- And when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, But whom do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you, but my Father who is in Heaven. And I say also unto you that you are Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you shall set loose on earth shall be set loose in Heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus, the Christ.
- From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from you, Lord. This shall not be done unto you. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get behind me, Satan. You are an offense unto me, for you savor not the things that are of God, but those that are of men.
- Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And now, for a man to take up his cross is to deny himself from all ungodliness, and from every worldly lust, and keep my commandments. Break not my commandments to save your lives, for whoever will save his life in this world shall lose it in the world to come. And whoever will lose his life in this world, for my sake, shall find it in the world to come. Therefore, forsake the world and save your souls. For 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? For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Truly I say unto you, there are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
- And after six days, Jesus took Peter, Jacob, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you are willing, let us make here three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him. And when the disciples heard the voice, they fell on their faces and were sorely afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only.
- And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man is risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things, as the prophets have written. And again I say unto you that Elias has come already — concerning whom it is written: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me — and they knew him not, and have done unto him whatever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. But I say unto you, who is Elias? Behold, this is Elias: whom I send to prepare the way before me. Then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist, and also of another who should come and restore all things, as it is written by the prophets.
- And when they had come to the multitude, there came to him a man, kneeling down to him and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic and severely vexed, for ofttimes he falls into the fire and oft into the water. And I brought him to your disciples and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him here to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him. And the child was cured from that very hour.
- Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could we not cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief. For truly I say unto you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove to that place — and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Nevertheless, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.
- And while they abided in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceedingly sorry.
- And when they had come to Capernaum, they that received tribute came to Peter and said, Does not your master pay tribute? He said, Yes. And when he had come into the house, Jesus rebuked him, saying, What do you think, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up. And when you have opened his mouth, you shall find a piece of money. That take, and give unto them for me and you.
- At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the middle of them, and said, Truly I say unto you, except you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me. But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and he was drowned in the depth of the sea.
- Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes. Wherefore, if your hand or your foot offend you, cut it off and cast it from yourself, for it is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into Everlasting fire. And if your eye offend you, pluck it out and cast it from yourself. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire. And a man’s hand is his friend, and his foot also. And a man’s eye are they of his own household.
- Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in Heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost and to call sinners to repentance, but those little ones have no need of repentance, and I will save them. What do you think? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray? And if it so be that he find it, truly I say unto you, he rejoices more over that which was lost than over the ninety-nine which went not astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
- Moreover, if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican.
- Truly I say unto you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you shall set loose on earth shall be set loose in Heaven. Again, I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, that they may not ask amiss, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in Heaven; for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
- Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of Heaven likened unto a certain king who would take account of his servants; and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him who owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. And the servant implored him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and released him, and forgave him the debt. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him.
- But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred pence. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that you owe. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and implored him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt.
- So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you desired me to. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you? And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.
- And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond Jordan. And great multitudes followed him, and many believed on him, and he healed them there.
- The Pharisees came also unto him, testing him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have you not read that he who made man at the beginning made him male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh? Wherefore, they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away? He said unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, whoever shall divorce his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery. And whoever marries her that is divorced does commit adultery.
- His disciples said unto him, If the case of the man should be so with a wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All cannot receive this saying. It is not for them save to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs who were so born from their mother’s womb. And there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs of men. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive, let him receive my sayings.
- Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put hands on them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them, saying, There is no need, for Jesus has said such shall be saved. But Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven. And he laid hands on them and departed from there.
- And behold, one came and said, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? There is none good but one — that is, God. But if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go sell that you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven; and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
- Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Truly I say unto you that a rich man shall difficultly enter into the kingdom of Heaven. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard this, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld their thoughts and said unto them, With men, this is impossible; but if they will forsake all things for my sake, with God, whatever things I speak are possible.
- Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed you. What shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Truly I say unto you that you who have followed me shall, in the resurrection, when the Son of Man shall come sitting on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life. But many of the first shall be last, and the last, first.
- For the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man, a householder, 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. And he went out about the third hour and found others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said unto them, Why stand you here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man has hired us. He said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, you shall receive.
- So when evening came, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that began about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more. And they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received a penny, they murmured against the master of the house, saying, These last have wrought one hour only, and you have 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 you no wrong. Did not you agree with me for a penny? Take yours and go your way. I will give unto this last even as unto you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first, last. And many are called, but few chosen.
Chapter 9