- And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he had come near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go into the village ahead of you, in which, at your entering, you shall find a colt tied, on which man never yet sat; untie him and bring him to me. And if any man ask you, Why do you untie the colt? — thus shall you say unto him: Because the Lord has need of him.
- And they who were sent went their way and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were untying the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why do you untie the colt? And they said, The Lord has need of him. And they brought him to Jesus, and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they seated Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
- And when he had come near, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, saying, Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in Heaven and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke your disciples. And he answered and said unto them, If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
- And when he had come near, he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong unto your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you that your enemies shall cast a trench about you, and encompass you round, and keep you in on every side, and shall lay you even with the ground, and your children within you. And they shall not leave in you one stone upon another, because you knew not the time of your visitation.
- And he went into the temple and began to cast out them who sold therein and them who bought, saying unto them, It is written: My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests, and the scribes, and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, and could not find what they might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
- And 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 elders and spoke unto him, saying, Tell us by what authority you do these things; or who is he who gave you this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; answer me: The baptism of John, was it from Heaven or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From Heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him? And if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered that they could not tell from where it was. Jesus said unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do those things.
- Then began he to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and leased it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season of the harvest, he sent his servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen beat him and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant, and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third, and they wounded him also and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, 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. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard this, they said, God forbid.
- And he beheld them and said, What is this then which is written: The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner? Whoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. And the chief priests and the scribes, the same hour, sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the people, for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
- And they watched him and sent forth spies who should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so doing they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither regard the person of any, but teach the way of God truly. Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar? Or no? But he perceived their craftiness and said unto them, Why do you test me? Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription has it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are God’s. And they could not catch him in his words before the people, and they marveled at his answer and held their peace.
- Then came unto him certain of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, saying if any man’s brother die having a wife and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. There were therefore seven brethren. The first took a wife and died without children. And the second took her to wife and he died childless. And the third took her in like manner, and the seven also, and they left no children and died. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she? For seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry and are given in marriage, but they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world through resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die anymore, for they are equal unto the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now, that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, 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 answering said, Master, you have well said. And after that, they dare not ask him any question at all.
- And he said unto them, How do they say that Christ is David’s son? And David himself said in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my lord, Sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. David therefore calls him Lord; how is he then his son?
- Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes who desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a show make long prayers; the same shall receive greater damnation.
- And he looked up and saw the rich men casting in their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in there two mites. And he said, Truly I say unto you that this poor widow has cast in more than they all, for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God, but she of her poverty has cast in all the possessions that she had.
- And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, These things which you behold, the days will come in which there shall not be left one stone upon another which shall not be thrown down. And the disciples asked him, saying, Master, when shall these things be? And what sign will you show when these things shall come to pass?
- And he said, The time draws near, and therefore take heed, that you should be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; go not therefore after them. And when you shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified, for these things must first come to pass; but this is not the end. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights, and great signs shall there be from Heaven. But before all these things shall come, they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. Settle this therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to refute nor resist, and it shall turn to you for a testimony. And you shall be betrayed, both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all the world for my name’s sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience, possess your souls.
- And when you shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near. Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them who are in the midst of it depart out, and let not them who are in the countries return to enter into the city; for these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them who are with child, and to them who give suck in those days, for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the gentiles until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled. Now these things he spoke unto them concerning the destruction of Jerusalem.
- And then his disciples asked him, saying, Master, tell us concerning your coming. And he answered them and said, In the generation in which the times of the gentiles shall be fulfilled, there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth, distress of nations with perplexity, like the sea and the waves roaring. The earth also shall be troubled, and the waters of the great deep, men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken; and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for the day of your redemption draws near. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
- And he spoke to them a parable, saying, Behold the fig tree and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, you see and know of your own selves that summer is now near at hand. So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near at hand. Truly I say unto you, this generation — the generation when the times of the gentiles are fulfilled — shall not pass away until all are fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Let my disciples therefore take heed to themselves, lest at any time their hearts should be burdened with overindulgence, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come upon them unawares; for as a snare it shall come on all them who dwell on the face of the whole earth. And what I say unto one, I say unto all. Watch, therefore, and pray always, and keep my commandments, that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man when he shall come, clothed in the glory of his Father.
- And in the daytime, he was teaching in the temple; and at night, he went out and stayed the night in the mount that is called Olives. And the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.
Chapter 12