THE HOLY JOYFUL NEWS ACCORDING TO LUKE

Chapter One

In so far as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative about the things fully believed among us, as they, the ones having been eyewitnesses and attendants of the Word have given us, it seemed good also to me, having been acquainted from the first with all things accurately in succession, to write to you most excellent lover of God, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you were instructed.

In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest named Zachariah, from the course of Abia, and his wife from Aaron’s daughters - her name, Elisabeth. And they were both just in the face of God, walking without blame in all the instructions and commandments of God. And they had not got a child, in so far as Elisabeth was barren, and they were both well on in their days.

And it happened that, in the course of his priestly service before God, in his daily duties, according to the ritual of the priestly duties, it was his lot to burn incense, having gone into the Lord’s temple. And crowds of people were praying outside at the time of incense. And on seeing an angel of the Lord standing at the right of the altar of incense, Zachariah was troubled and fear fell on him.

But the angel said to him,

“Don’t be afraid Zachariah, because your prayer has been heard and your wife Elisabeth will give birth to a son for you, and you’ll call his name ‘John’. And he’ll be joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth! For he’ll be great before the Lord and he won’t drink wine and strong drink at all, and he’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. And he’ll turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. And he’ll go out ahead of him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the fathers’ hearts to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to get ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

And Zachariah said to the angel,

“According to what shall I know this? For I’m an old man, and my wife advanced in her days.”

And answering, the angel said to him,

“I am Gabriel, the one standing before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to announce this happy news to you. And look, you’ll be silent and not able to speak until the day in which these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words which will be fulfilled in their due time.”

And the people were expecting Zachariah, and they were surprised at his being so long in the sanctuary. And having come out he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them and remained dumb. And it happened that when the days of his service were fulfilled he went off to his house.

Now after these days his wife Elisabeth conceived and hid herself five months saying,

“Thus the Lord has done to me in the days in which he looked to take away my reproach among men.”

And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

And on coming, the angel said to her,

“Hi! Favoured one! The Lord is with you, you are blessed among women!”

But on seeing him she was troubled at his word and reasoned what kind of greeting this was.

And the angel said to her,

“Don’t be frightened Mary, for you’ve found favour with God, and look, you’ll conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you’ll call his name Jesus. He will be great, and he’ll be called ‘The Son of the Highest’, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he’ll reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and there’ll be no end to his kingdom.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How will this be since I haven’t known a man?”

And answering, the angel said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you so that the Holy One born will be called God’s Son. And look, Elisabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this month is the sixth to her that was called barren: for nothing will be impossible with God!”

And Mary said,

“Look, the Lord’s maid! May it be to me according to your word!”

And the angel departed from her.

And rising up in those days Mary went with haste into the hill country, into a city of Judah, and she entered into Zachariah’s house and greeted Elisabeth. And it happened as Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby jumped for joy in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and shouted out with a loud voice and said,

“You are blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And from where is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For look, as the sound of your greeting came into my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy in gladness, and blessed is she who has believed, for there’ll be a fulfilment of things spoken to her from the Lord!”

And Mary said,

“My soul is praising the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he has looked on the humble condition of his maidservant, for look, from now on, all generations will count me blessed. For the mighty one has done great things to me and his name is holy, and his mercy is for generations of generations to those fearing him. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the thought of their heart. He has put down rulers from their thrones, and raised up those of humble condition. He has filled the hungry with good things, and he has sent the rich away empty. He has helped Israel, his servant, to call mercy to mind, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever!”

And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Now the time was fulfilled when Elisabeth should give birth, and she gave birth to a son. And her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord was increasing his mercy to her and they rejoiced with her. And it happened on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child and they were calling it after the name of his father, Zachariah. And answering, his mother said,

“No! But he will be called John.”

And they said to her,

“There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name!”

And they made signs to his father as to what he wanted him to be called.

And having asked for a writing tablet he wrote,

“John is his name.”

And they were all amazed.

And immediately his mouth and his tongue were opened and he spoke, blessing God.

And fear came on all the ones living around them, and all these things were being talked about in all the mountains of Judaea. And all who heard, stored them in their heart saying,

“What then will this child be?”

And the Lord’s hand was with him.

And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has looked on, and made redemption for, his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, even as he has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began; salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us, to fulfil mercy with our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham to give us, being saved without fear out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

“And you, child, will be called ‘Prophet of the Highest’ for you’ll go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in remission of their sins, through the inner parts of mercy of our God, in which the dawn from on high has visited us, to shine upon those in darkness and sitting in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace!”

And the child grew and was made strong in spirit, and he was in the deserts till the day of his revealing to Israel.

Chapter Two

And it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that everyone should be registered. And this registration first took place when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to be registered, each one to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to David’s town which is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David, to register himself with Mary who was betrothed to him as wife, she being great with child.

And it happened when they were there, the days for her giving birth were fulfilled, and she gave birth to her son, the first born, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds in the same country living in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night, and look, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

And the angel said to them,

“Don’t be afraid, for look, I’m announcing joyful news to you: great joy which will be to all people, for there has been born to you today, in David’s town, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign to you: you’ll find a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a great number of the heavenly army, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, in men good pleasure.”

And it happened, as the angels went away from them into heaven, the men - the shepherds - said to each other,

“Let’s go over indeed as far as Bethlehem, and let’s see this thing that’s happened which the Lord has made known to us!”

And having hurried they came and found both Mary and Joseph and, lying in the manger, the baby. And having seen, they made known about the saying which had been told them about this child. And all who heard were amazed at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept these sayings, pondering in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything which they had heard and seen as it had been spoken to them.

And when eight days were fulfilled for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, as he had been called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days for her purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the Lord’s law, that every male opening the womb will be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Lord’s law: a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.

And look, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was divinely revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, so they might do for him what was the custom of the law, he took him in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Let your servant go now in peace Master, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you’ve prepared before the face of all the peoples: a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

And Joseph and his mother were amazed at the things which were said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Look, this one is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign to be spoken against, and a sword will go through your soul too, so that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was Anna a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was well advanced in days having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she a widow of about eighty four years, who did not depart from the temple, serving night and day with fasts and prayers, and at the same hour she, coming up, gave praise to the Lord and spoke about him to all those waiting for redemption in Jerusalem.

And when they had finished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their town, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.

And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. And having completed the days, as they returned, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know, but assuming him to be in the company they went a day on the way and looked for him among the relatives and acquaintances. And not having found him they returned to Jerusalem looking for him.

And it happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting amid the teachers both listening to them and questioning them. And all those hearing him were amazed at his understanding and answers. And seeing him they were astonished, and his mother said to him,

“Child, why have you done thus to us? Look, your father and I were terribly upset looking for you.”

And he said to them,

“Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be concerned with the things of my Father?”

And they did not understand the word he spoke to them.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus made progress in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

Chapter Three

And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip being tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came upon Zachariah’s son John in the desert. And he went into all the country around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance for remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet saying, “The voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Get the way of the Lord ready, make his paths straight! Every ravine will be filled up and every hill and mountain will be made low, and the crooked straight, and the rough into smooth ways, and all flesh will see the salvation of God!’”

So he said to the crowds coming to be baptised by him,

“Offspring of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit therefore worthy of repentance and don’t begin to say to yourselves ‘We have Abraham as father’ for I’m telling you that God can, from these stones, raise up children to Abraham. But now also the axe is applied to the root of the trees, so every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!”

And the crowds asked him saying,

“What then shall we do?”

And answering he says to them,

“The one having two coats let him give to the one who has none, and he who has food let him do similarly.”

And the tax collectors came also to be baptised and they said to him,

“Teacher, what shall we do?”

And he said to them,

“Exact no more than that which is appointed to you.”

And the ones who were soldiers asked him too saying,

“And what shall we do?”

And he said to them,

“Don’t oppress anyone, nor accuse anyone falsely, and be satisfied with your wages!”

And as the people were in a state of expectation and were all reasoning in their hearts about whether or not John was the Christ, John answered everyone saying,

“I indeed baptise you with water, but he who is coming, the one mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I’m not fit to unloose, he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he’ll thoroughly cleanse his floor and will gather the wheat into his barn but will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire!”

And moreover, exhorting many other things he announced the joyful news to the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him about Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and about all the evils which Herod had done, added even this to all and locked John up in prison.

And it happened, all the people having been baptised, and Jesus having been baptised and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, like a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven saying,

“You are my beloved Son, I have found delight in you!”

And Jesus himself beginning to be about thirty years old being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, of Eli, of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph, of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naoum, of Esli, of Naggai, of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semei, of Joseph, of Juda, of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zorobabel, of Salathiel, of Neri, of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er, of Joses, of Eliezer, of Joreim, of Matthat, of Levi, of Simeon, of Juda, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim, of Melea, of Maina, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, of Jesse, of Obed, of Booz, of Salmon, of Naasson, of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of Phares, of Juda, of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of Nachor, of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalek, of Eber, of Sala, of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech, of Mathusala, of Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan, of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God.

Chapter Four

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert, forty days being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days and at the end of them he was hungry. And the devil said to him,

“If you’re the Son of God tell this stone to become bread!”

And Jesus answered him saying,

“It’s been written that man won’t live only on bread but on every word of God.”

And leading him up into a high mountain the devil showed him all the world’s kingdoms in a moment of time.

And the devil said to him,

“To you I’ll give all this authority and their glory, for it has been handed over to me and I give it to whoever I want. So you, if you will worship me, all things will be yours.”

And answering him Jesus said,

“Get behind me Satan, for it has been written ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and you will serve only him.’”

And he led him to Jerusalem and set him on the parapet of the temple and said to him,

“If you are the Son of God throw yourself down from here, for it’s been written ‘He will give his angels instructions about you to keep you, and that they’ll carry you in their hands in case you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And answering, Jesus said to him,

“It’s been said ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

And having finished every temptation the devil departed from him for a time.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and his reputation went out into all the country round about, and he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and he entered, according to his custom on the Sabbath day, into the synagogue, and he stood up to read.

