set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him. 021:033 "Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad. 021:034 When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes; 021:035 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones. 021:036 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner. 021:037 Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "'They will respect my son.' 021:038 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' 021:039 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 021:040 When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" 021:041 "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season." 021:042 "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus, "'The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes'? 021:043 "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit the power of it. 021:044 He who falls on this stone will be severely hurt; but he on whom it falls will be utterly crushed." 021:045 After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them; 021:046 but though they were eager to lay hands upon Him, they were afraid of the people, for by them He was regarded as a Prophet. 022:001 Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language. 022:002 "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a king who celebrated the marriage of his son, 022:003 and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come. 022:004 "Again he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. "'My breakfast is now ready," he said, 'my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made: come to the wedding.' 022:005 "They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in the country, another to his business; 022:006 and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them. 022:007 So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city. 022:008 Then he said to his servants, "'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it. 022:009 Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet invite to the wedding.' 022:010 "So they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall was filled with guests. 022:011 "Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe. 022:012 "'My friend,' he said, 'how is it that you came in here without a wedding robe?' 022:013 "The man stood speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "'Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.' 022:014 "For there are many called, but few chosen." 022:015 Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how they might entrap Him in His conversation. 022:016 So they sent to Him their disciples together with the Herodians; who said, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you faithfully teach God's truth; and that no fear of man misleads you, for you are not biased by men's wealth or rank. 022:017 Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" 022:018 Perceiving their wickedness, Jesus replied, "Why are you hypocrites trying to ensnare me? 022:019 Show me the tribute coin." And they brought Him a shilling. 022:020 "Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?" 022:021 "Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He rejoined, "what is Caesar's to Caesar; and what is God's to God." 022:022 They heard this, and were astonished; then left Him, and went their way. 022:023 On the same day a party of Sadducees came to Him, contending that there is no resurrection. And they put this case to Him. 022:024 "Teacher," they said, "Moses enjoined, 'If a man die childless, his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a family for him.' 022:025 Now we had among us seven brothers. The eldest of them married, but died childless, leaving his wife to his brother. 022:026 So also did the second and the third, down to the seventh, 022:027 till the woman also died, after surviving them all. 022:028 At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? for they all married her." 022:029 The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God. 022:030 For in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in Heaven. 022:031 But as to the Resurrection of the dead, have you never read what God says to you, 022:032 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead, but of living men." 022:033 All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement at His teaching. 022:034 Now the Pharisees came up when they heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, 022:035 and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a test question, 022:036 "Teacher, which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?" 022:037 "'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'" He answered, "'with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind.' 022:038 This is the greatest and foremost Commandment. 022:039 And the second is similar to it: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thyself.' 022:040 The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in these two Commandments." 022:041 While the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus put a question to them. 022:042 "What think you about the Christ," He said, "whose son is He?" "David's," they replied. 022:043 "How then," He asked, "does David, taught by the Spirit, call Him Lord, when he says, 022:044 "'The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand until I have put thy foes beneath thy feet'? 022:045 "If therefore David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?" 022:046 No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did any one venture again to put a question to Him. 023:001 Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His disciples. 023:002 "The Scribes," He said, "and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses. 023:003 Therefore do and observe everything that they command you; but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others what to do, they do not do it themselves. 023:004 Heavy and cumbrous burdens they bind together and load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not with one finger do they choose to lift them. 023:005 And everything they do they do with a view to being observed by men; for they widen their phylacteries and make the tassels large, 023:006 and love the best seats at a dinner party or in the synagogues, 023:007 and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as 'Rabbi.' 