
22 Now what we esteem the most
agreeable things in human life are
our holidays, temple-feasts, initia-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

349

tings, processionings, with our public
prayers and solemn devotions. Mark
we now the atheist's behavior here.
'T is true, he laughs at all that is done,
with a frantic and sardonic laughter,
and now and then whispers to a con
fidant of his, The devil is in these peo
ple sure, that can imagine God can
be taken with these fooleries : but
this is the worst of his disasters.
23 But now the superstitious man
would fain be pleasant and gay, but
cannot for his heart. The whole
town is filled with odors of incense
and perfumes, and at the same time
a mixture of hymns and sighs fills his
poor soul. He looks pale with a
garland on his head ; he sacrifices
and fears, prays with a faltering
tongue, and offers incense with a
trembling hand. In a word, he ut
terly baffles that saying of Pythago
ras, that we are then best when
we come near to God. For the
superstitious person is then in his
worst and most pitiful condition,
when he approaches the shrines and
temples of God.
24 So that I cannot but wonder at
those that charge atheism with im
piety, and in the meantime acquit
superstition. Anaxagoras was in
dicted of blasphemy for having af
firmed the sun to be a red-hot stone.
What ? Is he that holds there is no
God guilty of impiety, and is not he
that describes him as the supersti
tious do much more guilty?
25 I, for my own part, had much
rather people should say of me, that
there neither is nor ever was such a
man as Plutarch, than they should
say: "Plutarch is an unsteady,
fickle, froward, vindictive, and touchy

fellow ; if you invite others to sup
with you, and chance to leave out
Plutarch, or if some business falls
out that you cannot wait at his door
with the morning salute, or if when
you meet with him you don't speak
to him, he '11 fasten upon you some
where with his teeth and bite the
part through, or catch one of your
children and cane him, or turn his
beast into your corn and spoil your
crop." 26 Moreover, atheism hath no
hand at all in causing superstition ;
but superstition not only gave athe
ism its first birth, but serves it ever
since by giving it its best apology
for existing, which, although it be
neither a good nor a fair one, is yet
the most specious and colorable.*
For men were not at first made athe
ists by any fault they found in the
heavens or stars, or in the seasons of
the year, or in those revolutions or
motions of the sun about the earth
that make the day and night; nor
yet by observing any mistake or
disorder either in the breeding of
animals or the production of fruits.
27 No, it was the uncouth actions
and ridiculous and senseless passions
of superstition ; her canting words,
her foolish gestures, her charms, her
magic, her freakish processions, her
taborings, her foul expiations, her
vile methods of purgation, and her
barbarous and inhuman penances
and bemirings at the temples, — it
was these, I say, that gave occasion
to many to affirm, it would be far
happier there were no Gods at all
than for them to be pleased and de
lighted with such fantastic toys, and
to thus abuse their votaries, and to

35°

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

be incensed and pacified with trifles.
28 Had it not been much better
for the so much famed Gauls and
Scythians to have neither thought
nor imagined nor heard any thing of
their Gods, than to have believed
them such as would be pleased with
the blood of human sacrifices, and
would account such for the most
complete and meritorious of expia
tions ?
29 How much 'better had it been
for the Carthaginians to have had
either a Critias or a Diagoras for
their first law-maker, that so they
might have believed in neither God
nor spirits, than to make such offer
ings to Saturn as they made ?
30 There is certainly no infirmity
belonging to us that contains such a
multiplicity of errors and fond pas
sions, or that consists of such incon
gruous and incoherent opinions, as
this of superstition doth. It be
hooves us, therefore, to do our
utmost to escape it ; but withal, we
must see we do it safely and pru
dently. SELECTION V.
Fragmentary selections from the dis
course of Plutarch on " The Slowness of Di
vine Retributions," and from other kindred
discourses of his, in which he shows that
God is an example to men of justice tem
pered with mercy; also, that wickedness is
its own greatest punishment, and that retri
butions, as well as rewards, extend to the
life after death.
"THE slowness of the Supreme
Deity, and his procrastination
in reference to the punishment of
the wicked, have long perplexed my
thoughts.

2 For indeed it becomes not the
Supreme Deity to be remiss in any
thing, but more especially in the
prosecution of the wicked, since they
themselves are no way negligent or
dilatory in doing mischief, but are
always driven on by the most rapid
impetuosities of their passions to acts
of injustice.
3 And I am apt to persuade my
self that upon these and no other
considerations it is, that wicked men
encourage and give themselves the
liberty to attempt and commit all
manner of impieties, seeing that the
fruit which injustice yields is soon
ripe, and offers itself early to the
gatherer's hand, whereas punishment
comes late, and lagging long behind
the pleasure of enjoyment.
4 After Patrocleas had thus dis
coursed, Olympicus taking him up,
There is this further, said he, O
Patrocleas ! which thou shouldest
have taken notice of ; for how great
an inconvenience and absurdity arises
besides from these delays and
procrastinations of divine justice !
For the slowness of its execution
takes away the belief of providence ;
and the wicked, perceiving that
calamity does not presently follow
every enormous crime, but a long
time after, look upon their calamity,
when it arrives, as a misfortune ; and
calling it chance, not punishment,
are nothing at all thereby reformed.
Troubled indeed they well may be
at the dire accident befallen them,
but they never repent of the villanies
they have committed.
5 But were the impieties of enor
mous transgressors and heinous of
fenders singly scourged and repressed

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

351

by immediate severity, it would be
most likely to bring them to a sense
of their folly, humble them, and strike
them with an awe of the Divine Be
ing ; whom they find with a watch
ful eye beholding the actions and
passions of men, and feel to be no
dilatory but a speedy avenger of in
iquity. Whereas that remiss and
slow-paced justice (as Euripides de
scribes it) that falls upon the wicked
by accident, by reason of its uncer
tainty, ill-timed delay, and disorderly
motion, seems rather to resemble
chance than providence.
6 So that I cannot conceive what
benefit there is in these millstones
of the Gods which are said to grind
so late, as thereby celestial punish
ment is obscured, and the awe of
evil-doing rendered vain and des
picable. 7 These things thus uttered, while
I was in deep meditation of what he
had said, Simon interposed : — While
one that understands nothing of sci
ence, said he, finds it hard to give a
reason why the physician did not let
blood before but afterward, or why
he did not bathe his patient yester
day but to-day ; it cannot be that it
is safe or easy for a mortal to speak
otherwise of the Supreme Deity than
only this : that he alone it is who
knows the most convenient time to
apply most proper corrosives for the
cure of sin and impiety, and to ad
minister punishments as medica
ments to every transgressor, yet be
ing not confined to an equal quality
and measure common to all distem
pers, nor to one and the same time.
8 But first consider this : that God,
according to Plato, when he set him

self before the eyes of the whole
world as the exemplar of all that
was good and holy, granted human
virtue ; by which man is, in some
measure, rendered like himself, unto
those that are able to follow the
Deity by imitation.
9 And the self-same Plato asserts,
that Nature first kindled the sense
of seeing within us, to the end that
the soul, by the sight and admiration
of the heavenly bodies, being ac
customed to love and embrace
decency and order, might be in
duced to hate the disorderly mo
tions of wild and raving passions ;
and avoid levity, and rashness, and
dependence upon chance, as the
original of all improbity and vice.
10 For there is no greater benefit
that men can enjoy from God, than,
by the imitation and pursuit of those
perfections and that sanctity which
is in Him, to be excited to the study
of virtue.1 1 Therefore, God, with forbear
ance and at leisure, inflicts his pun
ishment upon the wicked.. Not that
he is afraid of committing an error
or of repenting should he accelerate
his indignation, but to eradicate that
brutish and eager desire of revenge
that reigns in human breasts ; and
to teach us that we are not, in the
heat of fury, (or when our anger
heaving and palpitating boils up
above our understanding,) to fall
upon those who have done us an in
jury, like those who seek to gratify
a vehement thirst or craving appe
tite ; but that we should, in imita
tion of His mildness and forbearance,
wait with due composure of mind
before we proceed to chastisement

352

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

or correction, till such sufficient time
for consideration is taken as shall
allow for the least possible chance of
repentance. 12 For men, giving ear to humane
examples, become more pliable and
gentle. As when they hear how
Plato, holding his rod over his page's
shoulders, as himself relates, paused
a good while, correcting his own an
ger. And how in like manner Archy-
tas, observing the sloth and wilful
negligence of his servants in the
field, and perceiving his passion to
rise at a more than usual rate, did
nothing at all ; but as he went away,
It is your good fortune, said he, that
ye have angered me.
13 If, then, the sayings of men
when called to mind, and their ac
tions being told, have such a power
to mitigate the roughness and vehe-
mency of wrath; much more, behold
ing God, with whom there is neither
dread nor repentance of any thing,
deferring nevertheless his punish
ments to future time, and admitting
delay, — becomes it us to be cautious
and circumspect in these matters ;
and to deem as a divine part of virtue
that mildness and long-suffering of
which God affords us an example.
14 In the second place, therefore,
let us consider this : that human
punishments of injuries regard no
more than that the party suffer in his
turn, and are satisfied when the
offender has suffered according to
his merit ; and farther they never
proceed. Which is the reason that
they run after provocations, like dogs
that bark in their fury, and immedi
ately pursue the injury as soon as
committed.

15 But probable it is that God,
whatever distempered soul it be
which he prosecutes with his divine
justice, observes the motions and
inclinations of it, whether they be
such as tend to repentance ; and al
lows time for the reformation of those
whose wickedness is neither invinci
ble nor incorrigible.
16 For, since He well knows what
a proportion of virtue souls carry
along with them from himself, when
they come into the world, and how
strong and vigorous their innate and
primitive good yet continues ; while
wickedness buds forth preternatu
rally upon the corruption of bad diet
and evil conversation, and even then
some souls recover again to perfect
cure or an indifferent habitude, —
therefore He doth not make haste to
inflict his punishments alike upon
all. 17 But those that are incurable He
presently lops off and deprives of
life ; deeming it altogether hurtful
to others, but most baneful to them
selves, to be always wallowing in
wickedness. 18 But as for those who may
probably be thought to transgress
rather out of ignorance of what is
virtuous and good, than through
choice of what is foul and vicious,
He grants them time to turn ; but if
they remain obdurate, then likewise
He inflicts his punishments upon
them ; for He has no fear lest they
should escape.
19 These things I have alleged,
as it was but reason, upon a suppo
sition that there is a forbearance
of inflicting punishment upon the
wicked.

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

353

20 As for what remains, it be
hooves us to listen to Hesiod, where
he asserts, — not like Plato, that pun
ishment is a suffering which accom
panies injustice, — but that it is of
the same age with it, and arises from
the same place and root. For, says
he, Bad counsel, so the Gods ordain,
Is most of all the adviser's bane.
And in another place,
He that his neighbor's harm contrives, his art
Contrives the mischief 'gainst his own false
heart.
21 For my part, if it may be law
ful for me to deliver my opinion, I
believe there is no occasion either
for God or for men to inflict their
punishment upon the most wicked
and sacrilegious offenders ; seeing
that the course of their own lives
is sufficient to chastise their crimes,
while they remain under the con
sternations and torments attending
their impiety.
22 While I was yet speaking,
Olympicus, interrupting me, said :
You seem by this discourse of yours
to infer as if the soul were immortal,
which is a supposition of great con
sequence. 23 It is very true, said I, nor is it
any more than what yourself have
granted already ; in fact, the whole
discussion has tended from the be
ginning to this, that the Supreme
Deity overlooks us, and deals to
every one of us according to our
deserts. 24 But can we think that God so
little considers his own actions, or
is such a waster of his time in trifles,
that, if we had nothing of divine
within us, nothing that in the least

resembled his perfection, nothing
permanent and stable ; but were
only poor creatures, that (according
to H°mer's expression) faded and
dropped like withered leaves, and
in a short time too ; yet he should
make so great account of us — like
women that bestow their pains in
making little gardens, no less de
lightful to them than the gardens
of Adonis, in earthen pans and pots
— as to create us souls to blossom
and flourish only for a day, in a soft
and tender body of flesh, without
any firm and solid root of life ; and
then to be blasted and extinguished
in a moment upon every slight occa
sion? 25 Therefore, for my part, I will
never deny the immortality of the
soul, till somebody or other (as they
say Hercules did of old) shall be so
daring as to come and take away
the prophetical tripod, and so quite
ruin and destroy the oracle.
26 Besides, if nothing befalls the
soul after the expiration of this life,
but death is the end of all reward
and punishment, I might infer from
thence rather that the Deity is re
miss and indulgent in not swiftly
punishing the wicked and depriving
them of life.
27 For if a man shall assert that
in the space of this life the wicked
are no otherwise affected than by
the convincement that crime is a
fruitless and barren thing ; that it
produces nothing of good, nothing
worthy of esteem, nothing but the
many great and terrible combats
and agonies of the mind, the con
sideration of this would altogether
pervert the soul.

354

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

28 As it is related that Lysima
chus, being under the violent
constraint of a parching thirst, sur
rendered up his person and his do
minions to the Getae for a little
drink ; but after he had quenched
his draught and found himself a
captive, Shame of this wickedness
of mine, cried he, that for so small
a pleasure have lost so great a king
dom. 29 But as long as many prophe
cies are uttered even in these our
days by the Delphic oracle, the same
in substance that were formerly
given to Corax the Naxian, it is
impious to declare that the human
soul can die.
30 Therefore, there is one and the
same reason to confirm the provi
dence of God and the immortality of
the soul ; neither is it possible to
admit the one, if you deny the
other. 31 Now, then, the soul surviving
after the decease of the body, the
inference is the stronger that it par
takes of punishment and reward.
For during this mortal life the soul
is in continual combat like a wrest
ler ; but after all those conflicts are
at an end, she then receives accord
ing to her merits.
32 But what the punishments and
what the rewards of past transgres
sions or just and laudable actions
are to be while the soul is thus alone
by itself, is nothing at all to us that
are alive ; for either they are alto
gether concealed from our knowl
edge, or else we give but little credit
to them.
33 But it is certain, in the regions
prepared for pious souls, they con

serve not only an existence agreeable
to nature, but are encircled with
glory. There the sun with glorious ray,
Chasing shady night away,
Makes an everlasting day ;
Wriere souls in fields of purple roses play ;
Others in verdant plains disport,
Crowned with trees of every sort,
Trees that never fruit do bear,
But always in the blossom are.
The rivers there without rude
murmurs gently glide. And there
they meet and bear each other com
pany, passing away their time in com
memorating and recalling things past
and present.
34 Another state there is of them
who have led vicious and wicked
lives, which precipitates souls into a
kind of hell and miserable abyss,
Where sluggish streams of sable night
Spout floods of darkness infinite.
This is the receptacle of the tor
mented ; here lie they hid under the
veil of eternal ignorance and oblivion.
35 For vultures do not everlast
ingly gorge themselves upon the
liver of a wicked man, exposed by
angry Gods upon the earth, as poets
fondly feign of Prometheus. Nor do
the bodies of the tormented undergo
(as Sisyphus is fabled to do) the toil
and pressure of weighty burdens.
There are no reliques of the body in
dead men which stripes and tortures
can make impressions on.
36 But in very truth the sole pun
ishment of those who have lived in
gross wickedness is an inglorious ob
scurity, or final extinction ; which
through oblivion hurls and plunges
them into deplorable rivers, bottom
less seas, and a dark abyss ; involving
all in uselessness and inactivity ; ab-

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

355

solute ignorance and oblivion as their
final and enduring doom.
SELECTION VI.
Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's
Letter of Consolation to ApoUonius, and
from other kindred writings of his, show
ing that to the pious and virtuous Death
is always a blessing ; inasmuch as it is
a transition to holier companionships and
joys. THE most sovereign remedy
against sorrow is our reason,
and out of this arsenal we may arm
ourselves with defence against all
the casualties of life. For every one
ought to lay down this as a maxim,
that not only is he himself mortal in
his nature, but life itself decays, and
things are easily changed into quite
the contrary to what they are ; for
our bodies are made up of perishing
ingredients. 2 Our fortunes and our passions
too are subject to the same mortality ;
indeed all things in this world are in
perpetual flux,—
" Which no man can avoid with all his care."
3 But what is it after all in death,
that is so grievous and troublesome ?
For I know not how it comes to pass
that, when it is so familiar and as it
were related to us, it should seem so
terrible. How can it be rational to
wonder, if that cleaves apart which
is divisible ; if that melts whose
nature is liquefaction ; if that burns
which is combustible ; and so, by a
parity of reason, if that perisheth
which by nature is perishable ?
4 For when is it that death is not
in us ? As Heraclitus saith, It is the
same thing to be dead and alive,

asleep and awake, a young man and
decrepit ; for these alternately are
changed one into another. And as
a potter can form the shape of an
animal out of his clay and then as
easily deface it, and can repeat this
backward and forward as often as
he pleaseth ; so Nature, too, out of
the same materials fashioned first
our grandfathers, next our fathers,
then us, and in process of time will
engender others, and again others
upon these.
5 For as the flood of our genera
tion glides on without any inter
mission and will never stop, so in
the other direction the stream of
our mortality flows eternally on,
whether it be called Acheron or
Cocytus by the poets. So that the
same cause which first showed us the
light of the sun carries us down to
the lower darkness.
6 And in my mind, the air which
encompasseth us seems to be a lively
image of the thing ; for it brings on
the vicissitudes of night and day,
life and death, sleeping and waking.
7 Life also has been called a fatal
debt, which our fathers contracted
and we are bound to pay ; which is
to be done calmly and without any
complaint, when the creditor de
mands it ; and by this means we
shall show ourselves men of sedate
passions. 8 And I believe Nature, knowing
the confusion and shortness of our
life, hath industriously concealed the
end of it from us, this making for
our advantage ; for if we were sensi
ble of it beforehand, some would
pine away with untimely sorrow, and
would die before their death came.

