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and speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: 13

even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.

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¶ And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the L o r d , and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

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Insincere Fasting Reproved

And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

when they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the Lord,

and to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying, 5

Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

Disobedience the Cause of Captivity

¶ And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, 9

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 1 0

and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

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But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

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Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in

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his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.

Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts: 14

but I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

The Restoration of Jerusalem Promised

Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 2

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called A city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, The holy mountain.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

¶ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which

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were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

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For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

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But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts.

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For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

¶ For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not:

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so again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

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These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

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and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.

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¶ And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying, 19

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

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¶ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

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and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also.

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Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

The Judgment on Neighboring Nations

The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.

And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

And Tyrus did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

¶ Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no

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oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

Zion’s Future King

¶ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

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And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

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¶ As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

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Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 13

when I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

¶ And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

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The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

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¶ And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

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For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

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The Lord’s Redemption of His People

Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

¶ Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the L o r d is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

¶ And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.

And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

¶ I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.

And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

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I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

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And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.

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And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.

Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

The Foolish Shepherds

¶ Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 5

whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbor’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.

¶ And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

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And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

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And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

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And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.

Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

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¶ And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

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For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

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Woe to the idle shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

The Future Deliverance of Jerusalem

The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

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In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God.

¶ In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

¶ The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

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¶ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

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In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

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And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

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In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands?

Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

The Smiting of the Lord’s Shepherd

¶ Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

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Jerusalem and the Nations

Behold, the day the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:

but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

¶ And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

¶ And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

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¶ All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the

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corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.

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And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

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¶ And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the L o r d shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.

And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.

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And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.

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¶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

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And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

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And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the

heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

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¶ In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness u n t o t h e Lord ; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

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Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the L o r d of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.

Malachi

[Malachi]

The Lord’s Love for Jacob

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

¶ I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,

and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

¶ A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear?

saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name.

And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.

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And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts.

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Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?

neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

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For, from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.

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But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at

it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.

But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness Rebuked

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

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And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

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¶ Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

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Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

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The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.

¶ And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

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And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

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For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

The Near Approach of the Day of Judgment

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¶ Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is

good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?

¶ For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3

and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the L o r d , as in the days of old, and as in former years.

¶ And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

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The Payment of Tithes

¶ For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

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Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

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And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

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And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

The Distinction between the Righteous and the Wicked 13

¶ Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

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And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

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¶ Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

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And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

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Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The Coming Day of the Lord

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

¶ Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

¶ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

The New Testament

The Gospel according to

St. Matthew

[Matthew]

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

¶ Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;

and Judah begat Pharez and Zerah of Tamar; and Pharez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;

and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;

and Salmon begat Boaz of Rachab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

and Jesse begat David the king.

¶ And David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah;

and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa;

and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Jehoram; and Jehoram begat Uzziah;

and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah;

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and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah;

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and Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

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¶ And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;

and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

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and Azor begat Zadok; and Zadok begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

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and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

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and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

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¶ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

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¶ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

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But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

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And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

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Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Behold, a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel,

which being interpreted is, God with us.

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Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

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and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

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The Visit of the Wise Men

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah:

for out of thee shall come a Governor,

that shall rule my people Israel.

¶ Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

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When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

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And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

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And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

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The Slaying of the Infants

¶ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

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and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

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¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

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Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

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In Ramah was there a voice heard,

lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

and would not be comforted,

because they are not.

¶ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

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saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.

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And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

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But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

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and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

Prepare ye the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.

And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,

and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9

and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

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And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

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¶ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

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whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The Baptism of Jesus

¶ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

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And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

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And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 1 7

and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Temptation of Jesus

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward ahungered.

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

But he answered and said, It is written,

Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,

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He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

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Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,

and him only shalt thou serve.

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Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

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¶ Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the seacoast, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: 14

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

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The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali,

by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles;

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the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

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From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

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¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

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And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

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And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

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And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude

¶ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

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And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

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And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

The Beginning of the Sermon on the Mount

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

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The Beatitudes

¶ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¶ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

¶ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

¶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

¶ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

¶ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

¶ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

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¶ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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¶ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

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Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The Salt of the Earth

¶ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

The Light of the World

¶ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

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Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

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Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

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Jesus’ Attitude toward the Law

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¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

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For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus’ Attitude toward Anger

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¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 2 2

but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;

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leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

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Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

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Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

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Jesus’ Attitude toward Adultery

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¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

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but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

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And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Jesus’ Attitude toward Divorce

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¶ It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

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but I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Jesus’ Attitude toward Oaths

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¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

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but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

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nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

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Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

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But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

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Love for Enemies

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¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

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And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

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Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

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¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.

