1 One day Jesus had been praying in a certain place, and as soon as he had done, one of his disciples said to him, instruct us about prayer, as John the baptist instructed his disciples.
2 he said therefore to them, when ye pray, say, "our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come. thy will be done, on earth, as in heaven.
3 give us every day our portion of bread.
4 and forgive us our sins: since we forgive every one that has offended us. and leave us not under temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
5 Then he said to them, suppose any of you should go to his friend at midnight; and say to him, friend, lend me three loaves:
6 for a friend of mine, a traveller, is come to my house, and I have nothing to entertain him with.
7 and he within should give this answer, don't trouble me now: the door is made fast, and my family are all in bed: I can't get up to supply you.
8 I tell you, tho' he will not rise, to supply him, out of friendship: yet out of regard to his importunity, he will rise, and lend him whatever he has occasion for.
9 I tell you likewise, ask, and it shall be given: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and the door shall be opened.
10 for every one that asketh, receives: he that seeketh, finds: and he that knocks has admittance.
11 what father among you would give his son a stone, when he asketh for bread? or if for a fish, instead of a fish would he give him a serpent?
12 or instead of an egg will he offer him a scorpion?
13 if ye then, wicked as ye are, know how to give what is proper to your children: how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him?
14 At another time Jesus was casting out a demon, that was dumb: and as soon as the demon was gone out, the dumb man spoke: and the people wondred.
15 but some of them said, he casteth out demons by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.
16 others, to try him, desir'd he would show some miraculous sign in the heaven.
17 but Jesus perceiving their suspicions, said to them, every kingdom divided against itself will soon be desolate: one family divided against another, falls to ruin.
18 so if satan be divided against himself, how can his kingdom subsist?
19 for you assert, that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. but if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? wherefore they shall be your judges.
20 but if I cast out demons by the finger of God, it follows, that the reign of the Messiah is now begun among you.
21 when a man that is stout and well arm'd guards his palace, his possessions are safe.
22 but if a stronger than he should assault, and overcome him, he will strip him of all his furniture on which he relyed, and divide the plunder.
23 He that does not join with me, is against me: and he that is not active for me, is a deserter.
24 When the impure spirit is gone out of a man, he wanders about the wilds in quest of some repose: but finding none, I will return, says he, to the abode I have quitted.
25 and at his return he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself: they all enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.
27 As he was discoursing thus, a certain woman in the middle of the crowd lift up her voice, and said to him, happy the mother, who bare thee: happy the nurse, who gave thee milk.
29 and as the crowd grew more numerous, he thus began, this is a degenerate race of men: they demand a miracle: but no miracle shall be exhibited, but such as happen'd in the person of Jonas the prophet.
30 for as the case of Jonas was a miraculous instance to the Ninevites, so shall the son of man be to this generation.
31 the queen of the south shall rise up in the day of judgment against this generation, and condemn it: for she came from the remote parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; but now, a greater than Solomon is here.
32 the people of Nineve shall rise up in the day of Judgment, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; but now, a greater than Jonas is here.
33 However, when a man has once lighted his lamp, he does not hide it in a by-place, or under a bushel; but sets it on a stand, that all who come in may have light.
34 the eye is the light of the body: if therefore your eye be clear, every member of your body will have the benefit of the light: but if it be spoil'd, they must all rest in darkness.
35 take care therefore, that the light which is in thee do not become darkness.
36 for if thy whole body be enlightned, and no part dark, your whole conduct will be regulated, just as the light of a lamp directs all your motions.
37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine his house, where he went, and sat down at table.
38 but the Pharisee was surprized to see that he did not wash before dinner.
39 upon which the Lord said to him, you Pharisees won't leave any filth upon the outside of a cup or a platter: while your consciences are abandon'd to rapine, and sensuality.
40 do you stupidly imagine that he, who made the outward man, did not make the inward too?
41 be but charitable to the utmost of your ability, and every thing will be pure to you.
42 but wo unto you Pharisees: for you will pay the tythes of mint, and rue, and all sorts of herbs, but as for justice and true piety, those you neglect. these you ought to have practised, without omitting however the other.
43 wo unto you Pharisees, for you affect to have the first rank in the synagogue, and to be complimented in publick places.
44 wo unto you: for you resemble subterraneous monuments, which men walk over, without perceiving them.
45 Then a doctor of the law objected to him, saying, master, your discourse is an insult upon us also.
46 but Jesus said, wo unto you likewise, doctors of the law; for you load men with insupportable burthens, the least part of which you will not yourselves bear:
47 wo unto you, for you rebuild the sepulchres of those prophets, whom your fathers put to death:
48 they were guilty of slaughter, and you raise monuments to their memory.
49 agreeably to this, in the Wisdom of God 'tis said, "I will send them prophets and apostles: some they will kill, and others they will persecute:
50 " so that the blood of all the prophets, which has been shed since the creation of the world, may be required of this generation,
51 from the blood of Abel to that of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple: yes, I assure you, this generation shall be responsible for it all.
52 wo unto you, doctors of the law; for after having taken the key of knowledge, you remain still in the dark, and hinder others, who desire to have light.