Reference: Miracles
Fausets
Three distinct New Testament Greek words represent miracles: seemeion, "a sign"; teras, "a prodigy"; dunamis, "a mighty work." Septuagint uses seemeion and teras for Hebrew 'owt and mopheth (Ex 7:9). Seemeion, "sign," views the miracle as evidence of a divine commission: Joh 3:2, "no man can do these signs (Greek) which Thou doest except God be with him" (Joh 9:30,33; 15:24; Lu 7:19-22); teras, "prodigy" or "wonder," expresses the effect on the spectator; dunamis, "mighty work," marks its performance by a superhuman power (Ac 2:22; 2Co 12:12; 2Th 2:9). The "sign" is God's seal, attestation, or proof of a revelation being genuine. Jesus' miracles were not merely wonders but signs; signs not merely of His power, but of the nature of His ministry and of His divine person.
A grand distinction peculiar to Christianity is, it won the world to it in an age of high civilization, through a few preachers of humble position, on the evidence of miracles. Basing its claim on miracles the creed of the slave became eventually the faith of the Caesars. Muhammed on the contrary, even in a half-enlightened age and country, pretended no miracle. Christ and His apostles still less than Mahomet among friends would have dared to allege miracles, in the midst of hostile Jews and skeptical Romans, unless they were true. This claim is the more striking, since John the Baptist, though coming "in the spirit and power of Elias," the great miracle worker of the Old Testament, never claimed miraculous power; so far is Scripture from indiscriminately gratifying men's love of the marvelous at the cost of truth.
Similarly, Abraham, David, and other Old Testament heroes never appear as miracle workers. Early Christian writers, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen, occasionally appeal to miracles in proof of Christianity; but state that their pagan opponents, admitting the facts, attributed them to magic; which accounts for the fewness of their references to miracles. The Jewish writings, as the Sepher Toldoth Jeshu, also the extant fragments of Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, admit the fact of the miracles, though ascribing them to magic and evil spirits. In the case of the resurrection (Mt 28:11-15) and the cure of the blind man (John 9) the Jews made a self confuted charge of fraud. The early Christian apologists allege in support of Christianity:
(1) the greatness, number, completeness, and publicity of the miracles;
(2) the beneficial tendency of the doctrine;
(3) the connection of the miracles with prophecy and the whole scheme of redemption from Adam to Christ. The miracles must have been altogether different from the wonders of exorcists, magicians, etc.; else they would not have gained for the gospel so wide and permanent an acceptance. The effect of Philip's ministry on the Samaritans, in opposition to Simon Magus (Acts 8), proves this. The holy character of Christ and His apostles, and the tendency of Christianity to promote truth and virtue, are against the origination of the miracles from evil spirits or jugglery. In the fourth century miracles had ceased (Chrysostom on 1 Corinthians 11-13); in the third, miracles are alleged, but are suspicious, as wrought among those already believing and predisposed to accept prodigies credulously. The ecclesiastical miracles are not attested by inspired writers. The apostles alone could transmit the power of working miracles to others. Cornelius was an exception, being the firstfruit of the Gentiles.
But Philip could not impart it; Peter and John must come to confer on his Samaritan converts miraculous gifts, by laying on of hands (Ac 8:15-20; 10:44-46; 19:6; Mr 16:17-18). Christianity being once proved and attested to us, the analogy of God's dealings leads us to expect He would leave it to make its way by ordinary means; the edifice being erected, the scaffolding is taken down; perpetual miracle is contrary to His ways. The ecclesiastical miracles alleged are ambiguous, or tentative, or legendary, i.e. resembling known products of human credulity and imposture. Many are childish, and palpably framed for superstitious believers, rather than as evidences capable of bearing critical scrutiny. Most of them are not told until long after their presumed occurrence. Herein the New Testament miracles wholly differ from them. The Christian miracles are:
(1) Recorded by contemporaries.
(2) In the same country.
(3) Not based on transient rumor, but confirmed by subsequent investigation, and recorded in independent accounts.
(4) Not naked history, but the history combined with the institution and with the religion of our day, as also with the time and place of the miracle recorded and of Christianity's origin.
(5) With particular specification of names, places, dates, and circumstances.
(6) Not requiring merely otiose assent, as the popular superstitions on which nothing depends, but claiming to regulate the opinions and acts of people.
(7) Not like popish miracles in Roman Catholic countries, in affirmation of opinions already formed, but performed amidst enemies, converting men from their most cherished prejudices; there was no anterior persuasion to lay hold of, Jesus' miracles gave birth to the sect; frauds might mix with the progress, but could not have place in the commencement of the religion.
(8) Not an imaginary perception, as Socrates' demon; the giving sight to the blind leaves a lasting effect; in those of a mixed nature the principal miracle is momentary, but some circumstance combined with it is permanent; Peter's vision might be a dream, but the message of Cornelius could not have been; the concurrence could only be supernatural.
(9) Not tentative, where out of many trials some succeed, as the ancient oracles, cures wrought by relics, etc.
(10) Not doubtful miracles, as the liquefaction of Januarius' blood, cures of nervous ailments.
(11) Not stories which can be resolved into exaggerations.
(12) Not gradual, but instantaneous for the most part (Lu 18:43); not incomplete; not merely temporary, but complete and lasting.
(13) Witnessed to at the cost of suffering and death. (Paley, Evidences of Christianity.)
A miracle is not a "violation of the laws of nature" (Hume), but the introduction of a new agent. Such introduction accords with human experience, for we see an intelligent agent often modifying the otherwise uniform laws of nature. "Experience" informs us of human free will counteracting the lower law of gravitation. Infinitely more can the divine will introduce a new element, counteracting, without destroying, lower physical law; the higher law for a time controls and suspends the action of the lower. Or, "law" being simply the expression of God's will, in miracles God's will intervenes, for certain moral ends, to suspend His ordinary mode of working. The wise men following the star, and then receiving further guidance from the Scripture word, illustrate the twofold revelation, God's works, and God's word, the highest guide. Both meet in the Incarnate Word (Matthew 2; 2Pe 1:19-21). As disturbance has entered the world by sin, as nature visibly attests, God must needs miraculously interfere to nullify that disturbance.
Hume alleged against miracles their contrariety to "experience," and that experience shows testimony to be often false. But "experience" is not to be limited to our time and knowledge. The "experience" of the witnesses for Christianity attests the truth of miracles. However improbable miracles are under ordinary circumstances, they are probable, nay necessary, to attest a religious revelation and a divine commission. "In whatever degree it is probable that a revelation should be communicated to mankind at all, in the same degree is it probable that miracles should be wrought" (Paley, Evidences of Christianity). That they are out of the ordinary course of nature, so far from being an objection, is just what they need to be in order to be fit signs to attest a revelation. It is as easy to God to continue the ordinary course of the rest of nature, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change. It is objected, miracles "interrupt the course of nature."
But as that course really compri
See Verses Found in Dictionary
When Pharaoh speaketh unto you, saying, Give for yourselves a wonder; then thou hast said unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast before Pharaoh -- it becometh a monster.'
Thus said Jehovah: By this thou knowest that I am Jehovah; lo, I am smiting with the rod which is in my hand, on the waters which are in the River, and they have been turned to blood, and the fish that are in the River die, and the River hath stank, and the Egyptians have been wearied of drinking waters from the River.' read more. And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand against the waters of Egypt, against their streams, against their rivers, and against their ponds, and against all their collections of waters; and they are blood -- and there hath been blood in all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in those of stone.' And Moses and Aaron do so, as Jehovah hath commanded, and he lifteth up his hand with the rod, and smiteth the waters which are in the River, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants, and all the waters which are in the River are turned to blood, and the fish which is in the River hath died, and the River stinketh, and the Egyptians have not been able to drink water from the River; and the blood is in all the land of Egypt.
and he saith, 'To-morrow.' And he saith, According to thy word it is, so that thou knowest that there is none like Jehovah our God,
And I have separated in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people are staying, that the beetle is not there, so that thou knowest that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land, and I have put a division between My people and thy people: to-morrow is this sign.'
and Jehovah setteth an appointed time, saying, To-morrow doth Jehovah do this thing in the land.'
lo, I am raining about this time to-morrow hail very grievous, such as hath not been in Egypt, even from the day of its being founded, even until now.
And the hail smiteth in all the land of Egypt all that is in the field, from man even unto beast, and every herb of the field hath the hail smitten, and every tree of the field it hath broken; only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel are, there hath been no hail.
for if thou art refusing to send My people away, lo, I am bringing in to-morrow the locust into thy border, and it hath covered the eye of the land, and none is able to see the land, and it hath eaten the remnant of that which is escaped, which is left to you from the hail, and it hath eaten every tree which is springing for you out of the field;
And the locust goeth up against all the land of Egypt, and resteth in all the border of Egypt -- very grievous: before it there hath not been such a locust as it, and after it there is none such;
And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness -- thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; they have not seen one another, and none hath risen from his place three days; and to all the sons of Israel there hath been light in their dwellings.'
And it cometh to pass, at midnight, that Jehovah hath smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive who is in the prison-house, and every first-born of beasts.
And the sons of Israel do so, and they gather, he who is gathering much, and he who is gathering little;
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Go unto the people; and thou hast sanctified them to-day and to-morrow, and they have washed their garments,
And all the people are seeing the voices, and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking; and the people see, and move, and stand afar off,
for the cloud of Jehovah is on the tabernacle by day, and fire is in it by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel in all their journeys.
And from those ransomed of the two hundred and seventy and three (who are more than the Levites) of the first-born of the sons of Israel,
These words hath Jehovah spoken unto all your assembly, in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness -- a great voice; and He hath not added, and He writeth them on two tables of stone, and giveth them unto me. 'And it cometh to pass as ye hear the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and of the mountain burning with fire, that ye come near unto me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders,
'Thy raiment hath not worn out from off thee, and thy foot hath not swelled these forty years,
'When there ariseth in your midst a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he hath given unto thee a sign or wonder, and the sign and the wonder hath come which he hath spoken of unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (which thou hast not known), and serve them, read more. thou dost not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of the dream, for Jehovah your God is trying you, to know whether ye are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul; after Jehovah your God ye walk, and Him ye fear, and His commands ye keep, and to His voice ye hearken, and Him ye serve, and to Him ye cleave. 'And that prophet, or that dreamer of the dream, is put to death, for he hath spoken apostasy against Jehovah your God (who is bringing you out of the land of Egypt, and hath ransomed you out of a house of servants), to drive you out of the way in which Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee to walk, and thou hast put away the evil thing from thy midst.
that the waters stand; those coming down from above have risen -- one heap, very far above Adam the city, which is at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through over-against Jericho;
And Israel serveth Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, and who knew all the work of Jehovah which He did to Israel.
and the people serve Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, who saw all the great work of Jehovah which He did to Israel.
