Chapter One
The beginning of the joyful news of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as it has been written in the prophets.
“Look! I’m sending my messenger before your face, who’ll get your way ready ahead of you. The voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Get the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!’”
John came baptising in the desert, and preaching a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judaea went out to him, and they of Jerusalem, and they were all baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was dressed in camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his loins, and eating locusts and wild honey, and he preached saying,
“There’s coming after me one more powerful than me, the thong of whose shoes I’m not worthy, having stooped down, to unloose. I surely baptised you with water, but he’ll baptise you with the Holy Spirit!”
And it happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And at once, going up out of the water he saw the sky torn open, and the Spirit like a dove coming down upon him. And a voice came out of heaven,
“You are my Son, the beloved, in whom I am delighted!”
And immediately the Spirit drives him out into the desert. And he was there in the desert forty days, tempted by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.
And after John had been handed over, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the joyful news of the kingdom of God, and saying,
“The time has been fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near: repent and believe in the joyful news!”
And walking beside the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, because they were fishermen.
And Jesus said to them,
“Come after me and I’ll make you become fishers of men!”
And immediately, having left their nets, they followed him. And having gone on a little from there he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, and these in the boat mending the nets. And at once he called them and, having left their father Zebedee in the boat with the employees, they went after him.
And they go into Capernaum. And at once, on the Sabbath days, having entered into the synagogue, he taught. And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them as having authority, and not like the scribes.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out saying,
“Eh! What to us and to you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you, who you are: the Holy One of God!”
And Jesus rebuked him saying,
“Be silent and come out of him!”
And the unclean spirit, having convulsed him, and having cried with a loud voice, came out of him. And everyone was amazed, so that they discussed among themselves saying,
“What is this? What new teaching is this, that with authority he commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him?”
And his fame immediately went out into all the country around Galilee.
And at once, having gone out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. And Simon’s mother-in-law lay in a fever, and at once they tell him about her. And having come to her and taken her hand he raised her up, and the fever left her immediately and she looked after them.
And evening being come, when the sun went down, they brought to him everybody who was ill and those possessed by demons, and the whole city was gathered together at the door, and he healed many who were ill with various diseases, and he cast out many demons, and he did not allow the demons to speak because they knew him.
And very early, while it was still night, having got up, he went out and went away into a desert place and prayed there. And Simon and those with him followed after him, and having found him say to him,
“Everyone’s looking for you!”
And he says to them,
“Let’s go into the neighbouring country towns so that I may preach there too, because I came out for this.”
And he preached in their synagogues in all Galilee, casting out the demons too.
And a leper comes to him begging him and kneeling down to him, and saying to him,
“If you want you can make me clean!”
And Jesus, being moved with pity, having stretched out his hand touched him and says to him,
“I will! Be clean!”
And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy went away from him and he was made clean. And having strictly instructed him he immediately sent him away and he tells him,
“See you tell no one anything! But go! Show yourself to the priest and because of your cleansing offer what Moses instructed, as a testimony to them.”
But he, having gone out, began to proclaim and advertise the thing a lot, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter into the town but was in desert places in the countryside. And they came to him from all sides.
Chapter Two
And he entered again into Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that he is in the house. And at once many were gathered together, so that there was no longer any room, not even at the door, and he declared the word to them.
And they come to him bringing a paralytic carried by four. And not being able to come near him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was, and having dug through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
And Jesus seeing their faith says to the paralytic,
“Child, your sins have been forgiven you!”
But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,
‘Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except one: God?’
And at once Jesus, knowing in his Spirit that thus they are reasoning in themselves, said to them,
“Why are you debating these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘the sins have been forgiven you’ or to say ‘Get up and take up your bed and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of man does have authority to forgive sins on the earth...” he says to the paralytic,
“I’m telling you, get up, and take up your bed and go to your house!”
And he got up immediately and, having taken up the bed, went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God saying,
“We never saw the like!”
And he went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd came to him and he taught them. And passing on he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office and says to him,
“Follow me!”
And having got up, he followed him. And it happened as he was reclining in his house that many tax-collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples; for they were many, and they followed him. And the scribes and the Pharisees having seen him eating with the tax-collectors and sinners said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?”
And, having heard, Jesus says to them,
“They who are strong don’t need a doctor - but they who are ill! I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
And John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees were fasting. And they come and say to him,
“Why do John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
And Jesus said to them,
“Can the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they can’t fast. But the days are coming when the bridegroom will have been taken away from them, and then they’ll fast in those days. And no one sews a piece of unfulled cloth on an old garment, or else the new takes its fulling away from the old, and a worse tear occurs. And no one puts new wine into old skin bottles, or else the new wine bursts the skins, and the wine is spilt, and the skins will be spoilt, but new wine is to be put into new skins.”
And it happened that he passed through the corn fields on the Sabbath and his disciples began to make their way plucking the ears of corn.
And the Pharisees said to him,
“Look what they’re doing on the Sabbath: that which isn’t lawful!”
And he said to them,
“Didn’t you ever read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those with him? How he entered into the house of God in Abiathar the high priest’s days and ate the loaves of presentation which, except for the priests, it isn’t lawful to eat, and gave also to those who were with him?” And he said to them,
“The Sabbath was made for man’s sake, not man for the sake of the Sabbath, so that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath too!”
Chapter Three
And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there with a withered hand, and they were watching him if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he says to the man who had the withered hand,
“Get up into the middle!”
And he says to them,
“Is it lawful on the Sabbaths to do good or to do evil? To save life or to kill?”
But they were silent.
And having looked around on them with anger, being grieved at the hardness of their heart, he says to the man,
“Stretch out your hand!”
vAnd he stretched out, and his hand was restored, healthy like the other.
And the Pharisees, having gone out, at once consulted with the Herodians against him, as to how they might destroy him.
And Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea and a very great number from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea and from Jerusalem and from Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and they around Tyre and Sidon, a very great number, having heard how much he was doing, came to him.
And he told his disciples that a boat might serve them well because of the crowd so that they would not press upon him. For he healed many, so that they rushed upon him so that they much touch him, as many as had diseases.