356

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

Nature saw the woes of this life, and
with what a torrent of cares it is over
flowed, — which if thou didst under
take to number, thou wouldest grow
angry with it, and confirm that opin
ion which hath a vogue amongst
some, that death is more desirable
than life.
9 Neither hath he spoken much
amiss who calls sleep the lesser mys
teries of death ; for sleep is really the
first initiation into the mysteries of
death. Diogenes, when a little be
fore his death he fell into a slumber,
and his physician, rousing him out of
it, asked him whether any thing ailed
him, wisely answered, Nothing, sir,
only one brother anticipates another,
— Sleep before Death.
IO If death be like a journey,
neither upon this account is it an
evil, but rather the contrary ; for
certainly it is the emphasis of happi
ness to be freed from the encum
brances of the flesh and all those
troublesome passions which attend
it, which serve only to darken the un
derstanding, and overspread it with
all the folly that is incident to human
nature. II " The very body, " saith Plato,
" procures us infinite disquiet only
to supply its daily necessities with
food ; but if any diseases are coinci
dent, they hinder our contempla
tions, and stop us in our researches
after truth. Besides, it distracts us
with irregular desires, fears, and vain
amours, setting before us so many
fantastic images of things, that the
common saying is here most true,
that on account of the body we
can never become wise. For wars,
popular seditions, and shedding of
blood by the sword are owing to no

other original than this care of the
body and gratifying its unlawful ap
petites ; for we fight only to get
riches, and these we acquire only to
please the body ; so that those who
are thus employed have not leisure to
be seekers of Wisdom.
12 "And after all, when we have
retrieved an interval of time to seek
after truth, the body officiously in
terrupts us, is so troublesome and
importune, that we can by no means
discern its nature. Therefore it is
evident that, if we will clearly know
any thing, we must divest ourselves
of the body, and behold things as they
are in themselves with the mind it
self, that at last we may attain what
we so much desire, and what we do
profess ourselves the most partial ad
mirers of, which is Wisdom.
13 "And this we cannot consum
mately enjoy till after death, as rea
son teacheth us. For if so be that
we can understand nothing clearly
as long as we are clogged with flesh,
one of these things must needs be ;
either that we shall never arrive at
that knowledge at all, or only when
we die ; for then the soul will exist by
itself, separate from the body. And
whilst we are in this life, we shall
make the nearest advances toward
it, if we have no more to do with the
body than what decency and neces
sity require ; if we break off all com
merce with it, and keep ourselves
pure from its contagion, till God
shall give us a final release. And
then being pure and freed from all its
follies, we shall converse (it is likely)
with intelligences as pure as our
selves, with our unaided vision be
holding perfect purity, — and this is
truth itself. For it is not fit that what

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

357

is pure should be apprehended by
what is impure."
14 Therefore, if death only trans
ports us to another place, it is not to
be looked upon as an evil, but rath
er as an exceeding good, as Plato
hath demonstrated. The words of
Socrates to his judges seem to me to
be spoken even with inspiration :
"To fear death, O Athenians! "is
nothing else than to counterfeit the
being wise, when we are not so.
For he that fears death pretends to
know what he is ignorant of."
15 In general, every one should
meditate seriously with himself, and
have the concurrence of other men's
opinions with his own, that it is not
the longest life which is the best,
but that which is the most virtuous.
16 But such exclamations as this,
" The young man ought not to be
taken off so abruptly in the vigor of
his years," are very frivolous, and
proceed from a great weakness of
mind ; for who is it that can say
what a thing ought to be ? This is
that which is called happy and grate
ful to God. And for this reason it
is that poets celebrate those who
have died before they have become
old, and propose them for examples,
as the most excellent men, and of
divine extraction.
17 But things have been, are, and
will be done, which somebody or
other will say ought not to be done.
However, we do not come into this
life to be dogmatical and prescribe
to it ; but we must obey the dictates
of God, who governs the world, and
submit to the establishments of Fate
and Providence.
18 But when they mourn over
those who die so untimely, do they

do it upon their own account or upon
that of the deceased ?
19 If upon their own, (because they
have lost that pleasure they thought
they should have enjoyed in them,
or are deprived of that profit they
expected, or that relief they flattered
themselves they should receive in
their old age,) then self-love and
personal interest prescribe the meas
ures of their sorrow ; so that upon
the result they do not love the dead
so much as themselves and their
own interest.
20 But if they lament upon the
account of the deceased, that is a
grief easily to be shaken off, if they
only consider that by their very
death they will be out of the sphere
of any evil that can reach them ; and
believe the wise and ancient saying,
that we should always augment
what is good, and extenuate the evil.
21 But, it is objected, the calamity
was sudden, and I did not expect it
But thou oughtest to have done it,
and considered the vanity and uncer
tainty of human affairs, that thy ene
mies might not have come suddenly
upon thee and taken thee unawares.
22 Theseus in Euripides seems to
be excellently well prepared for
events of this nature, for he saith
thus : —
This wholesome precept from the wise I learn,
To think of misery without concern.
My meditating thoughts are always spent
Either on death or else on banishment.
Foresight of evils doth employ my mind,
That me without defence they may not find ;
And though in ambuscade the mischief lies,
Kill me it may, but shall not me surprise.
23 It is for the sake of these things
that we condole with those who lose
friends by untimely death, because
they were frustrated of their hopes ;

353

GRECIAN SCRIPTURES. — PLUTARCH.

but in the meanwhile we are ignorant
that a sudden death doth not at all
differ from any other, considering the
condition of human nature.
24 For as when a journey is en
joined into a remote country, and
there is a necessity for every one to
undertake it, and none hath liberty
to refuse, though some go before and
others follow, yet all must arrive at
the same stage at last ; so when we
all lie under an obligation of dis
charging the same debt, it is not
material whether we pay sooner or
later. 25 And who knows but that the
Deity, with a fatherly providence
and out of tenderness to mankind,
foreseeing what would happen, hath
taken some purposely out of this life
by an untimely death ? So we should
think that nothing has befallen them
which they should have sought to
shun, — " For nought that cometh
by necessity is hard."
26 Therefore it becomes men well
educated to consider that those who
have paid their debt to mortality
have only gone before us a little
time ; that the longest life is but
as a point in respect of eternity,
and that many who have indulged
their sorrow to excess have them
selves followed in a small while
those that they have lamented, hav
ing reaped no profit out of their
complaints, but macerated them
selves with voluntary afflictions.
27 Since, then, the time of our pil
grimage in this life is but short, we
ought not to consume ourselves with
sordid grief, and so render ourselves
unhappy by afflicting our minds and
tormenting our bodies. But we
should endeavor after a more manly

and rational sort of life ; and not
associate ourselves with those who
will be companions in grief, and by
flattering our tears will only excite
them the more ; but rather with
those who will diminish our grief by
solemn and generous consolation.
28 Now if the sayings of the wise
men and poets of old are true, as
there is probability to think, that
honors and high seats of dignity are
conferred upon the righteous after
they are departed this life, and if,
as it is said, a particular region is
appointed for their souls to dwell
in, you ought to cherish very fair
hopes that your son stands num
bered amongst those blest inhabi
tants. 29 Of the state of the pious after
death, Pindar discourseth after this
manner : —
There the sun shines with an unsullied light,
When all the world below is thick with night.
There all the richly scented plants, do grow,
And there the crimson-colored roses blow ;
Each flower blooming on its tender stalk,
And all these meadows are their evening walk.
And proceeding further, in another
lamentation he spake thus concern
ing the soul : —
Just we that distribution may call,
Which to each man impartially doth fall.
It doth decide the dull contentious strife,
And easeth the calamities of life.
Death doth its efforts on the body spend ;
But the aspiring soul doth upward tend.
Nothing can damp that bright and subtile flame,
Immortal as the Gods from whence it came.
30 These are the things which I
have heard and think to be true;
and I draw this rational inference
from them, that death in my opinion
is nothing else but the separation of
two things nearly united, which are
soul and body.

ROMAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
The one God universal ; who is wise
ruler, merciful friend, inspirer of all wis
dom and virtue in men.
A MID all the conflict of opinions,
there sounds through all the
world one consenting law a.nd idea :
that there is One God, the King and
Father of All.
2 I do not blame the variety of
representations ; only let men under
stand there is but One Divine
Nature. Let them love One, and
keep One in their thoughts.
3 The entire universe is overruled
by the power of God. By His nature,
reason, energy, mind, divinity, or
some other word of clearer significa
tion, all things are governed and
directed. And He has been pecul
iarly beneficent to man, whom He
has endowed with reason and thought
superior to other creatures.
4 And since nothing exists better
than reason, and reason is the com
mon property of God and man, there
exists a certain primeval, rational
communion between the divine
nature and the human.
5 Rain, O God, rain down on the
ploughed fields and on the plains !
Truly, we ought not to pray at all,
or we ought to pray in this noble
and simple fashion.

6 Either God has power or He has
no power. If He has no power,
why do you pray ? If He has power,
why not pray never to be anxious
about events, rather than that any
event may take place ?
7 How can the Almighty and
Merciful Friend, who is always with
us, take delight in sacrifices ? Let
us purge our mind, and lead virtuous
and honest lives.
8 His pleasure is not in the mag
nificence of temples, but in the piety
and devotion of consecrated hearts.
Let us be sure not to admit any evil
intentions into our hearts, that we
may lift up pure hands to Heaven,
and ask nothing by which another
may lose.
9 He who knows himself must be
conscious that he is inspired by a
divine principle. He will look upon
his rational part as a resemblance to
some divinity within him; and' he
will be careful that his sentiments
and behavior should be worthy of
this inestimable gift of God.
io There exists not any man, in
any nation, who may not improve
in virtue, if he adopts his own true
nature as his guide. When I say
nature, I mean nature in its genuine
purity ; not when it has been cor- .
rupted by evil customs.
1 1 Man is born for justice. Law

359

360

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

and equity are not things established
merely by opinion ; they are insti
tuted by Nature. We have no
criterion to distinguish between a
good law and a bad law, except our
own conscience, or reason.
12 No one in full possession of his
senses can suppose that justice and
law vary with opinions, and have no
foundation in Nature.
13 In nothing is the uniformity
of human nature more conspicuous
than in its respect for virtue. What
nation is there in which kindness,
benignity, and gratitude are not rec
ommended ? What nation is there
in which cruelty, arrogance, and un-
thankfulness are not reprobated and
detested? 14 This uniformity of opinions
invincibly demonstrates that man
kind were intended to form one
fraternal association. And, in order
to accomplish this, the faculty of
reason must be improved, till it in
structs us in all the arts of living well.
15 Every man hath within him
self a witness and a judge of all the
good or ill that he does ; it inspires
him with great thoughts, and gives
him wholesome counsels.
16 Keep the divine portion of
thyself pure. Look within. Within
is the fountain of good ; that is the
life ; that is the man. A good man
is as a priest and minister of God
devoted to that Divinity which hath
its dwelling within him.
. SELECTION II.
Precepts of inward purity, and of sim
plicity, kindness, justice, and self-restraint.
TV/T EN may be parted from each
other by travel, sickness, or

death, but there is no possibility of
separating from ourselves. What
avails it that our consciences are
hidden from men, when our souls
are always open to God?
2 Keep thyself simple, good, pure,
kind, and affectionate. Make thyself
all simplicity.
3 It is more beautiful to overcome
injury by kindness, than to oppose
to it the obstinacy of hatred.
4 If we practise goodness not for
the sake of its own intrinsic excel
lence, but for the sake of gaining
some advantage by it, we may be
cunning, but we are not good.
5 He deserves disappointment
who gives with the hope of return.
The object of conferring a benefit
should be the good of the receiver,
without regard to favor or re
ward. 6 The true primeval law is eter
nal, immutable, and universal. It
calls us to duty by its command
ments, and turns us away from
wrong-doing by its prohibitions.
7 We can take nothing from it,
change nothing, abrogate nothing.
It does not vary according to time
or place ; it is not different now
from what it was formerly ; it is
not one thing to-day and another
to-morrow. Neither the Senate nor
the people have a right to free us
from it.
8 A crime is none the less criminal
because there is no human law against
it. The same eternal and unchange
able law embraces all times and all
nations, because it proceeds from
the King and Father of all.
9 Nature has inclined us to love
mankind ; and this love is the foun-

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

361

dation of Law. Justice employs it
self in the good of others.
IO Let us not listen to those who
think we ought to be angry with
our enemies, and who believe this
to be great and manly. Nothing is
more praiseworthy, and nothing
more clearly indicates a great and
noble soul, than clemency and readi
ness to forgive.
1 1 Will you not bear with your
brother, who has God for his Father ;
who is His son, as thou art, of the
same high descent ?
12 If he who injures does wrong,
he who returns an injury does equally
wrong. 13 Nature made us just, that we
might share our goods with each
other, and supply each other's wants.
We can in no way assimilate our
selves so much with the beneficent
disposition of the Creator, as by
contributing to the health, comfort,
'and happiness of our fellow creat
ures. 14 This is the law of benefits
between men : the one ought to
forget at once what he has given,
and the other ought never to forget
what he has received.
15 The more a man becomes ad
dicted to sensual pleasures, the more
completely is he a slave. People
may call him happy, but he pays his
liberty for his delights, and sells him
self for what he buys.
16 The way for a man to secure
himself from wickedness is to with
draw from the examples of it.
17 Seek to converse in purity with
your own pure mind and with God.
The first and highest purity is that
of the soul.

18 Cultivate piety, and banish
costliness from temples.
SELECTION III.
Humanity a brotherhood with love as
its bond ; all, therefore, should help all,
and each be pure that all may become

I" AM a man, and nothing that con
cerns human beings is indiffer
ent to me.
2 We are by nature inclined to
love mankind. Take away love and
benevolence, and you take away all
the joy of life. Men are born for
the sake of men, that they may
mutually benefit one another.
3 When man shall have studied
the nature of all things, and shall
come to look upon himself as not
confined within the walls of one city,
or as a member of any particular
community, but as a citizen of the
universe considered as one Common
wealth, — amid such an acquantaince
with Nature, and such a grand mag
nificence of things, to what a knowl
edge of himself will man attain !
4 Give bread to a stranger in the
name of the universal brotherhood
which binds all men together, under
the common Father of Nature.
5 Nature fitted us for social life by
planting within us a mutual love.
We are members of one great body ;
and we must consider that we were
born for the good of the whole.
6 I will look upon the whole world
as my country, and upon God as
both the witness and judge of my
actions. I will live and die with this
testimony, — that I never invaded
another man's freedom, and that I
preserved my own.

362

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

7 The universe is but one great city
full of beloved ones, divine and hu
man by nature endeared to each other.
8 All thinking beings have been
made one for the other : they owe
patience one toward another, — for
we have all one and the same nature.
We are created especially for the
sake of one another. We are made
for co-operation, and to act against
¦one another is contrary to nature.
9 The good man remembers that
¦every rational being is his kinsman.
10 The law imprinted on the
hearts of all men is to love the mem
bers of society as themselves. The
eternal, universal, unchangeable law
of all beings is to seek the good of
one another, like children of the
same Father.
11 The truly wise teacher must
know he is a messenger sent from
God to men to instruct them con
cerning good and evil. He must
tell them the truth without fear. He
must consult the Divinity, and at
tempt nothing without God.
12 A lover of Wisdom when smit
ten must love those who smite him ;
as if he were the father and brother
¦of all men.
13 It is peculiar to man to love
even those who do wrong. Ask thy
self daily to how many evil-minded
persons thou hast shown a kind dis
position. 14 If a man despises me, it is his
business to see why he does so ; it is
my business to do nothing that de
serves contempt : I will still cherish
the same benevolence for human
nature in general, and for that man
in particular.
15 This virtue must come from
God, who sees the inmost centre of

men, and tries their hearts ; and who
knows that the truly good man is
offended with nothing, and complains
of nothing.
16 Geometry teaches me to meas
ure acres, but I would be taught to
measure my appetites, and to know
when I have enough ; how to divide
with my brother, and to rejoice in
the prosperity of my neighbor.
17 You teach me how to keep
wealth, but I would rather learn how
to be contented if I lose it. The
man who would be truly rich must
not increase his fortune, but retrench
his appetites.
18 Happy is the man who eats
only for hunger and drinks only for
thirst ; who stands by his own opin
ions, and lives according to reason,
and not according to fashion ; who
provides for whatever is necessary
and useful, and expends nothing for
ostentation or pomp.
19 He who lives according to rea
son will never be poor, and he who
governs his life by opinion will never
be rich.
20 A man who depends upon fort
une is anxious, and constantly fear
ful of accidents. Virtue alone raises
us above hopes, fears, and chances.
21 A good man has happiness
within himself, independent of fort
une. A philosophic mind makes us
peaceful by fearing nothing, and rich
by coveting nothing.
SELECTION IV.
The soul can not be mortal ; this world
not a permanent abode ; Heaven a Divine
Assembly of the enlightened and purified.
\ \T HEN I consider the faculties
with which the human soul is
endowed, its amazing celerity, its

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

363

wonderful power of recollecting past
events, and its sagacity in discerning
the future, together with its number
less discoveries in the arts and sci^
ences, — I feel a conscious conviction
that this active, comprehensive prin
ciple cannot possibly be of a mortal
nature. 2 And as this unceasing activity
of the soul derives its energy from
its own intrinsic and essential pow
ers, without receiving it from any
foreign or external impulse, it neces
sarily follows that its activity must
continue for ever.
3 I am induced to embrace this
opinion" not only as agreeable to
the best deductions of reason, but
also in deference to the authority of
the noblest and most distinguished
philosophers. 4 I consider this world as a place
which Nature never intended for my
permanent abode ; and I look on my
departure from it, not as being

driven from my habitation, but
simplo as leaving an inn.
5 Oh, glorious day, when I shall
remove from this confused crowd
to join the Divine Assembly of souls !
6 For I shall go not only to meet
great men but also those whom I have
loved — their spirits looking back upon
me, departed to that place whither
they knew that I should soon come ;
and they have never deserted me.
7 If I have borne their loss with
courage, it is because I consoled my
self with the thought that our sepa
ration would not be for long.
8 The way to Heaven which Nat
ure marks out is secure and pleas
ant. There needs no train of ser
vants, no pomp of equipage, to make
sure our passage thither ; no money
or letters of credit are necessary for
the expenses of that voyage : the
graces of an honest mind will serve
us on the way, and make us happy
at our journey's end.

DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS.

SELECTION I.
The existence of God, and the moral
suggestions to be drawn therefrom.
\\ TITK respect to God, there are
some who say that a divine
being does not exist ; others say that
he exists, but is inactive and care
less, and takes no forethought about
any thing; a third class say that
such a being exists and exercises
forethought, but only about great
things and heavenly things, and
about nothing on the earth ; a fourth

class say that a divine being exercises
forethought both about things on
the earth and heavenly things, but
in a general way only, and not about
things severally. There is a fifth
class, to whom Ulysses and Socrates
belong, who say : "I move not with
out thy knowledge."
2 Before all other things, then, it
is necessary to inquire about each of
these opinions, whether it is affirmed
truly or not truly. For if there be
no God, how is it our proper end to
follow him ? And if he exists, but

364

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

takes no care of any thing, in this
case also how will it be right to fol
low him? But if indeed he does
exist and looks after things, still if
there is nothing communicated from
him to men, nor in fact to myself,
how even so is it right to follow
him ?
3 The wise and good man, then,
after considering all these things,
submits his own mind to him who
administers the whole, as good citi
zens do to the law of the state.
4 He who is receiving instruction
ought to come to be instructed with
this intention, How shall I follow
God in all things, how shall I be con
tented with the Divine administra
tion, and how shall I become free?
5 The wise men say that we ought
first to learn that there is a God, and
that he provides for all things ; also
that it is not possible to conceal from
him our acts, or even our intentions
and thoughts
6 The next thing is to learn what
is the nature of God ; for such as he
is discovered to be, he, who would
please and obey him, must try with
all his power to be like him. If the
divine is faithful, man also must be
faithful ; if he is free, man also must
be free ; if beneficent, man also must
be beneficent ; if magnanimous, man
also must be magnanimous ; as being
then an imitator of God he must do
and say every thing consistently with
this fact.
7 But how can a man be convinced
that all his actions are under the in
spection of God ?
8 Do you not think that all things
are united in one ? Do you not think
that earthly things have a natural

agreement and union with heavenly
things ? And how else so regularly
as if by God's command, when he
bids the plants to flower, do they
flower ? when he bids them to send
forth shoots, do they shoot ? when
he bids them to produce fruit, how
else do they produce fruit ? when
he bids the fruit to ripen does it
ripen ? when again he bids them to
cast down the fruits, how else do
they cast them down ? and when to
shed the leaves, do they shed the
leaves ? and when he bids them to
fold themselves up and to remain
quiet and rest, how else do they re
main quiet and rest ?
9 And how else at the growth and
the wane of the moon, and at the
approach and recession of the sun,
are so great an alteration and change
to the contrary seen in earthly
things ? But are plants and our bod
ies so bound up and united with the
whole, and are not our souls much
more ? Our souls are so bound up
and in contact with God as to be
parts of him and portions of him ;
and does not God perceive every
motion of these parts as being his
own motion connate with himself ?
10 Now you are able to think of
the divine administration and of all
things divine ; and at the same time
also to think about human affairs,
and to be moved by ten thousand
things at once, in your senses and in
your understanding, so as to as
sent to some, and to dissent from oth
ers ; and again, so as to some things
to suspend your judgment ; and you
retain in your soul so many impres
sions from so many and various things
and being moved by them, fall upon

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

365

notions similar to those first im
pressed, and retain numerous arts,
and the memories of ten thousand
things. Is not God then able to over
see all things, and to be present with
all, and to receive from all a certain
communication ?
11 And is the sun able to illumi
nate so large a part of the All, and
to leave so little not illuminated,
that part only which is occupied by
the earth's shadow ; and he who
made the sun itself and makes it go
round, being a small part of himself
compared with the whole, cannot
he perceive all things ?
12 Nevertheless, Godhas placed by
every man a guardian, every man's
" Daemon," to whom he has commit
ted the care of the man ; a guardian
who never sleeps, is never deceived.
13 When, then, you have shut the
doors and made darkness within, re
member never to say that you are
alone, for you are not ; but God is
within, and your Daemon is within,
and what need have they of light to
see what you are doing ?
14 To this God you ought to
swear an oath just as the soldiers do
to Caesar. But they who are hired
for pay, swear to regard the safety of
Caesar before all things ; and you
who have received so many and such
great favors, will you not swear ; or
when you have sworn, will you not
abide by your oath ?
15 And what shall you swear?
Never to be disobedient, never to
make any charges, never to find fault
with any thing that he has given,
and never unwillingly to do or to
suffer any thing that is necessary.
16 Is this oath like the soldier's

oath ? The soldiers swear lot to
prefer any man to Caesar but in
this oath men swear to honor them
selves before all.
SELECTION II.
Various arguments for the superintend
ing Providence of God, and moral infer
ences therefrom.
TTAS the Universe no governor?
And how is it possible that a
city or a family cannot continue to
exist, not even the shortest time,
without an administrator and guar
dian, and that so great and beautiful
a system should be administered
with such order and yet without a
purpose and by chance?
2 There is, then, an administrator.
What kind of administrator and how
does he govern ? And who are we,
who were produced by him, and for
what purpose ? Have we some con
nection with him and some relation
toward him, or none ?
3 From every thing which is or
happens in the world, it is easy to
praise Providence, if a man pos
sesses these two qualities, the facul
ty of seeing what belongs and hap
pens to all persons and things, and.
a grateful disposition. If he does
not possess these two qualities, one
man will not see the use of things
which are and which happen ; an
other will not be thankful for them,
even if he does know them.
4 If God had made colors, but
had not made the faculty of seeing
them, what would have been their
use? None at all. On the other
hand, if he had made the faculty of
vision, but had not made objects
such as to fall under the faculty,

;66

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

what in that case also would have
been the use of it ? None at all.
Well, suppose that he had made
both, but had not made light ? In
that case, also, they would have been
of no use.
5 Who is it, then, who has fitted
this to that and that to this ? And
who is it that has fitted the knife to
the case and the case to the knife ?
Is it no one ?
6 And, indeed, from the very
structure of things which have at
tained their completion, we are
accustomed to show that the work
is certainly the act of some artificer,
and that it has not been constructed
without a purpose. Does, then, each
of these things demonstrate the
workman, and do not visible things
and the faculty of seeing and light
demonstrate Him ?
7 Do not wonder if for other
animals than man all things are
provided for the body, not only food
and drink, but beds also, and they
have no need of shoes, nor bed ma
terials, nor clothing ; but we require
all these additional things. For
animals not being made for them
selves, but for service, it was not fit
for them to be made so as to need
other things.
8 For consider what it would be
for us to take care not only of our
selves, but also about cattle and
horses, how they should be clothed,
and how shod, and how they should
eat and drink.
9 Now, as soldiers are ready for
their commander, shod, clothed, and
armed (for it would be a hard thing
for the tribune to go round and shoe
or clothe his thousand men), so also

nature has formed the animals which
are made for service, all ready, pre
pared, and requiring no further care.
So one little boy with only a stick
drives the cattle.
io But now we, instead of being
thankful that we need not take the
same care of animals as of ourselves,
complain of God on our own ac
count ; and yet, in the name of God
and of the immortals, any one thing
of those which exist would be
enough to make a man perceive
the providence of God, at least a
man who is modest and grateful.
1 1 And speak not to me now of
the great things, but only of this,
that milk is produced from grass,
and cheese from milk, and wool
from skins. Who made these things
or devised them ? No one, you say.
O amazing shamelessness and stu
pidity !
12 But now God has introduced
man to be a spectator of Himself
and of His works ; and not only a
spectator of them, but an interpre
ter. For this reason it is shameful
for man to begin and to end where
irrational animals do ; but rather he
ought to begin where they begin,
and to end where nature ends in
us; and nature ends in contempla
tion and understanding, and in a way
of life conformable to nature.
1 3 Take care, then, not to die with
out having been spectators of these
things. 14 But you do it not : rather do
you sit still, trembling for fear that
some things will happen, and weep
ing, and lamenting, and groaning for
what does happen: and then you
blame God.

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

367

15 And yet God has not only
given us these faculties, by which we
shall be able to bear every thing that
happens without being depressed or
broken by it ; but, like a good king
and a true father, he has given us
these faculties free from hindrance,
subject to no compulsion, unim
peded, and has put them entirely in
our own power, without even having
reserved to himself any power of
hindering or impeding.
16 You, who have received these
powers free and as your own, use
them not : you do not even see what
you have received, and from whom ;
some of you being blinded to the
giver, and not even acknowledging
your benefactor ; and others, through
meanness of spirit, betaking your
selves to fault-finding and making
charges against God.
17 Yet I will show to you that
you have powers and means for
greatness of soul and manliness.
18 Are these the only works of
providence in us ? And what words
are sufficient to praise them and set
them forth according to their worth?
For if we had understanding, ought
we to do any thing else both jointly
and severally than to sing hymns
and bless the Deity, and to tell of
his benefits ?
19 Ought we not when we are
digging and ploughing and eating to
sing this hymn to God ? — " Great is
God, who has given us such imple
ments with which we shall cultivate
the earth : great is God who has
given us hands, the power of swal
lowing and digesting, imperceptible
growth, and the power of breathing
while we sleep."

20 This is what we ought to sing
on every occasion, and to sing the
greatest and most divine hymn for
giving us the faculty of comprehend
ing these things and using them in a
proper way.
21 Well, then, since most of you
have become blind, ought there not
to be some man to fill this office, and
on behalf of all to sing the hymn to
God? For what else can I do, a
lame old man, than sing hymns to
God? If I were a nightingale, I
would do the part of a nightingale ;,
if I were a swan, I would do like a
swan. But now I am a rational
creature, and I ought to praise God :
this is my work ; I do it, nor will I
desert this post, so long as I am
allowed to keep it ; and I exhort you
to join in this same song.
22 Come, then, do you also having
observed these things look to the
faculties which you have, and when
you have looked at them, say:
Bring now, O God! any difficulty
that thou pleasest, for I have means
and powers given to me by thee.
SELECTION III.
Man is God' s off spring ; the human soul
is derived from Deity, but is incarnate in
animal form, for purposes of education
and discipline.
\K J HAT is a man? The answer
is, a rational and mortal being.
Then by the rational faculty, from
whom are we separated ? From wild
beasts. And from what others?
From sheep and like animals.
2 Take care, then, to do nothing
like a wild beast ; but if you do, you
have lost the character of a man ;
you have not fulfilled your promise,

368

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

See that you do nothing like mere
animals ; but if you do, in this case
also the man is lost. When, then, do
we act as mere animals ? When we
act gluttonously, when we act lewdly,
when we act rashly, filthily, incon
siderately. To what have we de
clined ? To animals. What have
we lost ? The rational faculty.
When we act contentiously, and
harmfully, and passionately, and vio
lently, to what have we declined ?
To wild beasts. Consequently, some
of us are great wild beasts, and
others little beasts of bad dispositions
and habits.
3 These two things are mingled
in the generation of man, body in
common with the animals, and reason
and intelligence in common with the
immortals ; many incline to the kin
ship which is miserable and mortal,
and some few to that which is divine
and happy.
4 Since, then, it is of necessity that
every man uses every thing according
to the opinion which he has about it,
those, the few, who think that they
are formed for fidelity and modesty,
and a sure use of appearances, have no
mean or ignoble thoughts about them
selves ; but with the many it is quite
the contrary. For you say, What
am I ? A poor, miserable man, with
my wretched bit of flesh. Wretched,
indeed ; but you possess something
better than your bit of flesh. Why,
then, do you neglect that which is
better, and why do you attach your
self to this ?
5 Through this kinship with the
flesh, some of us inclining to it be
come like wolves, faithless and
treacherous and mischievous ; some

become like lions, savage and bestial
and untamed ; but the greater part
of us become foxes, and other worse
animals. For what else is a slan
derer and a malignant man than a fox,
or some other more wretched and
meaner animal ? See, then, and take
care that you do not become some
one of these miserable creatures.
6 Some persons raise the question
whether moral sense is contained in
the nature of man ; and yet I think
that these same persons would have
no doubt that love of purity is cer
tainly contained in it, and that if
man is distinguished from other ani
mals by any thing, he is distinguished
by this.
7 For when we see any other ani
mal keeping itself clean, we are ac
customed to speak of the act with
surprise, and to add that the animal
is acting like a man : and on the
other hand, if a man blames an ani
mal for being unclean, straightway,
as if we were making an excuse for
it, we say that of course the animal
is not a human creature.
8 So we suppose that there is
something superior in man, and that
we first receive it from God. For
since God by his nature is pure and
free from corruption, so far as men
approach him by reason, so far do
they cling to purity and to a love of
purity. But since it is impossible
that man's nature can be altogether
pure, being composed of such mate
rials, reason is applied as far as it
is possible, and reason endeavors to
make human nature love purity.
9 The first, then, and highest
purity is that which is in the soul ;
and we say the same of impurity.

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

369

Now you could not discover the
impurity of the soul as you could
discover that of the body : but as
to the soul, what else could you find
in it than that which makes it un
clean in respect to the acts which are
its own ?
10 Now the acts of the soul are
movement toward an object or
movement from it, desire, aversion,
preparation, design, assent. What,
then, is it which in these acts makes
the soul impure ? Nothing else than
its own bad judgments.
11 Consequently the impurity of
the soul is the soul's bad opinions ;
and the purification of the soul is
the planting in it of proper opinions;
and the soul is pure which has
proper opinions, for the soul alone
in its own acts is free from perturba
tion and pollution.
12 If the things are true which are
said by wise men about the kinship
between God and man, what else
remains for men to do than what
Socrates did ? Never in reply to
the question, to what country you
belong, say that you are an Athenian
or a Corinthian, but that you are a
citizen of the world.
13 For why do you say that you
are an Athenian, and why do you
not say that you belong to the small
nook only into which your poor body
was cast at birth? Is it not plain
that you call yourself an Athenian
or Corinthian from the place which
has a greater authority and com
prises not only that small nook
itself and all your family, but even
the whole country from which the
stock of your progenitors is derived
down to you ?

14 He, then, who has observed
with intelligence the administration
of the world, and has learned that
the greatest and supreme and the
most comprehensive community is
that which is composed of men and
God ; and that from God have de
scended the seeds not only to my
father and grandfather, but to all
beings which are generated on the
earth and are produced ; and par
ticularly to rational beings — for
these only are by their nature
formed to have communion with
God, being by means of reason con
joined with him.
15 Why should not such a man
call himself a citizen of the world,
why not a son of God, and why
should he be afraid of any thing
which happens among men ?
16 Is kinship with Caesar or with
any other of the powerful in Rome
sufficient to enable us to live in
safety and above contempt and
without any fear at all ? and to have
God for your maker and father, and
guardian, shall not this release us
from sorrows and fears ?
17 If a man should be able to
assent to this doctrine as he ought,
that we are all sprung from God in
an especial manner, and that God is
the father both of men and of the
immortals, I suppose that he would
never have any ignoble or mean
thoughts about himself.
18 If Caesar should adopt you, no
one could endure your arrogance ;
and if you know that you are the
son of God, will you not be elated ?
19 In truth I do think that
the soul is a much better thing
than all the others which I possess.