And the messenger of Jehovah saith to him, 'Why is this -- thou dost ask for My name? -- and it is Wonderful.' And Manoah taketh the kid of the goats, and the present, and offereth on the rock to Jehovah, and He is doing wonderfully, and Manoah and his wife are looking on,
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
Then opened are eyes of the blind, And ears of the deaf are unstopped, Then leap as a hart doth the lame, And sing doth the tongue of the dumb, For broken up in a wilderness have been waters, And streams in a desert.
To open the eyes of the blind, To bring forth from prison the bound one, From the house of restraint those sitting in darkness.
Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains -- he hath carried them, And we -- we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
I was seeing till that thrones have been thrown down, and the Ancient of Days is seated, His garment as snow is white, and the hair of his head is as pure wool, His throne flames of fire, its wheels burning fire. A flood of fire is proceeding and coming forth from before Him, a thousand thousands do serve Him, and a myriad of myriads before Him do rise up, the Judge is seated, and the books have been opened. read more. 'I was seeing, then, because of the voice of the great words that the horn is speaking, I was seeing till that the beast is slain, and his body hath been destroyed, and given to the burning fire; and the rest of the beasts have caused their dominion to pass away, and a prolongation in life is given to them, till a season and a time. I was seeing in the visions of the night, and lo, with the clouds of the heavens as a son of man was one coming, and unto the Ancient of Days he hath come, and before Him they have brought him near.
And it hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do see visions. And also on the men-servants, and on the maid-servants, In those days I do pour out My Spirit. read more. And I have given wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, Blood and fire, and columns of smoke. The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.
And I have poured on the house of David, And on the inhabitant of Jerusalem, A spirit of grace and supplications, And they have looked unto Me whom they pierced, And they have mourned over it, Like a mourning over the only one, And they have been in bitterness for it, Like a bitterness over the first-born.
And Jesus was going about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the reign, and healing every disease, and every malady among the people,
and lo, a leper having come, was bowing to him, saying, 'Sir, if thou art willing, thou art able to cleanse me;'
And Jesus having entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion calling upon him,
And Jesus having come into the house of Peter, saw his mother-in-law laid, and fevered,
And evening having come, they brought to him many demoniacs, and he did cast out the spirits with a word, and did heal all who were ill, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'Himself took our infirmities, and the sicknesses he did bear.'
And he saith to them, 'Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' Then having risen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm;
and lo, they were bringing to him a paralytic, laid upon a couch, and Jesus having seen their faith, said to the paralytic, 'Be of good courage, child, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'
While he is speaking these things to them, lo, a ruler having come, was bowing to him, saying that 'My daughter just now died, but, having come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.'
and lo, a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, having come to him behind, did touch the fringe of his garments,
And Jesus passing on thence, two blind men followed him, calling and saying, 'Deal kindly with us, Son of David.' And he having come to the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus saith to them, 'Believe ye that I am able to do this?' They say to him, 'Yes, sir.' read more. Then touched he their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you,' and their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, 'See, let no one know;'
And as they are coming forth, lo, they brought to him a man dumb, a demoniac,
And Jesus was going up and down all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the reign, and healing every sickness and every malady among the people.
And John having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, having sent two of his disciples, said to him, 'Art thou He who is coming, or for another do we look?' read more. And Jesus answering said to them, 'Having gone, declare to John the things that ye hear and see,
and lo, there was a man having the hand withered, and they questioned him, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths?' that they might accuse him.
and Jesus having known, withdrew thence, and there followed him great multitudes, and he healed them all,
And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, 'Is this the Son of David?'
And Jesus having come forth, saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion upon them, and did heal their infirm;
And Jesus said to them, 'They have no need to go away -- give ye them to eat.'
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea,
and having recognized him, the men of that place sent forth to all that region round about, and they brought to him all who were ill, and were calling on him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment, and as many as did touch were saved.
and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, 'Deal kindly with me, Sir -- Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.'
and there came to him great multitudes, having with them lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they did cast them at the feet of Jesus, and he healed them,
and having taken the seven loaves and the fishes, having given thanks, he did break, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
'A generation evil and adulterous doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;' and having left them he went away.
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John his brother, and doth bring them up to a high mount by themselves,
and saying, 'Sir, deal kindly with my son, for he is lunatic, and doth suffer miserably, for often he doth fall into the fire, and often into the water,
but, that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that hath come up first take thou up, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater, that having taken, give to them for me and thee.'
and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and did cast forth all those selling and buying in the temple, and the tables of the money-changers he overturned, and the seats of those selling the doves,
And there came to him blind and lame men in the temple, and he healed them,
for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.
'And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken;
And while they are going on, lo, certain of the watch having come to the city, told to the chief priests all the things that happened, and having been gathered together with the elders, counsel also having taken, they gave much money to the soldiers, read more. saying, 'Say ye, that his disciples having come by night, stole him -- we being asleep; and if this be heard by the governor, we will persuade him, and you keep free from anxiety.' And they, having received the money, did as they were taught, and this account was spread abroad among Jews till this day.
saying, 'Away! what -- to us and to thee, Jesus the Nazarene? thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art -- the Holy One of God.'
and he having come forth out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
and he charged them much, that no one may know this thing, and he said that there be given to her to eat.
and he was not able there any mighty work to do, except on a few infirm people having put hands he did heal them; and he wondered because of their unbelief. And he was going round the villages, in a circle, teaching,
And he said to her, 'Because of this word go; the demon hath gone forth out of thy daughter;'
And he charged them that they may tell no one, but the more he was charging them, the more abundantly they were proclaiming it,
And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring to him one blind, and call upon him that he may touch him,
'And signs shall accompany those believing these things; in my name demons they shall cast out; with new tongues they shall speak; serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.'
And when he left off speaking, he said unto Simon, 'Put back to the deep, and let down your nets for a draught;'
And it came to pass, on the morrow, he was going on to a city called Nain, and there were going with him many of his disciples, and a great multitude, and as he came nigh to the gate of the city, then, lo, one dead was being carried forth, an only son of his mother, and she a widow, and a great multitude of the city was with her.
and having come near, he touched the bier, and those bearing it stood still, and he said, 'Young man, to thee I say, Arise;'
and John having called near a certain two of his disciples, sent unto Jesus, saying, 'Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?' And having come near to him, the men said, 'John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?' read more. And in that hour he cured many from sicknesses, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight. And Jesus answering said to them, 'Having gone on, report to John what ye saw and heard, that blind men do see again, lame do walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf do hear, dead are raised, poor have good news proclaimed;
and certain of them said, 'By Beelzeboul, ruler of the demons, he doth cast forth the demons;' and others, tempting, a sign out of heaven from him were asking.
and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all,
and he entering into a certain village, there met him ten leprous men, who stood afar off,
And it came to pass, in his coming nigh to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the way begging,
and presently he did receive sight, and was following him, glorifying God; and all the people, having seen, did give praise to God.
and Jesus answering said, 'Suffer ye thus far,' and having touched his ear, he healed him.
the Jews then answered and said to him, 'What sign dost thou shew to us -- that thou dost these things?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.' read more. The Jews, therefore, said, 'Forty and six years was this sanctuary building, and wilt thou in three days raise it up?' but he spake concerning the sanctuary of his body;
And as he was in Jerusalem, in the passover, in the feast, many believed in his name, beholding his signs that he was doing;
this one came unto him by night, and said to him, 'Rabbi, we have known that from God thou hast come -- a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him.'
he, having heard that Jesus is come out of Judea to Galilee, went away unto him, and was asking him that he may come down and may heal his son, for he was about to die.
and there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty and eight years,
And Jesus answered them, 'My Father till now doth work, and I work;'
and many out of the multitude did believe in him, and said -- 'The Christ -- when he may come -- will he do more signs than these that this one did?'
the officers came, therefore, unto the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, 'Wherefore did ye not bring him?' The officers answered, 'Never so spake man -- as this man.'
And passing by, he saw a man blind from birth,
The man answered and said to them, 'Why, in this is a wonderful thing, that ye have not known whence he is, and he opened my eyes!
And Jesus said, 'For judgment I to this world did come, that those not seeing may see, and those seeing may become blind.' And those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him, 'Are we also blind?' read more. Jesus said to them, 'If ye were blind, ye were not having had sin, but now ye say -- We see, therefore doth your sin remain.
if I did not do among them the works that no other hath done, they were not having sin, and now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father;
if I did not do among them the works that no other hath done, they were not having sin, and now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father;
when, therefore, he said to them -- 'I am he,' they went away backward, and fell to the ground.
Many indeed, therefore, other signs also did Jesus before his disciples, that are not written in this book; and these have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in his name.'
they answered him, 'No;' and he said to them, 'Cast the net at the right side of the boat, and ye shall find;' they cast, therefore, and no longer were they able to draw it, from the multitude of the fishes.
'Men, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;
'Men, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;
and Peter said, 'Silver and gold I have none, but what I have, that I give to thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and be walking.'
be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole. This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner; read more. and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'
who having come down did pray concerning them, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, -- for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, and only they have been baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus; read more. then were they laying hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before them money, saying, 'Give also to me this authority, that on whomsoever I may lay the hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.' And Peter said unto him, 'Thy silver with thee -- may it be to destruction! because the gift of God thou didst think to possess through money;
While Peter is yet speaking these sayings, the Holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word, and those of the circumcision believing were astonished -- as many as came with Peter -- because also upon the nations the gift of the Holy Spirit hath been poured out, read more. for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God.
and Paul having laid on them his hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,
but even if we or a messenger out of heaven may proclaim good news to you different from what we did proclaim to you -- anathema let him be! as we have said before, and now say again, If any one to you may proclaim good news different from what ye did receive -- anathema let him be!
him, whose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,
And this know thou, that in the last days there shall come perilous times, for men shall be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, evil-speakers, to parents disobedient, unthankful, unkind, read more. without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, not lovers of those who are good, traitors, heady, lofty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away, for of these there are those coming into the houses and leading captive the silly women, laden with sins, led away with desires manifold, always learning, and never to a knowledge of truth able to come, and, even as Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses, so also these do stand against the truth, men corrupted in mind, disapproved concerning the faith;
God also bearing joint-witness both with signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to His will.
And we have more firm the prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till day may dawn, and a morning star may arise -- in your hearts; this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition, read more. for not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake.
Lo, he doth come with the clouds, and see him shall every eye, even those who did pierce him, and wail because of him shall all the tribes of the land. Yes! Amen!