023:008 "As for you, do not accept the title of 'Rabbi,' for one alone is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 023:009 And call no one on earth your Father, for One alone is your Father— the Heavenly Father. 023:010 And do not accept the name of 'leader,' for your Leader is one alone—the Christ. 023:011 He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant; 023:012 and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted. 023:013 "But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you lock the door of the Kingdom of the Heavens against men; you yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those to enter who are seeking to do so. 023:014 [] 023:015 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea and land in order to win one convert—and when he is gained, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves. 023:016 "Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "'Whoever swears by the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.' 023:017 "Blind fools! Why, which is greater?—the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy? 023:018 And you say, "'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the oath.' 023:019 "You are blind! Why, which is greater?—the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy? 023:020 He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it; 023:021 he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by Him who dwells in it; 023:022 and he who swears by Heaven swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. 023:023 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have neglected the weightier requirements of the Law—just judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others undone. 023:024 You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel! 023:025 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 023:026 Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also. 023:027 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean. 023:028 The same is true of you: outwardly you seem to the human eye to be good and honest men, but, within, you are full of insincerity and disregard of God's Law. 023:029 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you repair the sepulchres of the Prophets and keep in order the tombs of the righteous, 023:030 and your boast is, "'If we had lived in the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder of the Prophets.' 023:031 "So that you bear witness against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the Prophets. 023:032 Fill up the measure of your forefathers' guilt. 023:033 O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you to escape condemnation to Gehenna? 023:034 "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death—nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town; 023:035 that all the innocent blood shed upon earth may come on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar. 023:036 I tell you in solemn truth that all these things will come upon the present generation. 023:037 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee! how often have I desired to gather thy children to me, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not come! 023:038 See, your house will now be left to you desolate! 023:039 For I tell you that you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" 024:001 Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. 024:002 "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." 024:003 Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" 024:004 "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; 024:005 "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. 024:006 And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. 024:007 For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; 024:008 but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. 024:009 "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. 024:010 Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 024:011 Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; 024:012 and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; 024:013 but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. 024:014 And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. 024:015 "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'Abomination of Desolation', standing in the Holy Place"— let the reader observe those words— 024:016 "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; 024:017 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; 024:018 nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. 024:019 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! 024:020 "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; 024:021 for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. 024:022 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. 024:023 "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. 024:024 For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. 024:025 Remember, I have forewarned you. 024:026 If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. 024:027 For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. 024:028 Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. 024:029 "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. 024:030 Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. 024:031 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west—from one extremity of the world to the other. 024:032 "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. 024:033 So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near—at your very door. 024:034 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. 024:035 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. 024:036 "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows—not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 024:037 'For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. 024:038 At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, 024:039 nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. 024:040 Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. 024:041 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. 