And the unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him and cried out saying,
“You are the Son of God!”
And he strictly instructed them that they should not make him obvious.
And he goes up into the mountain and calls whom he would, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them to preach, and to have authority to heal the diseases and to cast out the demons. And he added to Simon the name ‘Peter’; and James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, also he added names to them: ‘Boanerges’ which is ‘Sons of Thunder’; and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
And they come into a house. And a crowd comes together again so that they are not able so much as to eat bread. And, having heard, his relatives went out to lay hold on him,
“For,” they said, “he is beside himself!”
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said,
“He has Beelzebub, and by the prince of the demons he casts out the demons!”
And having called to them he said to them in parables,
“How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand, and if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand, and if Satan has risen against himself and has been divided, he cannot stand but has an end. No one, having entered his house, can plunder the goods of the strong man unless he first binds the strong man, and then he’ll plunder his house. Truly I’m telling you that all the sins will be forgiven the sons of men and whatever blasphemies they’ve blasphemed, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness to eternity, but is liable to everlasting condemnation” - because they said, ‘he has an unclean spirit!’
Then come his brothers and his sisters and his mother, and standing outside sent to him, calling him. And a crowd was sitting around him and they said to him,
“Look! Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside looking for you!”
And he answered them saying,
“Who is my mother or my brothers and sisters?”
And having looked round in turn on those who were sitting around him, he says,
“Look! My mother and my brothers and sisters! For whoever does the will of God, this is my brother and my sister, and mother!”
Chapter Four
And again he began to teach beside the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him so that he, having entered into the boat, was stationed in the sea, and all the crowd was on the land close to the sea. And he taught them many things in parables and said to them in his teaching,
“Listen! See, the sower went out to sow and it happened as he sowed, one fell by the way and the birds of the sky came and ate it up. And another fell on the stony place where it didn’t have much earth, and immediately it sprang up through having no depth of earth, and, the sun having risen, it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it and it didn’t give fruit. And other fell into the good earth and gave fruit, growing up and increasing, and one bore thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.”
And he said to them,
“He who has ears to hear, let him listen!”
And when he was alone those around him with the twelve asked him about the parable.
And he said to them,
“To you it’s been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those outside all things are done in parables, so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, in case they should be converted and the sins should be forgiven them.”
And he says to them,
“Don’t you see this parable? And how will you know all the parables? The sower sows the word, and these are the ones by the way, where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and carries off the word that has been sown in their hearts. And these similarly are the ones sown on the stony places who, when they hear the word, at once receive it with joy, and don’t have root in themselves but are temporary. Afterwards, affliction or persecution having arisen because of the word, they are at once offended.
“And these are the ones sown among the thorns, these are the ones who hear the word and the worries of this age and the deceit of riches and the desires for other things, entering in, choke the word and it becomes unfruitful.
“And these are the ones, having been sown on the good earth, such as hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred!”
And he said to them,
“Does the lamp come so that it may be put under the corn measure or under the bed and not rather that it may be put on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden unless it should be made obvious, nor has a secret thing occurred but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!”
And he said to them,
“Take note of what you’re hearing: with what scale you measure, it will be measured to you, and it will be added to you who listen, for whoever may have, it will be given to him, and he who has not, even that which he has will be taken from him.”
And he said,
“Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should have thrown seed on the earth, and should sleep and get up night and day and he doesn’t know how the seed should sprout and grow up, for the earth bears fruit by itself, first a shoot, afterwards an ear, then full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is delivered he immediately puts in the sickle, for the harvest has come.”
And he said,
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God or with what parable shall we compare it? Like a grain of mustard which when sown on the earth is less than all of the seeds on the earth. And when it has been sown it grows up and becomes bigger than all the vegetation and makes great branches so that the birds of the sky can live under its shade.”
And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear, but he did not speak to them without a parable, and he explained everything privately to his disciples.
And he says to them on that day, evening being come,
“Let’s go across to the other side!”
And having dismissed the crowd they take him along as he was in the boat and also other little boats were with him. And a violent storm of wind occurs and the waves crashed into the boat so that it was now full. And he was in the stern sleeping on the pillow, and they wake him up and say to him,
“Teacher, don’t you care that we’re lost?”
And, having been woken, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea,
“Silence! Be quiet!”
And the wind stilled and there was a great calm.
And he said to them,
“Why are you so cowardly? How don’t you have faith?”
And they feared with great fear and said to one another,
“Who then is this, that both the wind and the sea obey him?”
Chapter Five
And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when he had come out of the boat, at once there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been broken apart by him, and the fetters had been smashed, and no one could control him. And always, night and day, in the mountains and in the tombs he used to cry out and cut himself with stones.
And having seen Jesus from far off he ran and bowed down to him, and crying out with a loud voice said,
“What to me and to you, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I adjure you by God not to torment me!”
For he said to him,
“Come out from the man, unclean spirit!”
And he asked him,
“What is your name?”
And he answered saying,
“Legion is my name, because we are many!”
And he begged him a lot, that he would not send them off out of the country.
Now there was there, in front of the mountains, a great herd of pigs, feeding; and all the demons begged him, saying,
“Send us to the pigs so that we may enter into them!”
And Jesus permitted them at once and, having gone out, the unclean spirits entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the precipice into the sea. And they were about two thousand and they were drowned in the sea. And those who herded the pigs ran away and proclaimed it in the town and in the country, and they came out to see what had happened.
And they come to Jesus and see him that had been possessed of demons sitting and dressed and of sound mind - he who had had the legion - and they were afraid. And those who had seen, related to them how it had happened to him possessed by demons, and about the pigs. And they started to beg him to depart from their borders. And he having boarded the boat, the one who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus did not allow him but tells him,
“Go to your house, to your relatives, and proclaim to them how much the Lord has done for you, and had mercy on you!”
And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and every one was amazed.
And Jesus, having crossed over in the boat again to the other side, there was a great crowd gathered to him and he was beside the sea. And look, one of the rulers of the synagogue, by name Jairus, comes and seeing him falls at his feet. And he begged him a lot saying,
“My little daughter is at death’s door, would you come and lay hands on her so that she may be saved and live?”