And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was given to him. And having unrolled the scroll he found the place where it was written,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, on account of which he has anointed me to announce the joyful news to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and to the blind recovery of sight, to free those who are crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

And having rolled up the scroll, having handed it over to the attendant he sat down, and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them,

“Today this writing is fulfilled in your ears!”

And all bore witness to him and wondered at the words of grace which went forth out of his mouth, and they said,

“Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

And he said to them,

“Surely you’ll say this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself. What we’ve heard being done in Capernaum do also here in your country.’”

And he said,

“Truly I’m telling you that no prophet is acceptable in his country. And in truth I say to you there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when there was a great famine on all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them except to Sarepta of Sidonia, to a widow woman. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

And all in the synagogue hearing these things were filled with fury, and having got up they threw him out of the town and led him to the top of the mountain on which their town had been built, so as to throw him down headlong, but he, passing through the midst of them, went away.

And he came down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee, and he was teaching them on the Sabbath days. And they were amazed at his teaching for his word was with authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud shout, saying,

“Eh! What to us and to you Jesus, Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you, who you are: the Holy One of God!”

And Jesus rebuked him saying,

“Be quiet! And come out of him!”

And, having thrown him into the midst, the demon came out of him without having hurt him at all. And amazement came on them all, and they spoke to one another saying,

“What is this word, that with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out?”

And his renown went out into every place of the surrounding country.

And getting up out of the synagogue he went into Simon’s house. And Simon’s mother-in-law was laid out with a great fever and they asked him about her. And, standing over her, he rebuked the fever and it left her. And at once getting up, she looked after them.

And at sunset all such as had sick ones with various diseases brought them to him, and he, having laid hands on each one of them, healed them, and demons also went out from many, crying out and saying,

“You’re the Christ, the Son of God!”

And rebuking them he did not allow them to speak because they knew him to be the Christ.

And day being come, having gone out, he went into a desert place, and the crowds looked for him and came up to him and detained him so he would not go away from them. But he said to them,

“I must announce the joyful news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I’ve been sent out for this.”

And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Chapter Five

And it happened at the time the crowd pressed on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats stationed by the lake but the fishermen, having gone out from them, were washing the nets. And having got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out from the land a little and, having sat down, he taught the crowds from the boat.

And when he had finished speaking he said to Simon,

“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a haul.”

And answering, Simon said to him,

“Master, having laboured through the night we’ve taken nothing, but at your word I’ll let down the net.”

And having done this they enclosed a great shoal of fish and their net was breaking. And they beckoned to their partners in the other boat that coming they would help them. And they came and filled both the boats so that they were sinking.

And Simon Peter, having seen, fell at Jesus’ knees saying,

“Depart from me, for I’m a sinful man, Lord!”

For amazement had gripped him, and all those with him, at the haul of fish which they had taken, and similarly also James and John, Zebedee’s sons who were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon,

“Don’t be afraid, from now on you’ll be catching men!”

And having brought the boats to land, leaving everything they followed him.

And it happened as he was in one of the towns that look, a man full of leprosy, seeing Jesus and falling on his face, begged him saying,

“Lord if you want you can cleanse me!”

And having stretched out his hand he touched him saying,

“I will: be cleansed!”

And at once the leprosy departed from him. And he instructed him to tell no one, “but having gone, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing as Moses commanded for a testimony to them.”

But the word about him was spread about even more, and great crowds were coming to listen, and to be healed by him from their weaknesses. But he used to retire to the desert and pray.

And it happened that on one of the days he was teaching and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee and of Judaea and of Jerusalem, and the Lord’s power was to heal them. And look, men carrying on a couch a man who was paralysed, and they tried to bring him in and place him before him. And not having found how they might bring him in because of the crowd, going up on the house top they let him down through the tiles, with the little couch, into the midst, in front of Jesus. And seeing their faith he said to him,

“Man, your sins have been forgiven you!”

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason saying,

“Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except God only?”

But Jesus, knowing their reasonings, answering said to them,

“Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say ‘Your sins have been forgiven you’ or to say ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins.....” He said to the paralysed one, “To you I say: Get up and, having picked up your little couch, go to your house!”

And immediately, having stood up in front of them, having picked up what he was lying on, he went off to his house glorifying God. And astonishment gripped everyone and they glorified God, and were filled with fear saying,

“We’ve seen strange things today!”

And after these things he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax-office, and said to him,

“Follow me!”

And having left everything, having got up, he followed him. And Levi made a great banquet for him in his house and there was a great crowd of tax-collectors and others who were reclining with them. And their scribes and the Pharisees murmured at his disciples saying,

“Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?”

And answering, Jesus said to them,

“The healthy ones have no need of a doctor, but the ones who are ill. I haven’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance!”

And they said to him,

“Why do John’s disciples fast often and make prayers, and similarly those of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”

And he said to them,

“Can you make the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they’ll fast in those days.”

And he also told them a parable,

“No one puts a piece of a new garment onto an old garment or else he tears the new, and also the piece which is from the new doesn’t match the old. And no one puts new wine into old skins, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it’ll be spilt, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved together. And no one having drunk old, immediately wants new, for he says ‘the old is better.’”

Chapter Six

And it happened on the second Sabbath after the first, he passed through the cornfields. And his disciples were plucking and eating the ears, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them,

“Why are you doing that which it isn’t lawful to do on the Sabbaths?”

And answering, Jesus said to them,

“Haven’t you even read this - that which David did when he himself was hungry and those wih him - how he went into the house of God and took the loaves of the presentation and ate, and also gave to those with him, which it isn’t lawful to eat, except only the priests?”

And he said to them,

“The Son of man is Lord too of the Sabbath.”

And it happened also on another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught. And there was a man there whose right hand was dried up. And the scribes and Pharisees were watching him whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their reasonings and he said to the man who had the dried up hand,

“Get up and stand in the midst!”

And having got up he stood.

Then Jesus said to them,

“I’ll ask you whether it’s legal to do good or to do evil on the Sabbaths, to save life or to destroy?”

And having looked round on all of them he said to the man,

“Stretch out your hand!”

And he did so, and his hand was restored sound like the other.

But they were filled with madness and discussed with one another what they would do to Jesus.

And it happened in those days he went out onto the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when it was day he called to him his disciples and chose out from them twelve, whom also he named apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus and Simon called Zealot, Judas brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became the betrayer. And going down with them he stood on a level place and a crowd of his disciples and very many people, from all of Judaea and Jerusalem and the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those troubled by unclean spirits, and they were healed. And all the crowd tried to touch him, for power went out from him and healed everyone.

And lifting up his eyes to his disciples he said,

“Blessed the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed the ones who are hungry now, for you’ll be filled. Blessed the ones weeping now, for you’ll laugh. You’re blessed when men hate you, and when they cut you off and reproach you and give out your name as wicked, because of the Son of man. Rejoice in that day and jump for joy, for look, your reward is great in heaven, for according to these things their fathers did to the prophets.

“But woe to you rich ones, for you’re receiving your consolation. Woe to you who’ve been filled, for you’ll be hungry. Woe to you laughing now, for you’ll mourn and cry. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for according to these things their fathers did to the false prophets.

“But I’m saying to you who are listening, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those insulting you. To the one striking you on the cheek offer also the other, and to him who takes away your coat, don’t deny him your tunic too. And give to everyone asking you, and of him who takes away what’s yours, don’t ask for it back, but according as you want men to do to you, you too do to them similarly. And if you love those who love you, what grace is there on your part? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what grace is there on your part? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what grace is there on your part? For even sinners lend to sinners, so that they receive the like. But love your enemies and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward will be great, and you’ll be sons of the Highest, for he is good to the unthankful and wicked.

“So be compassionate as also your Father is compassionate. And don’t judge and you won’t be judged at all. Don’t condemn and you won’t be condemned at all. Forgive and you’ll be forgiven. Give, and it’ll be given to you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over they’ll give into your bosom. For, with the same scale that you measure, it’ll be measured again to you.”

And he told them a parable,

“Can a blind one lead one who is blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? A disciple isn’t above his teacher but everyone made perfect will be like his teacher. And why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but you don’t perceive the beam in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me get out the splinter in your eye!’ not seeing the beam in your own eye. Hypocrite! First get the beam out of your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly to get out the splinter in the eye of your brother.

“For there’s no good tree producing rotten fruit, nor a rotten tree producing good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit, for they don’t gather figs from thorns, nor a bunch of grapes from a bramble. The good man brings out good from the good treasure of his heart, and the wicked man brings out evil from the wicked treasure of his heart. For the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart.

“And why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and don’t do what I say? Everyone coming to me and hearing my words and doing them: I’ll show you who he’s like. He’s like a man building a house, who dug and went on down and laid the foundation on the rock. And a flood having come, the river burst upon that house and couldn’t shake it, for it had been founded on the rock. But he who heard and did not do, he’s like a man having built a house on the earth, without a foundation, on which the river burst, and at once it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Chapter Seven

And when he had finished all his words in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion’s servant, honoured by him, being ill, was about to die. And when he heard of Jesus he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him that, having come, he might heal his servant. And they, having come to Jesus, begged him earnestly, saying that he is worthy to whom he would grant this,

“For he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”

And Jesus went with them, but now, he being not far away from the house, the centurion sent friends to him saying to him,

“Lord, don’t put yourself to any trouble, for I’m not worthy that you should come under my roof, on which account neither did I reckon myself worthy to come to you, but say in a word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man appointed under authority, having soldiers under myself, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does.”

And having heard these things Jesus was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him he said,

“I’m telling you I haven’t found such great faith no, not in Israel.”

And the ones sent, having returned to the house, found the sick servant in good health.

And it happened on the next day he went into a town called Nain and many of his disciples and a great crowd went with him. And as he drew near to the gate of the town look, one who had died was being carried out, his mother’s only son, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town with her.

And seeing her the Lord took pity on her and said,

“Don’t weep!”

And coming up he touched the bier, and the ones bearing it stopped. And he said,

“Young man, I’m telling you, ‘Get up!’”

And the dead one sat up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And fear gripped everyone, and they glorified God saying,

“A great prophet has risen up among us and God has visited his people!”