024:042 Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. 024:043 But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. 024:044 Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come. 024:045 "Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time? 024:046 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing! 024:047 In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth. 024:048 But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,' 024:049 and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards; 024:050 the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed; 024:051 he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 025:001 "Then will the Kingdom of the Heavens be found to be like ten bridesmaids who took their torches and went out to meet the bridegroom. 025:002 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 025:003 For the foolish, when they took their torches, did not provide themselves with oil; 025:004 but the wise, besides their torches, took oil in their flasks. 025:005 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 025:006 But at midnight there is a loud cry, "'The bridegroom! Go out and meet him!' 025:007 "Then all those bridesmaids roused themselves and trimmed their torches. 025:008 "'Give us some of your oil,' said the foolish ones to the wise, 'for our torches are going out.' 025:009 "'But perhaps,' replied the wise, 'there will not be enough for all of us. Go to the shops rather, and buy some for yourselves.' 025:010 "So they went to buy. But meanwhile the bridegroom came; those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 025:011 "Afterwards the other bridesmaids came and cried, "'Sir, Sir, open the door to us.' 025:012 "'In solemn truth I tell you,' he replied, 'I do not know you.' 025:013 "Keep awake therefore; for you know neither the day nor the hour. 025:014 "Why, it is like a man who, when going on his travels, called his bondservants and entrusted his property to their care. 025:015 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one— to each according to his individual capacity; and then started from home. 025:016 Without delay the one who had received the five talents went and employed them in business, and gained five more. 025:017 In the same way he who had the two gained two more. 025:018 But the man who had received the one went and dug a hole and buried his master's money. 025:019 "After a long lapse of time the master of those servants returned, and had a reckoning with them. 025:020 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, and said, "'Sir, it was five talents that you entrusted to me: see, I have gained five more.' 025:021 "'You have done well, good and trustworthy servant,' replied his master; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.' 025:022 "The second, who had received the two talents, came and said, "'Sir, it was two talents you entrusted to me: see, I have gained two more.' 025:023 "'Good and trustworthy servant, you have done well,' his master replied; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.' 025:024 "But, next, the man who had the one talent in his keeping came and said, "'Sir, I knew you to be a severe man, reaping where you had not sown and garnering what you had not winnowed. 025:025 So being afraid I went and buried your talent in the ground: there you have what belongs to you.' 025:026 "'You wicked and slothful servant,' replied his master, 'did you know that I reap where I have not sown, and garner what I have not winnowed? 025:027 Your duty then was to deposit my money in some bank, and so when I came I should have got back my property with interest. 025:028 So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has the ten.' 025:029 (For to every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken away.) 025:030 'But as for this worthless servant, put him out into the darkness outside: *there* will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.' 025:031 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then will He sit upon His glorious throne, 025:032 and all the nations will be gathered into His presence. And He will separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 025:033 and will make the sheep stand at His right hand, and the goats at His left. 025:034 "Then the King will say to those at His right, "'Come, my Father's blessed ones, receive your inheritance of the Kingdom which has been divinely intended for you ever since the creation of the world. 025:035 For when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was homeless, you gave me a welcome; 025:036 when I was ill-clad, you clothed me; when I was sick, you visited me; when I was in prison, you came to see me.' 025:037 "'When, Lord,' the righteous will reply, 'did we see Thee hungry, and feed Thee; or thirsty, and give Thee drink? 025:038 When did we see Thee homeless, and give Thee a welcome? or ill-clad, and clothe Thee? 025:039 When did we see Thee sick or in prison, and come to see Thee?' 025:040 "But the King will answer them, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you rendered such services to one of the humblest of these my brethren, you rendered them to myself.' 025:041 "Then will He say to those at His left, "'Begone from me, with the curse resting upon you, into the Fire of the Ages, which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels. 025:042 For when I was hungry, you gave me nothing to eat; when thirsty, you gave me nothing to drink; 025:043 when homeless, you gave me no welcome; ill-clad, you clothed me not; sick or in prison, you visited me not.' 025:044 "Then will they also answer, "'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or homeless or ill-clad or sick or in prison, and not come to serve Thee?' 025:045 "But he will reply, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you withheld such services from one of the humblest of these, you withheld them from me.' 025:046 "And these shall go away into the Punishment of the Ages, but the righteous into the Life of the Ages." 026:001 When Jesus had ended all these discourses, He said to His disciples, 026:002 "You know that in two days' time the Passover comes. And the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." 