And he departed with him and a great crowd followed him and pressed on him. And a certain woman being with a discharge of blood twelve years and having suffered much under many doctors and having spent all her resources and having benefited nothing, but rather having grown worse, having heard about Jesus came in the crowd behind. She touched his clothes, for she said, ‘If I touch only his garments I’ll be cured!’
And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up and she knew physically that she was healed from the scourge.
And at once Jesus, knowing in himself the power had gone out of him, having turned around in the crowd, said,
“Who touched my clothes?”
And his disciples said to him,
“You see the crowd pressing on you, and you’re saying ‘Who touched me?’”
And he looked round to see her who had done this, but the woman, being afraid and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him and told him all the truth.
And he said to her,
“Daughter, your faith has cured you: go in peace and be healthy from your scourge!”
While he is still speaking they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s saying,
“Your daughter’s dead, why bother the teacher any more?”
But Jesus at once, having heard the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue,
“Don’t be afraid: only believe!”
And he let no one follow him except Peter and James, and John the brother of James. And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and he sees an uproar: much weeping and wailing.
And having entered he says to them,
“Why are you making an uproar and weeping? The child isn’t dead but sleeping!”
And they laughed at him. But he, having thrown them all out, takes along the father of the child, and the mother, and those with him, and enters in to where the child was lying.
And, having taken the child’s hand, he says to her,
“Talitha cumi!” which is, being translated,
“Girl, I tell you, get up!”
And immediately the girl got up and walked, for she was twelve years old. And they were astonished with great astonishment.
And he strictly instructed them that no one should know this, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Chapter Six
And he went out from there and came into his own country, and his disciples follow him. And the Sabbath being come he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were astonished saying,
“From where does this man have these things? And what wisdom has been given to him that also such powerful works are performed by his hands? Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and of Juda and of Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?
And they were offended by him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and among his relatives and in his own house.”
And there he could not do any powerful work except having laid his hands on a few sick people he healed them. And he wondered because of their unbelief. And he went round the villages in a circuit, teaching.
And he calls the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way except a staff only; no provision bag, no bread, nor money in their belt, but be shod with sandals and not put on two coats.
And he said to them,
“Wherever you go into a house, stay there until you depart from that place. And whoever will neither receive you nor hear you, departing from there, shake off the dust which is under your feet for a testimony to them. Truly I’m telling you, it’ll be more tolerable for Sodom or Gomorrha in the day of judgement than for that town!”
And having gone out they preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many sick, and healed them.
And King Herod heard, for his name became famous, and he said,
“John the Baptist has risen from the dead and because of this, powerful works operate in him!”
Others said, “It is Elias.”
And others said, “It’s a prophet or like one of the prophets.”
But having heard, Herod said,
“It’s John, whom I beheaded, he’s risen from the dead!”
For Herod himself, having sent, had seized John and bound him in the prison, because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.
For John had said to Herod,
“It isn’t lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
But Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him but could not, for Herod was afraid of John, knowing him a just and holy man and kept him safe, and, having heard him, he did a lot of things and heard him gladly.
And when an opportune day arrived, when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his great men and for the chief captains and first men of Galilee, and the daughter of Herodias herself having come in and having danced and pleased Herod and those reclining with him, the king said to the girl,
“Ask me whatever you want and I’ll give to you!”
And he swore to her,
“Whatever you ask I’ll give you, up to half of my kingdom!”
And having gone out she said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
“And she said,
“The head of John the Baptist!”
And having gone in at once with haste to the king, she asked, saying,
“I want you to give me immediately, on a plate, the head of John the Baptist!”
And the king became very sad but because of the oaths and those who reclined with him he would not refuse her. And the king, having at once sent a bodyguard, ordered his head to be brought. And he, having departed, beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a plate, and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
And, having heard, his disciples came and took up his corpse and laid it in the tomb.
And the apostles gathered together before Jesus and told him everything, both what they had done and what they had taught.
And he said to them,
“You yourselves come aside into a desert place and rest a little.”
For there were many coming and going and they did not even have a chance to eat. And they went away into a desert place, by boat, on their own. And the crowds saw them leaving and many recognized him and ran there together on foot from all the towns, and came before them and came together to him. And Jesus having come out, saw a great crowd and took pity on them because they were like sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
And it being already a late hour, his disciples coming to him say,
“This place is a desert and it’s already late, send them away so that having gone to the surrounding country and villages they may buy themselves bread, because they haven’t got anything to eat!”
But he answering said to them,
“You give them to eat!”
And they say to him,
“Shall we go and buy two hundred pence of bread and give them to eat?”
And he says to them,
“How many loaves have you got? Go and look!”
And having found out they say,
“Five, and two fish!”
And he instructed them to make everyone recline in groups on the green grass. And they sat down in groups of hundreds, and fifties. And having taken the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave to his disciples so that they might set before them. And the two fish he divided among everyone.
And they all ate and were satisfied.
And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and from the fish. And those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.
And immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he sent the crowd away.
And, having sent them away, he departed into the mountain to pray.
And evening being come, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he alone on the land. And he saw them working hard at rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them, walking on the sea and would have passed by them, but they, seeing him walking on the sea, thought it to be a ghost and cried out, for all saw him and were upset.
And at once he spoke to them, and says to them,
“Take courage, it’s me, don’t be afraid!”
And he went up to them in the boat, and the wind stopped. And they were absolutely amazed beyond measure, and they wondered, for they did not understand by the loaves, for their heart was hardened.
And having crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret and approached the shore. And on their coming out of the boat, at once, having recognized them, running through all the surrounding country they began to carry about in beds those who were ill, to where they heard he was. And wherever he entered, into villages or towns or hamlets, they laid those who were ill in the market places and begged him if they might touch but the border of his clothes. And as many as touched him were healed.
Chapter Seven
And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, are gathered together to him. And having seen some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands they found fault, because the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash the hands thoroughly, holding the tradition of the elders. And from the market, unless they wash they do not eat, and there are many other things which they have received to keep: washings of cups and pots and brass vessels and couches.