And this word about him went out into all Judaea and in all the country round about.

And John’s disciples brought word to him about all these things. And, having called to him two of his disciples, John sent them to Jesus, saying,

“Are you the one coming, or are we to look for another?”

And having come to him the men said,

“John the Baptist has sent us to you saying, ‘Are you the one coming or are we to look for another?’”

In the same hour he healed many of diseases and scourges and evil spirits, and to many blind he gave sight.

And answering, Jesus said to them,

“Having gone away tell John what you’ve seen and heard: that the blind see again, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the joyful news preached to them. And whoever is not offended at me is blessed.”

And, John’s messengers having departed, he began to speak to the crowds about John,

“What did you go out into the desert to see? A cane shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Look, those in splendid garments are living in luxury in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I’m telling you, and one more excellent than a prophet.

“This is he about whom it was written, ‘Look, I’m sending my messenger before your face, who’ll get your way ready ahead of you.’ For I’m telling you, no one, born of women, is a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

And all the people having heard, even the tax collectors, justified God, having been baptised with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the doctors of the law set aside the counsel of God in themselves, not having been baptised by him.

And the Lord said,

“So, to what shall I liken the men of this generation? And what are they like? They are like children sitting in a market-place and calling to each other and saying, ‘we piped to you and you didn’t dance, we mourned to you and you didn’t weep.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine and you say, ‘He’s got a demon’. The Son of man has come eating and drinking and you say, ‘Look, a man who’s a glutton, a tippler of wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ And wisdom was justified by all her children.”

And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And having gone into the Pharisee’s house he was reclining. And look, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, knowing that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, having taken an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing at his feet behind him weeping, began to water his feet with tears, and she was wiping them with the hair of her head and ardently kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. And having seen, the Pharisee who invited him said to himself, ‘This one, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what kind of woman is touching him, for she’s a sinner!’

And answering, Jesus said,

“Simon, I’ve got something to say to you.”

And he says,

“Say it, teacher.”

There were two debtors to a certain creditor, the one owed five hundred pence , and the other fifty. But they not having anything to pay with, he forgave both. Which of them, tell me, will love him most?”

And answering, Simon said,

“I take it, he whom he forgave more.”

And he said to him,

“You’ve judged correctly.”

And having turned to the woman, he said to Simon,

“Do you see this woman? I entered into your house. You didn’t give me water for my feet, but she has rained down tears on my feet, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. You didn’t give me a kiss, but from the time I came in she hasn’t stopped ardently kissing my feet. You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Because of which, I’m telling you, her many sins have been forgiven. For she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little.”

And he said to her,

“Your sins have been forgiven!”

And those reclining with him began to say to themselves,

“Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

But he said to the woman,

“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”

Chapter Eight

And it happened soon afterwards that he passed through, town by town and village by village, preaching and announcing the joyful news: the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, also certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and ailments, Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; and Joanna, wife of Herod’s steward Chuza; and Susanna and many others, who were looking after him from their property.

And a great crowd gathering together, and those who were coming to him from each town, he spoke by means of a parable,

“The sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed some fell by the way, and it was trodden on, and the birds of the air ate it up. And other fell on the rock, and having sprung up it withered away, because it had no moisture, and other fell amid thorns and having sprung up together the thorns choked it, and other fell on good ground, and having sprung up bore fruit a hundredfold.”

Saying these things he shouted out,

“The one having ears to hear, let him listen!”

And his disciples asked him saying,

“What may this parable be?”

And he said,

“To you it’s been given to know the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but to the rest in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

“Now, this is the parable: the seed is God’s word, and those by the way are the ones hearing; then the devil comes and takes the word away from their heart in case, having believed, they should be saved. And those on the rock: the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, and these have no root, who believe for a season and fall away in time of trial. And that which fell into the thorns: these are they who having heard, going on are choked under cares and riches and pleasures of life, and don’t come to maturity. And that in the good ground: these are they who in a right and good heart, having heard the word, hold fast and bear fruit with patience.

And no one having lit a light covers it with a vessel or puts it under a couch, but they put it on a lamp stand, so that the ones coming in may see the light. For nothing is hidden which won’t be revealed, or secret which won’t be known and come to light. Look therefore how you listen. For whoever has, it will be given to him, and whoever has not, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

And his mother and brothers and sisters came to him, and could not get to him because of the crowd. And it was told him saying,

“Your mother and your brothers and sisters are standing outside wanting to see you!”

And he, answering, said to them,

“My mother and my brothers and sisters are those who listen to the word of God and do it!”

And it happened one day he got in a boat with his disciples and said to them,

“Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake!”

And they set off.

And as they sailed he fell asleep, and a storm of wind came down on the lake and they were being swamped and were in danger. And having come up they roused him saying,

“Master, Master, we’re lost!”

And he, having got up, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they stopped, and there was a calm.

And he said to them,

“Where is your faith?”

And being afraid, they were amazed, saying to each other,

“Who then is this, that he even commands the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

And they sailed down to the country of the Gadarenes which is over by Galilee. And, on his having got out onto the land, there met him, out of the town, a certain man who had had demons for many years and did not wear clothes, and did not live in a house but in the tombs. But having seen Jesus, and having cried out, he fell down before him and said in a loud voice,

“What to me and to you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torment me!”

For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For many times it had seized him, and he was kept bound with chains and fetters, and, breaking the bonds, he was driven by the demon into the desert places.

And Jesus asked him saying,

“What is your name?”

And he said, “Legion” because many demons had got into him. And he begged him that he would not command them to go off into the abyss. Now there was there a herd of pigs feeding on the mountain and they begged him that he would let them go into those. And he allowed them to. And having gone out from the man the demons went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the precipice into the lake and they were drowned. And having seen what had happened, those who fed them went away, and having gone off told about it in the town and in the country.

And they went out to see what had happened. And they came to Jesus and found the man, from whom the demons had gone out, seated at the feet of Jesus, clothed and sound in mind. And they were afraid. And those who had seen told them also how the one possessed by demons was healed. And all the people of the country of the Gadarenes round about, asked him to depart from them for they were possessed with great fear. And he, having got into the boat, returned. And the man from whom the devils had gone out was begging him to be with him. But Jesus sent him away saying,

“Go back to your own house and relate all that God has done for you.”

And he went off through the whole town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.

And it happened, on Jesus returning, the crowd welcomed him for they were all looking for him. And look, there came a man by the name of Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And having fallen at Jesus’ feet he begged him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. And as he went the crowds milled about him. And a woman being with a flow of blood twelve years, who having spent all her resources on doctors could not be cured by anyone, having come behind, touched the border of his garment and at once the flow of her blood stopped.

And Jesus said,

“Who was touching me?”

And everyone denying, Peter and the ones with him said,

“Master, the crowds are milling about and pressing you and you’re saying ‘Who was touching me?’”

And Jesus said,

“Someone touched me, for I knew power went out from me!”

And the woman, seeing that she was not hidden, came trembling, and having fallen down before him, told him in front of all the people for what reason she had touched him, and how she was healed instantly.

And he said to her,

“Take courage, daughter, your faith has cured you, go in peace!”

While he was speaking someone comes from the ruler of the synagogue’s saying to him,

“Your daughter has died, don’t bother the teacher.”

But Jesus, having heard, answered him saying,

“Don’t be afraid, only believe and she’ll be restored!”

And having gone into the house he allowed no one to go in except Peter and James and John, and the child’s father and the mother. And they were all weeping and bewailing her.

But he said,

“Don’t weep! She isn’t dead but she’s sleeping!”

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he, having put them all out, and having taken hold of her hand called saying,

“Child, get up!”

And her spirit returned and she got up at once, and he instructed something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed and he commanded them to tell no one what had happened.

Chapter Nine

And having summoned together his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

And he said to them,

“Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor provision bag, nor bread, nor money, nor two tunics each. And into whatever house you enter, stay there and go out from there. And as many as won’t receive you, as you go out from that town shake off even the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

And going out they passed through the villages announcing the joyful news and healing everywhere.

And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things being done by him and he was perplexed because it was said by some that John had been raised again from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen.

And Herod said,

“I beheaded John, now who is this about whom I’m hearing such things?”

And he tried to see him.

And having got back, the apostles told him all they had done. And having taken them he went off apart to a desert place belonging to a town called Bethsaida. But the crowds knowing, they followed him. And having received them he spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those in need of healing. But the day began to draw to a close and having come up the twelve said to him,

“Send the crowd away so that, having gone into the surrounding villages and country they may find lodgings and provisions, for here we’re in a desert place.”

But he said to them,

“You give them to eat!”

But they said,

“We’ve got no more than five loaves and two fish, unless of course we go and buy provisions for all these people!”

For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples,

“Make them recline in groups by fifties.”

And they did so and made everyone recline. And having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having looked up to heaven, he blessed them and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they ate and were all satisfied, and twelve big baskets of left over pieces were taken up.

And it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him and he asked them saying, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

And they answering said,

“John the Baptist, and others Elijah, and others that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

And he said to them,

“But you, who do you say I am?”

And answering, Peter said,

“The Christ of God!”

And he, strictly instructing them, commanded them to to tell this to no one, saying,

“The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised.”

And he said to everyone,

“If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross every day and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me, he will save it! For what is a man profited, having gained the whole world but having destroyed or suffered the loss of himself? For whoever has been ashamed of me and my words, of him the Son of man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I’m telling you truly there are some of those standing here who will definitely not taste of death until they’ve seen the kingdom of God!”

And it happened about eight days after these words, having taken Peter and John and James, he went up into the mountain to pray. And it happened as he prayed, the appearance of his face altered and his clothing became shining white. And look, two men, who were Moses and Elijah, were talking to him. They, appearing in glory, spoke of his departure which he was about to make in Jerusalem. And Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but having woken up fully they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him.

And it happened as these departed from him, Peter said to Jesus,

“Master, it’s good for us to be here, and let’s make three tabernacles, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah!” not knowing what he is saying.

And as he was saying these things a cloud came and overshadowed them and they were afraid as those entered into the cloud, and a voice came out of the cloud saying,

“This is my Son, the beloved, listen to him!”