026:003 Then the High Priests and Elders of the People assembled in the court of the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, 026:004 and consulted how to get Jesus into their power by stratagem and put Him to death. 026:005 But they said, "Not during the Festival, lest there be a riot among the people." 026:006 Now when Jesus was come to Bethany and was at the house of Simon the Leper, 026:007 a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly, sweet-scented ointment, which she poured over His head as He reclined at table. 026:008 "Why such waste?" indignantly exclaimed the disciples; 026:009 "for this might have been sold for a considerable sum, and the money given to the poor." 026:010 But Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Why are you vexing her? For she has done a most gracious act towards me. 026:011 The poor you always have with you, but me you have not always. 026:012 In pouring this ointment over me, her object was to prepare me for burial. 026:013 In solemn truth I tell you that wherever in the whole world this Good News shall be proclaimed, this deed of hers shall be spoken of in memory of her." 026:014 At that time one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the High Priests 026:015 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I betray him to you?" So they weighed out to him thirty shekels, 026:016 and from that moment he was on the look out for an opportunity to betray Him. 026:017 On the first day of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus with the question, "Where shall we make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 026:018 "Go into the city," He replied, "to a certain man, and tell him, 'The Teacher says, My time is close at hand. It is at your house that I shall keep the Passover with my disciples.'" 026:019 The disciples did as Jesus directed them, and got the Passover ready. 026:020 When evening came, He was at table with the twelve disciples, 026:021 and the meal was proceeding, when Jesus said, "In solemn truth I tell you that one of you will betray me." 026:022 Intensely grieved they began one after another to ask Him, "Can it be I, Master?" 026:023 "The one who has dipped his fingers in the bowl with me," He answered, "is the man who will betray me. 026:024 The Son of Man is indeed going as is written concerning Him; but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It had been a happy thing for that man if he had never been born." 026:025 Then Judas, the disciple who was betraying Him, asked, "Can it be I, Rabbi?" "It is you," He replied. 026:026 During the meal Jesus took a Passover biscuit, blessed it and broke it. He then gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it: it is my body." 026:027 And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 026:028 for this is my blood which is to be poured out for many for the remission of sins—the blood which ratifies the Covenant. 026:029 I tell you that I will never again take the produce of the vine till that day when I shall drink the new wine with you in my Father's Kingdom." 026:030 So they sang the hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. 026:031 Then said Jesus, "This night all of you will stumble and fail in your fidelity to me; for it is written, 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered in all directions.' 026:032 But after I have risen to life again I will go before you into Galilee." 026:033 "All may stumble and fail," said Peter, "but I never will." 026:034 "In solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that this very night, before the cock crows, you will three times disown me." 026:035 "Even if I must die with you," declared Peter, "I will never disown you." In like manner protested all the disciples. 026:036 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to the disciples, "Sit down here, whilst I go yonder and there pray." 026:037 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zabdi. Then He began to be full of anguish and distress, 026:038 and He said to them, "My soul is crushed with anguish to the very point of death; wait here, and keep awake with me." 026:039 Going forward a short distance He fell on His face and prayed. "My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest." 026:040 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Alas, none of you could keep awake with me for even a single hour! 026:041 Keep awake, and pray that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit is right willing, but the body is frail." 026:042 Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done." 026:043 He came and again found them asleep, for they were very tired. 026:044 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a third time, again using the same words. 026:045 Then He came to the disciples and said, "Sleep on and rest. See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men. 026:046 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. My betrayer is close at hand." 026:047 He had scarcely finished speaking when Judas came— one of the Twelve—accompanied by a great crowd of men armed with swords and bludgeons, sent by the High Priests and Elders of the People. 026:048 Now the betrayer had agreed upon a sign with them, to direct them. He had said, "The one whom I kiss is the man: lay hold of him." 026:049 So he went straight to Jesus and said, "Peace to you, Rabbi!" And he kissed Him eagerly. 026:050 "Friend," said Jesus, "carry out your intention." Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus and seized Him firmly. 026:051 But one of those with Jesus drew his sword and struck the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear. 026:052 "Put back your sword again," said Jesus, "for all who draw the sword shall perish by the sword. 026:053 Or do you suppose I cannot entreat my Father and He would instantly send to my help more than twelve legions of angels? 026:054 In that case how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled which declare that thus it must be?" 026:055 Then said Jesus to the crowds, "Have you come out as if to fight with a robber, with swords and bludgeons to apprehend me? Day after day I have been sitting teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me. 026:056 But all this has taken place in order that the writings of the Prophets may be fulfilled." At this point the disciples all left Him and fled. 026:057 But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes and the Elders had assembled. 