And I saw another beast coming up out of the land, and it had two horns, like a lamb, and it was speaking as a dragon, and all the authority of the first beast doth it do before it, and it maketh the land and those dwelling in it that they shall bow before the first beast, whose deadly stroke was healed, read more. and it doth great signs, that fire also it may make to come down from the heaven to the earth before men, and it leadeth astray those dwelling on the land, because of the signs that were given it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling upon the land to make an image to the beast that hath the stroke of the sword and did live, and there was given to it to give a spirit to the image of the beast, that also the image of the beast may speak, and that it may cause as many as shall not bow before the image of the beast, that they may be killed.
and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who did the signs before him, in which he led astray those who did receive the mark of the beast, and those who did bow before his image; living they were cast -- the two -- to the lake of the fire, that is burning with brimstone;
Hastings
MIRACLES
1. The narratives
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.
thou dost not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of the dream, for Jehovah your God is trying you, to know whether ye are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul;
that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not -- it is the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it; -- thou art not afraid of him.
Then speaketh Joshua to Jehovah in the day of Jehovah's giving up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he saith, before the eyes of Israel, 'Sun -- in Gibeon stand still; and moon -- in the valley of Ajalon;' and the sun standeth still, and the moon hath stood -- till the nation taketh vengeance on its enemies; is it not written on the Book of the Upright, 'and the sun standeth in the midst of the heavens, and hath not hasted to go in -- as a perfect day?' read more. And there hath not been like that day before it or after it, for Jehovah's hearkening to the voice of a man; for Jehovah is fighting for Israel.
And Isaiah the prophet calleth unto Jehovah, and He bringeth back the shadow by the degrees that it had gone down in the degrees of Ahaz -- backward ten degrees.
and saith to him, 'If Son thou art of God -- cast thyself down, for it hath been written, that, His messengers He shall charge concerning thee, and on hands they shall bear thee up, that thou mayest not dash on a stone thy foot.' Jesus said to him again, 'It hath been written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'
and having stretched forth the hand, Jesus touched him, saying, 'I will, be thou cleansed,' and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
And Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go, and as thou didst believe let it be to thee;' and his young man was healed in that hour.
and he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose, and was ministering to them.
And he saith to them, 'Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' Then having risen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm; and the men wondered, saying, 'What kind -- is this, that even the wind and the sea do obey him?' read more. And he having come to the other side, to the region of the Gergesenes, there met him two demoniacs, coming forth out of the tombs, very fierce, so that no one was able to pass over by that way,
But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon the earth to forgive sins -- (then saith he to the paralytic) -- having risen, take up thy couch, and go to thy house.'
But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon the earth to forgive sins -- (then saith he to the paralytic) -- having risen, take up thy couch, and go to thy house.'
And Jesus having turned about, and having seen her, said, 'Be of good courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee,' and the woman was saved from that hour.
but, when the multitude was put forth, having gone in, he took hold of her hand, and the damsel arose,
Then touched he their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you,'
and the demon having been cast out, the dumb spake, and the multitude did wonder, saying that 'It was never so seen in Israel:'
infirm ones be healing, lepers be cleansing, dead be raising, demons be casting out -- freely ye did receive, freely give.
Then began he to reproach the cities in which were done most of his mighty works, because they did not reform.
Then saith he to the man, 'Stretch forth thy hand,' and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole as the other.
Then was brought to him a demoniac, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
and he did not there many mighty works, because of their unbelief.
And having commanded the multitudes to recline upon the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he did bless, and having broken, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes,
And Peter answering him said, 'Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;'
then answering, Jesus said to her, 'O woman, great is thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.
'A generation evil and adulterous doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;' and having left them he went away.
and Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out of him, and the lad was healed from that hour.
but, that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that hath come up first take thou up, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater, that having taken, give to them for me and thee.'
but, that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that hath come up first take thou up, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater, that having taken, give to them for me and thee.'
and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
and having seen a certain fig-tree on the way, he came to it, and found nothing in it except leaves only, and he saith to it, 'No more from thee may fruit be -- to the age;' and forthwith the fig-tree withered.
and having seen a certain fig-tree on the way, he came to it, and found nothing in it except leaves only, and he saith to it, 'No more from thee may fruit be -- to the age;' and forthwith the fig-tree withered.
And having come near, Jesus spake to them, saying, 'Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth;
teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days -- till the full end of the age.'
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silenced, and come forth out of him,'
and immediately were his ears opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plain.
Afterwards again he put his hands on his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and discerned all things clearly,
'And signs shall accompany those believing these things; in my name demons they shall cast out; with new tongues they shall speak; serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.'
And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking,
And Simon Peter having seen, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, 'Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O lord;'
and Jesus having seen her, did call her near, and said to her, 'Woman, thou hast been loosed from thy infirmity;'
And as the director of the apartment tasted the water become wine, and knew not whence it is, (but the ministrants knew, who have drawn the water,) the director of the feast doth call the bridegroom,
This beginning of the signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him;
Jesus then said unto him, 'If signs and wonders ye may not see, ye will not believe.'
Jesus then said unto him, 'If signs and wonders ye may not see, ye will not believe.'
Jesus saith to him, 'Be going on; thy son doth live.' And the man believed the word that Jesus said to him, and was going on,
'But I have the testimony greater than John's, for the works that the Father gave me, that I might finish them, the works themselves that I do, they testify concerning me, that the Father hath sent me.
The men, then, having seen the sign that Jesus did, said -- 'This is truly the Prophet, who is coming to the world;'
'Go away, wash at the pool of Siloam,' which is, interpreted, Sent. He went away, therefore, and did wash, and came seeing;
They took away, therefore, the stone where the dead was laid, and Jesus lifted his eyes upwards, and said, 'Father, I thank Thee, that Thou didst hear me; and I knew that Thou always dost hear me, but, because of the multitude that is standing by, I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send me.'
and he who died came forth, being bound feet and hands with grave-clothes, and his visage with a napkin was bound about; Jesus saith to them, 'Loose him, and suffer to go.'
yet he having done so many signs before them, they were not believing in him,
believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and if not, because of the works themselves, believe me.
they answered him, 'No;' and he said to them, 'Cast the net at the right side of the boat, and ye shall find;' they cast, therefore, and no longer were they able to draw it, from the multitude of the fishes.
And fear came on every soul, many wonders also and signs were being done through the apostles,
And having seized him by the right hand, he raised him up, and presently his feet and ankles were strengthened,
and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things,
and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried her by her husband;
And through the hands of the apostles came many signs and wonders among the people, and they were with one accord all in the porch of Solomon;
so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay them upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even his shadow might overshadow some one of them;
and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison;
And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people,
and Simon also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.
and Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, heal thee doth Jesus the Christ; arise and spread for thyself;' and immediately he rose,
And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, 'Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up,
The messenger also said to him, 'Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;' and he did so; and he saith to him, 'Put thy garment round and be following me;'
and now, lo, a hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season;' and presently there fell upon him a mist and darkness, and he, going about, was seeking some to lead him by the hand;
this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved,
and this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, 'I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her;' and it came forth the same hour.
and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, opened also presently were all the doors, and of all -- the bands were loosed;
so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.
And Paul, having gone down, fell upon him, and having embraced him, said, 'Make no tumult, for his life is in him;'
but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid them upon the fire, a viper -- out of the heat having come -- did fasten on his hand.
and it came to pass, the father of Publius with feverish heats and dysentery pressed, was laid, unto whom Paul having entered, and having prayed, having laid his hands on him, healed him;
and to another in-workings of mighty deeds; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; and to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues:
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;
for I delivered to you first, what also I did receive, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Writings, and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,
and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,
him, whose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,
Morish
No sincere believer in the inspiration of scripture can have a doubt as to real miracles having been wrought by the power of God both in O.T. and N.T. times. It is philosophy so-called, or scepticism, that mystifies the subject. Much is said about 'the laws of nature;' and it is confidently affirmed that these are irrevocable and cannot be departed from. To which is added that laws of nature previously unknown are frequently being discovered, and if our forefathers could witness the application of some of the more recent discoveries, as the computer, mobile telephone, etc., they would judge that miracles were being performed. So, it is argued, the actions recorded in scripture as miracles, were merely the bringing into use some law of nature which had been hidden up to that time.
All this is based upon a fallacy. There are no laws of nature, as if nature made its own laws: there are laws in nature, which God in His wisdom as Creator was pleased to make; but He who made those laws has surely the same power to suspend them when He pleases. Though laws in nature hitherto unknown are being discovered from time to time, they in no way account for such things as dead persons being raised to life, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame walking, and demons being cast out of those who were possessed by them. Neither has natural philosophy discovered any law that will account for such a thing as an iron axe-head swimming in water. The simple truth is that God, for wise purposes, allowed some of the natural laws to be suspended, and at times He put forth His almighty power, as in supplying the Israelites with manna from heaven, and in feeding thousands from a few loaves and fishes, or by recalling life that had left the body.
The words translated 'miracle' in the O.T. are
1. oth, 'a sign,' as it is often translated, and in some places 'token.' Nu 14:22; De 11:3.
2. mopheth, 'a wonder,' as it is mostly translated: it is something out of the ordinary course of events. Ex 7:9; De 29:3.
3. pala, 'wonderful, marvellous.' Jg 6:13.
Moses was enabled to work miracles for two distinct objects. One was in order to convince the children of Israel that God had sent him. God gave him three signs to perform before them: his rod became a serpent, and was again a rod; his hand became leprous, and was then restored; and he could turn the water of the Nile into blood. Ex 4:1-9.
The other miracles, wrought by him in Egypt, were to show to Pharaoh the mighty power of God, who said, I will "multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt . . . . and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt." Ex 7:3-5. The ten plagues followed, which were miracles or signs of the power of God
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Moses answereth and saith, 'And, if they do not give credence to me, nor hearken to my voice, and say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee?' And Jehovah saith unto him, 'What is this in thy hand?' and he saith, 'A rod;' read more. and He saith, 'Cast it to the earth;' and he casteth it to the earth, and it becometh a serpent -- and Moses fleeth from its presence. And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Put forth thy hand, and lay hold on the tail of it;' and he putteth forth his hand, and layeth hold on it, and it becometh a rod in his hand -- -- so that they believe that Jehovah, God of their fathers, hath appeared unto thee, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.' And Jehovah saith to him again, 'Put in, I pray thee, thy hand into thy bosom;' and he putteth in his hand into his bosom, and he bringeth it out, and lo, his hand is leprous as snow; and He saith, 'Put back thy hand unto thy bosom;' and he putteth back his hand unto his bosom, and he bringeth it out from his bosom, and lo, it hath turned back as his flesh -- -- and it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence to thee, and hearken not to the voice of the first sign, that they have given credence to the voice of the latter sign. And it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence even to these two signs, nor hearken to thy voice, that thou hast taken of the waters of the River, and hast poured on the dry land, and the waters which thou takest from the River have been, yea, they have become -- blood on the dry land.'