And as the voice sounded, Jesus was found alone. And they were silent and they told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

And it happened on the next day, on their having come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. And look, a man from the crowd cried out saying,

“Teacher, I implore you look on my son, for he is my only child, and look, a spirit takes hold of him, and he cries out suddenly, and it throws him into convulsions with foaming, and it departs from him with difficulty, bruising him. And I asked your disciples so that they might cast it out and they couldn’t.”

And answering, Jesus said,

“Oh unbelieving and perverse generation, till when shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!”

And even as he was approaching, the demon hurled him down and threw him into convulsions. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.

And while they were wondering at all that Jesus had done, he said to his disciples,

“Store these words in your ears, for the Son of man is about to be handed over into men’s hands.”

But they did not understand this saying and it was veiled from them so that they should not comprehend it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

And a debate occurred among them, this: Who was the greatest of them? And Jesus, having seen the reasoning of their heart, having taken up a little child set it by him, and he said to them,

“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives him who sent me. For he who is least of all of you, he will be great.”

And answering, John said,

“Master, Master, we saw someone casting out the demons in your name, and we forbade him because he doesn’t go along with us. And Jesus said to him,

“Don’t forbid it, for whoever isn’t against us is for us!”

And it happened that while the days of receiving him up were being fulfilled, he firmly set his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. And having gone, they went into a Samaritan village so as to prepare for him. And they did not receive him because his face was set to go to Jerusalem. And seeing, his disciples James and John said,

“Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did?”

But turning he rebuked them and said,

“You don’t know of what spirit you are! For the Son of man hasn’t come to destroy men’s lives but to save.”

And they went to another village.

And it happened as they were going along the road, someone said to him,

“I’ll follow wherever you go Lord!”

And Jesus said to him,

“Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of man hasn’t got anywhere to lay his head!”

And he said to another,

“Follow me!”

But he said,

“Lord, let me first go away to bury my father.”

But Jesus said to him,

“Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you, going out, proclaim the kingdom of God!”

And another said also,

“I’ll follow you Lord, but first let me take leave of those at my house.”

But Jesus said to him,

“No one having put his hand on the plough and looking at the things behind, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Chapter Ten

And after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them by twos ahead of him into every town and place where he himself was about to come.

So he said to them,

“Indeed the harvest is great but the workers few. So implore the Lord of the harvest that he may send out workers to his harvest. Go! Look, I’m sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse, nor provision bag, nor shoes, and greet no one on the way. And into whatever house you enter first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if indeed a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it, but if not, it’ll return to you. And stay in this house eating and drinking their things, for the workman is worthy of his hire. Don’t remove yourself from house to house. And into whatever town you enter and they receive you, eat the things set before you, and heal the sick in it, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you!’

But into whatever town you enter and they don’t receive you, having gone out into its streets, say ‘Even the dust which clung to us out of your town, we wipe off against you, yet know this: that the kingdom of God has drawn near to you!’ And I’m telling you it’ll be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that town! Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the powerful works that have been occurring in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon they had long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it’ll be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgement than for you! And you, Capernaum, who have been lifted up to heaven, you’ll be brought down to Hades. He who listens to you listens to me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me!”

And the seventy returned with joy, saying,

“Lord, even the demons are subject to us through your name!”

And he said to them,

“I watched Satan like lightning falling out of heaven. Look, I’m giving you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you at all. Yet don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven!”

In the same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said,

“I praise you Father, Lord of the heaven and the earth that you hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to infants, yes Father, for so it was well pleasing to you! All things were handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

And having turned to his disciples privately he said,

“Blessed the eyes seeing what you’re seeing! For I’m telling you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you’re seeing, and they didn’t see, and to hear what you’re hearing, and they didn’t hear!”

And look, a certain doctor of the law stood up testing him and saying,

“Teacher, I’ll inherit eternal life having done...what?”

And he said to him,

“What has been written in the law? How do you read it?”

And he answering said,

“‘You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour like yourself.’”

And he said to him,

“You’ve answered correctly, do this and you’ll live!”

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus,

“And who is my neighbour?”

And taking up the question Jesus said,

“A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves who, having both stripped him and wounded him, went away, leaving him half dead.

“And by coincidence a certain priest was going down that road, and having seen him he passed by on the opposite side, and similarly also a Levite being at the place, having come and seen, passed by on the opposite side. But a certain Samaritan passing along the way came to him and having seen him, took pity on him, and having come up bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and having put him on his own animal brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the following day, going out, taking out two pence he gave them to the innkeeper and said to him, ‘Take care of him, and whatever you may spend more, on my coming back I’ll repay you!’

“So, which of these three seems to you to have been neighbour of him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said,

“He who took pity on him!” “

So Jesus said to him,

“You go and do similarly!”

And it happened, as they went on, that he went into a certain village, and a certain woman, Martha by name, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary who also, having sat down at Jesus’ feet, was listening to his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said,

“Lord, doesn’t it matter to you that my sister has left me alone to serve? So speak to her so that she may help me!”

But answering, Jesus said to her,

“Martha, Martha, you’re careful and troubled about many things, - but of one there is need - and Mary has chosen the good portion which won’t be taken from her.”

Chapter Eleven

And it happened, as he was in a certain place praying, when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him,

“Lord teach us to pray as John too taught his disciples.”

And he said to them,

“When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, let your kingdom come, let your will be done both on heaven and on earth. Give us daily our necessary bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone indebted to us; and don’t lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

And he said to them,

“Who out of you will have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine has come off the road to me and I haven’t anything to set before him.’ And he from inside answering will say, ‘Don’t bother me, the door’s already been closed and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up to give to you.’ I’m telling you even if he won’t, having got up, give to him because of being his friend, yet because of his importunity he’ll give him as many as he needs. And I’m saying to you, ask and it’ll be given you, seek and you’ll find, knock and it’ll be opened to you. For everyone asking receives, and the one seeking finds, and to him who knocks it’ll be opened.

“And which of you who is a father, if the son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if for a fish will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he should ask for an egg, will give him a scorpion? So if you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

And he was casting out a demon, and it was dumb, and it happened, the demon having gone out, the dumb one spoke. And the crowds were amazed.

But some of them said,

“He’s casting out the demons by Beelzebub, prince of the demons!”

And others, tempting him, were looking to him for a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them,

“Every kingdom divided against itself is reduced to nothing, and a house divided against a house falls. And if also Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? - because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out the demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they’ll be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you!

“When the strong man, being armed, guards his courtyard, his property is at peace. But as soon as one stronger than he, coming upon him, overcomes him, he takes away his armament in which he’d trusted and he divides his spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who isn’t gathering with me is scattering.

“When the unclean spirit has gone out from the man he goes through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding it he says, ‘I’ll go back to my house from where I came out.’ And having come, he finds it swept and decorated. Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and having gone in they reside there, and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

And it happened, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd lifted up her voice and said to him,

“Blessed the womb which bore you and the breasts which you sucked!”

But he said,

“No rather, blessed the ones hearing the word of God and keeping it!”

And the crowds being gathered together, he began to say,

“This is an evil generation! It’s looking for a sign, and no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, thus also shall the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgement with the men of this generation, and will condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look, one greater than Solomon is here. Men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgement with this generation and they’ll condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and look, one greater than Jonah is here!

“And no one, having lit a lamp sets it in a secret place, nor under the corn measure, but on the lampstand so that the one coming in may see the light. The body’s lamp is the eye, so when your eye is straightforward your whole body too is light, but when it is evil your body too is dark. So be careful in case the light in you is darkness. So if your whole body is light, not having any part dark, it will all be light, as when the lamp with its brightness lights you.”

And as he was speaking a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him, and having gone in he was reclining. But the Pharisee, seeing, was amazed that he had not first washed before the dinner.

But the Lord said to him,

“Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but your inside is full of plunder and wickedness. Fools! Didn’t he who made the outside also make the inside? But give alms of the things which are inside and look, all things are clean to you!

“But woe to you Pharisees, for you pay tithes of the mint and the rue and every herb, and pass up the judgement and the love of God. These things you should have done and not leave aside the others. Woe to you Pharisees, for you love the first seat in the synagogues and greetings in the market places. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you’re like the unseen tombs and the men walking over them don’t know.”

And one of the doctors of the law answering, says to him,

“Teacher, saying these things you’re insulting us too!”

And he said,

“Woe to you also doctors of the law! For you burden men with burdens heavy to bear, and you yourselves don’t touch the burdens with one of your fingers! Woe to you, for you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So you bear witness and consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they indeed killed them, and you are building their tombs. Because of this too the wisdom of God said, ‘I’ll send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they’ll kill and drive out’ so that the blood of all the prophets shed from the world’s foundation may be required from this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple, yes I’m telling you, it’ll be required from this generation. Woe to you doctors of the law, for you’ve taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves haven’t gone in, and you’ve hindered those who were going in!”

And as he was saying these things to them the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him urgently, and make him speak about many things, watching him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth so that they might accuse him.

Chapter Twelve

Meanwhile hordes of people were gathering together so that they were treading on each other. He began to say to his disciples first,

“You yourselves be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. And nothing is covered up which won’t be uncovered, nor hidden which won’t be known, so whatever you’ve said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you’ve spoken in the ear in secret rooms will be proclaimed on the house-tops.

“Now I’m telling you my friends, you shouldn’t be frightened of those who kill the body, and after that aren’t able to do anything more. But I’ll show you who you should be frightened of: fear him who after having killed, has authority to throw into hell. Yes I’m telling you, be afraid of him! Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the hairs of your head have all been numbered. So don’t be frightened, you’re better than many sparrows. But I’m saying to you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of man will confess him before the angels of God; but he who has denied me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who says a word against the Son of man, it’ll be forgiven him, but to him who has blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, it won’t be forgiven. But when they bring you in front of the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, don’t be careful how or what you’ll reply in defence, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in the same hour what you’ve got to speak.”

And a certain one from the crowd said to him,

“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!”

But he said to him,

“Man, who appointed me a judge or divider over you?”

And he said to them,

“Look and keep yourselves from covetousness, for no one’s life is in the abundance of that which he possesses.”

