1

1 Seeing that many have undertaken to draw up an account concerning the proceedings fully carried through among us,

2 just as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses to, and had become servants of the word – just as they handed those things down to us,

3 so it seemed right to me too, who has followed everything accurately from the beginning, to write to you in an orderly way, Your Excellency Theophilus,

4 in order that you might come to know the certainty of the matters about which you have been taught by word of mouth.

5 In the days of Herod the king of Judaea there was a certain priest by the name of Zacharias, from the division of Abia, whose wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord blamelessly.

7 Now they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were elderly,

8 and it came to pass while he was holding the office of priest in the appointed order of his division before God,

9 in accordance with the custom of the priestly office, that he received the lot of burning incense as he went into the Lord's sanctuary.

10 And while the whole gathering of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense,

11 the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right hand side of the incense altar.

12 And Zacharias was alarmed when he saw him, and fear fell on him,

13 but the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your supplication has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call him John,

14 and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15 for he will be great in the Lord's sight, and he will not drink any wine or liquor at all, and he will be filled with holy spirit even from his mother's womb,

16 and he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go ahead of him in the spirit and power of Elijah, in order to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the prudence of the righteous, to prepare a people equipped for the Lord.”

18 Then Zacharias said to the angel, “By what means will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is elderly.”

19 Then the angel replied and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and bring you the good tidings of these things.

20 Now look, you will be dumb and not able to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their due time.”

21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they were surprised at him taking so much time in the sanctuary,

22 and when he came out, he was not able to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. So he kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.

23 And it came to pass when the days of his officiating service were completed that he went off to his home,

24 and after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself away for five months, and said,

25 “This is how the Lord has acted for me in the days when he condescended to remove my reproach among men.”

26 Then in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, the name of which was Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin was Mary,

28 and when the angel had come to her, he said, “Greetings, you who have been shown grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”

29 Now when she saw this, she was deeply disturbed at his words, and pondered on what kind of greeting this might be,

30 but the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God.

31 And look, you will conceive in the womb and bear a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.

32 He will be great, and be called the son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, seeing I do not know a man?”

35 At this the angel answered and said to her, “Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. On account of this, the holy child who will be born will be called the son of God.

36 And look, Elizabeth your kinswoman has herself also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren,

37 for nothing will prove impossible with God.”

38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the maidservant of the Lord. May it come to pass for me according to your words.” And the angel departed from her.

39 Then in those days Mary got up and went with haste into the mountainous region, to a town of Judah,

40 and went into Zacharias's house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 Then it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby in her womb leapt, and Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit,

42 and she called out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

43 And from where is this privilege of mine that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For I saw how, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby leapt for joy in my womb.

45 And blessed is she who has believed that an accomplishment of the things spoken to her by the Lord will take place.”

46 Then Mary said, “My being magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my saviour,

48 because he has looked favourably on the lowly status of his maidservant. For it will be seen that from now on all generations will pronounce me blessed,

49 because he who is mighty has done great deeds for me, and holy is his name,

50 and his mercy is on those who fear him, from generation to generation.

51 He has acted in strength with his arm; he has scattered those who are arrogant in the thoughts of their heart.

52 He has removed powerful men from their thrones and exalted the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering mercy –

55 as he said to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed – throughout the Age.”

56 Then Mary remained with her for about three months, and then returned to her house.

57 Meanwhile Elizabeth's time for her to give birth became due, and she bore a son.

58 And her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And it came to pass on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they called him after the name of his father Zacharias,

60 but his mother replied and said, “No; instead, he will be called John.”

61 Then they said to her, “There is no-one in your family who is called by that name.”

62 So they made signs to his father as to what he wished him to be called.

63 At this he asked for a writing-tablet and wrote as follows: “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64 Then his mouth was immediately opened, as was his tongue, and he spoke blessing God.

65 Then fear came upon all those who lived around them, and in the entire mountainous region of Judaea all these matters were talked about,

66 and all those who heard it laid it to heart and said, “What then will this child turn out to be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 Then Zacharias his father was filled with holy spirit, and he prophesied, and said,

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has visited and accomplished redemption for his people,

69 and has raised a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant,

70 as he spoke by the mouth of the holy ones – his prophets of old time –

71 bringing about salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us,

72 in showing mercy to our fathers and in remembering his holy covenant,

73 – the oath which he swore to Abraham our father – to grant to us,

74 that we, after being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him fearlessly,

75 in sanctity and righteousness in his sight, all the days or our life.

76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to impart knowledge of salvation to his people, by forgiveness of their sins,

78 by means of the compassionate mercy of our God, by which one who has sprung up has visited us from on high,

79 in appearing to those living in darkness and the shadow of death, to direct our feet onto the way of peace.”

80 So the child grew up, and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert places until the day of his being presented to Israel.

2

1 Now it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole Roman world should be registered.

2 This first registration took place when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.

3 So everyone went to be registered – each one to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and the paternal lineage of David,

5 to have himself registered with Mary, the woman betrothed to him, who was expecting a child.

6 And it came to pass when they were there, that the days for her to give birth became due,

7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a feeding-trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 Now there were shepherds in the same region spending the nights in the open, and keeping guard over their flock at night,

9 and behold, the angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very much afraid.

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for look, I bring you tidings of great joy, which will be to the whole of the people,

11 for today a saviour, who is Christ the Lord, was born to you in the city of David.

12 And this is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a feeding-trough.”

13 Then suddenly, along with the angel came a numerous heavenly company, praising God, and they said,

14 “Glory in the highest realms to God, and peace on earth; goodwill among men.”

15 And it came to pass, when the angels had departed from them for heaven, that the shepherds said to each other, “Let us without fail cross over to Bethlehem and see this episode which has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 So they went, going quickly, and discovered both Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the feeding-trough.

17 Then when they had seen it, they publicized the account which had been told them concerning this child.

18 And all who heard it were astounded at what was told them by the shepherds,

19 but Mary guarded all these things closely, pondering them in her heart.

20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything that they had heard and seen, according to what they were told.

21 Subsequently, when eight days had passed for the circumcising of him, he was given the name Jesus, which had been given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb.

22 Then when the days of their purification were completed, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

23 as it stands written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord,”

24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been spoken in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtle-doves or fledgling pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and holy spirit was on him,

26 and it had been oracularly communicated to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Christ,

27 and he went under the impulse of the spirit to the temple, and when the parents brought the child Jesus in for them to do what was the custom of the law concerning him,

28 he took him in his arms and blessed God, and said,

29 “Now, Lord, you can let your servant go, according to your word, in peace,

30 because my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you prepared in front of all peoples,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of your people Israel.”

33 Joseph and his mother were amazed at the things said concerning him,

34 but Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, he is destined to be an occasion of falling and rising of many in Israel, and a sign spoken against,

35 and a sword will cut through your own soul also, in order that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

36 Also, there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher – she was very elderly and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage –

37 and she was an eighty-four year old widow, who had not left the temple, serving with fastings and supplications night and day,

38 and she stood by at that very hour, and gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him to all those who were awaiting redemption in Jerusalem.

39 Then when they had completed all the things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town, Nazareth.

40 So the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was on him,

41 and his parents went to Jerusalem every year for the festival of the Passover.

42 Then when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the festival,

43 and when they had spent the days there, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, but neither Joseph nor his mother knew it,

44 but they supposed he was in the group of travellers, and went a day's journey and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,

45 and when they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

46 And it was after three days that they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and questioning them,

47 and all those listening to him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

48 Then when they saw him, they were astounded, and his mother said to him, “My child, why have you acted this way to us? You can see that your father and I have been very worried looking for you.”

49 Then he said to them, “How come you were looking for me? Did you not know that I need to be immersed in my father's affairs?”

50 But they did not understand the remark which he made to them.

51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52 Meanwhile Jesus progressed in wisdom and stature, and in grace with God and men.

3

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother was tetrarch of Ituraea, and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

2 at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were high priest, the word of God came to John the son of Zecharias in the desert,

3 and he went to the whole area around the Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins,

4 as it stands written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, where he says, “The voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

5 Every ravine will be filled in, and every mountain and hill will be made level and the crooked places will be made straight, and the rough tracks will be made smooth roads.

6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’ ”

7 Then he said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of adders, who has intimated to you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 Well then, produce fruit worthy of repentance, and do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have our father Abraham.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones,

9 and the axe also already lies at the root of the trees. For every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 Then the crowds questioned him and said, “What shall we do, then?”

11 At this he replied and said to them, “Let him who has two tunics share with him who does not have any, and let him who has food do likewise.”

12 Then some tax-collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Do not exact any more than you have been authorized”.

14 Then some men on military service also questioned him, and said, “And as for us, what shall we do?” At that he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone or falsely accuse anyone and be satisfied with your pay.”

15 Moreover, since the people were in expectation and everyone was considering John in their hearts, as to whether he might be the Christ,

16 John reacted and said to them all, “I baptize you with water. But he who is mightier than me is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not fit to unloose. He will baptize you with holy spirit and fire,

17 and his winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and gather the wheat into his store, but will burn up the chaff in an inextinguishable fire.”

18 Then in many other respects he comforted and brought good tidings to the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, because he was being rebuked by him concerning Herodias the wife of his brother, and concerning all the wicked things Herod had done,

20 added this as well to everything and shut John up in prison.

21 Then it came to pass, when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus had been baptized, and was praying, that heaven was opened,

22 and the holy spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him, and a voice from heaven came and said, “You are my beloved son; I am very pleased with you.”

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old, beginning his ministry, being, as was reckoned by law, the son-in-law of Joseph, who was the son-in-law of Heli,

24 who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the son of Joseph,

25 who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Naum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai,

26 who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Judah,

27 who was the son of Joana, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zorobabel, who was the son of Salathiel, who was the son of Neri,

28 who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmodam, who was the son of Er,

29 who was the son of Jose, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Joreim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi,

30 who was the son of Simeon who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonah, who was the son of Eliakeim,

31 who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menan, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David,

32 who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Naason,

33 who was the son of Aminadab, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Perez, who was the son of Judah,

34 who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Terah, who was the son of Nahor,

35 who was the son of who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Heber, who was the son of Shela,

36 who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arpacshad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech,

37 who was the son of Methusalah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaliel, who was the son of Cainan,

38 who was the son of Enosh, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.