37"

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

— Can you, then, show us in what
way you have taken care of the
soul ? for it is not likely that you,
who are so wise and have a reputa
tion in the city, inconsiderately or
carelessly allow the most valuable
thing that you possess to be neg
lected and to perish.
SELECTION IV.
How we ought to do our best with the
endowments which have been given us, and
with the opportunities and even difficulties
with which we are surrounded.
TT is difficulties which show what
men are. Therefore when a
difficulty falls upon you, remember
that God, like a trainer of wrestlers,
has matched you with a rough young
man. For what purpose ? you may
say. Why, that you may become
an Olympic conqueror ; but it is
not accomplished without sweat.
2 Where is the good? In the
will. Where is the evil? In the
will. Where is neither of them ? In
those things which are independent
of the will. Well then ? Does any
one among us think of these lessons
out of the schools? Does anyone
meditate by himself to give an
answer to things.
3 Where, then, is progress ? If any
of you, withdrawing himself from
externals, turns to his own will to
exercise it and to improve il by labor
so as> to make it conformable to
nature, elevated, free, unrestrained,
unimpeded, faithful, modest ; if he
has learned that he who desires or
avoids the things the control of
which are not in his power, that
such a one can neither be faithful
nor free, but of necessity must

change with them and be tossed
about with them as in a tempest,
and of necessity must subject
himself to others who have the
power to procure or prevent what
he desires or would avoid ; when
he rises in the morning, if he ob
serves and keeps these rules, bathes
as a man of fidelity, eats as a modest
man ; in like manner, if in every
matter that occurs he seeks contin
ually to be perfect as the runner
does with reference to running, and
the trainer of the voice with refer
ence to the voice, — this is the man
who truly makes progress.
4 But this is something, to study,
how a man can rid his life of lamen
tation and groaning, and saying,
Woe to me, and wretched that I am ;
and to rid it also of misfortune and
disappointment, and to learn what
death is, and exile, and prison, and
poison, that he may be able to say
when he is in fetters, If it is the will
of God that it be so, let it be so ; and
not to say, Wretched am I, an old
man ; have I kept my gray hairs for
this. 5 This it is to have studied what
a man ought to study; to have
made desire, and aversion, free from
hindrance, and free from all that a
man would avoid. I must die. If
now, I am ready to die. If, after a
short time, I now dine because it is
the dinner-hour ; after this, I will then
die. How? Like a man who gives
up what belongs to another.
6 And what has our teacher said
about pain, about pleasure, and about
poverty ? He says that to be naked
is better than any purple robe, and to
sleep on the bare ground is the softest

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371

bed ; and he gives as a proof of each
thing that he affirms, his own cour
age, his tranquillity, his freedom, and
the healthy appearance and com
pactness of his body. There is no
enemy near, he says ; all is peace.
7 That which is best of all and su
preme over all is the only thing
which God has placed in our power,
that is, the right use of circumstan
ces ; but other things he has not
placed in our power. Was it because
he did not choose ? I indeed think
that, if he had been able, he would
have put other things also in our
power ; but he certainly could not.
For as we exist on the earth, and are
bound to such a body and to such
companions, how was it possible for
us not to be hindered as to these
things by externals ?
8 But what says God ? Epictetus,
if it were possible, I would have
made both your little body and your
little property free and not exposed
to hindrance. But now be not igno
rant of this : this body is not yours ;
it is clay finely tempered. And since
it was not posible to exempt you
from external limitations I have
given you a small portion of myself,
that is, the power of pursuing an ob
ject and of avoiding it, and the faculty
of desire and aversion ; in a word, the
power to make right use of circum
stances. And if you will take care
of this power and consider it your
only possession, you will never be
hindered, never meet with impedi
ments ; you will not lament, you will
not blame, you will not flatter any
person. 9 Do these seem to you small
matters ? I hope not. Be content

with them and pray to God for
help. 10 But now when it is in our
power to look after one thing, and
to attach ourselves to it, we prefer to
look after many things, and to be
bound to many things: to the body
and to property, and to brother and
to friend, and to child and to slave.
11 Since, then, we are bound to
many things, we are depressed by
them and dragged down. For in
stance, when the weather is not fit
for sailing, we sit down and torment
ourselves, and continually look out
to see what wind is blowing. It is
north. What is that to us ? When
will the west wind blow ? When it
shall choose, my good man, or when
it shall please God; for God has not
made you the manager of the
winds. '
12 What then ? We must make
the best use that we can of the things
which are in our power, and use the
rest according to their nature. What
is their nature then ? As God may
please. 13 What, then, happens when we
think the things, which are coming
on us, to be evils ? Is it not in our
power not to be afraid and not to be
anxious ? But we say, Lord God,
how shall I not be anxious ? Fool
ish one, have you not hands, did not
God make them for you ? Well,
then, has he given to you nothing in
the present case ? Has he not given
to you endurance ? has he not given
to you magnanimity? has he not
given to you manliness ?
14 And now I am your teacher
and you are instructed in my school.
And I have this purpose, to make

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you free from, restraint, compulsion,
hindrance, to make you free, pros
perous, happy, looking to God in
every thing small and great. And
you are here to learn and practise
these things. Why, then, do you not
finish the work, if you also have such
a purpose as you ought to have ; and
if I, in addition to the- purpose, also
have such qualification as I ought
to have?
1 5 What is that which is wanting ?
When I see an artificer and material
lying by him, I expect the work.
Here, then, is the artificer, here the
material ; what is it that we want ?
Is not the thing one that can be
taught? It is. Is it not, then, in our
power? The only thing of all that
is in our power. Neither wealth is
in our power, nor health, nor reputa
tion, nor, in a word, any thing else ex
cept the right use of circumstances.
This is by nature free from restraint,
this alone is free from impediment.
Why, then, do you not finish the
work?
SELECTION V.
Every man is endowed by nature with
both an intellectual sense for the apprehen
sion of truth, and with a moral sense for
the discernment of right and wrong ; but
both of these senses may be deadened by
neglect or misuse.
T F a man opposes evident truths, it
is not easy to find arguments by
which we shall make him change his
opinion. But this does not arise
either from the man's strength or
the teacher's weakness ; for when
the man, though he has been con
futed, is hardened like a stone, how
shall we then be able to deal with
him by argument ?

2 Now there are two kinds of
hardening: one of the understand
ing; the other of the moral sense,
as when a man is resolved not to
assent to what is right nor to desist
from what is wrong.
3 What a shame is this? when a
man has received from nature meas
ures and rules for the knowing of
truth, and does not strive to add to
these measures and rules and to im
prove them, but just the contrary,
endeavors to take away and destroy
whatever enables us to discern the
truth ?
4 And indeed with regard to the
soul, if a man be in such a state as
not to apprehend any thing, or under
stand at all, we think that he is in
a bad condition : but if the senses of
shame and modesty are deadened,
this is by some even called strength.
5 Do you comprehend that you
are awake? I do not, the man re
plies, for I do not even comprehend
when in my sleep I imagine that I
am awake. Does this appearance,
then, not differ from the other ? Not
at all, he replies.
6 Shall I still argue with such a
man ? And what fire or what iron
shall I apply to him to make him
feel that he is deadened ? He does
perceive, but he pretends that he does
not. He is even worse than a dead
man. He does not see the contra
diction: he is in a bad condition.
7 Another does see it but he is
not moved, and makes no improve
ment : he is even in a worse condi
tion. His modesty is extirpated,
and his sense of shame; and the
rational faculty has not been cut off
from him, but it is brutalized.
8 Is there, then, no energy of the

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373

soul which is an advantage to him
who possesses it, and a damage to
him who has lost it ? — Tell me what
sort of energy you mean. — Have we
not a natural modesty? — We have.
— Does he who loses this sustain no
damage? is he deprived of nothing?
does he part with nothing of the
things which belong to him ? Have
we not naturally fidelity, natural
affection, a natural disposition to
help others, a natural disposition to
forbearance ? The man, then, who
allows himself to be damaged in
these matters, can he be free from
harm and uninjured ?
9 But as to good and evil, and
beautiful and ugly, and becoming
and unbecoming, and happiness and
misfortune, and proper and improp
er, and what we ought to do and
what we ought not to do, who ever
came into the world without having
an innate idea of them ? Wherefore
we all use these names, and we en
deavor to fit the preconceptions to
the several cases, thus : He has done
well, he has not done well ; he has
done as he ought, not as he ought ;
he has been unfortunate, he has been
fortunate; he is unjust, he is just.
Who does not use these names ?
who among us defers the use of them
till he has learned them, as he defers
the use of the words about geomet
rical figures, or sounds? And the
cause of this is that we come into the
world already taught as it were by
nature. io And how are we constituted
by nature ? Free, noble, modest :
for what other animal blushes ? what
other is capable of receiving the im
pression of shame ? and we are so

constituted by nature as to subject
pleasure to these things, as a minis
ter, a servant, in order that it may
call forth our activity ; in order that
it may keep us constant in acts which
are conformable to nature.
ill can only say this to you, that
he who knows not who he is, and for
what purpose he exists, and what is
this world, and with whom he is as
sociated, and what things are the
good and the bad, and the beautiful
and the ugly ; and who neither un
derstands discourse nor demonstra
tion, nor what is true nor what is
false ; and who is not able to distin
guish them will neither desire ac
cording to nature, nor turn away nor
move toward, nor intend to act, nor
assent, nor dissent, nor suspend his
judgment. To say all in a few words,
he will go about dumb and blind,
thinking that he is somebody, but
being nobody.
12 Is this so now for the first
time,? Is it not the fact that ever
since the human race existed, all
errors and misfortunes have arisen
through this ignorance of Truth and
of Right?
13 There are certain penalties
fixed, as by law, for those who diso
bey the divine administration. Who
ever thinks any other thing to be
good except those things which de
pend on the will, let him envy, let
him desire, let him flatter, let him be
perturbed ; whoever considers any
thing else to be evil, let him grieve,
let him lament, let him weep, let him
be unhappy. And yet, though so
severely punished, he cannot de
sist. 14 But I say : As God has ordain-

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ed, so act ; if you do not act so, you
will feel the penalty, you will be
punished. — What will be the punish
ment? — Nothing else than not having
done your duty : you will lose the
character of fidelity, modesty, pro
priety. Do not look for greater
penalties than these.
15 What advantage is it, then, to
have done right ?— -And what advan
tage is it to a man who writes the
name of Dion to write it as he ought ?
— The advantage is to have written
it. — Is there no reward then? — Do
you seek a reward for a good man
greater than doing what is good and
just? At Olympia you wish for
nothing more, but it seems to you
enough to be crowned at the games.
Does it seem to you so small and
worthless a thing to be good and
happy ?
16 But what say you, wise man ?
piety and sanctity, what do you
think that they are ? — If you like,
I will demonstrate that they are
good things. — Well, demonstrate it,
that our citizens may be turned and
honor the Deity and may no longer
be negligent about things of the
highest value. — Have you, then, the
demonstrations? — I have, and I am
thankful. 17 But hear now what is said to
the contrary ; for there are those who
say that there are no gods, and, if
there are, they take no care of men,
nor is there any fellowship between
us and them ; and that this piety
and sanctity which is talked of among
most men is the lying of boasters
and sophists, or certainly of legisla
tors for the purpose of terrifying and
checking wrong-doers.

18 Well done, philosopher, you
have done something for our citizens ;
you have brought back all the young
men to contempt of things divine.
— What then, they reply, does not
this satisfy you ? — Learn still further,
that justice is nothing, that modesty
is folly, that a father is nothing, a
son nothing.
19 Well done, philosopher, per
sist, persuade the young men, that
we may have more with the same
opinions as you and who say the
same as you. Is it from such prin
ciples as these that have grown our
well-constituted states ? by these
was Sparta founded ? Did Lycur-
gus fix these opinions in the Spar
tans by his laws and education, that
neither is the servile condition more
base than honorable, nor the condi
tion of free men more honorable
than base ; and that those who died
at Thermopylae died holding these
opinions? Monstrous impudence and
imposture !
20 So it is that now they mock
us by using all the things which
nature gives, and in words destroy
ing them.
21 Grateful, indeed, are men and
modest, who, if they do nothing else,
are daily eating bread, and yet are
shameless enough to say we do not
know if there is a God, or if there
are immortals ; not to mention that
they are enjoying the night and the
day, the seasons of the year, and the
stars, and the sea and the land, and
the co-operation of mankind, and
yet they are not moved in any
degree by these things to turn their
attention to them. But they only
seek to belch out their little problem,

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375

and when they have exercised their
digestion to go off to the bath.
22 But what they shall say, and
about what things or to what per
sons, and what their hearers shall
learn from this talk, they care not
even in the least degree, nor do
they care if any generous youth
after hearing such talk should suffer
any harm from it, nor after he has
suffered harm should lose all the
seeds of his generous nature ; nor
if we should give an adulterer help
toward being shameless in his acts ;
nor if a public peculator should lay
hold of some cunning excuse from
these doctrines ; nor if another who
neglects his parents should be con
firmed in his audacity by this teach
ing. 23 What, then, in your opinion is
good or bad ? This or that ? they
inquire. Why should a man say
any more in reply to such persons
as these, or give them any reason
or listen to any reason from them,
or try to convince them ? One
might much sooner -expect to make
catamites change their mind than
those who are become so deaf and
blind to their own evils.
SELECTION VI.
God's power, wisdom, goodness, and
omnipresence recognized ; what he gives
should be gratefully received, and what
he withholds should not be desired.
A S to piety toward God you must
"^^ know that this is the chief
thing : to have right opinions about
him, to think that he exists, and that
he administers the All, well and just
ly ; and you must fix yourself in

this principle, to obey him, and to
yield to him in every thing which
happens, and voluntarily to follow
it as being accomplished by the
wisest intelligence. For if you do
so, you will never either blame God,
nor will you accuse him of neglecting
you. 2 When you are going in to any
great personage, remember that
another also from above sees what
is going on, and that you ought to
please Him rather than the other.
3 But can we endure when a man
says, I wish I had God with me.
Have you not God with you ? and
do you seek for any other, when you
have him ?
4 If you were a statue of Phidias,
either Athena or Zeus, you would
think both of yourself and of the
artist, and if you had any under
standing you would try to do noth
ing unworthy of him who made you
or of yourself, and try not to appear
in an unbecoming attitude to those
who look on you. But now because
God has made you, for this reason
do you care not how you shall ap
pear? 5 And yet is the artist in the one
case like the artist in the other ? or
the work in the one case like the
other ? What work of an artist, for
instance, has in itself the faculties
which the artist shows in making
it ? Is it not marble or bronze, or
gold or ivory ? and the Athena of
Phidias when she has once extended
the hand and received in it the
figure of Victory, stands in that atti
tude for ever.
6 But the works of God have
power of motion, they breathe, they

376

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have the faculty of using the ap
pearances of things, and the power
of examining them. Being the work
of such an artist do you dishonor
him ?
7 And what shall I say, not only
that he made you, but also entrusted
you to yourself and made you a
deposit to yourself? Will you not
think of this too, but do you also
dishonor your guardianship? If
God had entrusted an orphan to
you, would you thus neglect him ?
He has delivered yourself to your
own care, and says, " I had no one
fitter to entrust him to than your
self : keep him for me such as he is
by nature, modest, faithful, erect,
unterrified, free from passion and
perturbation." 8 What then ? are not plants and
animals also the works of God ?
They are ; but they are not superior
things, nor yet parts of God. But
you are a superior thing ; you are a
portion separated from the Deity ;
you have in yourself a certain por
tion of him.
9 Why, then, are you ignorant of
your own noble descent ? Why do
you not know whence you came ?
will you not remember when you
are eating, who you are who eat,
and whom you feed ? When you
are in social intercourse, when you
are exercising yourself, when you are
engaged in discussion, know you not
that you are nourishing a god, that
you are exercising a god ?
io You are carrying about a god
with you, and you know it not. Do
you think that I mean some god of
silver or of gold, and external ? You
carry Him within yourself, and you

perceive not that you are polluting
Him. n Have I not within me a di
viner who has told me the nature of
good and of evil, and has explained
to me the signs of both ? What need
have I, then, to consult the viscera of
victims or the flight of birds, and why
do I submit when the priest says, It
is for your interest ?
12 I am free, and a friend of God,
and so I obey him willingly. But I
must not claim any thing else, nei
ther body nor possession, nor magis
tracy, nor good report, nor in fact
any thing. For God does not al
low me to claim them : if he had
chosen, he would have made them
good for me ; but he has not done
so, and for this reason I cannot
transgress his commands.
13 Preserve that which is your own
good in every thing ; and as to every
other thing, as it is permitted ; and
so far as to behave consistently with
reason in respect to them : be con
tent with this only. If not, you will
be unfortunate, you will fail in all
things, you will be hindered, you will
be impeded. These are the laws
which have been sent from God ;
these are the orders. Of these
laws a man ought to be an exposi
tor, to these he ought to submit,
not to those of Masurius and Cas
sius. 14 Is it possible that no man can
learn from reason and from demon
stration that God has made all the
things in the universe, and the uni
verse itself, completely free from
hindrance, and perfect, and the parts
of it for the use of the whole ?
15 All other animals indeed are

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377

incapable of comprehending the
administration of it ; but the ra
tional animal man has faculties
for the consideration of all these
things, and for understanding that it
is a part, and what kind of a part it
is, and that it is right for the parts to
be subordinate to the whole.
16 And besides this, being natu
rally noble, magnanimous, and free,
man sees that of the things which
surround him some are free from
hindrance and in his power, and the
other things are subject to hindrance
and in the power of others ; that the
things which are free from hindrance
are in the power of the will ; and
those which are subject to hindrance
are things which are not in the
power of the will.
17 And for this reason, if he un
derstands that his good and his in
terest be in those things only which,
being free from hindrance, are in his
own power, he will be free, prosper
ous, happy, free from harm, mag
nanimous, pious, thankful to God for
all things ; in no matter finding fault
with any of the things which have
not been put in his power, nor
blaming any of them.
18 But if he thinks that his good
and his interest are in externals and
in things which are not in the power
of his will, he must of necessity be
hindered, be impeded, be a slave to
those who have the power over the
things which he desires and fears ;
and he must of necessity be impious,
because he thinks that he is harmed
by God ; and he must be unjust, be
cause he always claims more than
belongs to him ; and he must of ne
cessity be abject and mean.