026:058 And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came even to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered and sat down among the officers to see the issue. 026:059 Meanwhile the High Priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death; 026:060 but they could find none, although many false witnesses came forward. At length there came two 026:061 who testified, "This man said, 'I am able to pull down the Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'" 026:062 Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence against you?" 026:063 Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." 026:064 "I am He," replied Jesus. "But I tell you that, later on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Omnipotence, and coming on the clouds of the sky." 026:065 Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, "Impious language! What further need have we of witnesses! See, you have now heard the impiety. 026:066 What is your verdict?" "He deserves to die," they replied. 026:067 Then they spat in His face, and struck Him—some with the fist, some with the open hand— 026:068 while they taunted Him, saying, "Christ, prove yourself a Prophet by telling us who it was that struck you." 026:069 Peter meanwhile was sitting outside in the court of the palace, when one of the maidservants came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaean." 026:070 He denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean." 026:071 Soon afterwards he went out and stood in the gateway, when another girl saw him, and said, addressing the people there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene." 026:072 Again he denied it with an oath. "I do not know the man," he said. 026:073 A short time afterwards the people standing there came and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your brogue shows it." 026:074 Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not know the man." Immediately a cock crowed, 026:075 and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, how He had said, "Before the cock crows you will three times disown me." And he went out and wept aloud, bitterly. 027:001 When morning came all the High Priests and the Elders of the people consulted together against Jesus to put Him to death; 027:002 and binding Him they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the Governor. 027:003 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, smitten with remorse he brought back the thirty shekels to the High Priests and Elders 027:004 and said, "I have sinned, in betraying to death one who is innocent." "What does that matter to us?" they replied; it is your business." 027:005 Flinging the shekels into the Sanctuary he left the place, and went and hanged himself. 027:006 When the High Priests had gathered up the money they said, "It is illegal to put it into the Treasury, because it is the price of blood." 027:007 So after consulting together they spent the money in the purchase of the Potter's Field as a burial place for people not belonging to the city; 027:008 for which reason that piece of ground received the name, which it still bears, of 'the Field of Blood.' 027:009 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, "And I took the thirty shekels, the price of the prized one on whom Israelites had set a price, 027:010 and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me." 027:011 Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Governor, and the latter put the question, "Are you the King of the Jews?" "I am their King," He answered. 027:012 When however the High Priests and the Elders kept bringing their charges against Him, He said not a word in reply. 027:013 "Do you not hear," asked Pilate, "what a mass of evidence they are bringing against you?" 027:014 But He made no reply to a single accusation, so that the Governor was greatly astonished. 027:015 "Now it was the Governor's custom at the Festival to release some one prisoner, whomsoever the populace desired; 027:016 and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 027:017 So when they were now assembled Pilate appealed to them. "Whom shall I release to you," he said, "Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?" 027:018 For he knew that it was from envious hatred that Jesus had been brought before him. 027:019 While he was sitting on the tribunal a message came to him from his wife. "Have nothing to do with that innocent man," she said, "for during the night I have suffered terribly in a dream through him." 027:020 The High Priests, however, and the Elders urged the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to demand the death of Jesus. 027:021 So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?"—they cried, "Barabbas!" 027:022 "What then," said Pilate, "shall I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?" With one voice they shouted, "Let him be crucified!" 027:023 "Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they kept on furiously shouting, "Let him be crucified!" 027:024 So when he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am not responsible for this murder: you must answer for it." 027:025 "His blood," replied all the people, "be on us and on our children!" 027:026 Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he ordered to be scourged, and gave Him up to be crucified. 027:027 Then the Governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and called together the whole battalion to make sport of Him. 027:028 Stripping off His garments, they put on Him a general's short crimson cloak. 027:029 They twisted a wreath of thorny twigs and put it on His head, and they put a sceptre of cane in His right hand, and kneeling to Him they shouted in mockery, "Long live the King of the Jews!" 027:030 Then they spat upon Him, and taking the cane they repeatedly struck Him on the head with it. 027:031 At last, having finished their sport, they took off the cloak, clothed Him again in His own garments, and led Him away for crucifixion. 027:032 Going out they met a Cyrenaean named Simon; whom they compelled to carry His cross, 027:033 and so they came to a place called Golgotha, which means 'Skull-ground.' 