4

1 Then Jesus, who was full of holy spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the spirit into the desert,

2 and was tempted by the devil for forty days, and did not eat anything in those days. Then when they were completed – after all this – he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 At this Jesus answered him and said, “It stands written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

5 Then the devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time,

6 and the devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, because it has been given to me, and I give it to whomever I wish,

7 so if you worship me, all that will be yours.”

8 Then Jesus answered him and said, “Off with you behind me, Satan. It stands written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”

9 Next he led him to Jerusalem, and stood him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here,

10 for it stands written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you to protect you,’

11 and, ‘They will bear you on their hands, so that you don't strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

12 At this Jesus responded and said to him, “It has been spoken, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

13 Then having finished each temptation, the devil withdrew from him for a while,

14 and Jesus returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee, and a report about him spread throughout the entire surrounding region,

15 and he himself taught in their synagogues, and was glorified by all.

16 Then he went to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and in accordance with his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read,

17 and the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed over to him, and he unrolled the book, and found the place where it was written,

18 “The spirit of the Lord is on me, on account of which he has anointed me to bring good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send the wounded off discharged,

19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then he rolled the book up and returned it to the attendant and sat down. Now the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were looking at him intently,

21 but he went on to say to them, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.”

22 So they all bore witness to him, and were astounded at the words of grace coming from his mouth, and they said, “Isn't this the son of Joseph?”

23 At this he said to them, “You will no doubt tell me this parable: ‘Doctor, cure yourself. All the things we have heard which took place in Capernaum, do also here in your native country.’ ”

24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his native country,

25 and I say to you truthfully, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when heaven had been closed for three years and six months, when there was a severe famine in all the land,

26 and Elijah was not sent to any of them except to Sarepta in Sidon, to a widowed woman.

27 Also, there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28 Then they were all filled with anger in the synagogue on hearing these things,

29 and they rose up and threw him out of the town, and led him to a brow of the mountain on which their town had been built, intending to throw him off a precipice,

30 but he slipped through the thick of them and went his way.

31 Then he came down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and would teach them on the Sabbath days,

32 and they were astonished at his teaching, because his word was with authority.

33 Now there was a man in the synagogue possessed by a spirit of an unclean demon, and he shouted out in a loud voice,

34 and said, “Hey, what have you got to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the holy one of God.”

35 Then Jesus rebuked it and said, “Be silent and come out of him.” At this the demon threw him right in among them, and came out of him, not having harmed him in any way.

36 And astonishment came upon them all, and they spoke to each other and said, “What kind of speech is this, where he commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out?”

37 Consequently rumours about him spread to every place in the surrounding area.

38 Then he left the synagogue and went to Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in the grip of a severe fever and they appealed to him concerning her.

39 So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she got up and waited on them.

40 Then when the sun was setting, all those who had folk sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on each one of them and cured them.

41 Demons also came out of many of them, shouting and saying, “You are the Christ the son of God,” but he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

42 Then when it was day, he departed and went to a desolate place, but the crowds looked for him and came up to him and tried to stop him moving on from them.

43 So he said to them, “I must also announce good tidings of the kingdom of God in the other towns, because this is what I have been sent for.”

44 Then he would proclaim it in the synagogues of Galilee.

5

1 Then it came to pass, when the crowd were pressing him so as to hear the word of God, and he himself was standing beside the lake of Galilee,

2 that he saw two boats standing by the lake. The fishermen had disembarked from them and had washed out their nets.

3 So he went on board one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out to sea away from the land a little. Then he sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat.

4 Then when he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out to the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

5 At this Simon answered and said to him, “Master, we have toiled all night long, but caught nothing. But at your word I will lower the net.”

6 Then they did this, and enclosed a very large number of fish, but their net was beginning to tear,

7 so they beckoned to their colleagues, who were in the other boat, to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats, so much so that they were on the point of sinking.

8 Then when Simon Peter saw it, he fell at Jesus's knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”

9 For astonishment had gripped him, and all those with him, at the catch of the fish which they had taken.

10 So too had astonishment gripped James and John, Zebedee's sons, who were companions of Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men.”

11 Then they brought the boats in to land, and left everything, and followed him.

12 And it came to pass when he was in one of the towns that there was a man infected with leprosy, and when he saw Jesus he fell face down and pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can cleanse me.”

13 At this he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

14 Then he instructed him not to tell anyone, but, he said, “Go off and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses prescribed, as a testimony to them.”

15 But the report about him spread all the more, and many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their infirmities by him.

16 However he would withdraw to the desolate places and pray.

17 Then it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was present to cure them.

18 And there were men bringing a man who was paralysed, on a bed, and they kept trying to bring him in and set him before him,

19 but not finding a way by which they might bring him in, on account of the crowd, they went up onto the roof and lowered him, bed and all, through the tiles in among them in front of Jesus.

20 And seeing their faith, he said to him, “Sir, you have been forgiven your sins.”

21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, and said, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 But having discerned their reasonings, Jesus replied and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

23 What is easier, to say ‘You have been forgiven your sins,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’

24 But in order that you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralysed man – “I say to you, get up and pick up your bed and go to your home.”

25 And immediately he got up in their presence, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went away to his home, glorifying God.

26 At this, amazement gripped them all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, and said, “We have seen wonders today.”

27 Then after these things he went away and saw a tax collector by name of Levi, sitting at the tax collection point, and he said to him, “Follow me.”

28 And he left everything and got up and followed him.

29 Then Levi organized a big reception in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were sitting with them.

30 However, their scribes and the Pharisees complained to his disciples and said, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax-collectors and sinners?”

31 So Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are in good health who need a doctor, but those who are ill.

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

33 Then they said to him, “Why do John's disciples fast frequently, and make supplications, as those of the Pharisees do for their part, whereas yours eat and drink?”

34 He then said to them, “Surely you can't make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35 But such days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then – in those days – they will fast.”

36 And he told them a parable: “No-one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment, otherwise the new one will tear, and that of the new material will not be compatible with the old.

37 And no-one puts new wine in old wineskins, or else the new wine will tear the wineskins, and will itself be spilt and the wineskins will be ruined.

38 But new wine needs to be put in new wineskins, so both are preserved together.

39 And no-one who has drunk old wine immediately wants new. For he says, ‘The old is more palatable.’ ”

6

1 Now it came to pass on a high day Sabbath that he was crossing through the corn-fields, and his disciples were plucking ears of corn and eating them, rubbing them with their hands.

2 And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what it is not permitted to do on the Sabbath days?”

3 So Jesus replied to them and said, “Have you not read this – what David did when he was hungry – he and those with him –

4 when he went into the house of God, and took the showbread loaves and ate from them, and gave some to those who were with him as well, loaves which it is not permitted to eat, except for the priests alone?”

5 So he said to them, “The son of man is the Lord of the Sabbath as well.”

6 And it also came to pass on another Sabbath that he went into the synagogue and gave teaching, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.

7 The scribes and the Pharisees, however, watched carefully to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, in order to find an accusation against him.

8 But he knew their reasonings, and said to the man who had a withered hand, “Get up and stand in full view.” And he got up and stood there.

9 So Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something. Is it permitted to do good or bad – to save life or to kill – on the Sabbath days?”

10 Then he looked round at them all and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did that and his hand was restored as sound as the other one.

11 But they were filled with senselessness, and they discussed with each other what they might do to Jesus.

12 And it came to pass in those days that he went off to the mountain to pray, and passed the night in prayer to God.

13 Then when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:

14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philips and Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,

16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who for his part became a traitor.

17 Then he went down with them, and stood in a place on the plain, and there was a crowd of his disciples, and a very large number of the people from the whole of Judaea and Jerusalem and the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him, and to be cured of their diseases.

18 There were also those troubled by unclean spirits, and they were healed.

19 And the whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power would go out from him and cure everyone.

20 Then he lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said, “Blessed are you poor, because yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they ostracize you and reproach you and reject your name as evil, on account of the son of man.

23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for you will see that your reward is great in heaven. After all, their fathers acted along those lines towards the prophets.

24 But woe to you who are rich, because you have your due consolation.

25 Woe to you who have been filled, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.

26 Woe when men speak well of you. After all, their fathers acted along those lines towards the false prophets.

27 But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies; do good to those who hate you;

28 bless those who curse you; pray for those who deal spitefully with you.

29 To him who hits you on the cheek, offer the other one also, and from him who takes your coat, do not withhold your tunic either.

30 And give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for anything back from him who takes your goods.

31 And as you would want men to do to you, do the same to them yourselves for your part.

32 And if you love those who love you, what kind of graciousness is that to you? For even the sinners love those who love them.

33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what kind of graciousness is that to you? For even the sinners do the same.

34 And if you lend things to those from whom you hope to get them back, what kind of graciousness is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners on terms that they get the same things back.

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend not hoping for anything back, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and wicked.

36 So be compassionate, as your father is compassionate for his part.

37 And do not judge, and you will not be judged at all. And do not condemn, so that you will not be condemned at all. Acquit others, and you will be acquitted.

38 Give, and you will be given. They will give you a good measure, compacted and shaken and overflowing in your bosom. For with the same measure with which you measure it will be measured to you in turn.”

39 Then he told them a parable. “Surely a blind man cannot guide a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

40 The disciple is not above his teacher, but each will be equipped like his teacher.

41 And why do you look at the splinter in your brother's eye, but not notice the joist in your own eye?

42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘My brother, let me extract the splinter in your eye,’ not seeing the joist in your own eye yourself? You hypocrite! First extract the joist from your eye, and then you will see clearly to extract the splinter in your brother's eye.

43 For there is no good tree which produces rotten fruit, nor is there a rotten tree which that produces good fruit.

44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For one does not gather figs from thorn-plants, nor does one harvest a bunch of grapes from a bramble bush.

45 A good man produces what is good from the good store of his heart, whereas the wicked man produces wickedness from the wicked store of his heart. For his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.

46 Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?

47 I will show you what everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them is like.

48 He is like a man who built a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on rock. Then when a flood came, the river beat against that house, but it was not strong enough to shake it, for it had been founded on rock.

49 But he who hears but does not do accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the river beat, so that it immediately collapsed, and the devastation of that house was severe.”

7

1 Then when he had finished all his words in the hearing of the people, he went to Capernaum.

2 Now the servant of a certain centurion, who was highly valued by him, was ill and on the point of dying,

3 and having heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to him requesting him to come and save his servant.