And he told them a parable saying,

“The land of a certain rich man yielded plentifully, and he was thinking to himself saying, ‘What shall I do, for I haven’t anywhere to store my fruit?’ And he said, ‘I’ll do this: I’ll take down my storehouses and build bigger, and there I’ll store all my produce and my goods, and I’ll say to my soul, - soul you’ve got many good things put by for many years, have a rest, eat, drink and be merry!’ But God said to him, ‘Fool, this night they require your soul from you, and what you’ve prepared - whose will it be?’ Thus is the one storing up treasure for himself and not being rich towards God.”

And he said to his disciples,

“Because of this I’m telling you, don’t be anxious as to your life, what you should eat, nor as to he body, what you should put on. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens, they don’t sow, nor do they reap, having neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. How much more are you better than the birds! And who among you, by being careful can add one cubit to his stature? So if you can’t do the least, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow, they don’t work, nor do they spin, but I’m telling you not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these! But if God so clothes the grass, which is in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into an oven, how much rather you, oh you of little faith?

“And you, don’t look for what you may eat, or what you may drink, and don’t be anxious, for all the nations of the world are looking for these things, and your Father knows you need these, but you, look for the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. Don’t be afraid little flock, for your Father has taken delight in giving you the kingdom. Sell your property and give alms, make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where the thief doesn’t approach, nor does the moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there too your heart will be.

“Let your loins be girt and the lamps burning, and you, be like men waiting for their Lord, whenever he comes back from the wedding, so that having come, and having knocked, they may at once open to him. Blessed those servants whom, on coming, the Lord will find watching. Truly I’m telling you that he’ll gird himself and make them recline, and coming up will serve them. And if he comes in the second watch or in the third watch and finds them thus, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief is coming, he would have watched and wouldn’t have allowed his house to be dug through. So you be ready, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you’re not thinking of.”

And Peter said to him,

“Lord are you speaking this parable to us or even to everyone?”

And the Lord said,

“Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom the Lord will set over his household to give the measure of corn in due time? Blessed that servant whom, having come, his Lord will find doing thus. Truly I’m telling you that he’ll set him over all his property. But if that servant should say in his heart, ‘My Lord is delaying his coming’ and should begin to beat the men-servants and the maid-servants and to eat and drink and get drunk, that servant’s Lord will come in a day he doesn’t expect, and at an hour he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers. But that servant who knew his Lord’s will and didn’t get ready, nor did according to his will, will be beaten a lot, but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few. And everyone to whom a lot has been given, a lot will be required of him, and to whom a lot was committed, they will ask more of him.

“I have come to put fire into the earth and what do I want if it’s already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptised with and how I am afflicted until it’s accomplished! Do you think that I’ve come to give peace in the earth? No, I’m telling you, but rather division: for from now there’ll be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

And he said also to the crowds,

“When you see the cloud rising up from the West, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’ and so it does. And when a south wind blows you say ‘It’ll be hot’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to judge the appearance of the earth and sky, but how is it you don’t discern this time? And why, even of yourselves, don’t you judge what is right? For as you go with your adversary in front of a magistrate, on the way take care to be freed from him, in case he should drag you off to the judge, and the judge should hand you over to the officer, and the officer should throw you into prison. I’m telling you, you’ll definitely not come out from there until you’ve paid the last fraction of a penny.

Chapter Thirteen

And some were present at this time, telling him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

And answering Jesus said to them,

“Do you think that these Galileans were sinners beyond all the Galileans because they suffered such things? No, I’m telling you, but if you don’t repent you’ll all perish in a similar way. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think these were sinners beyond all people who were living in Jerusalem? No, I’m telling you. But if you don’t repent, you’ll all perish similarly.”

And he told this parable,

“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it and didn’t find any. And he said to the vine-dresser, “Look, I’ve been coming three years looking for fruit on this fig tree and I haven’t found any! Cut it down! Why is it making the ground useless?’ But he, answering says to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year too until I dig around it and put manure on it, and perhaps it’ll bear fruit, but if not, after that cut it down!’”

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbaths. And look, there was a woman having a spirit of weakness eighteen years, and she was bent together and wholly unable to lift herself up. And, seeing her, Jesus called and said to her,

“Woman, you’ve been released from your weakness!”

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

But answering, the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd,

“There are six days in which men ought to work, so in these, coming, be healed, and not on the day of the Sabbath!”

So the Lord answered him and said,

“Hypocrite! Doesn’t each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ass or ox from the manger and, having led it away, water it? And this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, look, these eighteen years, shouldn’t she be loosed from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?”

And on his saying these things all who were opposed to him were ashamed, and all the crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things being done by him.

And he said,

“To what is the kingdom of God similar, and to what shall I liken it? It’s like a grain of mustard which, having taken, a man threw into his garden and it grew and turned into a great tree and the birds of the sky roosted in its branches!”

And again he said,

“To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It’s like yeast which, having taken, a woman hid in three seahs of flour until it was all leavened.”

And he went through towns and villages, teaching and making his way towards Jerusalem. And a certain one said to him,

“Lord, are those being saved few?”

But he said to them,

“Struggle to go in through the narrow gate, for I’m telling you many will try to go in and won’t be able to. When the master of the house has got up and shut the door, and you outside begin to stand at the door saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open up to us!’ and he answering will say to you, ‘I don’t know you where you’re from,’ then you’ll begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our squares!’ And he’ll say, ‘I’m telling you I don’t know you, where you’re from! Go away from me all workers of unrighteousness!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. And they’ll come from East and West and from North and South and will recline in the kingdom of God. And look, there are last who’ll be first, and there are first who’ll be last.”

On the same day certain Pharisees came up saying to him,

“Go out and get away from here for Herod wants to kill you!”

And he said to them,

“Having gone, you say to that fox, ‘Look, I’m casting out demons and doing cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I’ll have finished. But I must go forward today and tomorrow and the following day, for it isn’t possible for a prophet to perish out of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem! Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who’ve been sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children in the way a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you wouldn’t have it! Look, your house is left to you desolate, and truly I’m telling you that you won’t see me at all until the time when you say, ‘Blessed is the one coming in the Lord’s name!’”

Chapter Fourteen

And it happened, on his having gone into the house of one of the Pharisees’ rulers on a Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. And look, there was a certain dropsical man before him. And answering, Jesus spoke to the doctors of the law and the Pharisees saying,

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

But they were silent. And taking him he healed him and let him go. And answering he said to them,

“Of you, whose ass or ox will fall into a pit and he won’t at once pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

And they were unable to make any reply to him as to these things.

And he told a parable to those who were invited, noticing how they were selecting the first places, saying to them,

“When you’re invited by anyone to a wedding, don’t recline in the first place, in case one more honourable than you has been invited by him, and, having come, he who invited you and him says to you, ‘Give place to this one!’ And then you begin with shame to take the last place. But when you’re invited, having gone, recline in the last place, so that when he who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, come up higher!’ Then glory will be to you in front of those who are reclining with you. For everyone lifting himself up will be humbled, and the one humbling himself will be lifted up.”

And he said also to him who had invited him,

“When you make a dinner or a supper, don’t call your friends, nor your brothers and sisters, nor your relations, nor rich neighbours, in case they invite you in return and a recompense be made you. But when you make a feast, call the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you’ll be blessed. For they having nothing to recompense you with, it’ll be recompensed to you in the resurrection of the just.”

And one of those reclining with him, having heard these things said to him,

“Blessed he who’ll eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

And he said to him,

“A certain man made a big supper and invited many. And he sent his servant at the time of the supper to say to those who’d been invited, ‘Come, for now everything’s ready.’ And they all, as one, began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I’ve bought a field and I must go out and see it, I ask you to have me excused.’ And another one said, ‘I’ve bought five yoke of oxen and I’m going to try them out, I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I’ve married a wife and because of this I can’t come.’

“And having come, that servant reported these things to his lord. Then, being angry, the master of the house said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the squares and streets of the town and bring in here the poor, and crippled, and lame, and blind!’

“And the servant said, ‘It’s been done as you instructed and still there’s room!’ And the lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads and hedges and force them to come in so that my house may be filled, for I’m telling you that not one of those men who were invited will taste of my supper!’”

And great crowds were going along with him. And having turned he said to them,

“If anyone comes to me and doesn’t hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own life besides, he can’t be my disciple, and whoever doesn’t carry his cross and come after me can’t be my disciple. For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first, having sat down, add up the cost as to whether he has enough for its completion? In case, having laid its foundation and not being able to finish, everyone seeing should begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build but was unable to finish.’

“Or what king, setting out to engage another king in war, doesn’t, having first sat down, take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who is coming against him with twenty thousand? But if not, he still being far off, having sent an embassy he asks terms for peace.

“So therefore everyone of you who doesn’t renounce all that he himself possesses can’t be my disciple. Salt is good, but if the salt becomes tasteless what will it be seasoned with? It’s fit neither for the earth nor for manure: they throw it out. The one having ears to hear, let him listen!”

Chapter Fifteen

And all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to him to listen to him, and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured saying,

“This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

And he told them this parable saying,

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doesn’t leave the ninety nine in the desert and go after that which has got lost until he finds it? And having found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing, and having come to the house he calls together friends and neighbours saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me for I’ve found my sheep which was lost!’ I’m telling you that even so there’ll be joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she should lose one drachma , doesn’t light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully for it until she finds it? And having found it she calls friends and neighbours together saying, “Rejoice with me, for I’ve found the drachma which I lost! So I’m telling you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

And he said,

“A certain man had two sons and the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me that portion of the property due to me.’ And he divided the living to them. And not many days after, having gathered everything together, the younger son went off into a country far away and wasted his property there, living dissolutely. And he having spent all, there arose a violent famine throughout that country and he began to suffer hardship. And having gone he attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into the fields to feed pigs.

“And he was longing to fill his stomach with the husks which the pigs were eating and no one gave to him. But coming to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s employees have a surplus of bread and I’m perishing from famine. Having got up I’ll go to my father and I’ll say to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and before you and I’m no longer worthy to be called your son: make me like one of your employees!’