19 What hinders a man who has
clearly comprehended these things,
from living with a light heart and
bearing easily the reins, quietly ex
pecting every thing which can hap
pen, and enduring that which has
already happened ?
SELECTION VII.
To be happy is to submit uncomplainingly
to God's will in all things, to become united
to him as to a safe guide, and to follow
wheresoever he may lead.
"D EAR in mind these general rules :
What is mine, what is not*
mine ; what is permitted to me ;
what dcjes God will that I should do
now ? what does he not will ?
2 A little before he willed you to
be at leisure, to talk with yourself,
to write about these things, to read,
to hear, to prepare yourself. You
had sufficient time for this. Now
he says to you : Come to the con
test, show us what you have learned,
how you have practised the athletic
art. Now is the opportunity for you
to understand whether you are an
athlete worthy of victory, or one of
those who go about the world and
are defeated.
3 Why, then, are you vexed t No
contest is without confusion. There
must be many who exercise them
selves for the contest, many who call
out to those who exercise them
selves, many masters, many specta
tors. 4 " But," you say, " my wish is to
live quietly." — Lament, then, and
groan as you deserve to do. For what
other is a greater punishment than
this to the untaught man and to him
who disobeys the divine commands,

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to be grieved, to lament, to envy,
in a word to be disappointed and to
be unhappy? Would you not re
lease yourself from these things?
5 But how shall I release myself?
you ask. — Have you not often heard
that you ought to remove entirely
desire, and apply aversion to those
things which are not within your
power; that you ought to give up
every thing, — body, property, fame
books, tumult, power, private sta
tion ? For, unless you do, whatever
way you turn, you are a slave, you
are subjected, you are hindered, you
are compelled, you are entirely in
the power of others.
6 But keep the words of Cleanthes
in readiness : — Lead me, O God, and
thou necessity. Is it thy will that
I should go to Rome ? I will go to
Rome. To Gyara? I will go to
Gyara. To Athens ? I will go to
Athens. To prison? I will go to
prison. 7 Give up, then, all these things. —
Athens is a good place. — But happi
ness is much better ; and to be free
from passions, free from disturbance,
for your affairs not to depend on any
man. There is tumult at Rome,
and visits of salutation. But happi
ness is an equivalent for all trouble
some things.
8 There is only one way to hap
piness, and let this rule be ready
both in the morning and during the
day and by night : the rule is, Not
to look toward things which are out
of the power of our will, to think
that nothing is our own, to give up
all things to the Divinity, to Fort
une. 9 Remember, too, who gives these

things, and to whom, and for what
purpose. If you cherish yourself in
these thoughts, do you still think
that it makes any difference where
you shall be happy, where you shall
please God ? Is not God equally
distant from all places ? Does he not
see from all places alike that which
is going on ?
io What do you understand by
the words, Attaching yourself to
God ? This, that whatever God wills
a man also shall will ; and what God
does not will, a man also shall not
will. How, then, shall this be done ?
In what other way than by examin
ing the movements of God and his
administration ? What has he given
to me as my own and in my own
power ? what has he reserved to him
self? 1 1 He has given to me the things
which are in the power of the will ;
he has put them in my power free
from impediment and hindrance.
How was he able to make the earthly
body free from hindrance ? He
could not, and accordingly he has
subjected it to the revolution of
the whole ; — possessions, household
things, house, children, wife.
12 Why, then, do I fight against
God ? why do I will what does not
depend on the will ? why do I will
to have absolutely what is not grant
ed to me ? But how ought I to will
to have things ? In the way in which
they are given and as long as they
are given. But He who has given
takes away. Why, then, do I re
sist ?
13 For what purpose, then, have I
received these things ? — To use them.
How long ?— So long as He who has

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379

lent them chooses. — What if they
are necessary to me ? — Do not attach
yourself to them and they will not
be necessary ; do not say to your
self that they are necessary, and then
they are not necessary.
14 This study you ought to prac
tise from morning to evening, begin
ning with the smallest things and
those most liable to damage, with an
earthen pot, with a cup. Then pro
ceed in this way to a tunic, to a little
dog, to a horse, to a small estate in
land ; then to yourself, to your body,
to the parts of your body, to your
children, to your wife, to your broth
ers. Look all round and throw these
things from you which are not yours.
Purge your opinions so that nothing
cleave to you of the things which are
not your own, that nothing grow to
you, that nothing give you pain
when it is torn from you.
15 But I have never been hindered
in my will, nor compelled when I did
not will. And how is this possible ?
In this way: I have placed my choice,
with reference to action, in obedi
ence to /God. Is it His will that I
shall have fever ? It is my will also.
Is it His will that I should move tow
ard any thing? It is my will also.
Is it His will that I should obtain
any thing? It is my wish also.
Does He not will ? I do not wish. Is
it His will that I die, is it His will
that I be put to the r.ack ? It is my
will, then, to die ; it is my will, then,
to be put to the rack.
16 Who, then, is able to hinder me
contrary to my own judgment, or to
,compel me ? No more than he can
hinder or compel God.
17 In this way the more cautious

of travellers also act. A traveller has
heard that the road is infested by
robbers ; he does not venture to en
ter on it alone, but he waits for the
companionship on the road, either of
an ambassador, or of a quaestor, or
of a proconsul, and when he has at
tached himself to such persons he
goes along the road safely.
18 So in the world the wise man
acts. There are many companies of
robbers, tyrants, storms, difficulties,
losses of that which is dearest.
Where is there any place of refuge ?
how shall he pass along without be
ing attacked by robbers ? what com
pany shall he wait for that he may
pass along in safety ? to whom shall
he attach himself ? to what person
generally? to the rich man ? to the
man of consular rank ? and what is
the use of that to me ? Such a man
is stripped himself, groans and la
ments. But what if the fellow-com
panion himself turns against me and
becomes my robber, what shall Ido?
I will be a friend of Caesar ; when I
am Caesar's companion no man will
wrong me. But, in the first place,
that I may become so illustrious,
what things must I endure and suf
fer? how often and by how many
must I be robbed ? Then, after I
have become Caesar's friend, he also
is mortal. And if Caesar from any
circumstance becomes my enemy,
where is it best for me to retire ?
Into a desert ? Well, does fever not
come there ?
19 What shall be done then ? Is
it not possible to find a safe fellow-
traveller, a faithful one, strong, se
cure against all surprises ? Thus he
considers, and perceives that if he at-

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ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

taches himself to God, he will make
his journey in safety.
SELECTION VIII.
Our highest good consists in loyalty to
our highest convictions, and in faithfully
doing whatever we believe to be our duty,
whoever or whatever may oppose.
/""* OD is beneficial. But the Good
^¦^ also is beneficial. It is con
sistent, then, that where the nature
of God is, there also the nature of
the Good should be. What, then, is
the nature of God ? Flesh ? Certain
ly not. An estate in land ? By no
means. Fame? No. Is it intelli
gence, knowledge, right reason?
Yes. Herein, then, simply seek the
nature of the Good.
2 How, then, do you now appear
on the stage of life? As a witness
summoned by God. Come forward,
he says, and bear testimony for me,
for you are worthy to be brought
forward as a witness by me : is any
thing external to the will good or
bad ? do I hurt any man ? have I
made every man's interest depend
ent on any man except himself?
What testimony do you give for
God ?
3 God has fixed this law, and says,
If you would have any thing good,
receive it from yourself. ' You say,
No, but I will have it from another.
— Do not so : but receive it from
yourself. 4 When the tyrant threatens and
calls me, I say, Whom do you
threaten ? If he says, I will put you
in chains, I reply, You threaten my
hands and my feet. If he says, I
will cut off your head, I reply, You
threaten my head. If he says, I will

throw you into prison, I answer,
You threaten the whole of this poor
body. If he threatens me with ban
ishment, I say the same. Does he,
then, not threaten me at all ? If I feel
that all these things do not concern
me, he does not threaten me at all ;
but if I fear any of them, it is I
whom he threatens.
5 Whom, then, do I fear? the mas
ter ofwhat? The master of things
which are in my own power ? There
is no such master.
6 I must say what I think is right.
But if you do, says the tyrant, I shall
put you to death. When, then, I
reply, did I tell you that I am not
mortal ? You may do your part,
but I shall do mine : it is your part
to kill; it is mine to die, but not in
fear : yours to banish me ; mine to
depart, but without sorrow.
7 Why should a man fear the rich
or the powerful, even if they be both
very strong and of violent temper ?
for what will they do to us ? We
shall not care for that which they
can do ; and what we do care for,
that they cannot do.
8 How did Socrates behave with
respect to these matters? Why in
what other way than a man ought
to do who is convinced that he is a
kinsman of God? If you say to me
now, said Socrates to his judges,
We will acquit you on the condition
that you no longer discourse in the
way in which you have hitherto dis
coursed, nor trouble either our young
or our old men, I shall answer, You
make yourselves ridiculous by think
ing that, if one of our commanders
has appointed me to a certain post,
it is my duty to. keep and maintain

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381

it, and to resolve to die a thousand
times rather than desert it ; but if
God has put me in any place and
way of life, I ought to desert it.
9 But, you ask, did Socrates per
suade all his hearers to become virt
uous ? Not the thousandth part.
However, after he had been placed
in this position by the Deity, as he
himself says, he never left it. But
what does he say even to his judges?
If you acquit me on these conditions
that I no longer do that which I do
now, I will not consent and I will
not desist ; but I will go up both to
young and to old, and, indeed, to
every man whom I meet, and I will
ask the questions which I ask now ;
and most particularly will I do this
to you my fellow-citizens, because
you are more nearly related to me.
10 Are you so obstinate, Soc
rates, and such a busybody ? and
how does it concern you in what
manner we act ? what is it that you
say to us? To which Socrates re
plied: Being of the same com
munity and of the same kin, you
neglect yourselves, and show your
selves bad citizens to the state, and
bad kinsmen to your kinsmen, and
bad neighbors to your neighbors.
1 1 But who are you to reprove us
for these things ? Here it is a great
thing to reply, I am he whose duty
it is to take care of men ; for it is
not every little creature which dares
to resist a lion ; and if the strong
one comes up and resists him, say,
if you choose, Who are you, and
what business have you here ?
Man, in every kind there is pro
duced something which excels ; in
oxen, in dogs, in bees, in horses.

Do not, then, say to that which ex
cels, Who, then, are you ? If you
do, it will find a voice in some way
and say, I am such a thing as the
purple in a garment : do not ex
pect me to be like the others, or
blame my nature that it has made
me different from the rest of men.
12 A man must keep this in mind;
and when he is called to any such
difficulty, he should know that the
time is come for showing if he has
been instructed. For he who is
come into a difficulty is like a young
man from a school who has practised
the resolution of syllogisms ; and if
any person proposes to him an easy
syllogism, he says, Rather propose
to me a syllogism which is skilfully
complicated, so that I may exercise
myself on it.
13 If these things are true, and if
we are not silly, and are not acting
hypocritically when we say that the
good of man is in the will, and the
evil too, and that every, thing else
does not concern us, why are we
still disturbed, why are we still
afraid ? The things about which
we have been busied are in
no man's power : and the things
which are in the power of others,
we care not for. What reason for
anxiety have we then ?
14 But, you reply, give me direc
tions. Why should I give you
directions? has not God given you
directions? Has he not given to
you what is your own free from
hindrance and free from impediment,
and what is not your own subject to
hindrance and impediment ? What
directions, then, what kind of orders
did you bring when you came from

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him ? These, — Keep by every means
what is your own ; do not desire
what belongs to others. Integrity
is your own, virtuous shame is your
own ; who, then, can take these
things from you ? who else than
yourself will hinder you from using
them ?
15 What, then, should we do?
We ought, in our prayers for guid
ance, to come without desire or aver
sion ; even as the wayfarer asks of
the man whom he meets which of
two roads leads to his journey's end
without any desire for that which
leads to the right rather than to the
left, for he has no wish to go by any
road except the road which leads to
his end. In the same way ought we
to come to God also as a guide ;
even as we use our eyes, not asking
them to show us such things as we
wish, but rather receiving the ap
pearances of things exactly as the
eyes present them to us.
16 What, then, you exclaim, must
I be willing to be brought to trial, to
have a fever, to sail on the sea, to
die, or to be condemned ? Yes, for
it is impossible in such a body,
in such a universe of things, among
so many living together, that such
things should not happen, some to
one and others to others.
17 Did you hear this when you
were with the w'ise men ? did you
learn this ? do you not know that
human life is a warfare? that one
man must keep watch, another must
go out as a spy, and a third must
fight ? and it is not possible that all
should be in one place, nor is it bet
ter that it should be so.
18 It is your duty, then, since you

are here, to say what you ought, to
arrange these things as it is fit.
Then some one says, I shall charge
you with doing me wrong. Much
good may it do you ; I have done
my part ; but whether you also have
done yours, you must look to that :
for there is some danger of this too,
that it may escape your notice.
SELECTION IX.
Daily duties toward ourselves and
toward those about us, in order to the prop
er and, so far as possible, perfect conduct
of life.
\KJ HEN some one asks, How may
aman eat acceptably to God? it
may be answered : If he can eat justly
and contentedly, and with equanim
ity, and temperately, and in an
orderly manner, will it not also be
acceptably to God.
2 But when you have asked for
warm water and the servant has not
heard, or if he did hear has brought
only tepid water, or he is not even
found to be in the house, then not
to be vexed or to burst with passion,
is not this acceptable to God?
3 Will you not bear with your
own brother, who has God for his
progenitor, and is like a son from
the same origin and of the same
descent from above ? Because you
have been put in a higher place, will
)tpu immediately make yourself a
tyrant ? Will you not remember
who you are, and whom you rule?
that they are kinsmen, that they are
brethren by nature, that they are the
offspring of God? But, you say, I
have purchased them: they have
not purchased me. Thinking thus,
do you see in what direction you are'

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383

looking, that it is toward the earth,
toward the pit, that it is toward
these wretched laws of dead men ?
but toward the laws of God you are
not looking.
4 How, then, shall I become of an
affectionate temper? By being of a
noble disposition, and happy. For
it is not reasonable to be mean-
spirited, nor to lament yourself, nor
to depend on another, nor ever to
blame either God or man. I entreat
you, become an affectionate person
in this way, by observing these rules.
But if through this affection, as you
name it, you are going to be a slave
and wretched, there is no profit in
being affectionate.
5 And what prevents you from
loving another as a person subject
to mortality, that is, as one who may
go away from you. Did not Socrates
love his own children ? He did ;
but it was as a free man, as one who
remembered that he must first be a
friend to God.
6 Every great faculty is dangerous
to beginners. You, must, then, bear
such things as you are able, but con
formably to nature. Practise some
times a way of living like a person
out of health, that you may at some
time live like a man in health. Ab
stain from food, drink water, abstain
sometimes altogether from desire, in
order that you may some time desire
consistently with reason ; and if con
sistently with reason, when you have
any thing good in you, you will desire
well. 7 But instead of doing thus, you
wish to live like wise men im
mediately and to be useful to men.
— Useful how? what are you doing?

have you been useful to yourself?
Show to them in your own example
what kind of men the love of wis
dom makes, and don't trifle. When
you are eating, do good to those
who eat with you ; when you are
drinking, do good to those who are
drinking with you ; by yielding to
all, giving way, bearing with them,
thus do them good, and do not throw
out upon them your bad humors.
8 For we ought to have these two
principles in readiness: that, except
the will, nothing is good or bad ; and
that we ought not to lead events, but
to follow them. My brother ought
not to have behaved thus to me, you
say. — No ; but let him see to that :
and, however he may behave, do you
say, I will conduct myself toward
him as I ought : for this is my own
business ; that belongs to another :
no man can prevent this; the other
can be prevented.
9 And what is the divine law?
To keep a man's own, not to claim
that which belongs to others, but to
use what is given, and when it is not
given, not to desire it ; and when a
thing is taken away, to give it up
readily and immediately, and to be
thankful for the time that a man has
had the use of it.
10 For this reason, if a man put
in the same place his interest, sanc
tity, goodness, and country, and par
ents, and friends, all these are se
cured ; but if he puts in one place
his interest, in another his friends
and his country and his kinsmen and
justice itself, all these give way, be
ing borne down by the weight of in
terest. For where the I and the Mine
are placed, to that place, of necessity,.