027:034 Here they gave Him a mixture of wine and gall to drink, but having tasted it He refused to drink it. 027:035 After crucifying Him, they divided His garments among them by lot, 027:036 and sat down there on guard. 027:037 Over His head they placed a written statement of the charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 027:038 At the same time two robbers were crucified with Him, one at His right hand and the other at His left. 027:039 And the passers-by reviled Him. They shook their heads at Him 027:040 and said, "You who would pull down the Sanctuary and build a new one within three days, save yourself. If you are God's Son, come down from the cross." 027:041 In like manner the High Priests also, together with the Scribes and the Elders, taunted Him. 027:042 "He saved others," they said, "himself he cannot save! He is the King of Israel! Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. 027:043 His trust is in God: let God deliver him now, if He will have him; for he said, 'I am God's Son.'" 027:044 Insults of the same kind were heaped on Him even by the robbers who were being crucified with Him. 027:045 Now from noon until three o'clock in the afternoon there was darkness over the whole land; 027:046 but about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to say, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" 027:047 "The man is calling for Elijah," said some of the bystanders. 027:048 One of them ran forthwith, and filling a sponge with sour wine put it on the end of a cane and offered it Him to drink; 027:049 while the rest said, "Let us see whether Elijah is coming to deliver him." 027:050 But Jesus uttered another loud cry and then yielded up His spirit. 027:051 Immediately the curtain of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom: the earth quaked; the rocks split; 027:052 the tombs opened; and many of God's people who were asleep in death awoke. 027:053 And coming out of their tombs after Christ's resurrection they entered the holy city and showed themselves to many. 027:054 As for the Captain and the soldiers who were with Him keeping guard over Jesus, when they witnessed the earthquake and the other occurrences they were filled with terror, and exclaimed, "Assuredly he was God's Son." 027:055 And there were a number of women there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to His necessities; 027:056 among them being Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zabdi. 027:057 Towards sunset there came a wealthy inhabitant of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself also had become a disciple of Jesus. 027:058 He went to Pilate and begged to have the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 027:059 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean sheet of fine linen. 027:060 He then laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn in the solid rock, and after rolling a great stone against the door of the tomb he went home. 027:061 Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were both present there, sitting opposite to the sepulchre. 027:062 On the next day, the day after the Preparation, the High Priests and the Pharisees came in a body to Pilate. 027:063 "Sir," they said, "we recollect that during his lifetime that impostor pretended that after two days he was to rise to life again. 027:064 So give orders for the sepulchre to be securely guarded till the third day, for fear his disciples should come by night and steal the body, and then tell the people that he has come back to life; and so the last imposture will be more serious than the first." 027:065 "You can have a guard," said Pilate: "go and make all safe, as best you can." 027:066 So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone besides setting the guard. 028:001 After the Sabbath, in the early dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre. 028:002 But to their amazement there had been a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord had descended from Heaven, and had come and rolled back the stone, and was sitting upon it. 028:003 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 028:004 For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became like dead men. 028:005 But the angel said to the women, "As for you, dismiss your fears. I know that it is Jesus that you are looking for— the crucified One. 028:006 He is not here: He has come back to life, as He foretold. Come and see the place where He lay. 028:007 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and is going before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him. Remember, I have told you." 028:008 They quickly left the tomb and ran, still terrified but full of unspeakable joy, to carry the news to His disciples. 028:009 And then suddenly they saw Jesus coming to meet them. "Peace be to you," He said. And they came and clasped His feet, bowing to the ground before Him. 028:010 Then He said, "Dismiss all fear! Go and take word to my brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see me." 028:011 While they went on this errand, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the High Priests every detail of what had happened. 028:012 So the latter held a conference with the Elders, and after consultation with them they heavily bribed the soldiers, 028:013 telling them to say, "His disciples came during the night and stole his body while we were asleep." 028:014 "And if this," they added, "is reported to the Governor, we will satisfy him and screen you from punishment." 028:015 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story was noised about among the Jews, and is current to this day. 028:016 As for the eleven disciples, they proceeded into Galilee, to the hill where Jesus had arranged to meet them. 028:017 There they saw Him and prostrated themselves before Him. Yet some doubted. 028:018 Jesus however came near and said to them, "All power in Heaven and over the earth has been given to me. 028:019 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations; baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; 028:020 and teach them to obey every command which I have given you. And remember, I am with you always, day by day, until the Close of the Age."

THE END