'And I harden the heart of Pharaoh, and have multiplied My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt, and Pharaoh doth not hearken, and I have put My hand on Egypt, and have brought out My hosts, My people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments; read more. and the Egyptians have known that I am Jehovah, in My stretching out My hand against Egypt; and I have brought out the sons of Israel from their midst.'
When Pharaoh speaketh unto you, saying, Give for yourselves a wonder; then thou hast said unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast before Pharaoh -- it becometh a monster.' And Moses goeth in -- Aaron also -- unto Pharaoh, and they do so as Jehovah hath commanded; and Aaron casteth his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it becometh a monster. read more. And Pharaoh also calleth for wise men, and for sorcerers; and the scribes of Egypt, they also, with their flashings, do so, and they cast down each his rod, and they become monsters, and the rod of Aaron swalloweth their rods;
And Moses and Aaron do so, as Jehovah hath commanded, and he lifteth up his hand with the rod, and smiteth the waters which are in the River, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants, and all the waters which are in the River are turned to blood, and the fish which is in the River hath died, and the River stinketh, and the Egyptians have not been able to drink water from the River; and the blood is in all the land of Egypt. read more. And the scribes of Egypt do so with their flashings, and the heart of Pharaoh is strong, and he hath not hearkened unto them, as Jehovah hath spoken, and Pharaoh turneth and goeth in unto his house, and hath not set his heart even to this; and all the Egyptians seek water round about the river to drink, for they have not been able to drink of the waters of the River. And seven days are completed after Jehovah's smiting the River,
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy hand, with thy rod, against the streams, against the rivers, and against the ponds, and cause the frogs to come up against the land of Egypt.' And Aaron stretcheth out his hand against the waters of Egypt, and the frog cometh up, and covereth the land of Egypt; read more. and the scribes do so with their flashings, and cause the frogs to come up against the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh calleth for Moses and for Aaron, and saith, 'Make supplication unto Jehovah, that he turn aside the frogs from me, and from my people, and I send the people away, and they sacrifice to Jehovah.' And Moses saith to Pharaoh, 'Beautify thyself over me; when do I make supplication for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee and from thy houses -- only in the River they do remain?' and he saith, 'To-morrow.' And he saith, According to thy word it is, so that thou knowest that there is none like Jehovah our God, and the frogs have turned aside from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; only in the River they do remain.' And Moses -- Aaron also -- goeth out from Pharaoh, and Moses crieth unto Jehovah, concerning the matter of the frogs which He hath set on Pharaoh; and Jehovah doth according to the word of Moses, and the frogs die out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields, and they heap them up together, and the land stinketh.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it hath become gnats in all the land of Egypt.' And they do so, and Aaron stretcheth out his hand with his rod, and smiteth the dust of the land, and the gnats are on man and on beast; all the dust of the land hath been gnats in all the land of Egypt. read more. And the scribes do so with their flashings, to bring out the gnats, and they have not been able, and the gnats are on man and on beast;
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Rise early in the morning, and station thyself before Pharaoh, lo, he is going out to the waters, and thou hast said unto him, Thus said Jehovah, Send My people away, and they serve Me; for, if thou art not sending My people away, lo, I am sending against thee, and against thy servants, and against thy people, and against thy houses, the beetle, and the houses of the Egyptians have been full of the beetle, and also the ground on which they are. read more. And I have separated in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people are staying, that the beetle is not there, so that thou knowest that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land, and I have put a division between My people and thy people: to-morrow is this sign.' And Jehovah doth so, and the grievous beetle entereth the house of Pharaoh, and the house of his servants, and in all the land of Egypt the land is corrupted from the presence of the beetle.
lo, the hand of Jehovah is on thy cattle which are in the field, on horses, on asses, on camels, on herd, and on flock -- a pestilence very grievous. 'And Jehovah hath separated between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt, and there doth not die a thing of all the sons of Israel's; read more. and Jehovah setteth an appointed time, saying, To-morrow doth Jehovah do this thing in the land.' And Jehovah doth this thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt die, and of the cattle of the sons of Israel not one hath died;
And Jehovah saith unto Moses and unto Aaron, 'Take to you the fulness of your hands of soot of a furnace, and Moses hath sprinkled it towards the heavens, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and it hath become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and it hath become on man and on cattle a boil breaking forth with blains, in all the land of Egypt.' read more. And they take the soot of the furnace, and stand before Pharaoh, and Moses sprinkleth it towards the heavens, and it is a boil with blains, breaking forth, on man and on beast; and the scribes have not been able to stand before Moses, because of the boil, for the boil hath been on the scribes, and on all the Egyptians.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch forth thy hand towards the heavens, and there is hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on beast, and on every herb of the field in the land of Egypt.' And Moses stretcheth out his rod towards the heavens, and Jehovah hath given voices and hail, and fire goeth towards the earth, and Jehovah raineth hail on the land of Egypt, read more. and there is hail, and fire catching itself in the midst of the hail, very grievous, such as hath not been in all the land of Egypt since it hath become a nation. And the hail smiteth in all the land of Egypt all that is in the field, from man even unto beast, and every herb of the field hath the hail smitten, and every tree of the field it hath broken; only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel are, there hath been no hail.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand against the land of Egypt for the locust, and it goeth up against the land of Egypt, and doth eat every herb of the land -- all that the hail hath left.' And Moses stretcheth out his rod against the land of Egypt, and Jehovah hath led an east wind over the land all that day, and all the night; the morning hath been, and the east wind hath lifted up the locust. read more. And the locust goeth up against all the land of Egypt, and resteth in all the border of Egypt -- very grievous: before it there hath not been such a locust as it, and after it there is none such; and it covereth the eye of all the land, and the land is darkened; and it eateth every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail hath left, and there hath not been left any green thing in the trees, or in the herb of the field, in all the land of Egypt.' And Pharaoh hasteth to call for Moses and for Aaron, and saith, 'I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you, and now, bear with, I pray you, my sin, only this time, and make ye supplication to Jehovah your God, that He turn aside from off me only this death.' And he goeth out from Pharaoh, and maketh supplication unto Jehovah, and Jehovah turneth a very strong sea wind, and it lifteth up the locust, and bloweth it into the Red Sea -- there hath not been left one locust in all the border of Egypt;
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness is felt.' And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness -- thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; read more. they have not seen one another, and none hath risen from his place three days; and to all the sons of Israel there hath been light in their dwellings.'
And it cometh to pass, at midnight, that Jehovah hath smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive who is in the prison-house, and every first-born of beasts. And Pharaoh riseth by night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there is a great cry in Egypt, for there is not a house where there is not one dead,
And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the sea, and Jehovah causeth the sea to go on by a strong east wind all the night, and maketh the sea become dry ground, and the waters are cleaved, and the sons of Israel go into the midst of the sea, on dry land, and the waters are to them a wall, on their right and on their left. read more. And the Egyptians pursue, and go in after them (all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen) unto the midst of the sea, and it cometh to pass, in the morning watch, that Jehovah looketh unto the camp of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubleth the camp of the Egyptians, and turneth aside the wheels of their chariots, and they lead them with difficulty, and the Egyptians say, 'Let us flee from the face of Israel, for Jehovah is fighting for them against the Egyptians.' And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand toward the sea, and the waters turn back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.' And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the sea, and the sea turneth back, at the turning of the morning, to its perennial flow, and the Egyptians are fleeing at its coming, and Jehovah shaketh off the Egyptians in the midst of the sea, and the waters turn back, and cover the chariots and the horsemen, even all the force of Pharaoh, who are coming in after them into the sea -- there hath not been left of them even one. And the sons of Israel have gone on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters are to them a wall, on their right and on their left; and Jehovah saveth Israel in that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel seeth the Egyptians dead on the sea-shore, and Israel seeth the great hand with which Jehovah hath wrought against the Egyptians, and the people fear Jehovah, and remain stedfast in Jehovah, and in Moses His servant.
and they come in to Marah, and have not been able to drink the waters of Marah, for they are bitter; therefore hath one called its name Marah. And the people murmur against Moses, saying, 'What do we drink?' read more. and he crieth unto Jehovah, and Jehovah sheweth him a tree, and he casteth unto the waters, and the waters become sweet. There He hath made for them a statute, and an ordinance, and there He hath tried them,
and the lying of the dew goeth up, and lo, on the face of the wilderness a thin, bare thing, thin as hoar-frost on the earth. And the sons of Israel see, and say one unto another, 'What is it?' for they have not known what it is; and Moses saith unto them, 'It is the bread which Jehovah hath given to you for food. read more. This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded: Gather of it each according to his eating, an omer for a poll; and the number of your persons, take ye each for those in his tent.' And the sons of Israel do so, and they gather, he who is gathering much, and he who is gathering little; and they measure with an omer, and he who is gathering much hath nothing over, and he who is gathering little hath no lack, each according to his eating they have gathered. And Moses saith unto them, 'Let no man leave of it till morning;' and they have not hearkened unto Moses, and some of them do leave of it till morning, and it bringeth up worms and stinketh; and Moses is wroth with them. And they gather it morning by morning, each according to his eating; when the sun hath been warm, then it hath melted. And it cometh to pass on the sixth day, they have gathered a second bread, two omers for one, and all the princes of the company come in, and declare to Moses. And he saith unto them, 'It is that which Jehovah hath spoken of; a rest -- a holy sabbath to Jehovah -- is to-morrow; that which ye bake, bake; and that which ye boil, boil; and all that is over, let rest for yourselves in charge till the morning.' And they let it rest until the morning, as Moses hath commanded, and it hath not stank, and a worm hath not been in it. And Moses saith, 'Eat it to-day, for to-day is a sabbath to Jehovah; to-day ye find it not in the field: six days ye do gather it, and in the seventh day -- the sabbath -- in it there is none.' And it cometh to pass on the seventh day, some of the people have gone out to gather, and have not found. And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'How long have ye refused to keep My commands, and My laws? see, because Jehovah hath given to you the sabbath, therefore He is giving to you on the sixth day bread of two days; abide ye each in his place, no one doth go out from his place on the seventh day.' And the people rest on the seventh day, and the house of Israel call its name Manna, and it is as coriander seed, white; and its taste is as a cake with honey. And Moses saith, 'This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded: Fill the omer with it, for a charge for your generations, so that they see the bread which I have caused you to eat in the wilderness, in My bringing you out from the land of Egypt.' And Moses saith unto Aaron, 'Take one pot, and put there the fulness of the omer of manna, and let it rest before Jehovah, for a charge for your generations;' as Jehovah hath given commandment unto Moses, so doth Aaron let it rest before the Testimony, for a charge. And the sons of Israel have eaten the manna forty years, until their coming in unto the land to be inhabited; the manna they have eaten till their coming in unto the extremity of the land of Canaan.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Pass over before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel, and thy rod with which thou hast smitten the River take in thy hand, and thou hast gone: Lo, I am standing before thee there on the rock in Horeb, and thou hast smitten on the rock, and waters have come out from it, and the people have drunk.' And Moses doth so before the eyes of the elders of Israel, read more. and he calleth the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the 'strife' of the sons of Israel, and because of their 'trying' Jehovah, saying, 'Is Jehovah in our midst or not?'