Then the Pharisees and the scribes question him,
“Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
But he answering said to them,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, hypocrites! As it has been written, ‘This people honour me with the lips but their heart is far away from me, but they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For, forsaking the commandment of God, you keep the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups, and you do many other similar things.”
And he said to them,
“You surely make void the commandment of God, so that you may safeguard your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and your mother’ and ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death!’ but you say - so long as a man says to father or mother, ‘Whatever you might have profited by from me, is “Corban”’ (that is “an offering”), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God void by your tradition, which you have delivered, and you do many similar things.”
And having called to all the crowd he said to them,
“Listen to me everyone, and understand! There is nothing from outside the man, entering into him, which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those are the things which defile the man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!”
And when he went from the crowd into a house, his disciples asked him about the parable.
And he says to them,
“So are you too without understanding? Don’t you see that everything which enters into the man from outside can’t make him unclean, because it doesn’t enter into the heart, but into the stomach and goes out into the toilet cleansing all the food!”
And he said,
“That which comes out of the man - that pollutes the man. For from inside, out of the heart of people evil thoughts go out: adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, greedy desires, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evils go out from inside and make the person unclean.”
And having risen from there he went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and having gone inside into the house he wanted no one to know, but he could not be hidden. For having heard of him a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having come fell at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, Syrophoenician by nation, and asked him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
But Jesus said to her,
“Let the children first be satisfied, for it isn’t good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
But she answered and says to him,
“Yes Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.”
And he said to her,
“Because of this saying, go, the demon has come out of your daughter!”
And having gone back to her house, she found the demon had gone out, and the daughter laid on the bed.
And again, having departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.
And they bring him a deaf man who spoke with difficulty and they beg him to lay his hand on him. And, having taken him out of the crowd on his own, he put his fingers into his ears and, having spat, he touched his tongue and, having looked to heaven, he groaned and says to him,
“Ephphatha!”, that is “Be opened!”
And at once his ears were opened and the binding of his tongue was loosed and he spoke correctly. And he instructed them that they should tell no one, but the more he instructed them the more rather they proclaimed it. And they were absolutely amazed saying,
“He has done all things well: he makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.”
Chapter Eight
In those days, the crowd being very large and not having anything to eat, Jesus, having called to his disciples says to them,
“I am moved with pity for the crowd because they continue with me three days already and have nothing to eat, and if I send them away fasting to their homes, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come from far.”
And his disciples answered him,
“From where can anyone here satisfy them with bread in a desert?”
And he asked them,
“How many loaves have you got?”
And they said,
“Seven.”
And he ordered the crowd to recline on the ground and, having taken the seven loaves and having given thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples to set before them. And they set them before the crowd.
And they had a few small fish and, having blessed, he told them to set these too before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets of left-over fragments. And those who had eaten were about four thousand, and he sent them away.
And immediately, having got in the boat with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
And having groaned in his Spirit he says,
“Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I’m telling you that there will not be given a sign to this generation!”
And having left them, having got in the boat again, he went off to the other side. And they forgot to take bread, and except for one loaf they had none with them in the boat.
And he instructed them saying,
“Look! Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod!”
And they reasoned with one another saying,
“It’s because we’ve no bread!”
And knowing, Jesus says to them,
“Why are you debating because you haven’t got bread? Don’t you see yet nor understand? Have you still hardened your heart? Having eyes don’t you see? And having ears don’t you hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
They say to him, “Twelve.”
“And when the seven among four thousand, how many basketfuls of fragments did you take up?”
And they said,
“Seven.”
And he said to them,
“How don’t you understand?”
And he comes to Bethsaida, and they bring to him a blind man and beg him that he might touch him. And taking hold of the blind man’s hand he led him out of the village, and having spat on his eyes and having laid hands on him he asked him if he saw anything.
And having looked up he says,
“I see men, like trees I see, walking!”
Then again he laid hands on his eyes and made him look up, and he was restored and saw everyone clearly.
And he sent him to his house saying,
“Don’t go into the village or tell anyone in the village!”
And Jesus and his disciples went out into the villages of Caesarea Philippi and on the way he asked his disciples, saying to them,
“Who do men say I am?”
And they answered,
“John the Baptist, and some Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.”
And he says to them,
“But you, who do you say I am?”
And answering, Peter says to him,
“You are the Christ!”
And he strictly instructed them that they should tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spoke the word openly. And having taken him aside, Peter began to rebuke him. But he, turning and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying,
“Go away behind me, Satan! For you aren’t thinking of the things of God but of the things of men!”
And having called to the crowd with his disciples he said to them,
“Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross, and let him follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever may lose his life on account of me and of the joyful news, he will save it! For what will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will be ashamed of him too, when he comes in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels!”
And he said to them,
“Truly, I’m telling you that there are some of those standing here, who will definitely not taste of death until they see the kingdom of God having come in power.”
Chapter Nine
And after six days Jesus takes along Peter and James and John and brings them up apart into a high mountain alone, and he was transfigured in front of them, and his garments became shining, extremely white, like snow, such as no fuller on the earth could whiten them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses and they were talking with Jesus.
And answering, Peter says to Jesus,
“Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
For he did not know what to say because they were very frightened. And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud saying,
“This is my beloved Son, listen to him!”
And suddenly, having looked around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus on his own with themselves. And as they were coming down from the mountain he instructed them that they should tell no one what they had seen except when the Son of man is risen from the dead. And they kept that saying to themselves questioning together,
“What is the rising from the dead?”
And they asked him saying,
“Don’t the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
And he, answering, said to them,
“Elijah indeed, having come first, restores all things. And how has it been written of the Son of man? That he should suffer many things and be despised, but I’m telling you that Elijah has also come and they did to him whatever they wanted as it has been written of him.”
And having come to the disciples he saw a big crowd around them and scribes debating with them. And at once all the crowd, seeing him, were very surprised and running to him greeted him.
And he asked the scribes,
“What are you discussing with them?”