4 Then when they had come to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, and said that he to whom he would grant this was worthy of it,

5 and said, “For he loves our nation and he himself built the synagogue for us.”

6 So Jesus went with them, and by the time he was not far away from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, who said to him, “Lord, do not put yourself to trouble, for I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof,

7 which is why I have not considered myself worthy to come to you either. But just say the word and my servant will be cured.

8 For indeed I am a man appointed under a system of authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these things, he was astonished at him, and he turned and said to the crowd who were following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found so much faith.”

10 Then those who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant who had been ailing in good health.

11 And it came to pass soon afterwards that he went to a town called Nain, and a considerable number of his disciples went with him, and also a large crowd,

12 and when he approached the gate of the town, it transpired that a dead man was being carried out – the only-begotten son of his mother – and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.

13 Then when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Don't cry.”

14 And he went up and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still, and he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.”

15 At this the dead man sat up and began to speak. Then he gave him to his mother.

16 Then fear gripped everyone, and they glorified God, and said, “A great prophet has arisen among us,” and, “God has visited his people.”

17 And this report about him spread in the whole of Judaea and in all the neighbouring area.

18 Moreover, John's disciples reported back to him concerning all these things,

19 at which John called for a certain two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 Then when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you asking, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”

21 Now in that very hour he cured many of their diseases and infirmities and evil spirits and he granted many blind their sight.

22 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report back to John what you have seen and heard: that the blind recover their sight; the lame walk; lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear again; the dead are raised; good tidings are preached to the poor.

23 And blessed is whoever does not stumble at me.”

24 Then when John's messengers had departed, he began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out in the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

25 Well then, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in delicate clothes? You know that people in elegant clothing and living in luxury are to be found in royal palaces.

26 So what then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more eminent than a prophet.

27 This man is he about whom it stands written, ‘See how I am sending my messenger in front of you, and he will prepare your way ahead of you.’

28 For I say to you, no-one among those born from women is a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 Then when all the people had heard it, including the tax collectors, they pronounced God righteous, having been baptized with John's baptism.

30 But the Pharisees and scholars in the law rejected God's counsel to them and were not baptized by him.

31 “To whom then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what are they similar?

32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to each other, and saying, ‘We have played the flute to you, but you have not danced. We have sung you a dirge, but you have not wept.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’

34 The son of man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a gluttonous and wine-drinking man, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners.’

35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked him to dine with him. So he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined.

37 Now there was a woman in the town, who was a sinner, who had found out that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, and she brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38 and stood at his feet weeping behind him, and began to wet his feet with the tears and wipe them off with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

39 But when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who, and what kind of woman it is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

40 At this Jesus reacted and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” Then he said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “There were two debtors to a certain money-lender. One owed five hundred denaries, the other fifty.

42 Since they did not have the means to repay, he waived the debt for both of them. Which of them, then,” – he said, – “will love him more?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one for whom he waived the greater debt.” Then he said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house, but you did not put water on my feet. But she wet my feet with tears and wiped them off with the hairs of her head.

45 You did not give me a kiss. But from the time I came in, she did not stop kissing my feet.

46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.

47 For this reason I say to you, her many sins have been forgiven, so that she loved me a lot. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 And he said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

49 Then those reclining at table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

8

1 Then it came to pass shortly afterwards that he travelled from city to city and village to village preaching and bringing good tidings of the kingdom of God, the twelve being with him also,

2 as also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and illnesses: Mary who is called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out,

3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's administrator, and Susanna and many others, and they attended to them with their own resources.

4 Then when a large crowd had assembled and people of various towns had come to him, he spoke using a parable,

5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed it, some fell beside the road and was trodden on, and the birds of the sky devoured it.

6 And some fell on rock, where, after growing, it dried up, because it did not have moisture.

7 And some fell amid the thorn-bushes, and when the thorn plants had grown up with it, they choked it.

8 And some fell onto good ground, and grew up, and produced a hundredfold yield.” While he was saying these things, he would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

9 But his disciples questioned him and said, “What does this parable mean?”

10 Then he said, “To you it is granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are described in parables, in order that they might see, but not have an eye to them, and hear, but not understand.

11 Now this is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God.

12 Those beside the road are they who hear, but then the devil comes and removes the word from their hearts, in order that they might not believe and be saved.

13 Those on the rock are those who when they hear, receive the word with joy, but these do not have root, and they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away,

14 and that which fell into the thorn bushes is those who hear, but are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life as they go, and do not go on to produce fruit.

15 But that on the good ground is those with a noble and good heart who hear the word and hold on to it and produce fruit with patience.

16 No-one who has lit a lamp hides it with a container or puts it under a bed, but rather puts it on a lamp-stand so that those who come in can see the light.

17 For there is nothing hidden that will not become manifest, nor anything secret that will not become known and come into the open.

18 So watch out how you hear. For whoever has something, more will be given to him, but whoever does not have anything, even that which he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

19 Then his mother and brothers came to him, but were unable to reach him on account of the crowd.

20 And it was reported to him by people saying, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 But he replied and said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

22 Then it came to pass in one of those days that he went on board a boat, as did his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail.

23 Now as they were sailing, he fell asleep. Then a squall descended on the lake, and they were filling up with water, and were in danger.

24 So they went to him, and woke him up and said, “Master, master, we are in mortal danger.” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the dashing of the water, and they stopped, and it became calm.

25 Then he said to them, “Where is your faith?” But they were afraid and astonished, and said to each other, “Who is this then, in that he even commands the winds and water, and they obey him?”

26 Then they put in at the region of the Gadarenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee.

27 And when he had disembarked onto land, a certain man from the town met him, a man who had been possessed by demons for a considerable time, and who was not wearing any outer clothing, and who did not stay at home, but among the tombs.

28 And when he saw Jesus, he shouted out and fell down at him and said in a loud voice, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I implore you, do not torment me.”

29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, for it had held him in its grip for a long time, and he was kept under guard bound with chains and fetters, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into desolate places.

30 Then Jesus questioned him and said, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.

31 And he pleaded with him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

32 Now there was a herd there of a considerable number of pigs feeding on the mountain, and they pleaded with him to allow them to go into them. At this he allowed them.

33 Then when the demons had come out of the man, they went into the pigs, whereupon the herd rushed headlong down the cliff into the lake and drowned.

34 Then when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the city and in the fields.

35 So they came out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the demons had come sitting down, clothed, and in his senses, at the feet of Jesus, and they were afraid.

36 Then those who had seen it for their part related to them how he who had been possessed by demons had been saved.

37 However, the whole populace of the surrounding area of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, because they were gripped by a great fear. So he went on board a boat and returned.

38 But the man out of whom the demons had come implored him to stay with him. However, Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 “Return to your home, and tell them about all the things God has done for you.” At this he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what Jesus had done for him.

40 Then it came to pass as Jesus was returning that the crowd welcomed him, for they were all awaiting him,

41 and the next thing that happened was that a man, whose name was Jairus, who was president of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus's feet and implored him to come into his house,

42 because he had an only-begotten daughter, twelve years old, and she was dying. And as he went off, the crowds pressed him,

43 and a woman who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, who had spent all her life-savings on doctors, but had not been able to be cured by anyone,

44 came up from behind and touched the hem of his coat, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped.

45 At this Jesus said, “Who is it who touched me?” Since everyone denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the crowds are pressing and thronging you, yet you ask, ‘Who is it who touched me?’ ”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I am aware that power has gone out from me.”

47 Then when the woman saw that she had not gone unnoticed, she came trembling and fell down at him and explained to him the reason why she had touched him in the presence of all the people, and how she had been cured immediately.

48 He then said to her, “Be of good courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the entourage of the president of the synagogue saying to him, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the teacher.”

50 But when Jesus heard it, he replied to him and said, “Do not fear; just believe, and she will be saved.”

51 Then when he had come to the house, he did not permit anyone to go in, except Peter and John and James and the father of the child, and the mother.

52 Everyone was weeping and mourning her. But he said, “Do not weep; she has not died, but is sleeping.”

53 They then ridiculed him, since they knew that she had died.

54 But he sent them all out and held her hand and called out and said, “Child, get up,”

55 at which her spirit returned, and she immediately stood up. Then he ordered her to be given something to eat.

56 And her parents were astonished, but he instructed them not to tell anyone what has taken place.

9

1 Next he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to cure diseases,

2 and he sent them away to proclaim the kingdom of God and to cure those who were ill,

3 and he said to them, “Do not take anything for the journey, neither staffs nor wallet, nor bread, nor money, nor have two coats each,

4 and stay in whatever house you go into, and go out from there.

5 But as for whoever does not receive you, go out of that city and shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

6 So they departed and passed through from village to village bringing good tidings and healing people everywhere.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all the things being done by him, and he was quite put out, with it being said by some that John had been raised from the dead,

8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.

9 Then Herod said, “I had John beheaded. So who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he looked for a way to see him.

10 Meanwhile the apostles returned and described to him the things which they had done, at which he took them along and withdrew privately to a deserted place in the city called Bethsaida,

11 but the crowds, having come to know about it, followed him. Nevertheless he received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he cured those who needed curing.

12 Then the day began to decline, and the twelve came up and said to him, “Send the crowd away, so that they can go off to the surrounding villages and fields to lodge and find provisions, because here we are in a desolate place.”

13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They then said, “We do not have more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go to buy food for all these people.”

14 After all, there were about five thousand men there. Then he said to his disciples, “Seat them in groups of fifty.”

15 So they did this and they all reclined.

16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up to heaven and blessed them and broke them and gave them to the disciples to serve to the crowd.

17 And they all ate and were filled, and the fragments they left over were picked up: twelve basketsful.

18 Subsequently, it came to pass when he was praying on his own, that his disciples were with him, and he questioned them, and asked, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 They answered and said, “John the Baptist, while others say Elijah, and others that one of the ancient prophets has risen.”

20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter then answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

21 At this he warned them and forbade them to tell anyone this,

22 and said, “The son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and senior priests and scribes, and be killed, and rise on the third day.”

23 Then he said to everyone, “If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but it is whoever loses his life for my sake who will save it.

25 For how is man benefitted if he has gained the whole world, but has lost or suffered damage to his very self?

26 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the son of man will be ashamed of him, when he enters into his glory and that of the father and that of the holy angels.

27 And I say to you, truly, there are some of those standing here who will certainly not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

28 Then it came to pass about eight days after these words that he took Peter and John and James along with him and went up the mountain to pray.