And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, take each his censer, and put in them fire, and put on it perfume, and bring near before Jehovah strange fire, which He hath not commanded them; and fire goeth out from before Jehovah, and consumeth them, and they die before Jehovah.
for all the men who are seeing My honour, and My signs, which I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and try Me these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice --
for all the men who are seeing My honour, and My signs, which I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and try Me these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice --
And it cometh to pass at his finishing speaking all these words, that the ground which is under them cleaveth, and the earth openeth her mouth, and swalloweth them, and their houses, and all the men who are for Korah, and all the goods, read more. and they go down, they, and all that they have, alive to Sheol, and the earth closeth over them, and they perish from the midst of the assembly; and all Israel who are round about them have fled at their voice, for they said, 'Lest the earth swallow us;' and fire hath come out from Jehovah, and consumeth the two hundred and fifty men bringing near the perfume. And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 'Say unto Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, and he lifteth up the censers from the midst of the burning, and the fire scatter thou yonder, for they have been hallowed, even the censers of these sinners against their own souls; and they have made them spread-out plates, a covering for the altar, for they have brought them near before Jehovah, and they are hallowed; and they are become a sign to the sons of Israel.' And Eleazar the priest taketh the brazen censers which they who are burnt had brought near, and they spread them out, a covering for the altar -- a memorial to the sons of Israel, so that a stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron doth not draw near to make a perfume before Jehovah, and is not as Korah, and as his company, -- as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses to him.
And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Moses goeth in unto the tent of the testimony, and lo, the rod of Aaron hath flourished for the house of Levi, and is bringing out flourishing, and doth blossom blossoms, and doth produce almonds;
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 'Take the rod, and assemble the company, thou and Aaron thy brother; and ye have spoken unto the rock before their eyes, and it hath given its water, and thou hast brought out to them water from the rock, and hast watered the company, and their beasts.' read more. And Moses taketh the rod from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him, and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly unto the front of the rock, and he saith to them, 'Hear, I pray you, O rebels, from this rock do we bring out to you water?' and Moses lifteth up his hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and the company drink, also their beasts.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Make for thee a burning serpent, and set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it -- he hath lived. And Moses maketh a serpent of brass, and setteth it on the ensign, and it hath been, if the serpent hath bitten any man, and he hath looked expectingly unto the serpent of brass -- he hath lived.
And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab, and the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants are with him, read more. and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way. And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards -- a wall on this side and a wall on that -- and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her; and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside -- right or left -- and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff. And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, 'What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?' and Balaam saith to the ass, 'Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;' and the ass saith unto Balaam, 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since I was thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, 'No.' And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face; and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I -- I have come out for an adversary, for thy way hath been perverse before me, and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.' And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, 'I have sinned, for I did not know that thou art standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes -- I turn back by myself.' And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, 'Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.
and His signs, and His doings, which He hath done in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to all his land;
And it cometh to pass, in the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and at those bearing the ark coming in unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark have been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its banks all the days of harvest) -- read more. that the waters stand; those coming down from above have risen -- one heap, very far above Adam the city, which is at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through over-against Jericho; and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan -- established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan.
And Joshua son of Nun calleth unto the priests, and saith unto them, 'Bear ye the ark of the covenant, and seven priests do bear seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark of Jehovah;' and He said unto the people, 'Pass over, and compass the city, and he who is armed doth pass over before the ark of Jehovah.' read more. And it cometh to pass, when Joshua speaketh unto the people, that the seven priests bearing seven trumpets of the jubilee before Jehovah have passed over and blown with the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is going after them; and he who is armed is going before the priests blowing the trumpets, and he who is gathering up is going after the ark, going on and blowing with the trumpets; and the people hath Joshua commanded, saying, 'Ye do not shout, nor cause your voice to be heard, nor doth there go out from your mouth a word, till the day of my saying unto you, Shout ye -- then ye have shouted.' And the ark of Jehovah doth compass the city, going round once, and they come into the camp, and lodge in the camp. And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and the priests bear the ark of Jehovah, and seven priests bearing seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark of Jehovah are walking, going on, and they have blown with the trumpets -- and he who is armed is going before them, and he who is gathering up is going behind the ark of Jehovah -- going on and blowing with the trumpets. And they compass the city on the second day once, and turn back to the camp; thus they have done six days. And it cometh to pass, on the seventh day, that they rise early, at the ascending of the dawn, and compass the city, according to this manner, seven times; (only, on that day they have compassed the city seven times); and it cometh to pass, at the seventh time, the priests have blown with the trumpets, and Joshua saith unto the people, 'Shout ye, for Jehovah hath given to you the city; and the city hath been devoted, it and all that is in it, to Jehovah; only Rahab the harlot doth live, she and all who are with her in the house, for she hid the messengers whom we sent; and surely ye have kept from the devoted thing, lest ye devote yourselves, and have taken from the devoted thing, and have made the camp of Israel become a devoted thing, and have troubled it; and all the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, holy they are to Jehovah; into the treasury of Jehovah they come.' And the people shout, and blow with the trumpets, and it cometh to pass when the people hear the voice of the trumpet, that the people shout -- a great shout, and the wall falleth under it, and the people goeth up into the city, each over-against him, and they capture the city; and they devote all that is in the city, from man even unto woman, from young even unto aged, even unto ox, and sheep, and ass, by the mouth of the sword. And to the two men who are spying the land Joshua said, 'Go into the house of the woman, the harlot, and bring out thence the woman, and all whom she hath, as ye have sworn to her.' And the young man, the spies, go in and bring out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all whom she hath; yea, all her families they have brought out, and place them at the outside of the camp of Israel. And the city they have burnt with fire, and all that is in it; only, the silver and the gold, and the vessels of brass, and of iron, they have given to the treasury of the house of Jehovah; and Rahab the harlot, and the house of her father, and all whom she hath, hath Joshua kept alive; and she dwelleth in the midst of Israel unto this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Then speaketh Joshua to Jehovah in the day of Jehovah's giving up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he saith, before the eyes of Israel, 'Sun -- in Gibeon stand still; and moon -- in the valley of Ajalon;' and the sun standeth still, and the moon hath stood -- till the nation taketh vengeance on its enemies; is it not written on the Book of the Upright, 'and the sun standeth in the midst of the heavens, and hath not hasted to go in -- as a perfect day?' read more. And there hath not been like that day before it or after it, for Jehovah's hearkening to the voice of a man; for Jehovah is fighting for Israel.
And Gideon saith unto him, 'O, my lord -- and Jehovah is with us! -- and why hath all this found us? and where are all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Hath not Jehovah brought us up out of Egypt? and now Jehovah hath left us, and doth give us into the hand of Midian.'
And Gideon saith unto him, 'O, my lord -- and Jehovah is with us! -- and why hath all this found us? and where are all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Hath not Jehovah brought us up out of Egypt? and now Jehovah hath left us, and doth give us into the hand of Midian.'
And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the word of the man of God that he calleth against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam putteth forth his hand from off the altar, saying, 'Catch him;' and his hand is dried up that he hath put forth against him, and he is not able to bring it back unto him, and the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah. read more. And the king answereth and saith unto the man of God, 'Appease, I pray thee, the face of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, and my hand doth come back unto me;' and the man of God appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and the hand of the king cometh back unto him, and it is as at the beginning.
for thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, The pitcher of meal is not consumed, and the dish of oil is not lacking, till the day of Jehovah's giving a shower on the face of the ground.' And she goeth, and doth according to the word of Elijah, and she eateth, she and he, and her household -- days; read more. the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the dish of oil did not lack, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Elijah. And it cometh to pass, after these things, the son of the woman, mistress of the house, hath been sick, and his sickness is very severe till that no breath hath been left in him. And she saith unto Elijah, 'What -- to me and to thee, O man of God? thou hast come unto me to cause mine iniquity to be remembered, and to put my son to death!' And he saith unto her, 'Give to me thy son;' and he taketh him out of her bosom, and taketh him up unto the upper chamber where he is abiding, and layeth him on his own bed, and crieth unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Jehovah my God, also on the widow with whom I am sojourning hast Thou done evil -- to put her son to death?' And he stretcheth himself out on the lad three times, and calleth unto Jehovah, and saith, 'O Jehovah my God, let turn back, I pray Thee, the soul of this lad into his midst;' and Jehovah hearkeneth to the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the lad turneth back into his midst, and he liveth. And Elijah taketh the lad, and bringeth him down from the upper chamber of the house, and giveth him to his mother, and Elijah saith, 'See, thy son liveth!' And the woman saith unto Elijah, 'Now, this I have known, that a man of God thou art, and the word of Jehovah in thy mouth is truth.'
-- and fifty men of the sons of the prophets have gone on, and stand over-against afar off -- and both of them have stood by the Jordan. And Elijah taketh his robe, and wrappeth it together, and smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and they pass over both of them on dry land.
And it cometh to pass, they are going, going on and speaking, and lo, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separate between them both, and Elijah goeth up in a whirlwind, to the heavens.
and he taketh the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smiteth the waters, and saith, 'Where is Jehovah, God of Elijah -- even He?' and he smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passeth over.