And answering, one out of the crowd said,
“Teacher, I’ve brought to you my son, having a dumb spirit. And whenever it seizes him it dashes him down and he foams and gnashes his teeth, and he’s wasting away. And I spoke to your disciples so that they might cast it out and they did not prevail.”
But he, answering him, says,
“Oh, faithless generation! Until when shall I be with you? Until when shall I bear with you? Bring him to me!”
And they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately convulsed him, and having fallen on the ground he rolled about foaming.
And he asked his father,
“How long is it that this has been with him?”
And he said,
“From childhood, and it often threw him both into fire and waters in order to destroy him, but if you can do anything, help us and have pity on us!”
And Jesus said to him,
“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes!”
And at once, crying out, the father of the child said with tears,
“I believe Lord, help my unbelief!”
And Jesus, seeing that a crowd was running together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it,
“Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you come out of him and you may no more enter into him!”
And having cried out and convulsed him a great deal, it came out and he became as if dead, so that many said he was dead. But Jesus, having taken him by the hand, lifted him up and he arose.
And when he had come into a house his disciples asked him privately,
“Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
And he said to them,
“This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer and fasting.”
And having departed from there they passed through Galilee, and he did not wish that anyone should know, for he was teaching his disciples.
And he said to them,
“The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and, having been killed, on the third day he will rise!”
But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him.
And he came to Capernaum and, being in the house, he asked them,
“What, on the way, were you discussing among yourselves?”
But they were silent because on the way they had been discussing with each other who was greater.
And sitting down he called the twelve and says to them,
“If anyone wants to be first, he’ll be last of all and a servant of all!”
And having taken a little child he put it in the midst of them, and having taken it in his arms he said to them,
“Whoever will receive one of such children in my name, receives me, and whoever will receive me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
And John answered him saying,
“Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us, casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he doesn’t follow us.”
But Jesus said,
“Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who’ll do a powerful work in my name and be able readily to speak evil of me, for he who is not against us is for us. For whoever may give you a cup of water to drink, in my name, because you are Christ’s, truly I’m telling you, in no way would he lose his reward. And whoever may cause to fall away one of the little ones who believe in me, it is good for him rather if a millstone is put round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
And if your hand should cause you to offend, cut it off! It’s good for you, maimed, to enter into life, than having two hands to go away into hell, into the unquenchable fire where their worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched. And if your foot should cause you to offend, cut it off! It’s good for you to enter into life lame, than having two feet to be thrown into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched. And if your eye should cause you to offend, cast it out! It’s good for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into the hell of fire, where their worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt becomes unsalty what will you flavour it with? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Chapter Ten
And rising from there he comes into the borders of Judaea on the other side of the Jordan. And again crowds come together to him, and again, as was his custom, he taught them. And coming to him, the Pharisees asked him if it is lawful for a husband to put away a wife, tempting him.
But he answering said to them,
“What did Moses command you?”
And they said,
“Moses let one write a bill of divorce and to put away.”
And Jesus answering said to them,
“He wrote this commandment for you in view of the hardness of your heart, but from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. On account of this, a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife and the two will be one flesh, so that they are no longer two but one flesh. What, therefore, God has joined together, don’t let man put apart!”
And in the house his disciples asked him again about the same thing, and he says to them,
“Whoever puts away his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her. And if a woman puts away her husband and is married to another, she commits adultery.”
And they brought little children to him so that he would touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But having seen it Jesus was indignant and said to them,
“Let the little children come to me, and don’t hinder them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I’m telling you, whoever won’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child, will definitely not enter into it!”
And having taken them in his arms and having put his hands on them, he blessed them.
And as he went along in the road, one running up and kneeling down to him asked him,
“Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit everlasting life?”
And Jesus said to him,
“Why do you call me ‘good’? No one is good except one: God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not commit murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.’”
And he answering said to him,
“Teacher, I’ve kept all these from my youth!”
And Jesus, looking on him, loved him and said to him,
“You lack one thing: go, sell as much as you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”
But he, being sad at the saying, went away grieved, for he had many possessions.
And looking around Jesus says to his disciples,
“With how much difficulty will those having riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were astonished at his words. And Jesus answering again says to them,
“Children, how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God!”
And they were extremely astonished saying among themselves,
“Who then can be saved?”
But looking on them Jesus says,
“With men it’s impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God!”
And Peter began to say to him,
“Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.”
But answering Jesus said,
“Truly I’m telling you there is no one who has left a house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the sake of the joyful news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age that is coming: everlasting life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”
And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going on before them, and they were amazed, and following were afraid. And having again taken the twelve he began to tell them the things which were about to happen to him.
“Look, we’re going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and scourge him, and will spit on him and kill him. And on the third day he will rise again!”
And James and John, Zebedee’s sons, come up to him saying,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we may ask!”
And he said to them,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
And they said to him,
“Grant us that we may sit, one on your right hand and one on your left hand, in your glory.”
But Jesus said to them,
“You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup which I drink, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?”
And they said to him,
“We can!”
But Jesus said to them,
“You will indeed drink the cup which I drink, you will be baptised with the baptism that I’m baptised with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.”
And having heard, the ten began to be indignant about James and John. But Jesus, having called to them says to them,
“You know that those who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones hold sway over them, but it won’t be like that among you. But whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever of you wants to become first will be everyone’s servant. For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
And they come to Jericho, and as he was going out of Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, a son of Timaeus, blind Bartimaeus, was sitting by the road begging. And having heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene he began to cry out and say,
“Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me!”
And many rebuked him so that he should be silent but he cried out a lot more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
And Jesus, having stopped, asked for him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage, get up, he’s calling you!”
And he, removing his garment, rose up and came to Jesus. And Jesus answering says to him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
And the blind man said to him,
“Rabboni, that I might see again !”
And Jesus said to him,
‘Go, your faith has healed you!”
And immediately he saw again and followed Jesus along the road.
Chapter Eleven
And when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, near the mount of Olives, he sends two of his disciples and says to them,
“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately entering it you’ll find a foal tied up, on which no man has sat; having loosed it, lead it away. And if anyone says to you ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it’, and at once he’ll send it here.”