29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing flashed like lightning.

30 Then two men, who were Moses and Elijah, became visible and were talking with him,

31 and they appeared in glory, and were speaking of his departure from this life, which he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem.

32 Then Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but on waking up they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

33 And it came to pass as they moved away from him that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here, so let us make three booths, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he was saying.

34 But as he was saying these things, a cloud materialized and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as the aforementioned went into the cloud.

35 Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my beloved son. Hear him.”

36 And when the voice had passed, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and did not disclose to anyone in those days anything of what they had seen.

37 Then it came to pass on the next day when they had come down from the mountain that a large crowd met him.

38 And it so happened that a man from the crowd shouted out and said, “Teacher, I implore you, have an eye to my son, for he is my only-begotten child,

39 and what happens is, a spirit gets possession of him, and he suddenly shouts out, and it convulses him with foaming, and it hardly recedes from him as it crushes him.

40 And I pleaded with your disciples to cast it out, but they couldn't.”

41 At this, Jesus replied and said, “O faithless and wayward generation, how long will I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.”

42 Even as he was coming, the demon tore at him and convulsed him. Jesus, however, rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and gave him back to his father.

43 And they were all astonished at the majesty of God. And while they all marvelled at everything Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

44 “Lay these words to your ears. For the son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

45 But they failed to understand this remark, and it was veiled from them, so that they did not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this remark.

46 Then a dispute arose among them as to who might be the greatest of them.

47 But Jesus, having seen the disputing of their heart, took hold of a child and stood him next to himself,

48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For it is he who is least among you all who will be great.”

49 Then John responded and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we prevented him, because he does not follow with us.”

50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

51 Now it came to pass, towards the completion of the days to him being taken up, that he resolutely disposed himself to go to Jerusalem.

52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who departed and went into a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.

53 But they did not receive him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.

54 Then when his disciples James and John saw him, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them, as Elijah did for his part?”

55 But he turned round and rebuked them and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are.

56 For the son of man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” Then they went to another village.

57 Then it came to pass as they were going on the way that someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go, Lord.”

58 But Jesus said to him, “The foxes have dens and the birds of the sky have nests, but the son of man does not have anywhere to lay his head.”

59 He also said to someone else, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, allow me to go off and bury my father first.”

60 However, Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go off and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first allow me to bid farewell to those in my house.”

62 But Jesus said to him, “No-one, having put his hand to the plough, but looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

10

1 After these things the Lord appointed another seventy in addition and sent them in twos ahead of him into every town and place where he was going to go himself.

2 Then he said to them, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So entreat the Lord of the harvest to send out workers to his harvest.

3 Off you go. Mark this, I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves.

4 Do not carry a purse or wallet, or footwear, and do not greet anyone on the way.

5 In whatever house you go into, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’

6 And if there is a man of peace there, your peace will rest on him. But if not, it will turn back on you.

7 And remain in that house eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

8 So in whatever town you go into and they receive you, eat what is served to you,

9 and cure the sick in it, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn close to you.’

10 But as for whatever town you go into and they don't receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11 ‘We are wiping away even the dust from your town which has stuck to us so testifying against you. But know this, that the kingdom of God has drawn close to you.’

12 And I say to you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on that day than for that town.

13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power which have taken place in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented sitting in sack-cloth and ashes a long time ago.

14 However, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon than for you towns in the judgment.

15 And you, Capernaum, which have been elevated to heaven, you will be brought down to Hades.

16 He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 Subsequently the seventy returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.”

18 He then said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

19 Here you are, I give you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy, and nothing at all will harm you.

20 But do not rejoice at this, in that the spirits are subject to you. Rejoice rather in that your names have been written in the heavens.”

21 At that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and said, “I give thanks to you, father, Lord of heaven and earth, in that you have hidden these things from the wise and clever, and have revealed them to infants. Indeed, father, because this met with your approval”.

22 Then he turned to his disciples and said, “Everything has been handed over to me by my father. And no-one knows who the son is except the father, and who the father is except the son, and whoever the son wishes to reveal it to.”

23 Then he turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see.

24 For I say to you that many prophets and kings have wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

25 Then what happened was that a certain scholar in the law stood up, testing him, and said, “Teacher, by doing what will I inherit age-abiding life?”

26 At this, he said to him, “What stands written in the law? How do you read it?”

27 He then replied and 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 neighbour as yourself.”

28 Then he said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you shall live.”

29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”

30 Jesus then rejoined and said, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers who for their part stripped him and gave him a beating and went off leaving him, as his fate would have it, half dead.

31 By chance a certain priest was going down by that road, and when he saw him, he passed by opposite.

32 And likewise also a Levite, who had come down to the place, came and saw him, and passed by opposite.

33 But a certain Samaritan on a journey came down to him, and saw him, and had compassion on him,

34 and went to him and bound up his wounds, and poured oil and wine on them, and mounted him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 Then on the next day when he departed, he produced two denaries and gave them to the inn-keeper and said to him, ‘Take care of him and whatever you spend in addition I will repay you when I return.’

36 Which, then, of these three do you consider to have emerged as the neighbour of him who fell among the robbers?”

37 He then said, “He who showed him compassion.” So Jesus said to him, “You go too, and do likewise.”

38 Then it came to pass as they were on the move that he went into a certain village, and a certain woman by name of Martha received him into her house.

39 Now this woman had a sister called Mary, who had sat down beside Jesus's feet, and was listening to his word.

40 But Martha was distracted with a lot of serving. Then she came up and said, “Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me alone to do the serving? So tell her to assist me.”

41 But Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and agitated about many things.

42 But one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

11

1 And it came to pass when he was praying in a certain place, when he stopped, that one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John for his part taught his disciples.”

2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our father in the heavens, May your name be sanctified. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, As in heaven, So on the earth.

3 Give us our oncoming bread daily,

4 And forgive us our sins, For indeed we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But save us from evil.’ ”

5 Then he said to them, “Who among you has a friend, and would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, ‘My friend, lend me three loaves,

6 because a friend has arrived at my house from a journey, and I do not have anything to serve him’?

7 Then from indoors he would reply and say, ‘Do not give me trouble. The door has already been shut and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you any.’

8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him something because he is his friend, he will get up anyway and give him what he needs because of his shameless behaviour.

9 And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

11 Which of you, as the father, if your son were to ask for bread, would give him a stone? Or also if he were to ask for a fish, instead of a fish would give him a serpent?

12 Or also if he were to ask for an egg, would give him a scorpion?

13 So if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father from heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him!”

14 Subsequently he was casting out a demon, and it was dumb. And it came to pass that when the demon had come out, the dumb man spoke, and the crowds were amazed.

15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons,”

16 whereas others, tempting him, wanted a sign from heaven from him.

17 But he, knowing their cogitations, said to them, “Every kingdom which is divided against itself is made desolate, and a house divided against a house falls.

18 So then, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul.

19 And if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people cast them out? By this logic, they themselves will be judges over you.

20 But if I cast out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 As long as a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are in peace,

22 but as soon as one stronger than he arrives and overcomes him, he will take his weaponry, in which he trusted, and will divide his spoils.

23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

24 Whenever an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it traverses arid places seeking a resting place, and if it does not find it, it says, ‘I will return to my house from where I came out,’

25 and when it has arrived there, it finds it swept clean and tidied up.

26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself along with it, and they go and dwell there, and the latter state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

27 And it came to pass as he was saying these things that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb which carried you and the breasts which you sucked.”

28 But he said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

29 As the crowds continued to accumulate, he went on to say, “This generation is wicked. It is looking for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

30 for as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the son of man will be to this generation.

31 The queen of the south will rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineveh will rise in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

33 And no-one lights a lamp and puts it in a vault, or under a bushel of corn, but on a lamp-stand, so that those coming in can see its glow.

34 The light of the body is the eye. So when your eye is clear-sighted then the whole of your body will be bright, but if it is bad then your body is dark.

35 So watch out that the light in you is not actually darkness.

36 Therefore, if the whole of your body is bright, not having any dark part, it will be bright all over, as when a lamp lights you up with its brilliance.”

37 Now while he was speaking, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him, and he went and reclined at table.

38 And the Pharisee, when he saw it, was astounded that he did not first perform ablutions before the meal.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Well now, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but your inside is full of greed and wickedness.

40 You fools, did not he who made the outside also make the inside?

41 But give as alms inward things, and you will find that everything is clean for you.

42 But woe to you, you Pharisees, because you give tithes of mint and rue, and every herb, but you pass by the judgment and love of God. You ought to have done these things, while not neglecting the former things.

43 Woe to you Pharisees, for you love the privileged seating in the synagogues and the greetings in the market places.

44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like the inconspicuous tombs, and the men walking around above them are unaware of them.”

45 Then one of the scholars in the law answered and said to him, “Teacher, by saying these things, you are insulting us as well.”

46 But he said, “Woe to you scholars in the law too, for you burden men with burdens which are hard to bear, but you yourselves do not feel what the burdens are like with a single one of your fingers.

47 Woe to you, because you build the sepulchres of the prophets, but your fathers killed them.

48 Consequently, you bear witness and approve of the works of your fathers, because they themselves killed them, whereas you build their sepulchres.

49 On account of this the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them,’ but they will kill some of them, and persecute them,

50 so that an account is required from this generation of the blood of all the prophets which has been shed since the overthrow of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the house. Yes, I say to you, an account will be required from this generation.

52 Woe to you scholars of the law, because you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not go in, and you have prevented those who were going in.”

53 Now while he was saying these things to them, the scribes and Pharisees began to harbour an intense grudge and to draw him out on very many matters,

54 ensnaring him, looking for a way to catch something out of his mouth, in order to accuse him.

12

1 Meanwhile myriads of the crowd gathered together to the point of treading on each other, and he went on to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 There is nothing well-veiled that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not become known,

3 because whatever you have said in darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken to the ear in closed rooms will be proclaimed on the rooftops.

4 But I say to you friends of mine, do not fear those who can kill the body but after that are unable to do anything more.

5 And I will show you whom to fear. Fear him who after killing has authority to throw into Gehenna. Yes, I say to you, fear him.

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

7 But even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

8 And I say to you, as regards everyone who acknowledges me in the presence of men – the son of man will in turn acknowledge him before the angels of God.

9 But he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

10 Now as for anyone who speaks a word against the son of man, it will be forgiven him, but it will not be forgiven him who blasphemes against the holy spirit.