And the men of the city say unto Elisha, 'Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city is good, as my lord seeth, and the waters are bad, and the earth sterile.' And he saith, 'Bring to me a new dish, and place there salt;' and they bring it unto him, read more. and he goeth out unto the source of the waters, and casteth there salt, and saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, I have given healing to these waters; there is not thence any more death and sterility.' And the waters are healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha, that he spake.
and he saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches -- ditches; for thus said Jehovah, Ye do not see wind, nor do ye see rain, and that valley is full of water, and ye have drunk -- ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. read more. 'And this hath been light in the eyes of Jehovah, and he hath given Moab into your hand, and ye have smitten every fenced city, and every choice city, and every good tree ye cause to fall, and all fountains of waters ye stop, and every good portion ye mar with stones.' And it cometh to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the morning -present, that lo, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,
And Elisha saith unto her, 'What do I do for thee? declare to me, what hast thou in the house?' and she saith, 'Thy maid-servant hath nothing in the house except a pot of oil.' And he saith, 'Go, ask for thee vessels from without, from all thy neighbours -- empty vessels -- let them not be few; read more. and thou hast entered, and shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and hast poured out into all these vessels, and the full ones thou dost remove.' And she goeth from him, and shutteth the door upon her, and upon her sons; they are bringing nigh unto her, and she is pouring out, and it cometh to pass, at the filling of the vessels, that she saith unto her son, 'Bring nigh unto me a vessel more,' and he saith unto her, 'There is not a vessel more;' and the oil stayeth. And she cometh and declareth to the man of God, and he saith, 'Go, sell the oil, and repay thy loan; and thou and thy sons do live of the rest.'
And Elisha cometh in to the house, and lo, the youth is dead, laid on his bed, and he goeth in and shutteth the door upon them both, and prayeth unto Jehovah. read more. And he goeth up, and lieth down on the lad, and putteth his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands, and stretcheth himself upon him, and the flesh of the lad becometh warm; and he turneth back and walketh in the house, once hither and once thither, and goeth up and stretcheth himself upon him, and the youth sneezeth till seven times, and the youth openeth his eyes. And he calleth unto Gehazi, and saith, 'Call unto this Shunammite;' and he calleth her, and she cometh in unto him, and he saith, 'Lift up thy son.' And she goeth in, and falleth at his feet, and boweth herself to the earth, and lifteth up her son, and goeth out. And Elisha hath turned back to Gilgal, and the famine is in the land, and the sons of the prophets are sitting before him, and he saith to his young man, 'Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.' And one goeth out unto the field to gather herbs, and findeth a vine of the field, and gathereth of it gourds of the field -- the fulness of his garment -- and cometh in and splitteth them into the pot of pottage, for they knew them not; and they pour out for the men to eat, and it cometh to pass at their eating of the pottage, that they have cried out, and say, 'Death is in the pot, O man of God!' and they have not been able to eat. And he saith, 'Then bring ye meal;' and he casteth into the pot, and saith, 'Pour out for the people, and they eat;' and there was no evil thing in the pot. And a man hath come from Baal-Shalishah, and bringeth in to the man of God bread of first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in its husk, and he saith, 'Give to the people, and they eat.' And his minister saith, 'What -- do I give this before a hundred men?' and he saith, 'Give to the people, and they eat, for thus said Jehovah, Eat and leave;' and he giveth before them, and they eat and leave, according to the word of Jehovah.
and Elisha sendeth unto him a messenger, saying, 'Go, and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh doth turn back to thee -- and be thou clean. And Naaman is wroth, and goeth on, and saith, 'Lo, I said, Unto me he doth certainly come out, and hath stood and called in the name of Jehovah his God, and waved his hand over the place, and recovered the leper. read more. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? do I not wash in them and I have been clean?' and he turneth and goeth on in fury. And his servants come nigh, and speak unto him, and say, 'My father, a great thing had the prophet spoken unto thee -- dost thou not do it? and surely, when he hath said unto thee, Wash, and be clean.' And he goeth down and dippeth in Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh doth turn back as the flesh of a little youth, and is clean.
and it cometh to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron hath fallen into the water, and he crieth and saith, 'Alas! my lord, and it asked!' And the man of God saith, 'Whither hath it fallen?' and he sheweth him the place, and he cutteth a stick, and casteth thither, and causeth the iron to swim, read more. and saith, 'Raise to thee;' and he putteth forth his hand and taketh it.
and it cometh to pass, they are burying a man, and lo, they have seen the troop, and cast the man into the grave of Elisha, and the man goeth and cometh against the bones of Elisha, and liveth, and riseth on his feet.
And Isaiah saith, 'This is to thee the sign from Jehovah, that Jehovah doth the thing that He hath spoken -- The shadow hath gone on ten degrees, or it doth turn back ten degrees?' And Hezekiah saith, 'It hath been light for the shadow to incline ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees.' read more. And Isaiah the prophet calleth unto Jehovah, and He bringeth back the shadow by the degrees that it had gone down in the degrees of Ahaz -- backward ten degrees.
Then Nebuchadnezzar hath been full of fury, and the expression of his face hath been changed concerning Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; he answered and said to heat the furnace seven times above that which it is seen to be heated; and to certain mighty men who are in his force he hath said to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, to cast into the burning fiery furnace. read more. Then these men have been bound in their coats, their tunics, and their turbans, and their clothing, and have been cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because that the word of the king is urgent, and the furnace heated exceedingly, those men who have taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego -- killed them hath the spark of the fire. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, have fallen down in the midst of the burning fiery furnace -- bound. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king hath been astonished, and hath risen in haste; he hath answered and said to his counsellors, 'Have we not cast three men into the midst of the fire -- bound?' They have answered and are saying to the king, 'Certainly, O king.' He answered and hath said, 'Lo, I am seeing four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like to a son of the gods.' Then Nebuchadnezzar hath drawn near to the gate of the burning fiery furnace; he hath answered and said, 'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of God Most High come forth, yea, come;' then come forth do Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, from the midst of the fire; and gathered together, the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the counsellors of the king, are seeing these men, that the fire hath no power over their bodies, and the hair of their head hath not been singed, and their coats have not changed, and the smell of fire hath not passed on them.
Then the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast him into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, 'Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.' And a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel. read more. Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled from off him. Then doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone; and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?' Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: 'O king, to the ages live: my God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.' Then was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.
and lo, a leper having come, was bowing to him, saying, 'Sir, if thou art willing, thou art able to cleanse me;' and having stretched forth the hand, Jesus touched him, saying, 'I will, be thou cleansed,' and immediately his leprosy was cleansed. read more. And Jesus saith to him, 'See, thou mayest tell no one, but go, thyself shew to the priest, and bring the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them.' And Jesus having entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion calling upon him, and saying, 'Sir, my young man hath been laid in the house a paralytic, fearfully afflicted,' and Jesus saith to him, 'I, having come, will heal him.' And the centurion answering said, 'Sir, I am not worthy that thou mayest enter under my roof, but only say a word, and my servant shall be healed; for I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Be coming, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.' And Jesus having heard, did wonder, and said to those following, 'Verily I say to you, not even in Israel so great faith have I found; and I say to you, that many from east and west shall come and recline (at meat) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the reign of the heavens, but the sons of the reign shall be cast forth to the outer darkness -- there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.' And Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go, and as thou didst believe let it be to thee;' and his young man was healed in that hour. And Jesus having come into the house of Peter, saw his mother-in-law laid, and fevered, and he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose, and was ministering to them.
And when he entered into the boat his disciples did follow him, and lo, a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves, but he was sleeping, read more. and his disciples having come to him, awoke him, saying, 'Sir, save us; we are perishing.' And he saith to them, 'Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' Then having risen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm; and the men wondered, saying, 'What kind -- is this, that even the wind and the sea do obey him?' And he having come to the other side, to the region of the Gergesenes, there met him two demoniacs, coming forth out of the tombs, very fierce, so that no one was able to pass over by that way, and lo, they cried out, saying, 'What -- to us and to thee, Jesus, Son of God? didst thou come hither, before the time, to afflict us?' And there was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding, and the demons were calling on him, saying, 'If thou dost cast us forth, permit us to go away to the herd of the swine;' and he saith to them, 'Go.' And having come forth, they went to the herd of the swine, and lo, the whole herd of the swine rushed down the steep, to the sea, and died in the waters, and those feeding did flee, and, having gone to the city, they declared all, and the matter of the demoniacs. And lo, all the city came forth to meet Jesus, and having seen him, they called on him that he might depart from their borders.
and lo, they were bringing to him a paralytic, laid upon a couch, and Jesus having seen their faith, said to the paralytic, 'Be of good courage, child, thy sins have been forgiven thee.' And lo, certain of the scribes said within themselves, 'This one doth speak evil.' read more. And Jesus, having known their thoughts, said, 'Why think ye evil in your hearts? for which is easier? to say, The sins have been forgiven to thee; or to say, Rise, and walk? But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon the earth to forgive sins -- (then saith he to the paralytic) -- having risen, take up thy couch, and go to thy house.' And he, having risen, went to his house,
While he is speaking these things to them, lo, a ruler having come, was bowing to him, saying that 'My daughter just now died, but, having come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.' And Jesus having risen, did follow him, also his disciples, read more. and lo, a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, having come to him behind, did touch the fringe of his garments,
and lo, a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, having come to him behind, did touch the fringe of his garments, for she said within herself, 'If only I may touch his garment, I shall be saved.'
for she said within herself, 'If only I may touch his garment, I shall be saved.' And Jesus having turned about, and having seen her, said, 'Be of good courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee,' and the woman was saved from that hour.
And Jesus having turned about, and having seen her, said, 'Be of good courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee,' and the woman was saved from that hour. And Jesus having come to the house of the ruler, and having seen the minstrels and the multitude making tumult, read more. he saith to them, 'Withdraw, for the damsel did not die, but doth sleep,' and they were deriding him; but, when the multitude was put forth, having gone in, he took hold of her hand, and the damsel arose, and the fame of this went forth to all the land. And Jesus passing on thence, two blind men followed him, calling and saying, 'Deal kindly with us, Son of David.' And he having come to the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus saith to them, 'Believe ye that I am able to do this?' They say to him, 'Yes, sir.' Then touched he their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you,' and their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, 'See, let no one know;' but they, having gone forth, did spread his fame in all that land. And as they are coming forth, lo, they brought to him a man dumb, a demoniac, and the demon having been cast out, the dumb spake, and the multitude did wonder, saying that 'It was never so seen in Israel:'
and lo, there was a man having the hand withered, and they questioned him, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths?' that they might accuse him. And he said to them, 'What man shall be of you, who shall have one sheep, and if this may fall on the sabbaths into a ditch, will not lay hold on it and raise it? read more. How much better, therefore, is a man than a sheep? -- so that it is lawful on the sabbaths to do good.' Then saith he to the man, 'Stretch forth thy hand,' and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole as the other.