“And having got up he went to his father. Now he being yet far off, his father saw him and was moved with pity, and running, fell on his neck and ardently kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and before you and I’m no longer worthy to be called your son!’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and clothe him, and give him a ring for his hand and shoes for his feet, and having brought the fattened calf kill it, and eating let us be merry! For this my son was dead and he’s alive again, and he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

“Now his elder son was in a field, and as he was coming he drew near to the house and heard music and dancing. And having summoned one of his servants he inquired what these things were. And he said to him, ‘Your brother’s come, and your father’s killed the fattened calf because he’s got him back safe and well!’ But he was angry and did not want to go in.

“So his father, having gone out, begged him, but he answering said to the father, ‘Look, I’ve served you so many years, and I’ve never gone against your commandment, and you never gave me a kid so that I might make merry with my friends; but when this son of yours has come, who has eaten up all your living with harlots, you’ve killed the fattened calf for him!’

“But he said to him, ‘Child, you’re always with me, and all my things are yours. But we had to make merry and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. And he was lost and has been found.’”

Chapter Sixteen

And he said also to his disciples,

“There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and he was accused to him of wasting his goods. And having called him he said to him, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship for you can no longer be steward!’ And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, for my lord is taking the stewardship away from me? I can’t dig: I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do, so that when I’ve been removed from the stewardship they may receive me into their homes!’

“And summoning each one of his lord’s debtors he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ And he said, ‘A hundred baths of oil!’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill and sitting down quickly write fifty.’ Then to another he said, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred coros of wheat.’ And he says to him, ‘Take your bill and write eighty.’

“And the Lord praised the unrighteous steward because he had done prudently. For the sons of this age are, in their own generation, more prudent than the sons of light. And I’m telling you, make to yourself friends out of the mammon of unrighteousness so that when you fail they may receive you into the everlasting dwellings. The one faithful in the least is also faithful in much; and the one unjust in the least is also unjust in much. So if you haven’t been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who’ll entrust the true to you? And if you haven’t been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you your own? No servant can serve two lords, for either he’ll hate the one and love the other, or he’ll hold to one and despise the other. You can’t serve God and mammon!”

And the Pharisees, being covetous, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.

And he said to them,

“You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows you hearts. For the thing high among men is an abomination before God. The law and the prophets until John: from then on the kingdom of God is announced and everyone is hurrying into it. And it’s easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

“Everyone putting away his wife and marrying another commits adultery, and everyone marrying her who has been put away from a husband commits adultery.

“And there was a certain rich man and he was dressed in purple and fine linen, enjoying himself magnificently every day. And there was a certain poor man, Lazarus by name who, being full of sores, was laid at his porch, and he longed to be satisfied from the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table, but even the dogs, coming, licked his sores.

“And it happened that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels into the bosom of Abraham. And the rich man died too and was buried. And in hell, having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham from afar and Lazarus in his bosom. And crying out he said, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I’m suffering in this flame!’

“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received fully your good things in your lifetime, and similarly Lazarus bad things. But now he is comforted and you are suffering. And besides all these things a great chasm has been fixed between us and you so that those wanting to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they pass from there to us!’ And he said, ‘I ask you then father that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so he may earnestly witness to them, so that they too don’t come to this place of torment.’

“Abraham says to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them!’ But he said, ‘No father Abraham, but if one were to go to them from the dead they would repent!’ And he said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if one rose from the dead!’”

Chapter Seventeen

And he said to the disciples,

“It’s impossible that scandals won’t come, but woe to him by whom they do come. It’s profitable for him if a millstone turned by a donkey is put round his neck and he’s thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to offend. Be careful about yourselves and if your brother sins against you rebuke him; and if he repents forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times in the day returns to you saying, ‘I repent’ you will forgive him.”

And the apostles said to the Lord,

“Give us more faith.”

But the Lord said,

“If you had faith like a grain of mustard, you might say to this sycamine tree , ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea!’ and it would obey you! But which of you having a servant ploughing or feeding the flock, who is coming in out of the field, will say immediately, ‘Having come in, recline!’ But won’t he say to him, ‘Get ready what I may have for supper and girding yourself about, serve me while I’m eating and drinking, and after these things you’ll eat and drink’? Is he thankful to that servant because he did the things commanded him? I think not! So you too, when you’ve done everything commanded you, say, ‘We’re unprofitable servants, for we’ve done that which we were bound to do.’”

And it happened on his going up to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And on his entering a certain village there met him ten leprous men who stood far off. And they raised their voices saying,

“Jesus, Master take pity on us!”

And seeing them he said,

“Having gone, show yourselves to the priests!”

And it happened, as they were going, they were cleansed. And one of them seeing that he was healed, turned back glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at his feet thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

And answering Jesus said,

“Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Weren’t there found any returning to give glory to God except this stranger?”

And he said to him,

“Having got up, go on. Your faith has cured you.”

And having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God is coming, he answered them and said,

“The kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation, nor will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ For look, the kingdom of God is inside you.”

And he said to the disciples,

“Days will come when you’ll long to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you won’t see it. And they’ll say to you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go out or follow. For as lightning which lightens out of one part of heaven shines to the other part, so too will be the Son of man in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

“And as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man. They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage up till the day Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed all.

“And similarly, as it happened in the days of Lot, they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building, but on the day Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all.

“It will be like this in the day the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, the one who is on the house top and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he in the field, similarly, let him not return to the things behind. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses it will preserve it. I’m telling you, in that night there’ll be two in one bed, the one will be taken, and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together, one will be taken, and the other left. Two will be in the field, the one will be taken, and the other left.”

And answering they say to him,

“Where, Lord?”

And he said to them,

“Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together!”

Chapter Eighteen

And he told them also a parable to the end that one ought always to pray and not to faint, saying,

“There was a certain judge in a certain city, not fearing God, and not respecting man. And there was a widow in that city and she used to come to him saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary!’ And for a time he wouldn’t, but after, he said to himself, ‘Even if I don’t fear God and I don’t respect man, yet because this widow is causing me trouble I’ll avenge her, in case coming continually she tires me out.’”

And the Lord said,

“Listen to what the unjust judge says! And won’t God perform the avenging of his chosen ones who cry to him day and night, even being patient towards them. I’m telling you that he’ll perform the avenging of them quickly. Nevertheless having come shall the Son of man indeed find faith in the earth?”

And he told also this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they are righteous and despised the rest.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing up, was thus praying with himself, ‘God, thank you that I’m not as the rest of men: rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I tithe everything I earn!’ And the tax collector standing far off wouldn’t lift even his eyes to heaven, but was striking his chest saying, ‘God forgive me, the sinner!’ I tell you this one went down to his house justified rather than that one. For everyone lifting himself up will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be lifted up.”

And they brought to him also the babies so that he might touch them but, having seen, the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus having summoned them said,

“Let the children come to me, and don’t forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I’m telling you, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a little child will definitely not enter into it!”

And a certain ruler asked him saying,

“Good teacher, having done what, will I inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus said to him,

“Why do you call me ‘good’? No one’s good except one, God. You know the commandments, ‘Don’t commit adultery, don’t commit murder, don’t steal, don’t bear false witness, honour your father and your mother.’”

And he said,

“I’ve kept all these from my youth.”

And having heard these things Jesus said to him,

“You still lack one thing: sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.”

But, having heard these things, he became very sad for he was very rich. And, seeing he had become very sad, Jesus said,

“With how much difficulty will those having riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it’s easier for a camel to enter through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God!”

And those who were listening said,

“Then who can be saved?”

But he said,

“The things impossible with men are possible with God!”

And Peter said,

“Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.”

And he said to them,

“Truly truly I’m telling you that there is no one who has left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, who won’t receive many times more in this time, and, in the age that is coming, everlasting life.”

And having taken the twelve with him he said to them,

“Look, we’re going up to Jerusalem and everything which has been written by the prophets about the Son of man will be fulfilled; for he’ll be handed over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spat on. And having scourged him they’ll kill him, and on the third day he’ll rise again.”

And they understood none of these things and this saying was hidden from them and they did not know what was said.

And it happened as he drew near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the roadside begging. And having heard a crowd passing along, he asked what this might be. And they told him,

“Jesus the Nazarene is passing by!”

And he called out saying,

“Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

And those going ahead rebuked him so that he would be quiet, but he cried out much more,

“Son of David, have pity on me!”

And having stopped, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. And having drawn near he asked him saying,

“What do you want me to do for you?’

And he said,

“Lord, that I may see again!”

And Jesus said to him,

“See again! Your faith has healed you!”

And at once he saw again and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, having seen, gave praise to God.

Chapter Nineteen

And having entered, he passed through Jericho. And look, a man called by the name of Zacchaeus, and he was chief tax collector and he was rich. And he was looking to see Jesus - who he is - and he could not for the crowd because he was short. And having run on ahead he went up into a sycamore tree, so that he might see him, for he was about to pass by that way. And as he came to the place, looking up, Jesus saw him and said to him,

“Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down for today I must stay in your house!”

And hurrying he came down and received him rejoicing. And having seen, everyone murmured saying,

“He’s gone in to stay with a sinful man!”

But standing up, Zacchaeus said to the Lord,

“Look, half of my possessions Lord I’m giving to the poor, and if I’ve taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I’m returning four times as much!”

And Jesus said to him,

“Today salvation has come to this house, for he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.”

And as they were listening to these things, in addition he told them a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So he said,

“A certain nobleman went off to a far away country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And having called ten of his servants he gave them ten minas and he said to them, ‘Trade until I come!’ But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him saying, ‘We don’t want this one to reign over us!’ And it happened on his returning, having received the kingdom, that he directed those servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him so that he might know what each had gained by trading.

“And the first came up saying, ‘Lord, your mina has produced ten minas!’ And he said to him, ‘Well, good servant, because you’ve been faithful in a very little, you have authority over ten cities!’ And the second came saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas!’ And he said to this one also, ‘And you be over five cities!’