11 When they haul you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not be concerned about how or what you will answer in defence, or what you should say,

12 for the holy spirit will teach you at that hour what it is necessary to say.”

13 Then someone said to him from the crowd, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

14 But he said to him, “Sir, who appointed me as a judge or an apportioner over you?”

15 And he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourselves against greed. For it is not the abundance of a person's possessions which makes up his life.”

16 Then he told them a parable and said, “The estate of a certain rich man gave a good yield.

17 And he thought things over and said, ‘What should I do? For I do not have anywhere to gather up my fruits into.’

18 And he said, ‘This is what I will do – I will demolish my storehouses and build bigger ones, and gather up there all my produce and my goods.

19 And I will say to myself, «Self, you have many goods laid up for many years. Have a rest, eat, drink, and be merry.» ’

20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night they demand your life from you. Then who will have what you have prepared?’

21 Such is he who treasures things up to himself, but does not become rich towards God.”

22 Then he said to his disciples, “This is why I say to you, do not be concerned about yourself, as to what you will eat, or about your body, as to what you will wear.

23 Your life is more than food, and your body is more than its clothing.

24 Observe the ravens, how they do not sow or reap, which have neither store nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more you are worth than the birds!

25 And who among you can add one cubit to his height by being anxious?

26 So if you cannot do even a very small thing, why are you anxious about the remaining things?

27 Observe the lilies – how they grow. They do not toil, nor spin thread. But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these.

28 And if God so clothes the vegetation in the field in existence today, but it is thrown into a furnace tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!

29 So don't you concentrate on what you will eat or what you will drink, and do not be in suspense about it,

30 for the nations of the world concentrate on all these things, but your father knows that you need these things.

31 Rather, seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.

32 Do not fear, you little flock. For it pleased your father to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell your belongings and give alms. Make yourselves purses which do not wear out – an unfailing treasure in the heavens where no thief comes near nor does a moth cause ruin.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35 Let your loins be girded and your lamps be burning,

36 and you yourselves be like men awaiting their master when he returns from the wedding reception, so that when he comes and knocks, they open to him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on the alert when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them recline at table, and will come up to them and serve them.

38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them like this, blessed are those servants.

39 Know this: if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

40 So you also be prepared, because at an hour when you don't expect it, the son of man will come.”

41 Then Peter said to him, “Lord, are you saying this parable to us or to everyone else as well?”

42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward whom the master will appoint over his body of servants to give them their ration of wheat at the proper time?

43 Blessed is that servant whom the master will find acting this way when he comes.

44 Truly, I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his possessions.

45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is taking a long time coming,’ and starts beating the menservants and maidservants, and eating and drinking, and becoming drunk,

46 that servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect it, and at an hour which he does not know, and he will cut him in two and assign his lot with the unfaithful.

47 And that servant, who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accordance with his will, will be flogged with many lashes.

48 But he who did not know, and acted in a way worthy of beating, will be flogged with few lashes. From everyone to whom much is given, much will be required, and from him to whom much has been entrusted, they will ask all the more.

49 I came to cast fire on the earth, so what do I wish for if it has already been set alight?

50 And I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am pressed until it is completed!

51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather discord.

52 For from now on there will be five in one house at odds with each other three against two and two against three.

53 A father will be at variance with his son, and a son with his father; a mother with her daughter and a daughter with her mother; a mother-in-law will be against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

54 Then he said to the crowds as well, “Whenever you see a cloud arising from the west, you immediately say, ‘A downpour is coming.’ And so it comes to pass.

55 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat.’ And so it comes to pass.

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the condition of the earth and the sky, but how come you cannot interpret this period of time?

57 And why can you not determine by yourselves what is right?

58 For when you go before a magistrate with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he does not drag you to the judge, and the judge hands you over to the executive officer, and the executive officer throws you in prison.

59 I say to you, you will certainly not come out from there until you have paid the very last lepton.”

13

1 Now there were some people present at that very time reporting to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 To this Jesus reacted and said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans, because they have suffered such things?

3 No, I say to you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them – do you suppose these were more at fault than all the other men who live in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”

6 Then he related this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any,

7 and he said to his vinedresser, ‘That's three years that I have been coming looking for fruit on this fig tree, but not finding any. Cut it down. Why should it for its part occupy the ground pointlessly?’

8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Master, leave it this year too, until I have dug around it and applied manure.

9 And if it bears fruit, well and good. But if not, you can cut it down in the coming year.’ ”

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath,

11 and there was a woman who had been possessed by a spirit of illness for eighteen years, and was bent double, and was not able to straighten up at all.

12 Then when Jesus saw her, he called to her and said to her, “Madam, you have been made free of your illness.”

13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight again, and she glorified God.

14 But the president of the synagogue, who was annoyed that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded and said to the congregation, “There are six days on which one must do work. So come on these days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”

15 Therefore the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you untie his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead it away to give it drink?

16 Should not this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound all these eighteen years, not be freed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

17 And with him saying these things, all those who opposed him were put to shame, and all the congregation rejoiced at all the illustrious things which were done by him.

18 Then he said, “To what is the kingdom of God similar, and with what shall I compare it?

19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and threw in his own garden, and it grew and became a big tree, and the birds of the sky nestled in its branches.”

20 He spoke again: “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?

21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three satums of flour, until it was all leavened.”

22 Then he crossed around from town to town and village to village, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem.

23 And someone said to him, “Lord, is it only a few who are saved?” He then said to them,

24 “Exert yourselves to go in through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, are trying to go in, but will not be able.

25 Once the master of the house has got up and closed the door, when you make a move and stand outside and knock on the door and say, ‘Lord, lord, open up to us,’ he will then answer and say to you, ‘I don't know where you are from.’

26 Then you will go on to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in your company, and you taught us in our streets.’

27 Then he will say, ‘I say to you, I do not know where you are from. Keep away from me, all you perpetrators of iniquity.’

28 There, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves cast out.

29 And they will come from the east and the west and the north and the south, and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.

30 And you will see that there are some last who will be first, and that there are some first who will be last.”

31 On that day, some Pharisees came over and said to him, “Get out and go away from here, for Herod wishes to kill you.”

32 At this he said to them, “Go and say to that fox, ‘Look, I cast out demons and accomplish healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will come to an end.’

33 But it is necessary for me to make my journey today and tomorrow and the day after, because it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem.

34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I wished to gather your children in the way a bird gathers its own brood under its wings, but you were not willing!

35 See how your house is left to you desolate. And I say to you that you will not see me at all until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

14

1 Now it came to pass, when he had gone into the home of one of the senior members of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him closely,

2 and it was the case that there was a certain man with oedema in front of him,

3 at which Jesus reacted and addressed the scholars in the law and Pharisees and said, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?”

4 But they kept quiet. Then he took hold of him and cured him and let him go.

5 Then he replied to them and said, “Who among you whose son or ox falls into a well would not immediately draw him up on the Sabbath day?”

6 And they could not argue against those matters with him.

7 Then he told the guests a parable as he noticed how they chose the places of honour, and said to them,

8 “When you have been invited to a wedding by someone, do not recline at a place of honour, in case someone more honourable than you is invited by him,

9 and the one who invited you and him should come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you will have to move on with shame to occupy the last choice place.

10 But when you are invited, go and recline in the last choice place so that when your host comes, he says to you, ‘My friend, come up higher.’ Then you will have honour in the sight of those sitting with you.

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 Then he said to him who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relations or rich neighbours, in case they also invite you in return, and you have a repayment.”

13 But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, the blind,

14 and you will be blessed, because they don't have the means to repay you. For it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the righteous.

15 Then when one of those reclining with him at table heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will eat lunch in the kingdom of God.”

16 At this he said to him, “A certain man gave a grand dinner and invited many people.

17 And he sent his servant at the hour of the dinner to say to the guests, ‘Come along, for everything is already prepared.’

18 But they all one after the other set about excusing themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field and need to go out and see to it. I ask you to accept my apologies.’

19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. I ask you to accept my apologies.’

20 And another said, ‘I have married a woman, which is why I can't come.’

21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor and the disabled and the lame and the blind here.’

22 In due course the servant said, ‘Master, it has been done as you ordered, but there is still place.’

23 At this the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads and paths and compel them to come in, so that my house is filled.

24 For I say to you, no-one of those who were invited will have a taste of the dinner of mine.’ For many are called, but few chosen.”

25 Moreover large crowds were going with him, and he turned and said to them,

26 “If anyone comes to me but does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be a disciple of mine.

27 And whoever does not bear his cross and follow me cannot be a disciple of mine.

28 For who among you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the expense, to see whether he has enough money for its completion,

29 in case after he has laid the foundation, he does not have the means to complete it, and everyone who sees it starts mocking him,

30 saying, ‘This man started building, but was not able to complete it’?

31 Or what king, making a move to engage another king in war, does not first sit down and take counsel as to whether he is powerful enough with ten thousand soldiers to confront him with twenty thousand soldiers coming against him?

32 If not, while he is still far off, he will send a delegation and ask for terms of peace.

33 So in this way, every one of you who does not bid farewell to all his own possessions cannot be a disciple of mine.

34 Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what can it be seasoned?

35 It is not fit for either land or manure; it is thrown away outside. Let him who has ears to hear, hear.”

15

1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners would approach him to hear him,

2 at which the Pharisees and scribes would mutter among themselves, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he spoke this parable to them and said,

4 “What man among you who has one hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

5 Then when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing,

6 and comes to his house and calls his friends and neighbours together, and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep.’

7 I say to you that there will be more joy like this in heaven at one sinner who repents, than at ninety-nine righteous, who have no need of repentance.

8 Or what woman who has ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, will not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she will call her friends and neighbours together and say, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma which I had lost.’

10 In this way, I tell you, there is joy in the sight of the angels of God at one sinner who repents.”

11 Then he said, “A certain man had two sons,

12 and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of the property which falls to me.’ So he distributed his estate between them.

13 Then not many days later the younger son gathered everything and moved to a distant country and squandered his substance there by living extravagantly.

14 But when he had spent everything, a severe famine set in throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

15 And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs.

16 However, he would long to fill his belly with the carob-pods which the pigs ate, but no-one gave him any.

17 Then he came to himself and said, ‘How many hired servants of my father have bread in abundance, whereas I am perishing from famine!

18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, «Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

19 And I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired servants.» ’

20 So he got up and went to his father. Now while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved to compassion, and ran and fell around his neck and kissed him.

