- And it came to pass, when the time had come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him. And the Samaritans would not receive him because his face was turned as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples Jacob and John saw that they would not receive him, they said, Lord, do you desire that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did? But he turned and rebuked them and said, You know not what manner of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
- And it came to pass, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.
- After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place where he himself would come. And he said unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers few. Ask therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse nor scrip, nor shoes, nor salute any man by the way. And into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this house. And if the Son of Peace is there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall return to you. And in whatever house they receive you, remain, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his hire; go not from house to house. And into whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you, and heal the sick that are therein, and say, The kingdom of God has come near to you. But into whatever city you enter and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, Even the very dust of your city which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you. Notwithstanding, be sure of this: that the kingdom of God has come near to you. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom than for that city.
- Then he began to upbraid the people in every city wherein his mighty works were done who received him not, saying, Woe unto you, Chorazin. Woe unto you, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you, they would have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to Heaven, shall be cast down to hell. And he said unto his disciples, He that hears you, hears me. And he that despises you, despises me. And he that despises me, despises him who sent me.
- And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your name. And he said unto them, As lightning falls from heaven, I beheld Satan also falling. Behold, I will give unto you power over serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this, rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.
- In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from them who think they are wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. Because, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knows that the Son is the Father, and that the Father is the Son, but him to whom the Son will reveal it. And he turned himself unto the disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
- And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How do you read it? And he answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said unto him, You have answered right; this do and you shall live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
- And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, 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 of the way. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked upon him, and passed by on the other side of the way — for they desired in their hearts that it might not be known that they had seen him. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion 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 next day, when he departed, he took money and gave to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him, and whatever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you. Who now of these three do you think was neighbor unto him who fell among the thieves? And he said, He who showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do likewise.
- Now it came to pass as they went that they 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 encumbered with much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
- And it came to pass as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When you pray, say, Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done as in Heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And let us not be led unto temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and power. Amen. And he said unto them, Your Heavenly Father will not fail to give unto you whatever you ask of him.
- And he spoke a parable, saying, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me in his journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed, and I cannot rise and give to you? I say unto you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence, he will rise and give him as many as he needs. And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone who asks, receives, and he that seeks, finds, and to him that knocks, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you who is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if 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 you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give good gifts through the holy spirit to them who ask him?
- And he was casting a devil out of a man, and he was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil had gone out, the dumb spoke, and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casts out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. And others, testing, sought of him a sign from Heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And a house divided cannot stand, but falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you say I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast out devils? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I, with the finger of God, cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, armed, keeps his palace, his goods are in peace. But when one stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his goods. He that is not with me is against me, and he who gathers not with me, scatters. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, it walks through dry places seeking rest, and finding none, it says, I will return into my house from which I came out. And when it comes, it finds the house swept and garnished. Then goes the evil spirit and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last end of that man is worse than the first.
- And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said unto him, Blessed is the womb which bore you, and the breasts which you have sucked. And he said, Yea, and blessed are all they who hear the word of God and keep it.
- When the people had gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation. They seek a sign, and there shall no sign be given them but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of Man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the day of judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the outermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the day of judgment with this generation and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
- No man, when he has lit a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they who come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in you be not darkness. If your whole body therefore is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle lightens a room and does give you light in all the room.
- And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee implored him to dine with him, and he went in and sat down to a meal. And when the Pharisee saw him, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. O fools, did not he who made that which is without make that which is within also? But if you would rather give alms of such things as you have, and observe to do all things which I have commanded you, then would your inward parts be clean also. But I say unto you, woe be unto you Pharisees, for you tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God. These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you Pharisees, for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites; for you are graves which appear not, and the men who walk over are not aware of them.
- Then answered one of the lawyers and said unto him, Master, thus saying, you reproach us also. And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also, for you lead men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you, for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly you bear witness that you endorse the deeds of your fathers, for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchers. 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 — from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple. Truly I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge, the fullness of the scriptures. You enter not in yourselves into the kingdom, and those who were entering in, you hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be angry and to urge vehemently, endeavoring to provoke him to speak of many things, lying in wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
- In the meantime, when there had gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, for there is nothing covered which shall not be revealed, neither hidden which shall not be known. Therefore, whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which you have spoken in the ear, in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
- And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
- Also I say unto you, whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. But he who denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. Now his disciples knew that he said this because they had spoken evil against him before the people, for they were afraid to confess him before men. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, He knows our hearts, and he speaks to our condemnation, and we shall not be forgiven. But he answered them and said unto them, Whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man and repents, it shall be forgiven him. But unto him who blasphemes against the holy ghost, it shall not be forgiven him. And again I say unto you, they shall bring you unto the synagogues and before magistrates and powers. When they do this, take no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say, for the holy ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say.
