the way-side, and the birds came and devoured them. (5)And others fell
on the rocky places, where they had not much earth; and forthwith they
sprang up, because they had not depth of earth. (6)And when the sun
was up, they were scorched; and because they had not root, they
withered away. (7)And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns came
up, and choked them. (8)And others fell on the good ground, and
yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (9)He that
has ears to hear, let him hear[13:9].
(10)And the disciples came and said to him: Why dost thou speak to
them in parables? (11)And he answering said to them: To you it is
given[13:11] to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to
them it is not given. (12)For whoever has, to him shall be given, and
he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, even what he has shall
be taken from him. (13)Therefore I speak to them in parables; because
seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, nor understand.
(14)And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:
With the hearing ye will hear, and will not understand;
And seeing ye will see, and will not perceive.
(15)For the heart of this people is become gross,
And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed;
Lest haply they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And turn, and I shall heal them.
(16)But happy are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because
they hear. (17)For verily I say to you, that many prophets and
righteous men desired to see what ye are beholding, and did not see,
and to hear what ye are hearing, and did not hear.
(18)Hear therefore the parable of the sower. (19)When any one hears
the word of the kingdom, and understands not, then comes the evil one
and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that which was
sown by the way-side.
(20)And that sown on the rocky places, this is he that hears the word,
and immediately with joy receives it; (21)and has not root in himself,
but is only for a time; and when tribulation or persecution arises
because of the word, immediately he is offended.
(22)And that sown among the thorns, this is he that hears the word,
and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the
word, and it becomes unfruitful. (23)And that sown on the good ground,
this is he that hears the word and understands; who bears fruit, and
produces, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(24)Another parable he put forth to them, saying: The kingdom of
heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. (25)But
while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat, and
went away. (26)And when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then
appeared the darnel also. (27)And the servants of the householder came
and said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From
whence then has it darnel? (28)He said to them: An enemy did this. The
servants said to him: Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
(29)He said: Nay, lest while ye gather up the darnel, ye root up the
wheat with them. (30)Let both grow together until the harvest. And in
time of harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the darnel,
and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my
barn.
(31)Another parable he put forth to them, saying: The kingdom of
heaven is like to a grain of mustard, which a man took and sowed in
his field. (32)Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is
grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the
birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.
(33)Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened.
(34)All these things Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables; and
without a parable he spoke nothing to them; (35)that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying:
I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
(36)Then having sent away the multitudes[13:36], he went into the
house. And his disciples came to him, saying: Explain to us the
parable of the darnel of the field. (37)And answering he said to them:
He that sows the good seed is the Son of man. (38)The field is the
world. The good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; but the
darnel are the sons of the evil one, (39)and the enemy that sowed them
is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are
angels. (40)As therefore the darnel are gathered up and are burned
with fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. (41)The Son of man
will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom
all the causes of offense, and those who do iniquity, (42)and will
cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be the wailing, and the
gnashing of teeth! (43)Then will the righteous shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears to hear, let him
hear[13:43].
(44)Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a treasure hidden in the
field, which a man found and concealed; and for joy thereof[13:44], he
goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
(45)Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking goodly
pearls; (46)and having found one pearl of great price, he went and
sold all that he had, and bought it.
(47)Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net, cast into the sea,
and gathering together of every kind. (48)Which, when it was filled,
they drew up upon the beach, and sat down and gathered the good into
vessels, but cast the bad away. (49)So will it be in the end of the
world. The angels will go forth, and will separate the wicked from
among the just, (50)and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there
will be the wailing, and the gnashing of teeth!
(51)Did ye understand all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord.
(52)And he said to them: Therefore every scribe, instructed in the
kingdom of heaven, is like to a householder, who brings forth out of
his treasure new and old.
(53)And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these parables, that he
departed thence. (54)And coming into his own country, he taught them
in their synagogue; so that they were astonished, and said: Whence has
this man this wisdom, and the miracles? Is not this the carpenter's
son? (55)Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, and
Joseph[13:55], and Simon, and Judas? (56)And his sisters, are they not
all with us? Whence then has this man all these things? (57)And they
were offended at him. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without
honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.