And they departed and found the foal tied by the door, outside by the crossroads, and they loose it. And some of those standing there said to them,
“What are you doing loosing the foal?”
And they said to them as Jesus had instructed, and they let them. And they led the foal to Jesus. And they threw their clothes on it and he sat on it. And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And those going before and those following were crying out saying,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom which comes in the name of the Lord of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem and into the temple, and having looked round about on all things, the hour being already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
And the next day, when they had gone out from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree far off having leaves, he came, if perhaps he would find anything on it. And having come to it he found nothing except leaves, for it was not the time of figs. And answering Jesus said to it,
“Let no one eat fruit of you any more for ever!”
And his disciples heard.
And they came to Jerusalem, and Jesus, having entered into the temple, began to throw out those selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling the pigeons, and did not let anyone carry a vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying to them,
“Hasn’t it been written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you’ve made it a robbers’ cave!”
And the scribes and the chief priests heard, and they sought how they might destroy him, for they were afraid of him, because all the crowd were amazed at his teaching. And when evening came he went out of the city.
And in the morning, passing by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, having remembered, says to him,
“Rabbi, look, the fig tree which you cursed has dried up!”
And answering, Jesus says to them,
“Have faith in God! For truly I’m telling you that whoever will say to this mountain, ‘Be taken away and be thrown into the sea’ and shall not doubt in his heart, but will believe that what he says happens, there will be to him whatever he says. Because of this I’m telling you, all things whatever you ask praying, believe that you receive and they will be to you. And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offences. For if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your offences.”
And they come again to Jerusalem. And in the temple, as he is walking, and the chief priests and the scribes and the elders come to him, and they say to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?”
And Jesus, answering, said to them,
“I too will ask you one thing, and answer me and I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me!”
And they debated among themselves saying,
“If we say ‘from heaven’ he’ll say ‘Why then didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say ‘From men’...” They feared the people, for all held that John was indeed a prophet.
And answering, they say to Jesus,
“We don’t know!”
And Jesus answering says to them,
“Neither am I telling you by what authority I’m doing these things!”
Chapter Twelve
And he began to speak to them in parables,
“A man planted a vineyard and put a fence round it and dug a wine vat and built a tower and let it out to farmers and left the country.
“And at the season he sent a servant to the farmers so that he might receive from the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers. But they, having taken him, beat him and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant to them, and having stoned him they hit him on the head, and sent him away after insulting him. And again he sent another and they killed him, and many others, beating some and killing others. Therefore having yet one son, his beloved, he sent him also to them last, saying, ‘They will have respect for my son.’
“But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir, come let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’
“And having taken him they killed him and threw him outside the vineyard.
“What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He’ll come and destroy the farmers and will give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you even read this scripture? ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become at the head of the corner, this was from the Lord, and it’s wonderful in our eyes.’”
And they sought to lay hold of him, and they were afraid of the crowd, for they knew that he is telling the parable against them. And leaving him they went away.
And they send to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians so that they might catch him out in his words. And having come they say to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no one, for you don’t look on the surface of men but you teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? Should we give or shouldn’t we give?”
But he, seeing their hypocrisy said to them,
“Why are you tempting me? Bring me a penny so that I may see.”
And they brought. And he says to them,
“Whose is this image and the inscription?”
And they said to him,
“Caesar’s!”
And answering, Jesus said to them,
“Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s!”
And they were amazed at him.
And there come to him Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection. And they questioned him saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if someone’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife, and doesn’t leave children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed for his brother. There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and, dying, left no seed, and the second took her and he died, and he didn’t leave seed either, and similarly the third. And the seven took her and left no seed. Last of all the woman died too. So, in the resurrection, when they rise, of them whose wife will she be? Because the seven had her as a wife.”
And answering, Jesus said to them,
“Aren’t you misled because you don’t know the scriptures, nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven.
“But about the dead, that they rise, haven’t you read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him in the bush saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He isn’t the God of the dead, but the God of the living! So you are greatly mistaken.”
And having come up, one of the scribes, having heard them debating, seeing that he answered them well, questioned him,
“Which is the first commandment of all?”
And Jesus answered him,
“The first of all the commandments: ‘Hear Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength!’ This commandment is first. And the second is similar, this: ‘You shall love your neighbour like yourself!’ There is not another commandment greater than these.”
And the scribe said to him,
“Teacher, you’ve said well according to truth: that God is one and there is no other except him, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love the neighbour like oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And Jesus, seeing that he answered judiciously, said to him,
“You are not far from the kingdom of God!”
And no one dared question him any more.
And teaching in the temple Jesus said, answering,
“How do the scribes say that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said in the Holy Spirit - The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand till I place your enemies a footstool for your feet’ - David himself therefore calls him Lord, and how is he his son?”
And the large crowd listened to him happily.
And he said to them in his teaching,
“Watch out for the scribes who like walking about in robes, and greetings in the market-places, and the most important seats in the synagogues and the best places at the dinners, who consume widows’ houses and for appearances pray at great length. These will receive greater condemnation.”
And Jesus, having sat down opposite the treasury, saw how the crowd threw money into the treasury, and many rich people were putting in a lot. And having come, one poor widow threw in two lepta which is a quarter of a penny . And having called to his disciples he says to them,
“Truly I’m telling you that this poor widow has put in more than all of those casting into the treasury. For all cast in out of their abundance, but she, out of her destitution put in all that she had: her whole livelihood.”
Chapter Thirteen
And as he was going out of the temple one of his disciples says to him,
“Teacher, look! What stones and what buildings!”
And Jesus answering, said to him,
“Do you see these great buildings? There definitely won’t be left one stone on another which won’t be thrown down!”
And as he was sitting on the mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are going to be completed?”
And Jesus answering them began to say,
“Watch out in case anyone misleads you. For many will come in my name saying that it’s me and they’ll mislead many. And when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, don’t be troubled, for it must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there’ll be earthquakes in various places and there’ll be famines and disturbances. These are the beginnings of sufferings.