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But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

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that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

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And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do

not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Jesus’ Teaching on Almsgiving

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

¶ Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the

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streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

¶ And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:

for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

¶ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for

they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

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Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth, as it is in heaven.

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Give us this day our daily bread.

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And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

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but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus’ Teaching on Fasting

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¶ Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

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But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 1 8

that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Treasure in Heaven

¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 2 0

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

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for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The Light of the Body

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¶ The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

God and Mammon

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¶ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

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Care and Anxiety

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¶ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

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Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

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Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

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And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29

and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

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Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

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Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

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(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

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But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

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¶ Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Judging Others

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

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And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Ask, Seek, Knock

¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

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Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

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If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

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Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

The Narrow Gate

¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

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¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

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Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

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Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

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A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

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Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

I Never Knew You

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¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

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Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Two Foundations

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¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

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and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

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And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

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and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

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¶ And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

A Centurion’s Servant Healed

¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

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For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

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When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

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And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:

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but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law

¶ And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.

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And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

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When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

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that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

The Would-be Followers of Jesus

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¶ Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

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And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

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And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

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But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Jesus Calms a Storm

¶ And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

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And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

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And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

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And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

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But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

The Gergesene Demoniacs

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¶ And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

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And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

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So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

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And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

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And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

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And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Jesus Heals a Palsied Man

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

The Call of Matthew

¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

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¶ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

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And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners?

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But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The Question about Fasting

¶ Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

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And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

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No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

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Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

The Ruler’s Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’

Garment

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¶ While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

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And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

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for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

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But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

And the woman was made whole from that hour.

And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

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he said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

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But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

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And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

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¶ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

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And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this?

They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

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And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

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But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

A Dumb Man Speaks

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¶ As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

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And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

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But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

The Harvest Is Plenteous

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¶ And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

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But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

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Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;

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pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus;

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

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The Mission of the Twelve

¶ These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; 1 0

nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

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And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

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And when ye come into a house, salute it.

And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

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Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Coming Persecutions

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¶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

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But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

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and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

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For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

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And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

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And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

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¶ The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

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It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Whom to Fear

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¶ Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

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What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

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And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

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But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

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Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

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Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

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But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

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Not Peace, but a Sword

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¶ Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

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For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

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And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

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He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

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And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Rewards

¶ He that receiveth you receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

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He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

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And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

The Messengers from John the Baptist

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

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¶ Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

¶ And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?

behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

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For this is he, of whom it is written,

Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,

which shall prepare thy way before thee.

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Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

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And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, which was for to come.

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He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

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¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 1 7

and saying,

We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced;

we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

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For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

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The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

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¶ Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

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Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

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But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

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But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Come unto Me and Rest

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¶ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

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Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

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All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

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Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

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For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

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The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were ahungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was ahungered, and they that were with him;

how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

The Man with a Withered Hand

¶ And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 1 0

and, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?

that they might accuse him.

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And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

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How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

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Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

The Chosen Servant

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¶ But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 1 6

and charged them that they should not make him known: 1 7

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

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Behold my servant, whom I have chosen;

my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased:

I will put my Spirit upon him,

and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not strive, nor cry;

neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

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A bruised reed shall he not break,

and smoking flax shall he not quench,

till he send forth judgment unto victory.

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And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

A Divided House Cannot Stand

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¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the Son of David?

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But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

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And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 2 6

and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

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And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

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But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Or else, how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

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He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

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Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

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And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

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¶ Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

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O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

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A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

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But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

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For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

An Evil Generation Seeks a Sign

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¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah:

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for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

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The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

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The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

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¶ When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

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Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

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Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Jesus’ Mother and Brethren

¶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

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Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

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For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

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The Parable of the Sower

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6

and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Purpose of the Parables

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¶ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

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He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

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For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith,

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By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 1 5

for this people’s heart is waxed gross,

and their ears are dull of hearing,

and their eyes they have closed;

lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,

and should understand with their heart,

and should be converted, and I should heal them.

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But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

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For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them;

and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower

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¶ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside.