(58)And he did not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.
XIV.
AT that time Herod the tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus. (2)And he
said to his servants: This is John the Immerser; he is risen from the
dead, and therefore do these powers[14:2] work in him.
(3)For Herod laid hold of John, and bound him and put him in prison,
for the sake of Herodias, the wife of Philip, his brother. (4)For John
said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her. (5)And though
desiring to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they
held him as a prophet. (6)But when Herod's birthday was kept, the
daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
(7)Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatever she should
ask. (8)And she, being urged on by her mother, says: Give me here, on
a platter, the head of John the Immerser. (9)And the king was sorry;
but for the sake of the oath, and of those who reclined at table with
him, he commanded it to be given. (10)And he sent, and beheaded John
in the prison. (11)And his head was brought on a platter, and was
given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. (12)And his
disciples came and took up the body, and buried it; and they went and
reported it to Jesus.
(13)And when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence by ship, into a
desert place apart. And the multitudes hearing of it, followed him on
foot from the cities. (14)And going forth he saw a great multitude,
and had compassion on them, and he healed their sick.
(15)And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: The
place is desert, and the time is already passed away; dismiss the
multitudes, that they may go away into the villages, and buy
themselves victuals. (16)But Jesus said to them: They need not go
away; give ye them to eat. (17)And they say to him: We have here but
five loaves, and two fishes. (18)He said: Bring them hither to me.
(19)And he commanded that the multitudes should lie down on the grass,
and took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven
he blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the
disciples to the multitudes. (20)And they all ate, and were filled;
and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
(21)And they who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and
children.
(22)And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the
ship, and to go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the
multitudes.
(23)And having dismissed the multitudes, he went up into the mountain
apart to pray; and when evening was come, he was there alone. (24)But
the ship was already in the midst of the sea, vexed by the waves; for
the wind was contrary. (25)And in the fourth watch of the night he
went to them, walking on the sea. (26)And the disciples, seeing him
walking on the sea, were troubled, saying: It is a spectre. And they
cried out for fear. (27)But straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying:
Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid. (28)And Peter answering him
said: Lord, if it is thou, bid me come to thee on the water. (29)And
he said: Come. And coming down from the ship, Peter walked on the
water, to go to Jesus. (30)But seeing the wind boisterous, he was
afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.
(31)And immediately Jesus, stretching forth his hand, took hold of
him, and said to him: Thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt?
(32)And when they had entered into the ship, the wind ceased. (33)And
those in the ship came and worshiped him[14:33], saying: Of a truth,
thou art the Son of God.
(34)And passing over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. (35)And
the men of that place, knowing him, sent out into all that country
round, and brought to him all that were diseased (36)and besought him
that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as
touched were made whole.
XV.
THEN there come to Jesus the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem,
saying: (2)Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the
elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. (3)And he
answering said to them: Why do ye also transgress the commandment of
God, for the sake of your tradition? (4)For God commanded,
saying[15:4]: Honor thy father and mother; and he that curses father
or mother, let him surely die. (5)But ye say: Whoever says to his
father or his mother, It is a gift, whatever thou mightest be profited
with from me, (6)shall not honor his father or his mother; and ye made
the word of God[15:6] of no effect, for the sake of your tradition.
(7)Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying:
(8)This people honor me with their lips,
But their heart is far from me.
(9)But in vain they worship me,
Teaching as doctrines commandments of men.
(10)And calling to him the multitude, he said to them: Hear, and
understand: (11)Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man;
but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.
(12)Then came to him his disciples, and said to him: Knowest thou that
the Pharisees, when they heard the saying, were offended? (13)And he
answering said: Every plant, which my heavenly Father planted not,
shall be rooted up. (14)Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the
blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.
(15)And Peter answering said to him: Explain to us this parable.
(16)And he said: Are ye also even yet without understanding? (17)Do ye
not yet understand, that whatever enters into the mouth goes into the
belly, and is cast out into the drain? (18)But the things that proceed
out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.