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the animal inclines : if in the flesh,
there is the ruling power ; if in the
will, it is there ; and if it is in exter
nals, it is there.
ii If, then, I am where my will is,
then only shall I be a friend such as
I ought to be, and son, and father ;
for this will be my interest, to main
tain the character of fidelity, of mod
esty, of patience, of abstinence, of
active co-operation, of observing my
relations toward all. But if I put
myself in one place, and honesty
in another, then the doctrine of
Epicurus becomes strong: which
asserts either that there is no virtue
at all, or it is nothing but that which
opinion holds to be virtuous.
12 And this is not a perverse self-
regard ; for the animal is constituted
so as to do all things for itself. Even
the sun does all things for itself.
Nay, even God himself ; but when
he chooses to be the Giver of rain
and the Giver of fruits, and the
Father of Immortals and of men, you
see that he cannot obtain these func
tions and these names, if he is not
useful to man ; and, universally, he
has made the nature of the rational
animal such that it cannot obtain
any one of its own proper interests,
if it does not contribute something
to the common interest.
13 Consider, then, who you are.
In the first place, you are a man ;
and this is one who has nothing su
perior to the faculty of the will, but
all other things subjected to it ; and
the faculty itself he possesses unen-
slaved and free from subjection.
Consider, also, from what things you
have been separated by reason.
You have been separated from wild

beasts ; you have been separated
from domestic animals. Further,
you are a citizen of the world, and a
part of it ; not one of the serving
merely, but also one of the ruling
parts ; for you are capable of com
prehending the divine administra
tion, and of considering the connec
tion of things.
14 What, then, does the character
of a citizen promise ? To hold
nothing as profitable to himself ; to
deliberate about nothing as if he
were detached from the community,
but to act as the hand or foot would
do, if they had reason and under
stood the constitution of nature ;
for they would never put themselves
in motion nor desire any thing
otherwise than with reference to
the whole.
15 If you consider yourself as de
tached from other men, it is possible
to live to old age, to be rich, to be
healthy. But if you consider your
self as a man and a part of. a certain
whole, it is for the sake of that whole
that at one time you should be sick,
at another time take a voyage and
run into danger, and at another time
be in want, and in some cases die
prematurely. 16 Why, then, are you troubled?
Do you not know, that as a foot is
no longer a foot if it is detached
from the body? so you are no longer
a man if you are separated from other
men. 17 But they are thieves and rob
bers, you say. What do you mean
by thieves and robbers ? They are
mistaken about good and evil.
Ought we, then, to be angry with
them, or to pity them ? But show

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385

them their error, and you will see
how they desist from their errors.
If they do not see their errors, they
have nothing superior to their pres
ent condition.
18 Ought not, then, this robber
and this adulterer to be destroyed ?
By no means say so, but speak rather
in this way : This man who has been
mistaken and deceived about the
most important things, and blinded,
not in the faculty of vision which
distinguishes white and black, but
in the faculty which distinguishes
good and bad, should we not destroy
him ? If you speak thus, you will
see how inhuman this is which you
say, and that it is just as if you
would say, Ought we not to destroy
this blind and deaf man ?
19 But if the greatest harm is the
privation of the greatest things, and
the greatest thing in every man is
the will or choice such as it ought
to be, and a man is deprived of this
will, why are you also angry with
him? Man, you ought not to be
affected contrary to nature by the
bad things of another. Pity him
rather : drop this readiness to be of
fended and to hate, and these words
which the many utter : " These
accursed and odious fellows ! "
20 What then? shall I not hurt
him who has hurt me ? In the first
place consider what hurt is, and
remember what you have heard from
the wise men. For if the good con
sists in the will, and the evil also in
the will, see if what you say is not
this: What, then, since that man
has hurt himself by doing an unjust
act to me, shall I not hurt myself "by
doing some unjust act to him ?

21 What then? if one does all
these things, will it be possible to be
free from faults ? It is not possible ;
but this is possible, to direct your
efforts incessantly to being faultless.
For we must be content if by never
remitting this attention we shall
escape at least a few errors.
22 But now when you have said,
To-morrow I will begin to attend,
you must be told that you are say
ing this : To-day I will be shameless,
disregardful of time and place, mean;
to-day I will be passionate and en
vious. See how many evil things
you are permitting yourself to do.
If it is good to use attention to-mor
row, how much better is it to do so
to-day ? if to-morrow it is in your
interest to attend, much more is it
to-day, that you may be able to do
so to-morrow also, and may not defer
it again to the third day.
23 We ought, then, to have these
rules in readiness, and to do nothing
without them, and we ought to keep
the soul directed to this mark : To
pursue nothing external, and noth
ing which belongs to others, but to
do as He has appointed who has the
control of us and of all things.
SELECTION X.
Self -discipline; its methods, helps, diffi
culties, and rewards.
"P VERY habit and faculty is main-
tained and increased by the
corresponding actions : the habit of
walking by walking, the habit of run
ning by running. If you would be a
good reader, read ; if a writer, write.
But when you shall not have read
for thirty days in succession, but
have done something else, you will

386

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

know the consequence. In the same
way, if you shall have lain down ten
days, get up and attempt to make
a long walk, and you will see how
your limbs are weakened.
2 Generally, then, if you would
make any thing a habit, do it ; if
you would not make it a habit, do
not do it, but accustom yourself to
do something else in place of it.
3 So it is with respect to the af
fections of the soul : when you have
been angry, you must know that not
only has this evil befallen you, but
that you have also increased the
habit, and in a manner thrown fuel
upon fire. For it is impossible for
habits and faculties, some of them
not to be produced, when they did
not exist before ; and others not be
increased and strengthened by cor
responding acts.
4 In this manner certainly, as wise
men say, also diseases of the mind
grow up. For when you have once
desired money, if reason be applied
to lead to a perception of the evil,
the desire is stopped, and the ruling
faculty of our mind is restored to the
original authority. But if you ap
ply no means of cure, it no longer re
turns to the same state, but being
again excited by the corresponding
appearance, it is inflamed to desire
quicker than before : and when this
takes place continually, it is hence
forth made callous, and the disease
of the mind confirms the love of
money. 5 If, then, you wish not to be of an
angry temper, do not feed the habit:
throw nothing on it which will
increase it : at first keep quiet
and count the days on which you

have not been angry — I used to be
in passion every day ; now every
second day ; then every third ; then
every fourth. But if you have inter
mitted thirty days, make an offering
to God. For the habit at first begins
to be weakened, and then is com
pletely destroyed. And when you
can say, I have not been vexed to
day, nor the day after, nor yet on
any succeeding day during two or
three months ; but I took care when
some exciting things happened ; — be
assured, then, that you are in a good
way. 6 But how shall this be done ?
In this way : Be willing at length to
be approved by yourself, be willing
to appear beautiful to God, desire to
be in purity with your own pure self
and with God. Then, when any such
temptation visits you, Plato says :
Have recourse to expiations, go a
suppliant to the temples of the
averting deities. But I think it is
even sufficient if you resort to the
society of noble and just men, and
compare yourself with them, whether
you find one who is living or dead.
7 This is the true athlete, the man
who exercises himself against such
temptations. Stay, man, do not be
carried away. Great is the combat,
divine is the work ; it is for king
ship, for freedom, for happiness, for
disenthrallment from perturbation,
Remember God : call on him as a
helper and protector, as men at sea
call on the Dioscuri in a storm. For
what is a greater storm than that
which comes from passions which
are violent and drive away the rea
son ?
8 And the storm itself, what else

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387

is it but an appearance ? For take
away the fear of death, and suppose
as many thunders and lightnings as
you please, and you will know what
calm and serenity there is in the rul
ing faculty.
9 But if you have once been de
feated and say that you will conquer
hereafter, and then say the same
again, be assured that you will at
last be in so wretched a condition
and so weak that you will not even
know afterward that you are doing
wrong, but you will even begin to
make apologies for your wrong-do
ing : and then you will confirm the
saying of Hesiod to be true, With
constant ills the dilatory strives.
10 But those who have a good
natural disposition, even if you try
to turn them aside, cling still more
to reason. Wherefore Rufus gener
ally attempted to discourage his
pupils, and he used this method as a
test of those who had a good natural
disposition and those who had not.
For it was his habit to say : As a
stone, if you cast it upward, will be
brought down to the earth by its
own nature, so the man whose mind
is naturally good, the more you re
pel him, the more he turns toward
that to which he is naturally inclined.
11 So, then, will you not help your
self? and how much easier is this
help ? There is no need to kill any
man, nor to put him in chains, nor
to treat him with contumely, nor to
go to the courts of law ; but it is
only necessary for you to speak to
yourself, who will be most easily
persuaded, with whom no man has
more power of persuasion than your
self.

12 First of all, condemn what you
are doing, and then when you have
condemned it, do not despair of
yourself : and be not in the condi
tion of those men of mean spirit,
who, when they have once given in,
surrender themselves completely and
are carried away as if by a torrent.
But see what the trainers of boys do.
Has the boy fallen ? Rise, they say,
wrestle again till you are made
strong. Do you also do something
of the same kind : for be well assured
nothing is more tractable than the
human soul.
13 You must exercise the Will,
and the thing is done, it is set right :
as on the other hand, only be care
less, and the thing is lost : for from
within comes ruin, and from within
comes help.
14 Then you say, What good do
I gain ? I answer : What greater
good do you seek than this ; from a
shameless man to become a modest
man, from a disorderly man to be
come orderly, from a faithless man
to become faithful, from a man of
unbridled habits to become a sober
man ? If you seek any thing more
than this, go on doing what you are
doing: not even a God can now
help you.
15 You must know that if you al
low your desire and aversion to turn
to things which are not within the
power of the will, you will neither
have your desire capable of attaining
your object, nor your aversion free
from the power of avoiding that
which you would avoid. And since
strong habit prevails, and we are ac
customed to employ desire and aver
sion only to things which are not

388

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

within the power of our will, we
ought to oppose to this habit a con
trary habit, and where there is great
slipperiness in the appearances, there
to oppose the habit of exercise.
1 6 For instance, I am rather in
clined to pleasure : I will incline to
the contrary side above measure for
the sake of exercise. I am averse
to pain : I will exercise against this
the appearances which are presented
to me for the purpose of withdraw
ing my aversion from every such
thing. For, in exercise, who is a true
practitioner ? Is it not he who for
bears gratifying his desire, applies
his aversion only to things which are
within the power of his will, and
practises most in the things which
are difficult to conquer?
17 After this manner, then, being
irritable, practise, man, to endure if
you are abused, not to be vexed if
you are treated with dishonor. Then
you will make so much progress
that, even if a man strikes you, you
will say to yourself, Imagine that
you have run against a statue : then
also exercise yourself to use wine
properly so as not to drink much,
for in this also there are men who
foolishly indulge themselves. Then,
at last, if an occasion is presented
for the purpose of putting you to
the test, at a proper time you will
descend into the arena to know if
temptations overpower you as they
did formerly.
18 But at first, fly far from that
which is stronger than yourself ; for
the contest is unequal. As the say
ing is, The earthen pitcher and the
rock do not agree.
19 You must proceed according

to rules : follow strict diet, abstain
from delicacies, exercise yourself by
compulsion at fixed times, in heat,
in cold. Do you think that you can
eat as you do now, drink as you do
now, and in the same way be angry
and out of humor? You must watch,
labor, conquer certain desires ; you
must depart from your kinsmen, be
despised by your servant, laughed
at by those who meet you : in
every thing you must be willing to
be in an inferior condition, as to
magisterial office, in honors, in courts
of justice.
20 When you have considered all
these things adequately, then, if you
think proper, approach to the study
of Wisdom, if you would gain in
exchange for these things freedom
from perturbations, liberty, tranquil
lity. But if yoM have not considered
these things, do not approach : do'
not act like children, at one time a
student of Wisdom, then a tax-col
lector, then a rhetorician, then an
officer of Caesar. These things are
not consistent. You must be one
man, either good or bad ; you must
either labor at your own ruling
faculty or at external things ; you
must either labor at things within
or at external things : that is, you
must either occupy the place of a
wise man, or that of one of the
vulgar. 21 If we -practised thus, and exer
cised ourselves in these things daily
from morning to night, something,
indeed, would be accomplished. But
now we are forthwith caught half
asleep by every temptation, and it
is only, if ever, in the school that
we are roused a little. Then when we

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389

go out, if we see a man lamenting, we
say, He is undone. If we see a con
sul, we say, He is happy. If we see
an exiled man, we say, He is miser
able. If we see a poor man, we say,
He is wretched; he has nothing to eat.
22 We ought to eradicate these
false opinions, and to this end we
should direct all our efforts.
23 Has, then, God given you eyes
to no purpose? and to no purpose
has he infused into them a spirit so
strong and of such skilful contriv
ance as to reach a long way and to
fashion the forms of things which
are seen ? What messenger is so
swift and vigilant ? And to no pur
pose has he made the interjacent
atmosphere so efficacious and elastic
that the vision penetrates through
the atmosphere, which is in a man
ner moved ? And to no purpose
has he made light, without the pres
ence of which there would be no use
in any other thing ?
24 Man, be neither ungrateful for
these gifts, nor yet forget the things
which are superior to them. But
indeed for the power of seeing and
hearing, and indeed for life itself,
and for the things which contribute
to support it ; for the fruits which
are dry, and for wine and oil give
thanks to God : but remember that
he has given you something else
better than all these, T mean the
power of using them, proving them,
and estimating the value of each.
SELECTION XI.
Freedom is the greatest good, and con
sists in leading a virtuous life, preserving
a contented mind and being attached to God
as friend and guide.
WHAT, then, is that which makes
a man free from hindrance and

makes him his own master ? For
wealth does not do it, nor consul
ship, nor provincial government.
2 Does freedom seem to you a
good thing ? The greatest good. Is
it possible, then, that he who obtains
the greatest good can be unhappy
or fare badly ? No. Whomsoever,
then, you shall see unhappy, unfort
unate, lamenting, confidently declare
that they are not free. I do declare
it. 3 We have now, then, got away
from buying and selling, and from
such arrangements about matters of
property: for if you have rightly
assented to these matters, if the great
king is unhappy, he cannot be free,
nor can a little king, nor a man of
consular rank, nor one who has been
twice consul. — Be it so.
4 Further, then, answer me this
question also, Does freedom seem to
you to be something great and
noble and valuable ? — How should
it not seem so ? Is it possible, then,
when a man obtains any thing so
great and valuable and noble to be
mean ? — It is not possible.
5 When, then, you see any man
subject to another, or flattering him
contrary to his own opinion, confi
dently affirm that this man also is
not free ; and not only if he do this
for a bit of supper, but also if he
does it for a government office (prov
ince) or for a consulship : and call
these men little slaves who for the
sake of little matters do these things,
and those who do so for the sake of
great things call great slaves.
6 And how is it possible that a
man who has nothing, who is naked,
houseless, without hearth, squalid,
without a servant, without a city,

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can pass a life that flows easily ? See,
God has sent you a man to show you
that it is possible.
7 Look at me, who am without a
city, without a house, without pos
sessions, without a servant ; I sleep
on the ground ; I have no wife, no
children, no praetorium, but only the
earth and heavens, and one poor
cloak. And what do I want ? Am
I not without sorrow ? am I not
without fear ? Am I not free ? When
did any of you see me failing in the
object of my desire ? or ever falling
into that which I would avoid ? did
I ever blame God or man ?
8 Caesar appears to furnish us with
great peace : there are no longer
enemies nor battles nor great associ
ations of robbers nor of pirates, but
we can travel at every hour and sail
from east to west. But can Caesar
give us security from fever also, can
he from shipwreck, from fire, from
earthquake, or from lightning ? well,
I will say, can he give us security
against love ? He cannot. From
sorrow? He cannot. From envy?
He cannot. In a word, then, he
cannot protect us from any of these
things. 9 But the doctrine of wise men
promises to give us peace even
against these things. And what
does it say ? Men, if you will attend
to me, wherever you are, whatever
you are doing, you will not feel sor
row, nor anger, nor compulsion, nor
hindrance, but you will pass your
time without perturbations and free
from every thing.
io When a man has this peace,
not proclaimed by Caesar (for how
should he be able to proclaim it ?),

but by God through reason, is he not
content when he is alone ? when he
sees and reflects, Now no evil can
happen to me ; for me there is no
robber, no earthquake, every thing is
full of peace, full of tranquillity :
every way, every city, every meet
ing, neighbor, companion is harm
less. 1 1 If a man exercises me in keep
ing my temper, does he not do me
good ? Is my neighbor bad ? Bad
to himself, but good to me: he exer
cises my good disposition, my mod
eration. Is my father bad ? Bad to
himself, but to me good.
12 This is the rod of Hermes :
touch with it what you please, as the
saying is, and it will be of gold. I say
not so : but bring what you please,
and I will make it good. Bring dis
ease, bring death, bring poverty,
bring abuse, bring trial on capital
charges : all these things through the
rod of Hermes shall be made profit
able. 13 But what will you do with
death ? Why, what else than that it
shall do you honor, or that it shall
show you what a man is who follows
the will of nature ?
14 What will you do with disease ?
I will show its nature, I will be con
spicuous in it, I will be firm, I will
be happy, I will not flatter the phy
sician, I will not wish to die.
1 5 What else do you seek ? what
ever you shall give me, I will make
it happy, fortunate, honored, a thing
which a man shall seek.
16 Of things some are good, some
are bad, and others are indifferent.
The good are the virtues and the
things which partake of the virtues :

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391

the bad are the vices and the things
which partake of them ; and the in
different are the things which lie be
tween the virtues and the vices,
wealth, health, life, death, pleasure,
pain. 17 Let not that which in another
is contrary to nature be an evil to
you : for you are not formed by
nature to be depressed with others
nor to be unhappy with others, but
to be happy with them. If a man is
unhappy, remember that his unhap-
piness is his own fault : for God has
made all men to be happy, to be free
from perturbations.
18 It is not fit for us to be unhap
py on account of any person, but to
be happy on account of all ; but
chiefly on account of God, who has
made us for this end.
19 To desire, then, things which
are impossible is to have a slavish
character, and is foolish; it is the
part of a stranger, of a man who
fights against God in the only way
that he can, by his opinions.
20 Reflect more carefully, know
thyself, consult the divinity, without
God attempt nothing.
21 Let any of you show me a hu
man soul ready to think as God does,
and not to blame either God or man;
ready not to be disappointed about
any thing, not to consider himself
damaged by any thing, not to be
angry, not to be envious, not to be
jealous ; and why should I not say it
direct ? desirous from a man to be
come a god, and in this poor mortal
body thinking of his fellowship with
God. Show me the man.
22 But before all the Cynic's rul
ing faculty must be purer than the

sun ; instead of arms and guards it is
conscience which gives this power.
When he knows that he has watched
and labored for mankind, and has
slept pure, and sleep has left him still
purer ; and that, whatever he has
thought has been as a friend of the
Immortals, as a minister, as a partici
pator of the power of God, — and
then all is peace ; there is no robber
who takes away his will, no tvrant.
SELECTION XII.
We should be loyal to our convictions
of Truth, notwithstanding the ridicule or
oppositions of others; but we should for
give those who oppose us, withdraw our
selves from impure or vulgar companion
ships, and be content with the help and
approval of God.
TF you desire to be a lover of Wis
dom, prepare yourself from the
beginning to be ridiculed ; expect
that many will sneer at you. But
hold on to the things which seem to
you best as one appointed by God
to this station. And remember
that if you abide in the same prin
ciples, these men who first ridiculed
will afterward admire you ; but if
you shall have been overpowered
by them, you will bring on yourself
double ridicule.
2 When you have decided that a
thing ought to be done and are
doing it, never avoid being seen
doing it, though the many shall form
an unfavorable opinion about it. For
if it is not right to do it, avoid doing
the thing ; but if it is right, why are
you afraid of those who shall find
fault wrongly?
3 As the sun does not wait for
prayers and incantations to be in-