“And another came saying, ‘Lord, look, your mina which I’ve kept laid up in a handkerchief! For I was frightened of you because you’re a severe man, you take up what you didn’t lay down and you reap what you didn’t sow!’ But he says to him, ‘I’ll judge you out of your mouth, wicked servant: you knew that I’m a severe man, taking up what I didn’t lay down and reaping what I didn’t sow, and why didn’t you give my money to the bank, and I, coming, might have taken it with interest?’ And he said to those standing by, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas!’ And they said to him, ‘Lord he’s got ten minas!’

“‘For I’m telling you that to everyone who has, it’ll be given, but from him who doesn’t have, will be taken from him even that which he has. Moreover those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them, bring them here, and kill them in front of me!’”

And having said these things, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem. And it happened as he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany towards the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying,

“Go into the nearby village, on entering which you’ll find a colt tied on which no man ever yet sat. Having loosed it, bring it. And if anyone asks you ‘Why are you loosing it?’ say to him thus, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’”

And, having departed, those who had been sent found as he had told them. And on their loosing the colt its masters said to them,

“Why are you loosing the colt?”

And they said,

“The Lord has need of it.”

And they led it to Jesus, and having placed their garments on the colt they set Jesus on it. And as he went on they were spreading their clothes on the road. And as he drew near even at the foot of the mount of Olives, the whole company of the disciples began, rejoicing, to praise God with a loud voice for all the powerful works which they had seen, saying,

“Blessed the King coming in the Lord’s name! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said,

“Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

And answering, he said to them,

“I’m telling you that if these should be silent the stones will cry out!”

And as he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it saying,

“If you’d known, even you, even at least in this your day, the things for your peace: but now they’re hidden from your eyes, for the days will come on you that your enemies will place a rampart about you and will close around you and hem you in on every side, and will level you with the ground, and your children in you, and won’t leave in you one stone on another because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.”

And having entered into the temple he began to throw out those selling in it and those buying, saying to them,

“It’s been written, ‘My house is a house of prayer’ but you’ve made it a robbers’ cave.”

And he was teaching every day in the temple, and the chief priests and the scribes and the first ones of the people were looking to destroy him, and did not find what they might do, for all the people were hanging on his words, listening.

Chapter Twenty

And it happened on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the joyful news, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and spoke to him saying,

“Tell us by what authority you’re doing these things, or who it is who gave you this authority.”

And answering, he said to them,

“I’ll ask you one thing too, and you tell me: John’s baptism - was it from heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves saying,

“If we say ‘from heaven’ he’ll say ‘Why then didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say ‘From men’ all the people will stone us, for they’re persuaded that John was a prophet.”

And they answered, they did not know from where. And Jesus said to them,

“Neither am I telling you by what authority I’m doing these things!”

And he began to tell the people this parable,

“A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to farmers and left the country for a long time. And in due time he sent to the farmers a servant, so that they might give him from the fruit of the vineyard, but the farmers, having beaten him, sent him off empty handed. And in addition he sent another servant, but him too, having beaten and abused, they sent away empty handed. And in addition he sent a third and, having wounded him too, they threw him out.

“And the Lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I’ll send my beloved Son, perhaps having seen him they’ll respect him.’ But having seen him the farmers reasoned among themselves saying, ‘This one is the heir. Let’s kill him so that the inheritance may become ours!’ And having thrown him outside the vineyard they killed him.

“So what will the Lord of the vineyard do to them? He’ll come and destroy these farmers and give the vineyard to others.”

And having heard they said,

“Surely not!”

But he, looking at them said,

“What then is this that’s been written, ‘The stone, which they who build rejected, has become head of the corner’? Everyone falling on that stone will be broken, but on whoever it falls it’ll grind him to powder.”

And that hour the chief priests and the scribes looked to lay hands on him, and they were afraid of the people, for they knew he’s telling the parable against them. And having watched they sent secret agents feigning themselves to be righteous so that they might take hold of him in his discourse, in order to hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. And they questioned him saying,

“Teacher, we know you say and teach correctly and don’t look on the person but teach the way of God with truth, is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?”

But seeing their craftiness he said to them,

“Why are you tempting me? Show me a denarius . Whose image and inscription has it got?”

And answering, they said,

“Caesar’s!”

And he said to them,

“Give therefore Caesar’s things to Caesar, and God’s things to God!”

And they could not take hold of his words before the people. And they were silent, wondering at his answer.

And some of the Sadducees, who deny there is a resurrection, having come to him, questioned him saying,

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If anyone’s brother dies having a wife and he dies childless, that his brother should take the wife and raise up seed for his brother. So, there were seven brothers, and the first having taken a wife, died childless, and the second took the woman and he died childless, and the third took her, and similarly also the seven didn’t leave children and died, and last of all the woman died too. So, in the resurrection, of which of them does she become the wife? For the seven had her as a wife.”

And answering, Jesus said to them,

“The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those counted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for neither can they die any more for they’re equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, and he is not God of the dead but of the living, for all live for him.”

And answering, some of the scribes said,

“Teacher, you’ve said well!”

And they didn’t dare to ask him anything any more.

And he said to them,

“How do they say the Christ is David’s son? And David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, - sit on my right hand until I place your enemies as a footstool for your feet - ’ So David calls him Lord. And how is he his son?”

And as all the people were listening he said to his disciples,

“Beware of the scribes who like to walk in robes and love greetings in the marketplaces and first seats in the synagogues and first places in the suppers, who eat up widows’ houses and for a show pray at great length. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Chapter Twenty One

And having looked up he saw the rich casting their gifts into the treasury, and he saw too a certain poor widow putting two lepta in there. And he said,

“Truly I’m telling you that this poor widow has put in more than all, for all these out of that which was abounding to them put God’s gifts in, but she, out of her poverty, put in all the livelihood she had!”

And as some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts, he said,

“These things you’re looking at, the days will come in which there won’t be left one stone on another which won’t be thrown down!”

And they asked him saying,

“Teacher, when will these things be then? And what the sign these things are about to happen?”

And he said,

“Watch out that you’re not misled, for many will come in my name saying ‘It’s me’ and ‘The time has drawn near’ - Don’t go after them! And when you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end is not immediately.”

Then he said to them,

“Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, there’ll also be great earthquakes in different places, and there’ll be famines and epidemics, and there’ll be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. But before all these things they’ll lay their hands on you and they’ll persecute you, handing you over to assemblies and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of my name, but it’ll turn for you into a testimony. So settle in your hearts not to premeditate your defence, for I’ll give you a mouth and wisdom, which all those opposing you won’t be able to reply to, nor to resist.

“But you’ll be handed over even by parents and brethren and relations and friends, and they’ll put some of you to death, and you’ll be hated by all, because of my name. And not a hair of your head will perish at all. By your patient endurance gain your souls.

“And when you see Jerusalem encircled by armies, then know that her desolation has drawn near. Then let those in Judaea flee to the mountains, and those in her midst, let them get out, and those in the countryside let them not go into her, for these are days of avenging, so that all things which have been written may be fulfilled.

“And woe to those expecting and to those suckling children in those days, for there’ll be great distress on the earth and anger among this people. And they’ll fall by the sword’s mouth and they’ll be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by Gentiles until the Gentiles’ times are fulfilled.

“And there’ll be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, roaring and tempestuous motion of the sea, men fainting at heart from fear and dread of what is coming on the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they’ll see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But these things beginning to happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption is approaching!”

And he told them a parable,

“Look at the fig tree, and all the trees: already, when they sprout, looking at them you know yourselves that summer’s near. So too you, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

“Truly I’m telling you that this generation will definitely not have passed away until all has happened. The heaven and the earth will pass away but my words will definitely not pass away. But watch out for yourselves in case your hearts are weighed down with debauchery and drinking and cares of life, and that day should come on you suddenly, for as a snare it’ll come on all those living on the face of the earth. So be watchful at all times, praying so that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which are going to happen, and to stand before the Son of man.”

And he was teaching in the temple by day, and at night going out he lodged on the mount called the mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to him to hear him in the temple.

Chapter Twenty Two

And the feast of unleavened bread, which is called Passover, drew near, and the chief priests and the scribes were trying to find how they might put him to death, for they were afraid of the people. And Satan entered into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being one of the number of the twelve. And having gone off he spoke to the chief priests and the captains about how he might hand him over to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money, and he promised and looked for an opportunity to hand him over to them away from the crowd.

And the day of unleavened bread came, in which it was necessary for the passover to be killed. And he sent Peter and John saying,

“Having gone, get the passover ready for us so that we may eat.”

But they said to him,

“Where do you want us to get ready?”

And he said to them,

“Look, when you’ve entered the city a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house he enters, and you’ll say to the master of the house, - The teacher says to you, ‘Where is the guest chamber where I may eat the passover with my disciples?’ - And he’ll show you a large, furnished, upper room. Get ready there!”

And having gone, they found as he had told them, and they prepared the passover.

And when the time came he was reclining and the twelve apostles with him. And he said to them,

“With desire I’ve desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. For I’m telling you I won’t eat any more of it at all until it’s fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

And having received a cup, having given thanks he said,

“Take this and share it among yourselves, for I’m telling you that I won’t drink of the fruit of the vine at all until the kingdom of God has come!”

And having taken bread, having given thanks, he broke it and gave to them saying,

“This is my body which is given on your behalf, do this in remembrance of me.”

Similarly too the cup, after having had supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out on your behalf. Moreover, look, the hand of the one handing me over is with me on the table, and indeed the Son of man is going as it was determined, but woe to that man by whom he’s handed over!”

And they began to ask together among themselves about this, which of them it could be who was about to do this.

And there was also an argument among them as to which of them should be reckoned greater.

And he said to them,

“The kings of the nations rule over them, and those wielding authority over them are called benefactors. But you aren’t like that, but the greater among you let him be like the younger, and the one leading like the one serving. For which is greater, he who is reclining or he who is serving? Isn’t the reclining one? But I am in your midst as he who is serving. But you are they who’ve continued with me in my trials. And I’m appointing to you, as my Father appointed to me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you may sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

And the Lord said,

“Simon, Simon, look, Satan has demanded to have you to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you so that your faith may not fail, and when you’ve turned back you may support your brethren.”