Then was brought to him a demoniac, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
and evening having come, his disciples came to him, saying, 'The place is desolate, and the hour hath now past, let away the multitudes that, having gone to the villages, they may buy to themselves food.' And Jesus said to them, 'They have no need to go away -- give ye them to eat.' read more. And they say to him, 'We have not here except five loaves, and two fishes.' And he said, 'Bring ye them to me hither.' And having commanded the multitudes to recline upon the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he did bless, and having broken, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes, and they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full; and those eating were about five thousand men, apart from women and children.
and the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea, read more. and the disciples having seen him walking upon the sea, were troubled saying -- 'It is an apparition,' and from the fear they cried out; and immediately Jesus spake to them, saying, 'Be of good courage, I am he, be not afraid.' And Peter answering him said, 'Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;' and he said, 'Come;' and having gone down from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters to come unto Jesus, but seeing the wind vehement, he was afraid, and having begun to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Sir, save me.' And immediately Jesus, having stretched forth the hand, laid hold of him, and saith to him, 'Little faith! for what didst thou waver?' and they having gone to the boat the wind lulled, and those in the boat having come, did bow to him, saying, 'Truly -- God's Son art thou.'
And Jesus having come forth thence, withdrew to the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, 'Deal kindly with me, Sir -- Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.' read more. And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying -- 'Let her away, because she crieth after us;' and he answering said, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, 'Sir, help me;' and he answering said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast to the little dogs.' And she said, 'Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table;' then answering, Jesus said to her, 'O woman, great is thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.
And Jesus having called near his disciples, said, 'I have compassion upon the multitude, because now three days they continue with me, and they have not what they may eat; and to let them away fasting I will not, lest they faint in the way.' And his disciples say to him, 'Whence to us, in a wilderness, so many loaves, as to fill so great a multitude?' read more. And Jesus saith to them, 'How many loaves have ye?' and they said, 'Seven, and a few little fishes.' And he commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the ground, and having taken the seven loaves and the fishes, having given thanks, he did break, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces seven baskets full, and those eating were four thousand men, apart from women and children.
And when they came unto the multitude, there came to him a man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 'Sir, deal kindly with my son, for he is lunatic, and doth suffer miserably, for often he doth fall into the fire, and often into the water, read more. and I brought him near to thy disciples, and they were not able to heal him.' And Jesus answering said, 'O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you? till when shall I bear you? bring him to me hither;' and Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out of him, and the lad was healed from that hour.
And they having come to Capernaum, those receiving the didrachms came near to Peter, and said, 'Your teacher -- doth he not pay the didrachms?' He saith, 'Yes.' And when he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, 'What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth -- from whom do they receive custom or poll-tax? from their sons or from the strangers?' read more. Peter saith to him, 'From the strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then are the sons free; but, that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that hath come up first take thou up, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater, that having taken, give to them for me and thee.'
and lo, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus doth pass by, cried, saying, 'Deal kindly with us, sir -- Son of David.' And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, 'Deal kindly with us sir -- Son of David.' read more. And having stood, Jesus called them, and said, 'What will ye that I may do to you?' they say to him, 'Sir, that our eyes may be opened;' and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
and in the morning turning back to the city, he hungered, and having seen a certain fig-tree on the way, he came to it, and found nothing in it except leaves only, and he saith to it, 'No more from thee may fruit be -- to the age;' and forthwith the fig-tree withered. read more. And the disciples having seen, did wonder, saying, 'How did the fig-tree forthwith wither?' And Jesus answering said to them, 'Verily I say to you, If ye may have faith, and may not doubt, not only this of the fig-tree shall ye do, but even if to this mount ye may say, Be lifted up and be cast into the sea, it shall come to pass; and all -- as much as ye may ask in the prayer, believing, ye shall receive.'
for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, 'Away! what -- to us and to thee, Jesus the Nazarene? thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art -- the Holy One of God.' read more. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silenced, and come forth out of him,' and the unclean spirit having torn him, and having cried with a great voice, came forth out of him, and they were all amazed, so as to reason among themselves, saying, 'What is this? what new teaching is this? that with authority also the unclean spirits he commandeth, and they obey him!' And the fame of him went forth immediately to all the region, round about, of Galilee.
and the mother-in-law of Simon was lying fevered, and immediately they tell him about her, and having come near, he raised her up, having laid hold of her hand, and the fever left her immediately, and she was ministering to them.
and there doth come to him a leper, calling on him, and kneeling to him, and saying to him -- 'If thou mayest will, thou art able to cleanse me.' And Jesus having been moved with compassion, having stretched forth the hand, touched him, and saith to him, 'I will; be thou cleansed;' read more. and he having spoken, immediately the leprosy went away from him, and he was cleansed. And having sternly charged him, immediately he put him forth, and saith to him, 'See thou mayest say nothing to any one, but go away, thyself shew to the priest, and bring near for thy cleansing the things Moses directed, for a testimony to them.' And he, having gone forth, began to proclaim much, and to spread abroad the thing, so that no more he was able openly to enter into the city, but he was without in desert places, and they were coming unto him from every quarter.
And they come unto him, bringing a paralytic, borne by four, and not being able to come near to him because of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they let down the couch on which the paralytic was lying, read more. and Jesus having seen their faith, saith to the paralytic, 'Child, thy sins have been forgiven thee.' And there were certain of the scribes there sitting, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one -- God?' And immediately Jesus, having known in his spirit that they thus reason in themselves, said to them, 'Why these things reason ye in your hearts? which is easier, to say to the paralytic, The sins have been forgiven to thee? or to say, Rise, and take up thy couch, and walk? And, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority on the earth to forgive sins -- (he saith to the paralytic) -- I say to thee, Rise, and take up thy couch, and go away to thy house;' and he rose immediately, and having taken up the couch, he went forth before all, so that all were astonished, and do glorify God, saying -- 'Never thus did we see.'
and having let away the multitude, they take him up as he was in the boat, and other little boats also were with him. And there cometh a great storm of wind, and the waves were beating on the boat, so that it is now being filled, read more. and he himself was upon the stern, upon the pillow sleeping, and they wake him up, and say to him, 'Teacher, art thou not caring that we perish?' And having waked up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be stilled;' and the wind did lull, and there was a great calm: and he said to them, 'Why are ye so fearful? how have ye not faith?' and they feared a great fear, and said one to another, 'Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea do obey him?'
And they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gadarenes, and he having come forth out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, read more. who had his dwelling in the tombs, and not even with chains was any one able to bind him, because that he many times with fetters and chains had been bound, and pulled in pieces by him had been the chains, and the fetters broken in pieces, and none was able to tame him, and always, night and day, in the mountains, and in the tombs he was, crying and cutting himself with stones. And, having seen Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed before him, and having called with a loud voice, he said, 'What -- to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God the Most High? I adjure thee by God, mayest thou not afflict me!' (for he said to him, 'Come forth, spirit unclean, out of the man,') and he was questioning him, 'What is thy name?' and he answered, saying, 'Legion is my name, because we are many;' and he was calling on him much, that he may not send them out of the region. And there was there, near the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding, and all the demons did call upon him, saying, 'Send us to the swine, that into them we may enter;' and immediately Jesus gave them leave, and having come forth, the unclean spirits did enter into the swine, and the herd did rush down the steep place to the sea -- and they were about two thousand -- and they were choked in the sea. And those feeding the swine did flee, and told in the city, and in the fields, and they came forth to see what it is that hath been done; and they come unto Jesus, and see the demoniac, sitting, and clothed, and right-minded -- him having had the legion -- and they were afraid; and those having seen it, declared to them how it had come to pass to the demoniac, and about the swine; and they began to call upon him to go away from their borders. And he having gone into the boat, the demoniac was calling on him that he may be with him, and Jesus did not suffer him, but saith to him, 'Go away to thy house, unto thine own friends, and tell them how great things the Lord did to thee, and dealt kindly with thee; and he went away, and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things Jesus did to him, and all were wondering.
and lo, there doth come one of the chiefs of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and having seen him, he doth fall at his feet, and he was calling upon him much, saying -- 'My little daughter is at the last extremity -- that having come, thou mayest lay on her thy hands, so that she may be saved, and she shall live;' read more. and he went away with him. And there was following him a great multitude, and they were thronging him, and a certain woman, having an issue of blood twelve years,
and a certain woman, having an issue of blood twelve years, and many things having suffered under many physicians, and having spent all that she had, and having profited nothing, but rather having come to the worse,
and many things having suffered under many physicians, and having spent all that she had, and having profited nothing, but rather having come to the worse, having heard about Jesus, having come in the multitude behind, she touched his garment,
having heard about Jesus, having come in the multitude behind, she touched his garment, for she said -- 'If even his garments I may touch, I shall be saved;'
for she said -- 'If even his garments I may touch, I shall be saved;' and immediately was the fountain of her blood dried up, and she knew in the body that she hath been healed of the plague.
and immediately was the fountain of her blood dried up, and she knew in the body that she hath been healed of the plague. And immediately Jesus having known in himself that out of him power had gone forth, having turned about in the multitude, said, 'Who did touch my garments?'
And immediately Jesus having known in himself that out of him power had gone forth, having turned about in the multitude, said, 'Who did touch my garments?' and his disciples said to him, 'Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and thou sayest, 'Who did touch me!'
and his disciples said to him, 'Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and thou sayest, 'Who did touch me!' And he was looking round to see her who did this,
And he was looking round to see her who did this, and the woman, having been afraid, and trembling, knowing what was done on her, came, and fell down before him, and told him all the truth,
and the woman, having been afraid, and trembling, knowing what was done on her, came, and fell down before him, and told him all the truth, and he said to her, 'Daughter, thy faith hath saved thee; go away in peace, and be whole from thy plague.'
and he said to her, 'Daughter, thy faith hath saved thee; go away in peace, and be whole from thy plague.' As he is yet speaking, there come from the chief of the synagogue's house, certain, saying -- 'Thy daughter did die, why still dost thou harass the Teacher?' read more. And Jesus immediately, having heard the word that is spoken, saith to the chief of the synagogue, 'Be not afraid, only believe.' And he did not suffer any one to follow with him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James; and he cometh to the house of the chief of the synagogue, and seeth a tumult, much weeping and wailing; and having gone in he saith to them, 'Why do ye make a tumult, and weep? the child did not die, but doth sleep; and they were laughing at him. And he, having put all forth, doth take the father of the child, and the mother, and those with him, and goeth in where the child is lying, and, having taken the hand of the child, he saith to her, 'Talitha cumi;' which is, being interpreted, 'Damsel (I say to thee), arise.' And immediately the damsel arose, and was walking, for she was twelve years old; and they were amazed with a great amazement, and he charged them much, that no one may know this thing, and he said that there be given to her to eat.