“But you watch out for yourselves for they’ll hand you over to councils and assemblies. You’ll be beaten and you’ll be brought before governors and kings on account of me, for a testimony to them, and the joyful news must first be proclaimed to all the nations. But whenever they lead you off, handing you over, don’t worry before, what you should say, nor think it over, but whatever is given to you at the time: say that! For you aren’t doing the speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
“And brother will hand over brother to death, and the father the child, and children will rise up against parents and will put them to death. And you’ll be hated by everyone on account of my name, but he who endures to the end: he will be saved.
“But when you see the abomination of the desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not - let he who is reading understand - then let those in Judaea flee to the mountains. And let not the man on the house-top come down into the house, nor go inside to take anything out of his house, and let not he who is in the field return to the things behind him to fetch his garment. And woe to those who are expecting and to those suckling children in those days! And pray that your flight doesn’t occur in winter. For in those days there’ll be affliction the like of which hasn’t been seen since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, and neither will be.
“And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved, but because of the chosen ones whom he selected, he has shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is Christ!” or ‘Look there!’ don’t believe it, for there’ll arise false Christs and false prophets and they’ll display signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the chosen ones. But you: watch out! Look, I’ve foretold you everything!
“But in those days, after that affliction, the sun will be darkened, and the moon won’t give her light, and the stars of heaven will be falling and the powers which are in heaven will be shaken. And then they’ll see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he’ll send his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the extremity of earth to the extremity of heaven.
“And from the fig tree learn the parable: as soon as its branch has become tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer’s near. So too you, when you see these things happening, know that it’s near - at the doors. Truly I’m telling you that this generation will definitely not have passed away until all these things have happened. The heaven and the earth will pass away but my words will definitely not pass away. But about that day, and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.
“Look out, stay awake and pray, for you don’t know when the time is. It’s like a man going out of the country, leaving his house and giving authority to his servants and to each one his work, and he commanded the door-keeper that he should watch. So keep awake! For you don’t know when the master of the house is coming: in the evening, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning, in case coming suddenly he should find you sleeping.
“And what I’m telling you, I’m saying to everyone: ‘Stay awake!!’”
Chapter Fourteen
And it was the Passover and the unleavened bread after two days, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, by craft, getting hold of him they might kill him. But they said,
“Not during the feast, in case there’s an uproar of the people.”
And he, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure spikenard, very expensive, and having broken open the jar, she poured it on his head. And some were indignant in themselves, even saying,
“Why has this waste of the ointment been made? For this could have been sold for over three hundred pence and have been given to the poor!”
And they murmured against her.
But Jesus said,
“Leave her alone! Why are you causing her trouble? She has done a good work for me. For the poor you always have with you, and whenever you want you can do good to them, but you don’t always have me. She’s done what she could. She’s come beforehand to anoint my body for the burial. Truly I’m telling you, wherever this joyful news is proclaimed in the whole world, this that she has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her!”
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, so that he might hand him over to them. And they, having heard, rejoiced and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might hand him over conveniently.
And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples say to him,
“Where do you want us to go and get ready so that you may eat the passover?”
And he sends out two of his disciples and says to them,
“Go off into the city and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he goes in say to the head of the household - the teacher says ‘Where is the guest chamber where I may eat the passover with my disciples?’ - And he will show you a large upper room furnished, ready. There get ready for us.”
And his disciples went away and came into the city, and found as he had told them, and they got the passover ready.
And evening being come, he comes with the twelve. And as they were reclining and eating Jesus said,
“Truly I’m telling you that one of you who is eating with me will hand me over!”
And they began to be grieved and to say to him one by one,
“Is it I?”
And another,
“Is it I?”
But he, answering, said to them,
“One of the twelve who is dipping with me in the dish! The Son of man is going indeed, as it has been written about him, but alas for that man by whom the Son of man is handed over, it were good for that man if he had not been born!”
And as they were eating, Jesus, having taken a loaf, having blessed, broke it and gave to them and said,
“Take, eat, this is my body.”
And having taken the cup, having given thanks he gave to them, and they all drank from it.
And he said to them,
“This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I’m telling you that I will no more drink of the vine’s fruit until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
And having sung a hymn they went out to the mount of Olives.
And Jesus says to them,
“You will all be offended because of me tonight: for it has been written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered abroad.’ But after my arising I’ll go before you into Galilee.”
But Peter said to him,
“Even if all will be offended, yet not I!”
And Jesus says to him,
“Truly I’m telling you that today, in this night, before the cockerel crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
But he more exceedingly said,
“If I must die with you I will definitely not deny you at all!”
And they all also spoke like this.
And they come to a place whose name is Gethsemane, and he says to his disciples,
“Sit here, while I pray.”
And he takes along Peter and James and John with him, and he began to be very amazed and deeply depressed. And he says to them,
“My soul is very sad even to death. Stay here and keep awake!”
And having gone forward a little, he fell upon the earth and prayed that, if it is possible, the hour might pass from him.
And he said,
“Abba, Father, all things are possible to you, take away this cup from me, but not what I want but what you want!”
And he comes and finds them sleeping, and he says to Peter,
“Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? Stay awake and pray so that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
And again, having gone apart, he prayed saying the same words. And having returned he found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he comes the third time and says to them,
“Sleep on now and take rest. It’s enough. The hour has come. See, the Son of man is handed over into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let’s go! Look, he who is betraying me has come near!”
And immediately, as he is still speaking, Judas comes up, being one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he who was handing him over had given them a sign saying,
“Whoever I shall kiss: he it is! Seize him and lead him away safely.”
And on arriving, at once coming up to him he says,
“Rabbi, Rabbi!”
And kissed him earnestly.
And they laid their hands on him and seized him. But a certain one of those standing by, having drawn the sword struck the high priest’s servant and took off his ear. And answering, Jesus said to them,
“As against a thief have you come out with swords and clubs to take me? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t seize me; but so that the scriptures may be fulfilled.....”
And leaving him they all fled away. And a certain young man was following him, having put a sheet about his naked body, and the young men seized him, but he, leaving behind the sheet, got away from them naked.
And they led Jesus away to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him from far off, as far as to inside the court of the high priest, and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire.