And he said to him,

“Lord, I’m ready to go both to prison and to death with you.”

And he said,

“I’m telling you Peter, the cockerel will definitely not crow today before you’ll three times deny knowing me!”

And he said to them,

“When I sent you without purse and provision bag and shoes, did you lack anything?”

And they said,

“Nothing!”

So he said to them,

“However, now he who’s got a purse let him take it, similarly also a provision bag, and he who hasn’t got one let him sell his garment and buy a sword, for I’m telling you that this that’s been written must still be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with the criminals,’ for also the things about me have an end.”

And they said,

“Lord, look, here are two swords!”

And he said to them,

“It’s enough.”

And coming out he went, according to his custom, to the mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him too. And having arrived at the place he said to them,

“Pray you don’t enter into temptation.”

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and falling on his knees he prayed saying,

“Father, if you’re willing to take away this cup from me.....but not my will but yours be done.”

And an angel from heaven appeared to him strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the earth. And having got up from prayer, coming to the disciples he found them sleeping from grief.

And he said to them,

“Why are you sleeping? Having got up, pray so that you may not enter into temptation!”

And as he was still speaking, look, a crowd and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was going in front of them, and drew near to Jesus to kiss him.

And Jesus said to him,

“Judas, are you handing over the Son of man with a kiss?”

And those around him, seeing what was about to happen said to him,

“Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”

And a certain one of them struck the high priest’s servant and took off his right ear.

And answering, Jesus said,

“Allow just this!”

And having touched his ear he healed him.

And Jesus said to those who had come against him, chief priests and captains of the temple and elders,

“You’ve come out with swords and clubs as against a robber? Every day when I was with you in the temple you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”

And having seized him they led him off and led him into the high priest’s house. And Peter was following far off. And having lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and having sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a certain maid having seen him sitting by the fire, and having scrutinized him said,

“And this one was with him!”

But he denied him saying,

“Woman, I don’t know him!”

And after a little while another seeing him said,

“And you’re one of them!”

But Peter said,

“Man - I’m not!”

And after about an hour a certain other one definitely affirmed saying,

“Truly this one too was with him, for he’s a Galilean too!”

And Peter said,

“Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

And at once, as he was still speaking, the cockerel crew. And having turned, the Lord looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cockerel crows you’ll deny me three times!’ And having gone outside Peter wept bitterly.

And the men who had Jesus in hold mocked him, beating him, and having covered him up they were hitting his face and asking him saying,

“Prophesy! Who is it that hit you?” And many other things they blasphemously said to him.

And when it was day the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together and led him into their sanhedrin saying,

“If you’re the Christ, tell us!”

And he said to them,

“If I were to tell you, you wouldn’t believe me at all, and if I should ask you, you wouldn’t answer me at all, nor let me go free. After this the Son of man will be sitting at the right hand of the power of God.”

And they all said,

“Then you are the Son of God?”

And he said to them,

“You say that I am.”

And they said,

“What need have we any more of testimony? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth.”

Chapter Twenty Three

And the whole number of them, having got up, led him to Pilate. And they began to accuse him saying,

“We found this one perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying he himself is Christ, a king.”

And Pilate questioned him saying,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

And he, answering him, said,

“You’re right!”

And Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,

“I find no fault in this man.!”

But they were insisting saying,

“He’s stirring up the people, teaching throughout the whole of Judaea beginning from Galilee even to here.”

But Pilate having heard ‘Galilee’ asked if the man is a Galilean, and discovering that he is under Herod’s jurisdiction he sent him up to Herod, he too being at Jerusalem in those days.

And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because of hearing many things about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. And he questioned him in many words, but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood, violently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers, having despised him and having mocked him and having dressed him in splendid clothes, sent him back to Pilate. And both Pilate and Herod on that very day became friends with one another, for before they had been at loggerheads with each other.

And Pilate, having called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said to them,

“You brought me this man as turning away the people, and look, having examined him in front of you I’ve found no fault in this man as to the accusation you’re bringing against him, nor even Herod, for I sent you up to him, and look, nothing worthy of death is done by him. So, having chastised him, I’ll release him!”

Now he had of necessity to release one to them, at the feast. But they cried out all together saying,

“Away with this one and release Barabbas to us,” who because of a certain insurrection and murder which happened in the city had been thrown into prison.

So Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, called again to them. But they were crying out saying,

“Crucify! Crucify him!”

And a third time he said to them,

“Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no cause of death in him. So having chastised him I’ll release him!”

But they were insistent with loud voices, asking for him to be crucified. And their voices and those of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that their request be performed. And he released to them him whom they asked for, who because of insurrection and murder had been thrown into prison; but Jesus he handed over to their will.

And as they led him away, having laid hold on Simon, a certain Cyrenian coming from a field, they put on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there were following him a great company of people and of women who were also bewailing and lamenting him.

And turning to them Jesus said,

“Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children, for look, days are coming in which they’ll say, ‘Blessed the barren, and wombs that didn’t bear, and breasts which didn’t suckle!’ Then they’ll begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ For if they’re doing these things in the green tree what may happen in the dry?”

And there were also led two others, criminals, to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place called ‘A Skull’ there they crucified him and the criminals, the one on the right and one on the left.

And Jesus said,

“Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing!”

And dividing his garments they cast lots. And the people stood watching, and the rulers too were scoffing with them saying,

“He saved others, let him save himself if this is the Christ, God’s chosen one!”

And the soldiers mocked him too, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying,

“If you’re the King of the Jews save yourself!”

And there was even an inscription written above him in Greek and Latin and Hebrew characters:-

“This is the King of the Jews.”

And one of the criminals who had been hanged abused him saying,

“If you’re the Christ, save yourself and us!”

But the other, answering, rebuked him saying,

“Aren’t you frightened of God, because you’re under the same judgement? And we indeed justly, because we’re receiving a worthy recompense for what we’ve done, but this one has done nothing unbecoming.”

And he said to Jesus,

“Remember me Lord, when you come into your kingdom!”

And Jesus said to him,

“Truly I’m telling you, today you’ll be with me in Paradise!”

And it was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in the middle. And having cried with a loud voice Jesus said,

“Father, into your hands I’ll commit my Spirit!”

And having said these things he expired. And the centurion, having seen the things which happened, glorified God saying,

“Indeed this man was righteous.”

And all the crowds assembled to this sight, seeing the things which happened, returned beating their breasts. And all those who knew him stood far off, and women who had followed with him from Galilee, watching these things.

And look, a man, Joseph by name, being a counsellor, a good and righteous man, (he had not assented to their counsel and action), from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and who also himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, he, having gone to Pilate, begged for the body of Jesus. And having taken it down he wrapped it in a sheet and placed it in a tomb hewn in a rock, in which no one was ever laid before. And it was preparation day, and the Sabbath was drawing near. And also the women who had come with him out of Galilee, having followed, saw the tomb and how his body was laid. And having returned they prepared aromatics and ointments, and on the Sabbath rested according to the commandment.

Chapter Twenty Four

But on the first of the week, in the early dawn, they came up to the tomb, bringing aromatics which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and having gone in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened as they were perplexed about this that look, two men stood by them in shining garments. And they were very afraid and bowed their faces to the ground.

They said to them,

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but he’s risen. Remember how he spoke to you being yet in Galilee, saying that the Son of man must be handed over into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day to rise up?”

And they remembered his words. And having returned from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. And it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and James’ Mary, and the rest with them, who told the apostles these things. And their words seemed to them like idle talk and they did not believe them.

But Peter, having got up, ran to the tomb, and having stooped down he sees the linen clothes lying alone, and he went off home wondering at what had happened.

And look, two of them were going on the same day to a village named Emmaus, about sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem, and they were talking to each other about all these things which had taken place. And it happened, as they talked together and reasoned, that Jesus himself having drawn near went with them, but their eyes were held so as not to know him.

And he said to them,

“What are these words you’re exchanging with each other as you walk and are sad-faced?”

And answering, the one by name Cleopas said to him,

“Are you the only one staying in Jerusalem who hasn’t known the things which have happened in it in these days?”

And he said to them,

“What things?”

And they said to him,

“The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a man, a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers handed him over to judgement of death, and crucified him. But we were hoping it is he who is about to redeem Israel. But then with all these things today is the third day since these things happened. And moreover certain women from among us amazed us, having been to the tomb early and not having found his body came saying they had also seen a vision of angels who say he is alive. And some of those with us went to the tomb and found it even as the women said, but they didn’t see him.”

And he said to them,

“Oh senseless ones and slow of heart to believe in all which the prophets spoke! Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”

And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets he explained to them in all the scriptures, the things about himself. And they drew near to the village where they were going and he seemed to be going further. And they constrained him saying,

“Stay with us, for it’s towards evening, and the day has declined. And he went in to stay with them. And it happened as he reclined with them, having taken the bread he blessed it, and having broken it he gave to them. And their eyes were opened and they knew him, and he disappeared from them.

And they said to each other,

“Wasn’t our heart burning in us as he was speaking to us on the road, and as he was opening the scriptures to us?”

And rising up the same hour they went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those with them gathered together, saying,

“The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon.”

And they told about the things on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of bread.

And as they were speaking these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and says to them,

“Peace to you!”

But being terrified and full of fear they thought they were looking at a spirit.

And he said to them,

“Why are you troubled? And why do reasonings come up in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet that it’s me. Handle me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones as you see me have.”

And having said this he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe for joy and were wondering, he said to them,

“Have you anything edible here?”

And they gave him part of a grilled fish and of a honeycomb. And having taken them he ate in front of them.

And he said to them,

“These are the words which I spoke to you still being with you, that all things written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me must be fulfilled.”

Then he opened their understanding to understand the scriptures, and he said to them,

“Thus it has been written, both that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and in his name repentance and remission of sins should be proclaimed to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. And look, I’m sending the promise of my Father upon you, but you stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and having lifted up his hands he blessed them. And it happened that as he was blessing them he was separated from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, having worshipped him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Truly.

The Joyful News according to Luke.

This translation,

from the Greek Text used for the ‘Authorized’ or ‘King James’ Version

Copyright © David Lawrie 1998

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