(19)For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false-witnessings, blasphemies. (20)These are
the things that defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defiles
not the man.
(21)And Jesus, going forth from thence, withdrew into the region of
Tyre and Sidon. (22)And behold, a woman of Canaan, coming out from
those borders, cried to him, saying: Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of
David; my daughter is grievously possessed with a demon. (23)But he
answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him,
saying: Dismiss her; because she cries after us. (24)But he answering
said: I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(25)But she came and bowed down to him, saying: Lord, help me. (26)But
he answering said: It is not good to take the children's bread, and
cast it to the dogs. (27)And she said: Yea, Lord; for the dogs also
eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. (28)Then Jesus
answering said to her: O woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee
as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
(29)And departing from thence, Jesus came near to the sea of Galilee;
and going up into the mountain, he sat down there. (30)And great
multitudes came to him, having with them lame, blind dumb, maimed, and
many others, and laid them down at his feet, and he healed them;
(31)so that the multitudes wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking,
the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they
glorified the God of Israel.
(32)And Jesus, having called to him his disciples, said: I have
compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three
days, and have nothing to eat; and I will not dismiss them fasting,
lest they faint in the way. (33)And his disciples say to him: Whence
should we have so many loaves in the wilderness, as to fill so great a
multitude? (34)And Jesus says to them: How many loaves have ye? And
they said: Seven, and a few little fishes. (35)And he commanded the
multitudes to lie down on the ground. (36)And he took the seven loaves
and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke, and gave to his disciples,
and the disciples to the multitude. (37)And they all ate, and were
filled. And they took up of the fragments that remained seven baskets
full. (38)And they who ate were four thousand men, besides women and
children. (39)And dismissing the multitudes, he entered into the ship,
and came into the borders of Magdala.
XVI.
AND the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, and tempting desired him
to show them a sign from heaven. (2)And he answering said to them:
When it is evening, ye say: Fair weather! for the sky is red. (3)And
in the morning: A storm to-day! for the sky is red and lowering. Ye
know how to discern the face of the sky, but can ye not the signs of
the times?
(4)An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and no sign
shall be given to it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and
departed.
(5)And coming to the other side, his disciples forgot to take bread.
(6)And Jesus said to them: Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sadducees. (7)And they reasoned among themselves,
saying: Because we took no bread! (8)And Jesus knowing it said: Ye of
little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye took no
bread? (9)Do ye not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves of
the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? (10)Nor the seven
loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? (11)How
is it that ye do not understand, that I spoke not to you of bread?
But, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees! (12)Then
they understood, that he did not bid them beware of the leaven of
bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
(13)And having come into the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked
his disciples, saying: Who do men say that the Son of man is[16:13]?
(14)And they said: Some, John the Immerser; and others, Elijah; and
others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
(15)He says to them: But who do ye say that I am? (16)And Simon Peter
answering said: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
(17)And Jesus answering said to him: Happy art thou, Simon
Bar-jonah[16:17]; for flesh and blood did not reveal it to thee, but
my Father who is in heaven. (18)And I also say to thee, that thou art
Peter[16:18a], and upon this rock I will build my church[16:18b]; and
the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it. (19)And I
will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou
shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
(20)Then he charged his disciples, that they should tell no one that
he is the Christ.
(21)From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples, that he must
go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.
(22)And Peter taking him aside began to rebuke him, saying: Be it far
from thee, Lord; this shall not be to thee. (23)But he turned and said
to Peter: Get thee behind me, Satan[16:23]; thou art an offense to me;
for thou thinkest not the things of God, but those of men.
(24)Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any one will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25)For
whoever will save his life shall lose it; and whoever may lose his
life for my sake, shall find it. (26)For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? Or what shall a man
give as an exchange[16:26] for his soul? (27)For the Son of man will
come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he will
reward each one according to his works.
(28)Verily I say to you, there are some of those standing here, who
shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his
kingdom.