21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But his father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23 And bring the fatted calf and slaughter it, and let us eat it and rejoice,

24 because this son of mine was dead, but has come back to life, and was lost, but has been found.’ So they began to rejoice.

25 But his elder son was in the field, and as he came back and approached the house, he heard music and dancing,

26 so he called one of the servants and enquired as to what this was.

27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come back and your father has slaughtered the fatted calf, because he has got him back in good health.’

28 But he became angry and refused to come in. So his father went out and tried to console him.

29 But he replied and said to his father, ‘Look, I have been serving you for all these years and I have never disobeyed any commandment of yours, but you have never given me a kid for me to enjoy with my friends.

30 But when this son of yours came, who has dissipated your wealth with harlots, you slaughtered the fatted calf for him.’

31 At this he said to him, ‘My child, you are always with me, and everything of mine is yours.

32 But it was befitting to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead, but has come back to life, and was lost, but has been found.’ ”

16

1 Then he also said to his disciples, “A certain man was rich, and he had a steward, and this man was accused by him of squandering his possessions.

2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you will not be able to hold the office of steward any longer.’

3 Then the steward said to himself, ‘What should I do, for my master is taking my stewardship away from me. I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

4 I know what I will do, so that when I have been dismissed from my stewardship, they will receive me into their homes.’

5 And he called for each one of his master's debtors, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 So he said, ‘A hundred baths of oil.’ Then he said to him, ‘Take your agreement and sit down quickly and write fifty.’

7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ This one said, ‘One hundred cors of grain.’ Then he said to him, ‘Take your agreement and write eighty.’

8 Then the master commended the dishonest steward, because he had acted prudently. For the sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of light towards their own generation.

9 And I say to you, make yourselves friends of dishonest mammon, so that when you fail, they will receive you in age-abiding dwellings.

10 He who is trustworthy in the least thing is also faithful in a greater matter, and he who is dishonest in the least thing is also dishonest in a greater matter.

11 So if you have not been trustworthy with dishonest mammon, who will entrust you with that which is true?

12 And if you have not been trustworthy with another person's property, who will give you something of your own?

13 No domestic servant can serve two masters. For he will either hate one and love the other, or be attached to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

14 Now the Pharisees also heard all these things, and, being avaricious, they mocked him.

15 Then he said to them, “You are those who justify themselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in God's sight.

16 The law and the prophets were the order of the day until John. From then on the kingdom of God has been preached, but everyone is using force against it.

17 However, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to drop out.

18 Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

19 Now there was a certain rich man, and he used to wear purple and fine linen, and he feasted luxuriously every day.

20 And there was a certain poor man by the name of Lazarus, who had been placed at his gate, covered in sores,

21 and he longed to be fed from the crumbs which fell from the table of the rich man; not only that, but the dogs would also come and lick his sores clean.

22 Then it came to pass that the poor man died, and he was carried away by angels to Abraham's bosom. Then the rich man also died and was buried.

23 And when in Hades he lifted up his eyes, where he was in torments, he saw Abraham from a distance, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 Then he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have compassion on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering pain in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘My child, remember that you received the good things you had in your life, whereas Lazarus likewise bad things. But now this man is comforted whereas you suffer pain.

26 And besides all these things, a great chasm between us and you has been established, so that those wishing to cross from here to you cannot do it, nor can anyone cross from your side to us.’

27 Then he said, ‘In that case, I ask you, father, to send him to my father's house,

28 for I have five brothers, to testify solemnly to them, so that they do not also come to this place of torment.’

29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hearken to them.’

30 Then he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one of the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 But he said to him, ‘If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, even if someone were to rise from the dead, they would not be persuaded.’ ”

17

1 Then he said to the disciples, “It is impossible for offences not to come, but woe to him through whom they come.

2 It would be better for him if an ass-driven millstone were hung around his neck and he had been thrown in the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

3 Beware. Now if your brother sins against you, rebuke him. Then if he repents, forgive him.

4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and he turns back seven times a day and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

5 Then the apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith.”

6 To which the Lord said “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would have obeyed you.

7 But who is there among you who has a servant ploughing or tending sheep, who will straightaway say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come along and recline at table?’

8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat for dinner, and gird yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and after that you can eat and drink.’

9 Surely he won't be grateful to that servant because he did the things ordered? I don't think so.

10 Likewise you too, when you have done everything you were ordered, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants, for we have only done what we had to do.’ ”

11 Subsequently it came to pass when he was going to Jerusalem that he crossed through the middle of Samaria and Galilee,

12 and as he was going into a certain village, ten leprous men met him, and they stood at a distance,

13 and they raised their voice and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

14 Then when he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it came to pass as they were going off that they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he had been cured, turned back glorifying God with a loud voice.

16 And he fell face down at his feet thanking him. Now he was a Samaritan.

17 Then Jesus replied and said, “Were not ten cured? Where are the other nine?

18 Were there not any to be found coming back to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

19 And he said to him, “Get up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

20 Then when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he replied to them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with close watching.

21 Nor when they say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘Look, there it is.’ After all, look, the kingdom of God is in you.”

22 Then he said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the son of man, but will not see him.

23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, here he is’ or, ‘Look, there he is.’ Do not go along with or follow them.

24 For just as flashing lightning gives illumination from one part of the sky to another part of the sky, so will the son of man be in his day.

25 But first he must undergo much suffering and be rejected by this generation.

26 And as it was is the days of Noah, so it will also be in the days of the son of man.

27 They were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 And similarly with what happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building,

29 but on the day when Lot departed from Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 It will be like this on the day when the son of man is revealed.

31 On that day, let him who is on the roof and whose goods are in the house not come down to pick them up, and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back.

32 Remember Lot's wife.

33 Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses it will preserve it.

34 I say to you, on that night, there will be two in one bed and one will be taken away and the other will be left.

35 There will be two grinding in the same place, and one will be taken away, and the other left.”

36

37 Then they answered and said to him, “Lord, where?” And he said to them, “It is where the body is that the eagles will be gathered together.”

18

1 He also told them a parable on the need always to pray and not to flag,

2 and said, “There was a certain judge in a certain city who did not fear God, nor did he respect man.

3 And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Vindicate me from my opponent.’

4 But for a long time he refused. But at length he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect man,

5 nevertheless because this widow gives me trouble, I will get her vindicated, so that she does not endlessly come and grind me down.’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the dishonest judge says.

7 Will God not provide the vindication due to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and be longsuffering over them?

8 I tell you he will provide the vindication due to them swiftly. But when the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

9 And he spoke this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves – that they were righteous – and despised the others.

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed to himself as follows: ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like other men, the grasping, the unjust, the adulterers – nor like this tax collector either.

12 I fast twice a week. I tithe everything I acquire.’

13 Then the tax collector stood at a distance and was not even willing to lift his eyes up to heaven, but he beat his breast and said, ‘O God, be propitious to me, a sinner.’

14 I say to you, the latter went down to his house justified rather than the former. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

15 Then they also brought some infants to him for him to touch, and when the disciples saw it they rebuked them.

16 But Jesus called them along, and said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them. For the kingdom of God is constituted of such.

17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will definitely not enter into it.”

18 Then a certain governor enquired with him, and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit age-abiding life?”

19 Jesus then said to him, “Why do you call me good? No-one is good except one: God.

20 You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not commit murder, do not steal, do not give false witness, honour your father and your mother.”

21 Then he said, “I have kept all these things from my youth.”

22 Then when Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have got and distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.”

23 But when he heard this, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

24 Then when Jesus saw that he had become very sad, he said, “How it is with difficulty that those who are affluent will go into the kingdom of God.

25 For it is easier for a camel to go in through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of God.”

26 Then those listening said, “Well who can be saved, then?”

27 He then said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

28 Then Peter said, “In our case, we have left everything behind and followed you.”

29 At which he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no-one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

30 who will not certainly receive in return many times over in this epoch, and in the age to come – age-abiding life.”

31 And taking the twelve along, he said to them, “Here we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets will be accomplished by the son of man.”

32 For he will be delivered to the Gentiles and be mocked and insulted and spat on.

33 And they will flog him and kill him, then on the third day he will rise again.

34 But they did not understand any of these things, and this remark was hidden from them, and they did not discern the import of the things spoken.

35 Then it came to pass as he approached Jericho that a certain blind man was sitting beside the road, begging,

36 and when he heard a crowd passing through, he enquired what this was all about.

37 So they replied to him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by.

38 At this he shouted and said, “Jesus, son of David, have compassion on me.”

39 But those going in front rebuked him, telling him to be quiet. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have compassion on me.”

40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought to him, and when he had come near, he questioned him,

41 and asked, “What would you like me to do for you?” He then said, “Lord, for me to see again.”

42 Then Jesus said to him, “See again. Your faith has saved you.”

43 And immediately he recovered his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people saw it and gave praise to God.

19

1 Then he entered Jericho and went through it.

2 And there was a man by the name of Zacchaeus, and he was a senior tax-collector, and this man was rich,

3 and he was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not for the crowd, because he was short in stature.

4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see him, because it was by that way that he was going to cross through.

5 And when he came to the place, Jesus looked up and saw him and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down, for today I must stay in your house.”

6 So he came down hastily, and received him in his house, rejoicing,

7 but when they all saw it, they muttered among themselves, and said, “He has gone in to lodge with a sinful man.”

8 Meanwhile Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, I am giving half my possessions to the poor, Lord, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I will repay it four times over.”

9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, for he also is a son of Abraham.”

10 For the son of man came to seek and save what has got lost.

11 As they heard these things, he again told a parable, because of him being close to Jerusalem, and of them thinking that the kingdom of God was immediately going to manifest itself prominently.

12 So he said, “A certain nobleman went to a distant land to receive a kingdom for himself and to return.

13 And he called ten of his own servants and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business until I come.’

14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, who said, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

15 And it came to pass when he returned, having received the kingdom, that he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, in order to find out who had gained what in doing business.

16 So the first came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made a profit of ten minas.’

17 At this he said to him, ‘Well done, you good servant, for you were faithful in a very small matter. Have authority over ten cities.’

18 Then the second came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’

19 And he said to this one likewise, ‘You too be in charge of five cities.’

20 Then the other one came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept hidden in a sweat-band.

21 For I was afraid of you, for you are a harsh man. You take what you did not put there, and you reap what you did not sow.’