- And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
- And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to store my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I store all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years. Take your ease. Eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you. Then whose shall those things be which you have provided? So shall it be with him who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.
- And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, neither for the body, what you shall put on. For the life is more than food, and the body than raiment. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn. Nevertheless, God feeds them. Are you not better than the fowls? And who of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? If you then are not able to do that which is least, why do you take thought for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not. They spin not. And yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he provide for you if you are not of little faith? Therefore, seek not what you shall eat or what you shall drink, neither be of doubtful mind, for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father who is in Heaven knows that you have need of these things. And you are sent unto them to be their ministers, and the laborer is worthy of his hire, for the law says that a man shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain.
- Therefore, seek to bring forth the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. This he spoke unto his disciples, saying, Sell that you have and give alms. Provide not for yourselves bags which wax old, but rather provide a treasure in the Heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- Let your loins be girded about, and have your lights burning, that you yourselves may be like unto men who wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately. Truly I say unto you, blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he comes, shall find watching, for he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to a meal, and will come forth and serve them. For behold, he comes in the first watch of the night, and he shall also come in the second watch, and again he shall come in the third watch. And truly I say unto you, he has already come, as it is written of him. And again, when he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, blessed are those servants when he comes that he shall find so doing, for the Lord of those servants shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to a meal, and will come forth and serve them.
- And now truly I say these things unto you that you may know this: that the coming of the Lord is as a thief in the night. And it is like unto a man who is a householder who, if he watches not his goods, the thief comes in an hour of which he is not aware, and takes his goods, and divides them among his fellows. And they said among themselves, If the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through and the loss of his goods. And he says unto them, Truly I say unto you, be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not.
- Then Peter said unto him, Lord, do you speak this parable unto us or unto all? And the Lord said, I speak unto those whom the Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give his children their portion of food in due season. And they said, Who then is that faithful and wise servant? And the Lord said unto them, It is that servant who watches to impart his portion of food in due season. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord shall find, when he comes, so doing. Truly I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But the evil servant is he who is not found watching. And if that servant is not found watching, he will say in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunk. The lord of that servant will come in a day he looks not for, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him down, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his lord’s will, and prepared not for his lord’s coming, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not his lord’s will, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For unto whomever much is given, of him shall be much required. And to whom the Lord has committed much, of him men will ask the more, for they are not well pleased with the Lord’s doings.
- Therefore, I have come to send fire on the earth, and what is it to you if I desire that it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I constrained until it is accomplished? Do you suppose that I have come to give peace on earth? I tell you, nay, but rather division, for from henceforth there shall be five in one house, divided three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; mother against the daughter, and daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
- And he said also unto the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, you say immediately, There comes a shower; and so it is. And when the south wind blows, you say, There will be heat; and it comes to pass. O hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it that you do not discern this time? Yea, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? Why do you go to your adversary for a magistrate when you are in the way with your enemy? Why not give diligence that you may be delivered from him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison? I tell you, you shall not depart from there until you have paid the very last mite.
- And there were present at that time some who spoke unto him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus said unto them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you, nay; but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them, do you think that they were sinners above all men who dwelled in Jerusalem? I tell you, nay; but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.
- He spoke also this parable: A certain husbandman had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down. Why does it encumber the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, until I shall dig about and dung it. And if it bears fruit, the tree is saved, and if not, after that, you shall cut it down. And many other parables spoke he unto the people.
- And after this, as he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could by no means straighten up. And when Jesus saw her, he called and said unto her, Woman, you are released from your infirmities. And he laid hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue was filled with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then said unto him, O hypocrite, do not each one of you on the Sabbath set loose his ox or an ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound behold these eighteen years, be released from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed, and all his disciples rejoiced for all the glorious things which were done by him.
- Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? And unto what shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard which a man took and cast into his garden. And it grew, and waxed a great tree, and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. And again he said, Unto what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.
Chapter 8