XVII.
AND after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John his
brother, and brings them up into a high mountain apart. (2)And he was
transfigured before them; and his face shone as the sun, and his
garments became white as the light. (3)And behold, there appeared to
them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. (4)And Peter answering said
to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us
make here three tents; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for
Elijah. (5)While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (6)And the
disciples, hearing it, fell on their face, and were exceedingly
afraid. (7)And Jesus coming to them touched them, and said: Arise, and
be not afraid. (8)And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one save
Jesus only.
(9)And as they came down out of the mountain, Jesus charged them,
saying: Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is risen from the
dead.
(10)And his disciples asked him, saying: Why then say the scribes that
Elijah must first come? (11)And he answering said: Elijah indeed
comes, and will restore all things. (12)But I say to you, that Elijah
is already come, and they knew him not, but did with him whatever they
would. So also is the Son of man about to suffer by them.
(13)Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the
Immerser.
(14)And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a man,
kneeling down to him, and saying: (15)Lord, have mercy on my son; for
he is lunatic, and is sorely afflicted; for ofttimes he falls into the
fire, and oft into the water. (16)And I brought him to thy disciples,
and they could not cure him. (17)And Jesus answering said: O faithless
and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall
I bear with you? Bring him hither to me. (18)And Jesus rebuked him;
and the demon went out from him, and the child was cured from that
hour.
(19)Then the disciples, coming to Jesus apart, said: Why could not we
cast him out? (20)And he said to them: Because of your want of faith.
For verily I say to you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard, ye
shall say to this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall
remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. (21)But this kind goes
not forth, except by prayer and fasting.
(22)And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Son of
man is about to be delivered into the hands of men (23)and they will
put him to death, and he will rise on the third day. And they were
exceedingly sorrowful.
(24)And they having come to Capernaum, those who received the
half-shekel came to Peter, and said: Does not your teacher pay the
half-shekel[17:24]? (25)He says, Yes. And when he came into the house,
Jesus anticipated him, saying: What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do
the kings of the earth take customs, or tribute? Of their sons, or of
strangers? (26)He says to him: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then
are the sons free. (27)But that we may not offend them, go to the sea
and cast a hook, and take the fish that first comes up; and opening
its mouth thou wilt find a shekel; that take, and give to them for me
and thee.
XVIII.
AT that time came the disciples to Jesus, saying: Who then is greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?
(2)And Jesus, calling a little child to him, placed it in the midst of
them, (3)and said: Verily I say to you, if ye do not turn and become
as the little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(4)Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5)And whoever shall receive
one such little child, in my name, receives me. (6)But whoever shall
cause one of these little ones that believe on me to offend, it were
better for him that an upper millstone were hanged about his neck, and
he were plunged in the depth of the sea.
(7)Woe to the world, for causes of offense! For it must needs be that
causes of offense come; but woe to that man, through whom the cause of
offense comes! (8)But if thy hand or thy foot causes thee to offend,
cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into
life lame or maimed, than having two hands or two feet to be cast into
the everlasting fire. (9)And if thine eye causes thee to offend, pluck
it out and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life
with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire.
(10)Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say
to you, that their angels in heaven always behold the face of my
Father who is in heaven. (11)For the Son of man came to save that
which was lost.
(12)What think ye? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them is
gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine upon the mountains,
and go and seek that which is gone astray? (13)And if it be that he
find it, verily I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the
ninety and nine that went not astray. (14)So it is not the will of
your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones perish.
(15)But if thy brother shall sin against thee, go show him his fault
between thee and him alone, If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained
thy brother. (16)But if he hear not, take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. (17)And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the
church; and if he neglect to hear the church also, let him be to thee
as a heathen and a publican. (18)Verily I say to you: Whatever ye
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever ye shall
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
(19)Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on earth,
concerning any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by
my Father who is in heaven. (20)For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
(21)Then Peter came to him, and said: Lord, how often shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? (22)Jesus says
to him: I say not to thee, until seven times, but until seventy times
seven.