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But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 2 1

yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

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He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and

bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

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The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

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¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 2 5

but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

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But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

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So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

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He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

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Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

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¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

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which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

The Parable of the Leaven

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¶ Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

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Jesus’ Use of Parables

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¶ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

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that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables;

I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares 3 6

¶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

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He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

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the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39

the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

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The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

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and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Hidden Treasure

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¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

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The Pearl of Great Price

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¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls:

who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The Net

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¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

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and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Treasures New and Old

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¶ Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

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Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

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¶ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

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And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

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Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

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And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

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And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.

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And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

The Death of John the Baptist

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2

and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

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And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

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And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

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And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

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The Feeding of the Five Thousand

¶ When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

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And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

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But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

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And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

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He said, Bring them hither to me.

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

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And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

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And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Sea

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¶ And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

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But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

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And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

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And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

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But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

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¶ And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

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But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

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And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

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And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

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Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

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¶ And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

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And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

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and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

The Things That Defile

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

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Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

For God commanded, saying,

Honor thy father and mother:

and,

He that curseth father or mother,

let him die the death.

But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6

and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips;

but their heart is far from me.

But in vain they do worship me,

teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

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¶ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

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Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

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Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

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Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

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And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

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Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

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But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 2 0

these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith

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¶ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

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And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

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But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

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Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

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But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

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And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

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Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Jesus Heals Many People

¶ And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

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And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:

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insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

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¶ Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

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And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

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And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

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And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

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And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

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And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

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And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

The Demand for a Sign

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

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And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.

And he left them, and departed.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

¶ And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

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neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

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How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

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Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Peter’s Confession

¶ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

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He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

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And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

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And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

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And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

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Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death

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¶ From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

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Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

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¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

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For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

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For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

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For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

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Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

The Transfiguration

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, 2

and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

¶ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

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And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?

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And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things.

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But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

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Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

¶ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 1 5

Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

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And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

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Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

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And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

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And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

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Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Jesus Again Foretells His Death

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¶ And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.

And they were exceeding sorry.

Payment of the Tribute Money

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¶ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

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He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

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Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

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Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Who Is the Greatest?

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Temptations to Sin

¶ But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or

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maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

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¶ Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

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For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

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How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

A Brother Who Sins

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¶ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

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But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

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And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

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Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

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Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

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For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

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¶ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

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Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

¶ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

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And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

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But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

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The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

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Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

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But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

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And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

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So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

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Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

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shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

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And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

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So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Jesus’ Teaching on Divorce

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan;

and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

¶ The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5

and said,

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife:

and they twain shall be one flesh?

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

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¶ His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

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But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

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For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Jesus Blesses Little Children

¶ Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

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And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

The Rich Young Ruler

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¶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

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And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

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He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

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The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

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Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

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But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

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When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

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But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

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Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

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And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

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But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Laborers in the Vineyard

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.

And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place,

and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

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Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

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But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

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And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

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saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

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Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

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So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

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¶ And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

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Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

The Request of James and John

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¶ Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

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And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

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But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

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And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

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But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

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But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

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and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 2 8

even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

¶ And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

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And, behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O

Lord, thou Son of David.

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And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

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And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

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They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

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So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2

saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Zion,

Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,

meek, and sitting upon an ass,

and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7

and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way.

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And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,

Hosanna to the Son of David:

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

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And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

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And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

The Cleansing of the Temple

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¶ And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13

and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

¶ And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

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And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 1 6

and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read,

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings

thou hast perfected praise?

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And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

The Cursing of the Fig Tree

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¶ Now in the morning, as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow

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on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

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And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

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Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

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And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

¶ And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

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And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

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The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

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But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

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And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

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¶ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went.

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And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not.

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Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

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For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen

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¶ Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

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and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

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And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

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Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

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But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

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But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

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They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

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¶ Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected,

the same is become the head of the corner:

this is the Lord’s doing,

and it is marvelous in our eyes?

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Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

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And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

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¶ And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

The Parable of the Marriage Feast

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

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Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

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So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

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¶ And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

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and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

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¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

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And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest

not the person of men.

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Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

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But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

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And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

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They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

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When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left him, and went their way.

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The Question about the Resurrection

¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

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saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

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Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

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likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

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And last of all the woman died also.

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Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven?

for they all had her.

¶ Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

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For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

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But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

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I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

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And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

The Great Commandment

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¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

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Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

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Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

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Jesus said unto him,

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

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This is the first and great commandment.

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And the second is like unto it,

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Question about David’s Son

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¶ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 4 2

saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.

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He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

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The Lord said unto my Lord,

Sit thou on my right hand,

till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

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If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Jesus Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2

saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3

all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6

and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

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But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.