22 So he said to him, ‘I will judge you from your own mouth, you bad servant. You knew that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not put there, and reaping what I did not sow.

23 So why did you not invest my money at a bank, so that when I came, I would have availed myself of it with interest?’

24 Furthermore he said to those standing around, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

25 (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’)

26 ‘For I say to you that to everyone who has something, more will be given, but from him who does not have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.

27 However, bring those enemies of mine here – those who did not want me to reign over them – and execute them before me.’ ”

28 Then when he had spoken these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 And it came to pass as he approached Bethsphagé and Bethany at the mount called the Mount of Olives, that he sent off two of his disciples,

30 and said, “Go off to the village opposite, in which as you go in, you will find a tethered foal, on which no man has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.

31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it,’ you will say the following to him: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

32 Then those who had been sent off went off and found it as he had told them.

33 And as they untied the foal, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the foal?”

34 At this they said, “The Lord needs it.”

35 So they led it to Jesus, and slung their own clothes onto the foal and mounted Jesus on it.

36 As he rode, they strewed their clothes in the way.

37 And as he was by now approaching the descent down the Mount of Olives, the whole company of the disciples started rejoicing and praising God in a loud voice for all the deeds of power which they had seen,

38 saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest realms.”

39 Then some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 But he answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these go quiet, the stones will cry out.”

41 And as he approached, and saw the city, he wept over it,

42 and said, “If only you had known, and of all times on this day of yours, the things pertaining to your peace. But as it is, they are hidden from your eyes,

43 because the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a rampart round you, and will surround you, and enclose you from all sides.

44 And they will dash you and your children in you to the ground, and they will not leave stone on stone in you, because you did not know the occasion of your visitation.”

45 Then when he had gone into the temple, he went on to throw out those who sold things in it, and those who bought them,

46 saying to them, “It stands written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a robber's cave.’ ”

47 And he taught in the temple each day, but the senior priests and the scribes were looking for a way to dispose of him, as were the leading men of the people,

48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were completely enraptured listening to him.

20

1 Now it came to pass in one of those days as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, that the priests and scribes came up to him, as did the elders,

2 and spoke to him, and said, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is who has given you this authority.”

3 So he answered and said to them, “I will for my part ask you one question, so you tell me,

4 John's baptism – was it from heaven or from men?”

5 They then debated among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they have been persuaded that John is a prophet.”

7 And they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 So Jesus said to them, “Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

9 He then went on to speak this parable to the people: “A man planted a vineyard, and put it under hired labour with farmers and went abroad for a considerable time.

10 And in due course, he sent a servant to the farmers for them to give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers flogged him and sent him away empty-handed.

11 Then he sent another servant. But they also flogged that one and treated him with indignity and sent him away empty-handed.

12 Then he sent again – a third one. But they also wounded this one and threw him out.

13 Then the landlord of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son. Maybe when they see him, they will respect him.’

14 But when the farmers saw him, they talked it through among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let's kill him, so that the inheritance will become ours.’

15 So they drove him out to a place outside the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the landlord of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they had heard it, they said, “May it not take place.”

17 But he looked straight at them and said, “What does this scripture mean: The stone which the builders rejected is what has become the keystone?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be shattered, and on whomever it falls, it will crush to powder.”

19 Then the senior priests and the scribes looked for a way to lay hands on him at that very time, but they were afraid, for they knew that he had levelled that parable against them.

20 And they watched him closely, and sent infiltrators pretending to be sincere in order to seize on his remarks, with a view to informing on him to the administration and authority of the governor.

21 And they questioned him, and asked, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and do not show partiality, but teach the way of God in truth.

22 Is it permissible for us to pay tax to Caesar, or not?”

23 At this, having perceived their trickery, he said to them, “Why are you testing me?

24 Show me a denary. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar's.”

25 Then he said to them, “Well then, render to Caesar the things due to Caesar, and to God the things due to God.”

26 So they were not able to seize on his remark in the presence of the people, and they were amazed at his answer, and were silent.

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came over and questioned him,

28 and said, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If someone's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, that his brother is to take the wife and raise up seed to his brother.’

29 Now suppose there were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and died without children.

30 Then the second took the wife, and this one died without children.

31 Then the third took her likewise, and like this indeed the seven of them. They did not leave any children, and they died.

32 Then last of all the woman died as well.

33 So in the resurrection, of which of them will she be the wife? For the seven had her as a wife.”

34 Then Jesus replied and said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage,

35 but those who have been considered worthy of attaining to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage.

36 Nor can they die any more, for they are like angels and are sons of God, being members of the resurrection.

37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses disclosed, at the passage about the bush, where he says, ‘The Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’

38 So he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”

39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, you have spoken well.”

40 And they did not dare question him on anything any more.

41 Then he said to them, “How do they say that the Christ can be the son of David,

42 when David himself says in the book of the Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, «Sit on my right hand side

43 until I make your enemies your footstool?» ’

44 So David calls him Lord. So how is it that he is his son?”

45 Then with all the people hearing, he said to his disciples,

46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in robes and love greetings in the market places and privileged seats in the synagogues and the privileged couches at dinners,

47 who devour widows' houses and for show pray at length. These will receive judgment to a greater degree.”

21

1 Then he looked up, and saw the rich putting their gifts in the treasury,

2 and he saw someone, in fact a needy widow, putting two leptons in there.

3 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the others.

4 For these all contributed towards gifts for God from the surplus they have, but this woman contributed all the livelihood she had from her penury.”

5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it had been adorned with fine stones and ornaments, he said,

6 “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which no stone will be left on stone, or escape demolition.”

7 Then they questioned him, and said, “Teacher, when, then, will these things take place, and what is the sign when these things are about to happen?”

8 He then said, “Watch out that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the one’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ So do not go after them.

9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be scared, for these things must take place first, but the end is not immediate.”

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,

11 and there will be severe earthquakes in various places, and famines and plagues, and there will be fearful things and great signs from heaven.

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, as you are brought before kings and governors for my name's sake,

13 and it will result in an occasion of a testimony for you.

14 So lay it to your hearts not to premeditate how to speak in defence,

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of those opposing you will be able to contradict or resist.

16 And you will also be betrayed by parents and relations and friends and brothers, and they will put some of you to death.

17 And you will be hated by everyone on account of my name.

18 But not a hair of your head will in any way be lost.

19 Hold on to your lives in your endurance.

20 And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that its desolation has drawn near.

21 Then let those in Judaea flee into the mountains, and let those in its midst move out, and let not those in the country areas go into it.

22 For these are the days of vengeance, in order for all the things that stand written to be fulfilled.

23 And alas for to those who are with child and those who are breastfeeding in those days, for there will be great anxiety on the earth and wrath among this people.

24 And they will fall by the blade of the sword, and will be taken captive to all the Gentiles, and Jerusalem will be trampled on by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on earth anguish among the nations in bewilderment, while the sea roars, as does its swell,

26 as men faint from fear and expectation of the things befalling the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27 And then they will see the son of man coming on a cloud with power and much glory.

28 But when these things start taking place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

30 When they are already putting out shoots, you see for yourselves and know that the harvest is already near.

31 In this way, you too, when you see these things taking place, know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 Truly, I say to you, that this generation will certainly not pass away until everything has taken place.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.

34 And watch out for yourselves that your hearts do not become stupefied with intoxication or drunkenness or everyday cares, and that day comes on you suddenly,

35 for it will come like a snare upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.

36 So be watchful, entreating on every occasion to be considered worthy to escape all the things about to take place and to stand in the presence of the son of man.”

37 And by day he would teach in the temple, whereas at night he would go out to spend the night on the mount called the Mount of Olives.

38 And all the people would rise early to go to him, so as to hear him in the temple.

22

1 Now the festival of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching,

2 and the senior priests and the scribes were looking for a way to eliminate him, for they were afraid of the people.

3 Meanwhile Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was one of the twelve in number.

4 And he went away and spoke with the senior priests and chief magistrates on how he could deliver him to them,

5 at which they were delighted, and they agreed to give him money.

6 So he fully complied and looked for an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of a crowd.

7 Then the day of the unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary for the Passover lamb to be sacrificed.

8 And he sent Peter and John off, and said, “Go and prepare the Passover lamb for us so that we can eat it.”

9 Then they said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?”

10 He then said to them, “As you go into the city, you will see that a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house where he goes in.

11 And say to the master of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, «Where is the lodging where I can eat the Passover lamb with my disciples?» ’

12 And that man will show you a large upper room ready set up. Prepare it there.”

13 Then they went off and found it as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover lamb.

14 And when the hour had come, he reclined at table, as did the twelve apostles with him.

15 And he said to them, “I have really longed to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering.

16 For I say to you, I will no longer partake of it at all until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17 Then he received the cup and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves.

18 For I say to you, I will not be drinking any of the produce of the vine at all until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave some to them and said, “This is my body which is being given on behalf of you; do this as a memorial to me.”

20 Then similarly he took the cup after dining and said, “This cup is the new covenant by my blood which is shed for you.

21 But mark this, the hand of him with me who will betray me is on the table.

22 So the son of man proceeds according to what has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed.”

23 Then they began to enquire among themselves as to which of them was the one about to do this.

24 Moreover a rivalry arose among them as to which of them was considered the greatest.

25 So he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles have dominion over them, and those who have authority over them are called benefactors.

26 But don't you be like that; rather, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.

27 For who is greater, he who reclines at table, or he who serves? Surely he who reclines? Yet I am in your midst as the servant.

28 But you are the ones who have remained with me throughout in my trials.

29 And I assign to you in accordance with how my father has assigned a kingdom to me,

30 so that you may eat and drink at my table, and may sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, see how Satan has made a claim on you all, so as to sift you like grain.

32 But I have pleaded for you, that your faith might not fail, so once you have come to yourself, strengthen your brothers.”

33 Then he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go both to prison and to death with you.”

34 But he said, “I say to you, Peter, the cock definitely will not crow today before you have denied three times that you know me.”

35 Furthermore, he said to them, “When I sent you out without wallet or purse or footwear, did you lack anything?” They then said, “No, nothing.”

36 However, he said to them, “But now, he who has a wallet must take it, and likewise also a purse. And he who does not have one must sell his cloak and buy a sword.

37 For I say to you that this scripture must still be fulfilled in me, the words, ‘And he was reckoned among the lawless.’ And indeed, the things concerning me are coming to completion.”