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ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

duced to rise, but immediately shines
and is saluted by all : so do you also
not wait for clappings of hands, and
shouts and praise to be induced to
do good, but be a doer of good
voluntarily, and you will be beloved
as much as the sun.
4 As a goose is not frightened by
cackling nor a sheep by bleating, so
let not the clamor of a senseless
multitude alarm you.
5 As a multitude, when they
without reason demand of you any
thing of your own, do not disconcert
you, so do not be moved from your
purpose even by a rabble when they
unjustly attempt to move you,
6 Let not these thoughts afflict
you, I shall live unhonored and be
nobody nowhere. For if want of
honor is an evil, you cannot be in
evil through the means of another
any more than you can be involved
in any thing base.
7 Therefore, do not so much be
ashamed of that disgrace which
proceeds from men's opinion, as fly
from that which comes from the
truth. 8 If you wish to be well spoken
of, learn to speak well of others :
and when you have learned to speak
well of them, try to act well ; and
so you will reap the fruit of being
well spoken of.
9 When any person treats you ill
or speaks ill of you, remember that
he does this or says this because he
thinks that it his duty. It is not
possible, then, for him to follow that
which seems right to you, but that
which seems right to himself. Ac
cordingly, if he is wrong in his opin
ion, he is the person who is hurt, for

he is the person who has been de
ceived. If you proceed, then, from
these opinions, you will- be mild in
temper to him who reviles you : for
say on each occasion, It seemed so
to him.
io Forgiveness is better than re
venge : for forgiveness is the sign of
a gentle nature, but revenge the sign
of a savage nature.
II Epictetus being asked how a
man should give pain to his enemy
answered, By preparing himself to
live the best life that he can.
12 Fortify yourself with content
ment, for this is an impregnable
fortress. 13 Let nothing be valued more
than truth : not even selection of a
friendship. 14 If you wish to live without
perturbation and with pleasure, try
to have all who dwell with you good.
And you will have them good, if
you instruct those willing to be
taught, and dismiss those who are
unwilling: for there will fly away
together with those who have fled
from you, both wickedness and slav
ery ; and there will be left with those
who remain with you, goodness and
liberty. 15 If a man places a piece of
quenched chalcoal close to a piece
that is burning, either the quenched
charcoal will quench the other, or
the burning charcoal will light that
which is quenched. Since, then, the
danger is so great, we must cau
tiously enter into such intimacies
with those of the vulgar sort, and
remember that it is impossible that
a man can keep company with one
who is covered with soot without

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393

being partaker of the soot himself.
16 Until, then, good sentiments
are fixed in you, and you shall have
acquired a certain power for your
security, I advise you to be careful
in your association with vulgar per
sons : if you are not, every day like
wax in the sun there will be melted
away whatever you have inscribed
on your minds. Withdraw, then,
yourselves far from the sun so long
as you have these waxen sentiments.
17 Listen to those who wish to
advise what is useful, but not to
those who are eager to flatter on all
occasions ; for the first really see
what is useful, but the second look
to that which agrees with the opin
ion of those who possess power ; and,
imitating the shadows of bodies, they
assent to what is said by the power
ful. 18 It is better by assenting to
truth to conquer opinion, than by
assenting to opinion to be conquered
by truth.
19 If you seek truth, you will not
seek by every means to gain a vic
tory ; and if you have found truth,
you will have the gain of not being
defeated. For truth conquers with
itself; but opinion conquers among
those who are given to externals.
20 Truth is a thing immortal and
perpetual ; it gives to us a beauty
which fades not away in time, nor
does it take away the freedom of
speech which proceeds from justice ;
but it gives to us the knowledge of
what is just and lawful, separating
from them, the unjust and refuting
them. 21 When we are children our
parents deliver us to a pedagogue

to take care on all occasions that
we suffer no harm. But when we
are become men, God delivers us to
our innate conscience to take care
of us. This guardianship, then, we
must in no way despise, for we shall
both displease God and be enemies
to our own conscience.
22 A soul which is conversant
with virtue is like an ever-flowing
source, for it is pure and tranquil
and potable and sweet and communi
cative; and also rich and harmless
and free from mischief.
23 Let your talk of God be re
newed every day, rather than your
food. Think of God more frequently
than you breathe. If you always
remember that whatever you are
doing in the soul or in the body,
God stands by as an inspector, you
will never err, either in any of your
prayers or in any of your deeds, but
you will have God dwelling with
you. SELECTION XIII.
We should always subordinate pleasure
to virtue; ourselves to others; our personal
preferences to the public good; and all to
the will and wisdom of God.
TF you have received the impres-
sion of any pleasure, guard your
self against being carried away by it;.
but let the thing wait for you, and
allow yourself a certain delay on
your own part. Then think of both
times ; — of the time when you will
enjoy the pleasure, and of the time
after the enjoyment of the pleasure
when you will repent and will re
proach yourself.
2 And set against these things
how you will rejoice if you have ab-

394

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

stained from the pleasure, and how
you will commend yourself. But if
it seem to you seasonable to do the
thing, take care that the charm of it,
and the pleasure, and the attraction
of it shall not conquer you : but set
on the other side the consideration,
how much better it is to be conscious
that you have gained the victory.
3 Choose rather to punish your
appetites than to be punished
through them. No man is free who
is not master of himself.
4 Fortune of the body and vice of
the soul is a bad fortune ; for he who
is free in the body, but bound in the
soul, is a slave ; but, on the contrary,
he who is bound in the body, but free
in the soul, is free.
5 In banquets, remember that you
entertain two guests, body and soul :
and whatever you shall have given to
the body you soon eject ; but what
you shall have given to the soul, you
keep always.
6 Pleasure, like a kind of bait, is
thrown in front of every thing which
is really bad, and easily allures greedy
souls to the hook of perdition.
7 Nothing is meaner than love of
pleasure, and love of gain and pride.
Nothing is superior to magnanimity,
and gentleness, and love of mankind,
and beneficence.
8 Of pleasures, those which occur
most rarely give the greatest delight.
If a man should trangress modera
tion, the things which give the great
est delight would become the things
which give the least.
9 As it is better to lie compressed
in a narrow bed and be healthy than
to be tossed with disease on a broad
couch, so also it is better to contract

yourself within a small competence
and to be happy than to have a great
fortune and to be wretched. For it
is not poverty which produces sor
row, but desire ; nor does wealth re
lease from fear, but reason. If,
then, you acquire reason, you will
neither desire wealth nor complain
of poverty.
io No man who loves money, and
loves pleasure, and loves fame, also
loves mankind, but only he who loves
virtue. 1 1 Examine yourself whether you
wish to be rich or to be happy. If
you wish to be rich, you should know
that it is neither a good thing nor
always in your power : but if you
wish to be happy, you should know
that it is both a good thing and in
your power; for the one is a- tem
porary loan of fortune, but happiness
comes from the will.
12 Contentment, as it is a short
road and pleasant, has great delight
and little trouble.
13 When you see a viper or an
asp or a scorpion in an ivory or
golden box, you do not, on account
of the costliness of the material,
love it or think it happy ; but be
cause the nature of it is pernicious,
you turn away from it and loathe
it. So when you shall see vice
dwelling in wealth and in the swol
len fulness of fortune, be not struck
by the splendor of the material, but
despise the false character of the
morals. 14 It is more necessary to heal
the soul than the body, for to die is
better than to live a bad life.
15 Wealth is not one of the good
things ; great expenditure is one of

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395

the bad ; moderation is one of the
good things. And moderation in
vites to frugality and the acquisition
of good things : but wealth invites
to great expenditure and draws us
away from moderation. It is diffi
cult, then, for a rich man to be
moderate, or for a moderate man
to be rich.
16 Virtue, then, should be desired
by all men more than wealth, which
is dangerous to the foolish ; for the
wickedness of men is increased by
wealth. And the more a man is
without sense, the more violent is
he in excess ; for he has the means
of satisfying his mad desire for
pleasures. 17 What we ought not to do, we
should not even think of doing.
18 Choose the best life, for custom
will make it pleasant.
19 Be careful to leave your sons
well instructed rather than rich, for
the hopes of the instructed are bet
ter than the wealth of the ignorant.
20 Let no man think that he is
loved by any man when he loves no
man. 21 You ought to choose both phy
sician and friend not the most agree
able, but the most useful.
22 In prosperity it is very easy
to find a friend ; but in adversity it
is the most difficult of all things.
23 Let no wise man be averse to
undertaking the office of a magis
trate: for it is both impious for a
man to withdraw himself from being
useful to those who have need of
our services ; and it is ignoble to give
way to the worthless ; and it is fool
ish to prefer being ill-governed to
governing well.

24 If you propose to adorn your
city by the dedication of monu
ments, first adorn yourself with the
noblest offering of gentleness and
justice and beneficence.
25 You will do the greatest ser
vices to the state, if you shall raise
not the roofs of houses, but the
souls of citizens : for it is better that
great souls should dwell in small
houses than for mean slaves to lurk
in great houses.
26 Do not decorate the walls of
your house with the valuable stones
from Eubcea and Sparta ; but adorn
the minds of the citizens and of those
who administer the state with the
instructions of wise men. For states
are well governed by the wisdom of
men, but not by stone and wood.
27 If you wished to breed lions,
you would not care so much about
the costliness of their dens as about
the habits of the animals ; so, if you
attempt to preside over your citizens,
be not so anxious about the costli
ness of the buildings as careful about
the manly character of those who
dwell in them.
28 He who exercises wisdom ex
ercises the knowledge which is about
God. 29 Those who have been instruct
ed, like those who have been trained
in the palaestra, though they may
have fallen, rise again from their
misfortune quickly and skilfully.
30 Those who are well constituted
in the body endure both heat and
cold : and so those who are well con
stituted in the soul endure both
anger and grief and excessive joy
and the other affects.
31 Seek not that the things which

396

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

happen should happen as you wish ;
but wish the things which happen
to be as they are, and you will have
a tranquil flow of life.
32 Never say about .any thing I
have lost it, but say, I have restored
it. Is your child dead? It has been
restored. Is your wife dead ? She
has been restored. Has your estate
been taken from you ? Has not then
this also been restored ? What is it
to you, by whose hands the giver
demanded it back? So long as he
may allow you, take care of it as a
thing which belongs to another, as
travellers do with their inn.
33 On a voyage when a vessel has
reached a port, if you go out to get
water, it is an amusement by the
way to pick up a shell fish or some
bulb, but your thoughts ought to be
directed to the ship ; and you ought
to be constantly watching if the cap
tain should call, and then you must
throw away all those things, and
hasten to the ship. So in life also,
if there be given to you a wife and
child and similar things, there will
be nothing to prevent you from ac
cepting them. But if the Captain
should call, run to the ship, and
leave all those things without regard
to them. And if you are aged, do
not even go far from the ship, lest
when you are called you make
default. 34 When Thales was asked what
is most universal, he answered, Hope,
for hope stays with those who have
nothing else. SELECTION XIV.
Tranquillity of mind the highest of at
tainments ; and entire submission to the

will of God, with no pre-determinations,
repinings, or complaints, is the only way
by which this attainment may be reached.
'THE wise and good man, remem-
bering who he is, and whence
he came, and by whom he was pro
duced, is attentive only to this, how
he may fill his place with due regu
larity and obedience to God.
2 Dost Thou wish me still to live ?
I will continue to live as free, as
noble in nature as Thou hast wished
me to ; for Thou hast made me free
from hindrance in that which is my
own. 3 But hast Thou no further need
of me ? I thank Thee ; so far, I have
remained for Thy sake, and for the
sake of no other person, and now, in
obedience to Thee I depart. How
dost thou depart ? Again, I say,
as Thou hast pleased ; as free, as Thy
servant, as one who has known Thy
commands and Thy prohibitions.
4 And so long as I shall stay in
Thy service, whom dost Thou will
me to be? A prince or a private
man, a senator or a common person,
a soldier or a general, a teacher or a
master of family ? whatever place
and position Thou mayest assign to
me, as Socrates says, I will die ten
thousand times rather than desert
them. 5 And where dost Thou will me
to be ? in Rome, or Athens, or
Thebes, or Gyara. Only remember
me there where I am.
6 If Thou sendest me to a place
where there are no means for men
living according to nature, I shall
not depart in disobedience to Thee,
but as if Thou wast giving me the
signal to retreat : I do not leave

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397

Thee, let this be far from my inten
tion, but T perceive that thou hast
no need of me.
7 If means of living according to
nature be allowed to me, I will seek
no other place than that in which I
am, or other men than those among
whom I am.
8 Let these thoughts be ready to
hand by night and by day ; these
you should write, these you should
read ; about these you should talk to
yourself, and to others. Ask a man,
Can you help me at all for this pur
pose ? and further, go to another
and to another.
9 In a word, desire nothing than
that which God wills : then, Who
shall hinder you ? who shall compel
you ? No man shall compel you
any more than he shall compel God
himself. io When you have such a Guide,
and your wishes and desires are the
same as His, why do you still fear
disappointment ?
n Give your desires to wealth
and your aversions to poverty, and
you will be disappointed in the one,
you will fall into the other. Well,
give them up to health, and you
will be unfortunate ; give them
up to magistracies, honors, country,
friends, children, in a word, to any of
the things which are not in man's
power, and you will be unfortunate.
12 But give them up to God, sur
render them to Him, let Him gov
ern, let your desire and aversion be
ranged on His side, and wherein will
you be any longer unhappy ?
13 But if you envy, and complain,
and are jealous, and fear, and never
cease for a single day complaining

both of yourself and of God, why do
you still speak of being educated ?
What kind of an education, man ?
14 Will you not, if it is possible,
unlearn all these things and begin
from the beginning, and see at the
same time that hitherto you have
not even touched the matter ; and
then commencing from this founda
tion, will you not build up all that
comes after, so that nothing may
happen which you do not choose,
and nothing shall fail to happen
which you do choose ?
15 Give me one young man who
has come with this intention, who
has become a champion for this mat
ter and says, I give up every thing
else ; it is enough for me if it shall
ever be in my power to pass my life
free from hindrance and free from
trouble, and to stretch out my neck
to all things like a free man, and to
look up to heaven as a friend of God
and fear nothing that can hap
pen. 16 Let any one of you point out
such a man that I may say, Come,
young man, into the possession of
tfcat which is your own, for it is your
destiny to adorn Wisdom ; yours
are these possessions, yours these
books, yours these discourses.
17 Then when he shall have la
bored sufficiently and exercised him
self in this part of the matter, let
him come again and say, I desire to
be free from passion and free from
perturbation ; and I wish, as a lover
of Wisdom and a diligent person, to
know what is my duty to God, what
to my parents, what to my brothers,
what to my country, what to stran
gers. To such an one I would say, Man

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ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

you are an immortal, you have great
designs. 1 8 In the place of all other de
lights, then, substitute this, that of
being conscious that you are obey
ing God, that not in word but in
deed you are performing the acts
of a wise and good man.
19 Seek not the good in things
external ; seek it in yourselves ; if
you do not, you will not find it.
20 For this purpose God leads me
at one time hither, at another time
sends me thither, shows me to men
as poor, without authority, and sick;
sends me to Gyara, leads me into
prison, not because He hates me ;
far from Him be such a meaning,
for who hates the best of his ser
vants ? nor yet because He cares not
for me, for He does not neglect any
even of the smallest things ; but He
does this for the purpose of exercis
ing me and making use of me as a
witness to others.
21 Being appointed to such a
service, do I still care about the
place in which I am, or with whom
I am, or what men say about me ?
and do I not entirely direct my
thoughts to God and to His instruc
tions and commands?
22 Having these thoughts always
in hand, and exercising them by
yourself, and keeping them in readi
ness, you will never be in want of
one to comfort you and strengthen
you. 23 My man, as the proverb says,
make a desperate effort on the part
of tranquillity of mind, freedom, and
magnanimity. Lift up your head at
last as released from slavery.
24 Dare to look up to God and

say, Deal with me for the future as
Thou wilt ; I am of the same mind
as Thou art ; I am Thine ; I refuse
nothing that pleases Thee ; lead me
where Thou wilt ; clothe me in any
dress Thou choosest : is it Thy will
that I should hold the office of a
magistrate, that I should be in the
condition of a private man, stay here
or be an exile, be poor, be rich ? I
will make Thy defence to men in
behalf of all these conditions. I
will show the nature of each thing
what it is.
25 From yourself, from your
thoughts cast away sadness, fear,
desire, envy, malevolence, avarice,
effeminacy, intemperance.
26 But it is not possible to eject
these things otherwise than by look
ing to God only, by fixing your
affections on Him only, by being
consecrated to His commands. And
if you choose any thing else, you
will with sighs and groans be com
pelled to follow what is stronger
than yourself, always seeking tran
quillity and never able to find it ;
for you seek tranquillity there where
it is not, and you neglect to seek it
where it is. SELECTION XV.
Death to those who are virtuous and
who rely on God is joyous freedom ; to
die happy is to die with a clear conscience,
and in the performance of whatever duties
God has appointed us to do.
I ET death and exile and every
other thing which appears
dreadful be daily before your eyes ;
but most of all death : and you will
never think of any thing mean, nor