And the chief priests and all the sanhedrin looked for testimony against Jesus so as to put him to death, and did not find any. For many bore false witness against him, and their testimonies were not the same. And some bore lying witness against him saying,
“We heard him saying, ‘I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in three days I’ll build another made without hands!’”
And neither so was their testimony consistent.
And having stood up in the midst, the high priest questioned Jesus saying,
“Aren’t you answering anything to what these are testifying against you?”
But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest was questioning him and says to him,
“Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
And Jesus said,
“I am. And you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven!”
And the high priest, having torn his garments says,
“What need do we have any more of witnesses? You heard the blaphemy! How does it seem to you?”
And they all judged him to be worthy of death. And some began to spit on him and to cover up his face, and to punch him, and they said to him,
“Prophesy!”
And the officers slapped him.
And Peter being in the court below, one of the high priest’s maids comes, and seeing Peter warming himself, having looked at him carefully, says,
“You too were with the Nazarene Jesus!”
But he denied saying,
“I don’t know or understand what you’re saying!”
And he went out into the porch.
And a cockerel crowed.
And the maid, seeing him again, began to say to those standing by,
“This is one of them!”
And again he denied.
And after a little while again, those standing by said to Peter,
“Surely you’re one of them, for you’re a Galilean and you speak like one!”
But he began to curse and to swear,
“I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
And a cockerel crowed a second time, and Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cockerel crows twice you will deny me three times!’ And having thought about that, he wept.
Chapter Fifteen
And at once, in the morning, having formed a council, the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole sanhedrin, having bound Jesus carried him away and handed him over to Pilate.
And Pilate asked him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
And he answering said to him,
“You’re right!”
And the chief priests were accusing him very much. And Pilate questioned him again saying,
“Aren’t you answering anything? Look how many things they’re testifying against you!”
But Jesus answered nothing more so that Pilate was amazed.
Now at the feast he released to them one prisoner: whoever they desired. And there was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow rebels, who in the revolt had committed murder. And crying out, the crowd began to beg him to do as he always did for them.
But Pilate answered them saying,
“Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?”
For he knew that because of jealousy the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that rather he might release Barabbas to them.
And Pilate answering again said to them,
“What then do you want me to do with him whom you call ‘King of the Jews’?”
But they again cried out,
“Crucify him!”
And Pilate said to them,
“Why, what wrong has he done?”
But they cried out more earnestly,
“Crucify him!”
And Pilate, inclining to appease the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, having scourged him, so that he might be crucified.
And the soldiers led him away into the courtyard, which is the Praetorium, and they call together all the guard. And they clothed him with purple, and having plaited a crown of thorns they put it on him. And they began to greet him,
“Hi! King of the Jews!”
And they struck his head with a cane and spat on him, and bending their knees did homage to him. And when they had mocked him they took the purple off him and put his own clothes on him; and they lead him out so that they may crucify him. And they compel one passing by, coming from a field, Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
And they bring him to a place, ‘Golgotha’ which is being translated, ‘The place of a skull’. And they gave him to drink wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And having crucified him they divided his clothes, casting lots for them, who should take what. And it was the third hour and they crucified him. And the inscription of his accusation was written above: ‘The King of the Jews’. And with him they crucify two thieves, one on his right hand, and one on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘He was reckoned with the criminals.’
And those passing by jeered at him, shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who are destroying the temple and building it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
And similarly the chief priests too, mocking among each other with the scribes said,
“He saved others: he can’t save himself! Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!”
And they who were crucified with him reproached him.
And the sixth hour being come, darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being translated,
“My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
And some of those standing by, having heard, said,
“Look, he’s calling Elijah!”
And one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar and, having put it on a cane, gave him to drink saying,
“Leave him be! Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down!”
And Jesus, having let out a loud shout, expired. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the centurion who stood by opposite him, having seen that thus having cried out he expired, said,
“Truly this man was the Son of God!”
There were also women looking on from far off, among whom was also Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; who also when he was in Galilee followed him and looked after him, and many others who came up with him to Jerusalem.
And already, evening being come, since it was ‘preparation’ that is the day before the Sabbath, Joseph from Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, who also himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, came and, being daring, went in to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus.
And Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, and having called the centurion questioned him if he had been dead a long time. And having known from the centurion he granted the body to Joseph.
And having bought a linen sheet, and having taken him down, he wrapped him in the linen sheet and laid him in a tomb, which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone upon the doorway of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Joses’ Mary saw where he is laid.
Chapter Sixteen
And the Sabbath being past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary - James’s mother, and Salome bought sweet smelling spices so that, having come, they might annoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they come to the tomb, the sun having risen. And they said among themselves,
“Who will roll away the stone for us out of the doorway of the tomb?”
And having looked up they see that the stone has been rolled away: for it was very big.
And having entered into the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right, clothed with a white robe, and they were extremely surprised.
But he says to them,
“Don’t be surprised, you’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified. He is risen! He isn’t here! Look at the place where they laid him. But go, say to his disciples and to Peter, that he’s going ahead of you into Galilee. You’ll see him there as he said to you.”
And having gone out they went away quickly from the tomb, and trembling and amazement took hold of them, and they said nothing to anyone for they were frightened.
Now, having risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene from whom he had cast out seven demons. She, having gone, told those who had been with him, who were mourning and weeping. And they, having heard that he is alive and has been seen by her, did not believe.
And after these things he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked, going into the country; and they, having gone, told the rest. Neither did they believe them.
Afterwards, as they reclined, he appeared to the eleven and reproached their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen.
And he said to them,
“Having gone into all the world, preach the joyful news to all the creation! He who believes and is baptised will be saved, and he who disbelieves will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: they’ll cast out demons in my name, they’ll speak with new tongues, they’ll pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly it won’t harm them at all. They’ll lay hands on the sick and they’ll be well!”
Indeed therefore the Lord, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
And they, having gone out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs following. Truly.
The Joyful News according to Mark
This translation,
from the Greek Text used for the ‘Authorized’ or ‘King James’ Version
Copyright © David Lawrie 1998