38 Then they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” But he said to them, “It is enough.”

39 And he went out as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples also followed him.

40 When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you do not enter into temptation.”

41 Then he withdrew about a stone's throw from them, and knelt down and prayed.

42 And said, “Father, if you are willing to remove this cup from me ... – but not my will, but yours be done.”

43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him,

44 but being in agony, he prayed all the more intensely. Furthermore his sweat had become like clots of blood falling to the ground.

45 Then he arose from prayer and went to the disciples and found them lying asleep from sorrow.

46 So he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not enter into temptation.”

47 Now while he was still speaking, a crowd happened to come and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was going in front of them and he approached Jesus to kiss him.

48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the son of man with a kiss?”

49 Then when those around him had seen what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, should we strike them with the sword?”

50 Then a certain one of them struck the high priest's servant and took off his right ear.

51 But Jesus replied and said, “Leave it at that.” Then he touched his ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the senior priests and chief magistrates of the temple and elders who had come against him, “Have you come out with swords and sticks as if against a thief?

53 When I was with you in the temple each day, you did not stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the authority of darkness.”

54 But they seized him, and led him away, and brought him in to the house of the high priest. Meanwhile, Peter was following at a distance.

55 As they had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and were sitting together, Peter went and sat in among them.

56 But when a certain maidservant saw him sitting in the fire-light, she looked at him intently and said, “This man was also with him.”

57 But he denied him and said, “Madam, I don't know him.”

58 And after a short time, another person saw him and said, “You are also of their company.” But Peter said, “No, I am not, sir.”

59 Then after about one hour had passed, a certain other person made positive assertions and said, “This man was truly with him as well, and indeed he is a Galilean.”

60 But Peter said, “Sir, I don't know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still talking, the cock crowed.

61 Then the Lord turned round and looked straight at Peter. And Peter remembered the Lord's words when he said to him, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”

62 Then Peter went outside and wept bitterly.

63 Next, the men who were holding Jesus mocked him, flogging him,

64 and blindfolded him and struck him on the face and then questioned him, saying, “Prophesy, who is it who struck you?”

65 And they kept speaking many other blasphemies against him.

66 Then when day had come, the council of the elders of the people met, consisting of senior priests and scribes, and they led him up to their Sanhedrin council and said,

67 “Are you the Christ? Tell us.” He then said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe it at all.

68 And if I question you, you certainly won't answer me or release me.

69 From now on, the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

70 Then they all said, “So you are the son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say I am.”

71 Then they said, “Why do we still need a testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from his mouth.”

23

1 Then the whole of their assembly rose and led him to Pilate.

2 And they began to accuse him, and said, “We found this man misleading the nation and forbidding them to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

3 Then Pilate questioned him, and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He then answered him and said, “As you say.”

4 Pilate then said to the senior priests and the crowds, “I find nothing blameworthy in this man.”

5 But they persisted and said, “He stirs up the people as he teaches throughout all Judaea, starting from Galilee and reaching here.”

6 Now when Pilate heard “Galilean,” he enquired whether the man was a Galilean.

7 And having ascertained that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he referred him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days.

8 Then when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly, for he had been wanting to see him for some time, because he had heard many things about him, and he hoped to see some sign performed by him.

9 So he questioned him at considerable length. But he did not answer him anything.

10 Moreover the senior priests and the scribes were standing by, vigorously accusing him.

11 Then after Herod, with his troops, had treated him contemptuously and mocked him, he put resplendent clothes on him and sent him back to Pilate.

12 So Pilate and Herod became friends with each other on that very day, for they had previously been at enmity with each other.

13 Pilate then called the senior priests and the rulers and the people together,

14 and said to them, “Bring me this man who is supposedly perverting the people, and be aware that I have examined him in your presence and found nothing in this man incriminating him of the things you accuse him of.

15 Indeed nor Herod. For I sent you to him and the result is that nothing worthy of death has been committed by him.

16 So I will chasten him and release him.”

17 After all, he had an obligation to release one person to them at each festival.

18 But they shouted out with the whole crowd, and said, “Take this man away; but release Barabbas to us,”

19 – someone who had been put in prison on account of a certain sedition which had taken place in the city, and for murder.

20 So Pilate addressed them again, as he wished to release Jesus.

21 But they shouted it down, and said, “Crucify him, crucify him.”

22 Then he spoke to them a third time, “But what wrong has this man done? I have not found anything culpable by death in him. So I will chastise him and release him.”

23 But they insisted in a loud voice and demanded that he be crucified, and their voices and those of the senior priests kept gaining strength.

24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be met.

25 And he released him who had been put in prison on account of sedition and murder, the one whom they demanded, whereas he delivered Jesus to their will.

26 Then as they led him away, they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, as he was coming back from the field, and forced him to carry the cross behind Jesus.

27 And a large number of the people followed him, including women, who both mourned for him and lamented him.

28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 For be aware of this, the days are coming on which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs which did not give birth, and the breasts which never breastfed.’

30 Then they will go on to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Hide us.’

31 For if they do these things in the case of moist wood, what is to happen in the case of the dry?”

32 Then two others, who were criminals, were also brought, to be executed with him.

33 And when they arrived at the place called the Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 Jesus, though, said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then in sharing out his clothes, they cast a lot.

35 Meanwhile the people stood watching, and the rulers also sneered with them, and said, “He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ, the chosen one of God.”

36 And the soldiers also mocked him, as they came up and offered him vinegar,

37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 Indeed there was an inscription written over him in Greek and Latin and Hebrew letters: “This is the king of the Jews.”

39 Then one of the criminals who were hung there blasphemed him and said, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”

40 But the other responded and rebuked him and said, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same sentence?

41 And we rightly so, for we are receiving what is deserved for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me, Lord, when you go into your kingdom.”

43 At which Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you this day, you will be with me in paradise.”

44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and a darkness descended over all the land until the ninth hour.

45 And the sun became darkened, and the veil of the sanctuary was split down the middle.

46 And Jesus called out in a loud voice and said, “Father, into your hands I will commit my spirit.” And when he had said these things, he breathed his last.

47 And when the centurion saw what had taken place, he glorified God and said, “This man really was righteous.”

48 Then when all the crowds who had converged on that spectacle had seen the things that took place, they beat their breasts and went back,

49 while all his acquaintances stood at a distance, as did the women who had followed him from Galilee, watching these things.

50 And there was a man by name of Joseph, who was a councillor, a good and righteous man –

51 and he was not in agreement with their verdict or action. He was from Arimathaea, a Jewish city, and he himself also was also awaiting the kingdom of God.

52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down and wrapped it up in fine linen and put it in a hewn-out tomb where no-one had ever yet lain.

54 Now the day was the Preparation Day; the daybreak of the Sabbath was drawing on.

55 And some women who had come with him from Galilee followed and looked at the tomb and how his body was laid.

56 Then they returned and prepared fragrances and ointment. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

24

1 Then on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they went to the tomb carrying the fragrances which they had prepared, and some others went with them,

2 and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

3 and when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass as they were at a loss on this matter, that this happened: two men in dazzling clothes came into their view.

5 Then, as they had become frightened and were bowing face down to the ground, they said to them, “Why are you seeking among the dead him who is living?

6 He is not here, but he has risen. Remember how he told you when he was still in Galilee,

7 when he said that the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”

8 At this they remembered his words,

9 and they returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the others.

10 So it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and the others with them, who told the apostles these things.

11 But their words appeared in their opinion to be nonsense, and they disbelieved them.

12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb, and stooped, and saw the linen strips lying on their own, and went off home, astonished at what had taken place.

13 Then, as it happened, two of them were walking on that day to a village which was sixty stades distant from Jerusalem, which had the name Emmaus.

14 And they were talking to each other about all these things that had taken place,

15 and it came to pass while they were talking and assessing things, that Jesus himself approached and walked along with them,

16 but their eyes were held back from recognizing him.

17 Then he said to them, “What are these words which you are exchanging with one another as you walk, and are sullen?”

18 So one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said to him, “Are you the only one staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened in it in recent days.”

19 Then he said to them, “What things?” They then said to him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word in the presence of God and all the people,

20 and how the senior priests and our rulers delivered him up to a sentence of death and had him crucified,

21 whereas we were hoping that he was the one who would liberate Israel. But as it is, with all these things, he has passed through this third day today since these things took place without doing so.

22 Not only this, but some of our women astonished us after they had gone to the tomb early in the morning,

23 and when they did not find his body, they came also telling us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive,

24 at which some of those with us went off to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”

25 Then he said to them, “O witless men and slow in heart to believe all the things the prophets have spoken.

26 Did not Christ have to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

27 Then starting from Moses and from all the prophets, he gave them an exposition of all the scriptures concerning himself.

28 Then they came near to the village to which they were going, and he made as if to go further,

29 but they urged him not to, and said, “Stay with us, for it is towards evening and the day has declined. So he went in to stay with them.”

30 Subsequently it came to pass while he was reclining at table with them that he took the bread, and gave blessing, and broke it, and handed some to them,

31 and their eyes were opened wide, and they recognized him. Then he became invisible to them.

32 Then they said to each other, “Was not our heart burning inside us while he was speaking to us on the way and when he expounded the scriptures to us?”

33 Then they got up at that hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven, and those associated with them, assembled,

34 just as they were saying, “The Lord really has risen, and has appeared to Simon.”

35 Then they related in detail the things on the way, and how he became known to them at the time of the breaking of the bread.

36 And while they were saying these things, Jesus himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace to you.”

37 But being terrified and fearful, they thought they were seeing a spirit.

38 Then he said to them, “Why are you disturbed, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

39 See my hands and my feet, and that it is me myself. Feel me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 Then when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were amazed, he said to them, “Have you got any food here?”

42 They then handed him a piece of grilled fish and some honeycomb,

43 which he took in their presence and ate.

44 And he said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you when I was still with you, that everything written in the law of Moses and the prophets, and the psalms concerning me needs to be fulfilled.”

45 Then he opened up their mind to understand the scriptures.

46 And said to them, “So it stands written and so the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

47 and for repentance and forgiveness of sins to be preached in his name to all the nations, starting from Jerusalem.

48 And you are witnesses of these things.

49 And mark this, I am sending my father's promise over you. So stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are invested with power from on high.”

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany and lifted up his hands and blessed them,

51 and it came to pass while he was blessing them that he became separated from them and was carried up to heaven.

52 At this they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

53 and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.