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

399<

will you desire any thing extrava
gantly. 2 But what is usually done ? Men
generally act as a traveller would do
on his way to his own country, when
he enters a good inn, and being
pleased with it should remain there.
3 Man, you have forgotten your
purpose : you were not travelling
to this inn ; you were only passing
through it. But, you say, this is a
pleasant inn. And how many other
inns are pleasant ? and how many
meadows are pleasant ? yet only for
passing through. Your purpose is
this, to return to your country, to
relieve your kinsmen of anxiety, to
discharge the duties of a citizen, to
fill the usual magistracies. For you
are not come to select more pleasant
places, but to live in those where
you were born and of which you were
made a citizen.
4 Are we not in a manner kins
men of God, and did we not come
from Him ? Allow us to depart to
the place from which we came ;
allow us to be released at last from
these bonds by which we are bound
and weighed down.
5 Here there are robbers and
thieves and courts of justice, and
those who are named tyrants, who
think that they have some p"ower
over us by means of the body and
its possessions. Permit us to show
them that they have no power over
any man.
6 Friends, wait for God : when
He shall give the signal and release
you from this service, then go to
Him ; but for the present endure to
dwell in this place where He has put
you : short indeed is this time of

your dwelling here, and easy to bear
for those who are so disposed : for
what tyrant or what thief or what
courts of justice are formidable to
those who have thus considered as
things of no value the body and the
possessions of the body ? Wait,
then, do not depart without a
reason. 7 * I think that what God chooses
is better than what I choose ; I will
attach myself as minister and follower
to Him.
8 Wherever I shall go, there it
will be well with me ; for here also
where I am, it was not because of
the place that it was well with me,
but because of my opinions which I
shall carry off with me : for neither
can any man deprive me of them.
My opinions alone are mine ; they
cannot be taken from me : and I am
satisfied while I have them, wherever
I may be and whatever I am doing.
9 But now it is time to die. Why
do you say to die ? Make no tragedy
show of the thing, but speak of it as
it is : It is now time for the matter
of the body to be resolved into the
things out of which it was com
posed. 10 And what is the formidable
thing here ? what is going to perish
of the things which are in the uni
verse ? what new thing or wondrous
is going to happen ? Is it for this
reason that a tyrant is formidable?
Is it for this reason that the guards
appear to 'have swords which are
large and sharp ?
1 1 Say this to others ; but I have
considered about all these things ; no
man has power over me. I have
been made free ; I know His com-

400

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

mands, no man can now lead me as
a slave. I have a proper person to
assert my freedom ; I have proper
judges. 12 Are you the master of my
body? What, then, is that to me?
Are you the master of my property?
What, then, is that to me? Are
you the master of my exiles or
•of my chains? Well, from all these
things and all the poor body itself
I depart at your bidding, when you
please. Make trial of your power,
and you will know how far it reaches.
Whom, then, shall I fear.
13 For the sake of that which is
called liberty, some hang themselves,
others throw themselves down preci
pices, and sometimes even whole
¦cities have perished. And will you
not for the sake of the true and un
assailable and secure liberty give back
to God when He demands them the
things which He has given? Will
you not, as Plato says, study not to
die only, but also to endure torture,
and exile, and scourging, and, in a
word, to give up all which is not your
•own? 14 In the first place you must
make your ruling faculties pure, and
your mode of life also.
15 But the body is nothing: the
parts of it are nothing. Death ?
Let it come when it chooses, either
death of the whole or of a part. Fly,
you say. And whither? can any
man eject me out of the world ? He
cannot. But wherever I go, there is
the sun, there is the moon, there are
the stars, dreams, omens, and con
versation with the Immortals.
16 Consider also this, that the
chief of all evils to man and the

chief mark of mean spirit and of
cowardice is not death, but rather
the fear of death. Against this fear
I advise you to exercise yourself:
to this let all your reasoning tend,
your exercises, and reading : and
you will thus know that by death
only are men made free.
17 Birds when they are caught and
are kept shut up, how much do they
suffer in their attempts to escape ?
Some of them die of hunger rather
than submit to such a kind of life.
And as many of them as live, hardly
live, but with suffering pine away;
and if they ever find any opening,
they make their escape. So much do
they desire their natural liberty, and
to be independent and free from
hindrance. 18 And what lesson is there for
you in this ? Let us hear it. It is
this, I am formed by nature to fly
where I choose, to live in the open
air, to sing when I choose : you de
prive me of all this, and say, What
harm is it to you ? For this reason
we shall say that those animals only
are free which cannot endure capt
ure, but as soon as they are caught,
escape from captivity by death.
19 So Diogenes also somewhere
says that there is only one way to
freedom, and that is to die content ;
and he writes to the Persian king,
You cannot enslave the Athenian
state any more than you can enslave
fishes. How is that ? cannot I catch
them ? If you catch them, says Di
ogenes, they will immediately leave
you, as fishes do ; for if you catch a
fish, it dies ; and if these men that
are caught shall die, of what use to
you is the preparation for war ?

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

40I

20 These are the words of a free
man who had carefully examined the
thing, and, as was natural, had dis
covered it. "But if you look for it in
a different place from where it is,
what wonder if you never find it?
21 What, then, do you wish to be
doing when you are found by death ?
I, for my part, would wish to be
found doing something which be
longs to a man, beneficent, suitable
to the general interest, noble.
22 But if I cannot be found doing
things so great, I would be found do
ing at least that which I cannot be
hindered from doing, that which is
permitted me to do : correcting my
self, cultivating the faculty which
makes use of appearances, laboring
at tranquillity of mind, rendering to
the relations of life their due. If I
succeed so far, also I would be found
advancing to the third topic, safety
in forming judgments about things.
23 If death surprises me when I
am busy about these things, it is
enough for me if I can stretch out
my hands to God and say: The
means which I have received from
Thee for seeing Thy administration
of the world, and following it, I have
not neglected ; I have not dishonored
Thee by my acts: see how I have
used my perceptions ; see how I have
used my preconceptions. Have I
been discontented with any thing
that happens, or wished it to be oth
erwise ? have I wished to transgress
the established relations of things?
That Thou hast given me life, I thank
Thee for what Thou hast given : so
long as I have used the things which
are Thine I am content; take them
back and place them wherever Thou

mayest choose ; for Thine were all
things, Thou gavest them to me.
24 Is it not enough to depart in
this state of mind? What life is
more becoming than that of a man
who is in this state of mind ? and
what end is more happy ?
25 Do you not know that both
disease and death must surprise us
while we are doing something ? the
husbandman while he is tilling the
ground, the sailor while he is on his
voyage ? What would you be doing
when death surprises you : for you
must be surprised when you are do
ing something ? If you can be doing
any thing better than this when you
are surprised, do it.
26 I, for my part, wish to be sur
prised by disease or death when I
am looking after nothing else than
my own will, that I maybe free from
perturbation, that I may be free from
hindrance, free from compulsion, and
in a state of liberty.
27 I wish to be found practising
such things that I may be able to
say to God, Have I in any respect
transgressed Thy commands ? have I
in any respect wrongly used the
powers which Thou gavest me ? have
I misused my perceptions or my
preconceptions ? have I ever blamed
Thee ? I have been sick because it
was Thy will, and so have others, but
I was content to be sick. I have
been poor because it was Thy will,
but I was content also. I have not
filled a magisterial office, because it
was not Thy pleasure that I should :
I have never desired it. Hast Thou
ever seen me for this reason dis
contented ? have I not always ap
proached Thee with a cheerful coun-

402

ROMAN SCRIPTURES. — EPICTETUS.

tenance, ready to do Thy commands
and to obey Thy signals ? Is it now
Thy will that I should depart from
the assemblage of men ? I depart. I
give Thee all thanks that Thou hast
allowed me to join in this Thy as

semblage of men, and to see Thy
works, and to comprehend this Thy
administration. 28 May death surprise me while I
am thinking of these things, while I
am thus writing and speaking.

ARABIAN SCRIPTURES.— GENERAL SELECTIONS.

SELECTION I.
God — the Almighty, the Eternal, the
Wise, the Merciful One ; the Protector
of the Universe, the Helper of Mankind.

THERE is no God but God, the
ever-living. He sleepeth not,
neither doth He slumber. To Him
belong the heavens and the earth,
and all that they contain.
2 Who shall intercede with Him,
except by His permission ? He
knoweth the past and the future ;
but no one comprehends any thing
of His knowledge, except that which
He revealeth.
3 His sway extends over the heav
ens and the earth, and it is no burden
to Him to sustain them both. He
is the High, the Mighty One.
4 With God are the keys of the
secret things. He knoweth what
ever is on the land and in the sea.
No leaf falleth but He knoweth it ;
neither is there a grain in the dark
ness of the earth, nor a green thing
or sere, but it is noted in His decree.
5 Thou needest not raise thy
voice ; He knoweth the secret whis
per, and what is yet more hidden.
No vision taketh Him in, but He
taketh in all vision.
6 All that is in the heavens and
in the earth praise God. He is the
mighty, the wise, the seen, and the
hidden, the first and the last. He 403

knoweth all things. He will bestow
upon you light to walk in.
7 God is the light of the heavens
and of the earth. His light is like a
niche in which is a lamp ; the lamp
encased in glass ; the glass as it were
a glistening star.
8 It is lighted from a blessed tree,
which is not the olive, either of the
East or of the West ; its oil would
wellnigh shine out though it were
not touched by fire : it is light upon
light. 9 Hast thou not seen how all in
the heavens and in the earth uttereth
the praise of God ? — the very birds,
as they spread their wings ? Every
creature knoweth its prayer and its
praise. 10 The East and the West are
God's ; therefore whichever way ye
turn, there is the face of God. He
will guide unto Himself all who turn
to Him ; those who believe, and
whose hearts rest securely on the
thought of God.
11 Thou art the Eternal One, in
whom all order is centred. Thou
art Lord of all things, visible and
invisible. Thou art the King of man
kind, the Protector of the Universe.
12 From Thee doth wisdom de
scend upon the rulers of the earth.
Thou dost embrace all things. Thou
art the Infinite and Incomprehen
sible, who standest alone.

404

ARABIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

13 Thou art the Ruler of the eter
nal fountains of light. From Thee
all light cometh. Thou art the
Ordainer of all good things, who
givest inspiration and guidance unto
all. 14 O thou Merciful One, who art
exalted above all imperfections, de
scend into our intellects, and purge
us from every ill ! Turn our sorrows
into joys. To Thee do we cling.
15 From Thee all things seek their
light. Thou art the Helper of man
kind, one and all. Thou art the Hope
of the worlds.
16 In the name of God, gracious
and merciful ! Praised be God, gra
cious and merciful, King of the day
of judgment. Thee we adore ; from
Thee we implore help.
17 Guide us in the right way; in
the way of them Thou hast blessed,
with whom Thou hast not been
displeased ; and we shall not be
misled. 18 Moses cried, O Lord, where
shall I find Thee ? And God said,
When thou seekest me, thou hast
already found me.
SELECTION II.
The one God of whom all holy and wise
men are prophets. The good among men
are all brethren and fellow-believers.
\\ J"E believe in God, and in that
which has been sent to us ;
also in that which has been sent to
Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac,
and Jacob, and the Tribes; and in
that which has been given to Moses
and to Jesus ; and in that which was
given to all the prophets from their
Lord. 2 We make no difference between

any of them. And we trust in God.
3 Will ye dispute with us about
God ? He is our Lord and your
Lord. We will answer with our
actions, and you shall answer with
yours. In God we place our re
liance. 4 All have a quarter of the
heavens to which they turn. Both
the East and the West belong to
God ; therefore, whichever way ye
turn, there is God.
5 Nothing has been said to thee
which hath not been said of old to
apostles before thee. Thou wilt see
every nation kneeling. To its own
Book shall every nation be sum
moned. 6 Mohammed is no more than an
apostle. Other apostles have already
passed away before him; If he die,
will ye turn back? He who turneth
back shall not injure God at all.
7 The Jews and Christians say they
are sons of God ; that they are His
beloved Nay, they are but a part
of the men whom He hath made.
To every one has been given a rule
and a beaten road.
8 If God had pleased, He would
surely have made you all one people ;
but He would test you by what He
has given to each.
9 Wherever ye be, prove your
selves emulous in good deeds. God
will one day bring you all together.
To God shall ye all return, and He
will enlighten you concerning the
subjects of your disputes.
10 Jesus came and abolished the
law of Moses. Mohammed followed
him, and introduced his five prayers
a day. The followers of both these
say that after their prophet no other

ARABIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

405

is to be expected ; and they occupy
themselves talking thus idly from
morning to evening.
II But, meanwhile, you who are
living under one of these dispensa
tions, tell me, Do you enjoy the sun
and the moon more than others? or
less than others?
12 If thou art a Mussulman, go
stay with the Franks. If thou art a
Christian, mix with the Jews. If
thou art a Shuah, mix with the Schis
matics. Whatever is thy religion,
associate with men of opposite per
suasions. If thou canst mix with
them freely, and art not the least
moved while listening to their dis
course, thou hast attained peace, and
art a master of creation.
SELECTION III.
Precepts concerning the practical virtues,
such as justice, truth, patience, temperance,
kindness, reverence for parents, charity, all
of which are necessary to fit one for a
peaceful death and a happy life beyond.
/^\NE hour of justice is worth sev-
^~^ enty years of prayer.
2 Give full measure when you
measure, and weigh with a just bal
ance. Expend not but according to
the measure of your goods.
3 Adhere so firmly to the truth
that your yea shall be yea, and your
nay shall be nay.
4 Hide not the truth when ye
know it ; and clothe not the truth
with falsehood.
5 Woe to them who give scant
measure, and exact full measure from
others. 6 Let none of you treat his broth
er in a way he himself would dislike
to be treated.

7 It is good to overcome evil with
good, and it is evil to resist evil by
evil. 8 Let us be like trees that yield
their fruit to those that throw stones
at them.
9 To endure and to pardon is the
wisdom of life.
10 Consider only what is for the
good of each, and think not of wrong
that has been done to thyself. Par
don others readily, and do only good
unto all. Fair is the dwelling-place
of those who have bridled anger and
forgiven their adversaries.
11 There is no offence too great
to be pardoned.
12 Make the best of things. En
join what is just. Lay burdens on
none but thyself.
13 Verily, hypocrites sink into
a lower abyss than any other sin
ners. 14 Learning was given to promote
good actions, not empty disputes.
1 5 Temperance is a tree which has
contentment for its root, and peace
for its fruit.
16 O Man ! there is no kind of
beast on the earth, nor any fowl
which flieth with its wings, but the
same is a people, like unto your
selves ; we have not omitted any
thing in the book of our decrees.
17 Be good to parents and kin
dred, to orphans, to the poor, and to
a neighbor, whether he be of your
own people, or a stranger ; also to a
fellow-traveller, a wayfarer, or a
slave. 18 Speak to thy parents with re
spectful speech. Defer humbly to
them, out of deference ; and say,
" Lord, have compassion upon them,

406

ARABIAN SCRIPTURES. — GENERAL SELECTIONS.

even as they had upon me, rearing
me when I was little."
19 One came and said to the
Prophet, My mother has died, what
shall I do for the good of her soul ?
The Prophet thought of the panting
heat of the desert, and he replied,
Dig a well, that the thirsty may have
water to drink. The man dug a well,
and said, This have I done for my
mother. 20 Every good act is charity.
Giving water to the thirsty is char
ity ; removing stones and thorns
from the road is charity ; smiling in
your brother's face is charity.
21 A man's true wealth is the
good he does in this world. When
he dies, mortals will ask what prop
erty he left behind him ; but angels
will ask him, What good deeds hast
thou sent before thee ?
22 The world was given for our
edification, not for the purpose of
raising sumptuous buildings.
23 Wealth was given to be liber
ally bestowed, not to be avariciously
hoarded. 24 Corrupt not the judges with

gifts. Stand up as witnesses for God
by righteousness, and never let ill-
will to any induce you to act un
justly. 25 Stand fast to justice when ye
witness before God, though it be
against yourselves, or your parents,
or kindred ; whether the party
be rich or poor, God is nearer to
them than you are. Therefore, fol
low not passion, lest ye swerve from
the right.
26 There is no better ruler than

safer guardian
no stronger sword
no surer ally than

Judgment ; no
than Justice ;
than Right ;
Truth. 27 On that day shall men come
forward in throngs to behold their
works ; and whosoever shall have
wrought an atom's weight of good
shall behold it, and whosoever
shall have wrought an atom's weight
of evil shall behold it.
28 In the last day, when all things
save Paradise shall have passed
away, God will look upon hell, and
at that instant its flames shall be ex
tinguished forever !

On parent knees a naked, new-born child
Weeping thou sat'st, while all around thee smiled :
So live that, sinking in thy long last sleep,
Thou then mayest smile while all around thee weep.

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