And now the hour being advanced, his disciples having come near to him, say, -- 'The place is desolate, and the hour is now advanced, let them away, that, having gone away to the surrounding fields and villages, they may buy to themselves loaves, for what they may eat they have not.' read more. And he answering said to them, 'Give ye them to eat,' and they say to him, 'Having gone away, may we buy two hundred denaries' worth of loaves, and give to them to eat?' And he saith to them, 'How many loaves have ye? go and see;' and having known, they say, 'Five, and two fishes.' And he commanded them to make all recline in companies upon the green grass, and they sat down in squares, by hundreds, and by fifties. And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves, and was giving to his disciples, that they may set before them, and the two fishes divided he to all, and they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up of broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full, and of the fishes, and those eating of the loaves were about five thousand men.
And evening having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone upon the land; and he saw them harassed in the rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth watch of the night he doth come to them walking on the sea, and wished to pass by them. read more. And they having seen him walking on the sea, thought it to be an apparition, and cried out, for they all saw him, and were troubled, and immediately he spake with them, and saith to them, 'Take courage, I am he, be not afraid.' And he went up unto them to the boat, and the wind lulled, and greatly out of measure were they amazed in themselves, and were wondering,
having run about through all that region round about, they began upon the couches to carry about those ill, where they were hearing that he is, and wherever he was going, to villages, or cities, or fields, in the market-places they were laying the infirm, and were calling upon him, that they may touch if it were but the fringe of his garment, and as many as were touching him were saved.
And from thence having risen, he went away to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and having entered into the house, he wished none to know, and he was not able to be hid, for a woman having heard about him, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having come, fell at his feet, -- read more. and the woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phenician by nation -- and was asking him, that the demon he may cast forth out of her daughter. And Jesus said to her, 'Suffer first the children to be filled, for it is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the little dogs.' And she answered and saith to him, 'Yes, sir; for the little dogs also under the table do eat of the children's crumbs.' And he said to her, 'Because of this word go; the demon hath gone forth out of thy daughter;' and having come away to her house, she found the demon gone forth, and the daughter laid upon the couch. And again, having gone forth from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, and they bring to him a deaf, stuttering man, and they call on him that he may put the hand on him. And having taken him away from the multitude by himself, he put his fingers to his ears, and having spit, he touched his tongue, and having looked to the heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be thou opened;' and immediately were his ears opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plain. And he charged them that they may tell no one, but the more he was charging them, the more abundantly they were proclaiming it, and they were being beyond measure astonished, saying, 'Well hath he done all things; both the deaf he doth make to hear, and the dumb to speak.'
And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring to him one blind, and call upon him that he may touch him, and having taken the hand of the blind man, he led him forth without the village, and having spit on his eyes, having put his hands on him, he was questioning him if he doth behold anything: read more. and he, having looked up, said, 'I behold men, as I see trees, walking.' Afterwards again he put his hands on his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and discerned all things clearly, and he sent him away to his house, saying, 'Neither to the village mayest thou go, nor tell it to any in the village.'
And having come unto the disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them, and immediately, all the multitude having seen him, were amazed, and running near, were saluting him. read more. And he questioned the scribes, 'What dispute ye with them?' and one out of the multitude answering said, 'Teacher, I brought my son unto thee, having a dumb spirit; and wherever it doth seize him, it doth tear him, and he foameth, and gnasheth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to thy disciples that they may cast it out, and they were not able.' And he answering him, said, 'O generation unbelieving, till when shall I be with you? till when shall I suffer you? bring him unto me;' and they brought him unto him, and he having seen him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing -- foaming. And he questioned his father, 'How long time is it since this came to him?' and he said, 'From childhood, and many times also it cast him into fire, and into water, that it might destroy him; but if thou art able to do anything, help us, having compassion on us.' And Jesus said to him, 'If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;' and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, 'I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.' Jesus having seen that a multitude doth run together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, 'Spirit -- dumb and deaf -- I charge thee, come forth out of him, and no more thou mayest enter into him;' and having cried, and rent him much, it came forth, and he became as dead, so that many said that he was dead, but Jesus, having taken him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose.
And they come to Jericho, and as he is going forth from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, a son of Timaeus -- Bartimaeus the blind -- was sitting beside the way begging, and having heard that it is Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, and to say, 'The Son of David -- Jesus! deal kindly with me;' read more. and many were rebuking him, that he might keep silent, but the more abundantly he cried out, 'Son of David, deal kindly with me.' And Jesus having stood, he commanded him to be called, and they call the blind man, saying to him, 'Take courage, rise, he doth call thee;' and he, having cast away his garment, having risen, did come unto Jesus. And answering, Jesus saith to him, 'What wilt thou I may do to thee?' and the blind man said to him, 'Rabboni, that I may see again;' and Jesus said to him, 'Go, thy faith hath saved thee:' and immediately he saw again, and was following Jesus in the way.
And on the morrow, they having come forth from Bethany, he hungered, and having seen a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if perhaps he shall find anything in it, and having come to it, he found nothing except leaves, for it was not a time of figs, read more. and Jesus answering said to it, 'No more from thee -- to the age -- may any eat fruit;' and his disciples were hearing. And they come to Jerusalem, and Jesus having gone into the temple, began to cast forth those selling and buying in the temple, and the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those selling the doves, he overthrew, and he did not suffer that any might bear a vessel through the temple, and he was teaching, saying to them, 'Hath it not been written -- My house a house of prayer shall be called for all the nations, and ye did make it a den of robbers?' And the scribes and the chief priests heard, and they were seeking how they shall destroy him, for they were afraid of him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching; and when evening came, he was going forth without the city. And in the morning, passing by, they saw the fig-tree having been dried up from the roots, and Peter having remembered saith to him, 'Rabbi, lo, the fig-tree that thou didst curse is dried up.' And Jesus answering saith to them, 'Have faith of God; for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, Be taken up, and be cast into the sea, and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say. Because of this I say to you, all whatever -- praying -- ye do ask, believe that ye receive, and it shall be to you.
he who hath believed, and hath been baptized, shall be saved; and he who hath not believed, shall be condemned. 'And signs shall accompany those believing these things; in my name demons they shall cast out; with new tongues they shall speak; read more. serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.'
And in the synagogue was a man, having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a great voice, saying, 'Away, what -- to us and to thee, Jesus, O Nazarene? thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art -- the Holy One of God.' read more. And Jesus did rebuke him, saying, 'Be silenced, and come forth out of him;' and the demon having cast him into the midst, came forth from him, having hurt him nought; and amazement came upon all, and they were speaking together, with one another, saying, 'What is this word, that with authority and power he doth command the unclean spirits, and they come forth?' and there was going forth a fame concerning him to every place of the region round about. And having risen out of the synagogue, he entered into the house of Simon, and the mother-in-law of Simon was pressed with a great fever, and they did ask him about her, and having stood over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her, and presently, having risen, she was ministering to them.
And it came to pass, in the multitude pressing on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats standing beside the lake, and the fishers, having gone away from them, were washing the nets, read more. and having entered into one of the boats, that was Simon's, he asked him to put back a little from the land, and having sat down, was teaching the multitudes out of the boat. And when he left off speaking, he said unto Simon, 'Put back to the deep, and let down your nets for a draught;' and Simon answering said to him, 'Master, through the whole night, having laboured, we have taken nothing, but at thy saying I will let down the net.' And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking, and they beckoned to the partners, who are in the other boat, having come, to help them; and they came, and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking. And Simon Peter having seen, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, 'Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O lord;' for astonishment seized him, and all those with him, at the draught of the fishes that they took, and in like manner also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon; and Jesus said unto Simon, 'Fear not, henceforth thou shalt be catching men;' and they, having brought the boats upon the land, having left all, did follow him. And it came to pass, in his being in one of the cities, that lo, a man full of leprosy, and having seen Jesus, having fallen on his face, he besought him, saying, 'Sir, if thou mayest will, thou art able to cleanse me;' and having stretched forth his hand, he touched him, having said, 'I will; be thou cleansed;' and immediately the leprosy went away from him. And he charged him to tell no one, 'But, having gone away, shew thyself to the priest, and bring near for thy cleansing according as Moses directed, for a testimony to them;' but the more was the report going abroad concerning him, and great multitudes were coming together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities,
And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him, and not having found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the house-top, through the tiles they let him down, with the little couch, into the midst before Jesus, read more. and he having seen their faith, said to him, 'Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.' And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, 'Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?' And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, 'What reason ye in your hearts? which is easier -- to say, Thy sins have been forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk? And that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority upon the earth to forgive sins -- (he said to the one struck with palsy) -- I say to thee, Arise, and having taken up thy little couch, be going on to thy house.' And presently having risen before them, having taken up that on which he was lying, he went away to his house, glorifying God, and astonishment took all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying -- 'We saw strange things to-day.'
And it came to pass also, on another sabbath, that he goeth into the synagogue, and teacheth, and there was there a man, and his right hand was withered, and the scribes and the Pharisees were watching him, if on the sabbath he will heal, that they might find an accusation against him. read more. And he himself had known their reasonings, and said to the man having the withered hand, 'Rise, and stand in the midst;' and he having risen, stood. Then said Jesus unto them, 'I will question you something: Is it lawful on the sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? life to save or to kill?' And having looked round on them all, he said to the man, 'Stretch forth thy hand;' and he did so, and his hand was restored whole as the other; and they were filled with madness, and were speaking with one another what they might do to Jesus.
And when he completed all his sayings in the ears of the people, he went into Capernaum; and a certain centurion's servant being ill, was about to die, who was much valued by him, read more. and having heard about Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, beseeching him, that having come he might thoroughly save his servant. And they, having come near unto Jesus, were calling upon him earnestly, saying -- 'He is worthy to whom thou shalt do this, for he doth love our nation, and the synagogue he did build to us.' And Jesus was going on with them, and now when he is not far distant from the house the centurion sent unto him friends, saying to him, 'Sir, be not troubled, for I am not worthy that under my roof thou mayest enter; wherefore not even myself thought I worthy to come unto thee, but say in a word, and my lad shall be healed; for I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Be coming, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.' And having heard these things Jesus wondered at him, and having turned to the multitude following him, he said, 'I say to you, not even in Israel so much faith did I find;' and those sent, having turned back to the house, found the ailing servant in health. And it came to pass, on the morrow, he was going on to a city called Nain, and there were going with him many of his disciples, and a great multitude, and as he came nigh to the gate of the city, then, lo, one dead was being carried forth, an only son of his mother, and she a widow, and a great multitude of the city was with her. And the Lord having seen her, was moved with compassion towards her, and said to her, 'Be not weeping;' and having come near, he touched the bier, and those bearing it stood still, and he said, 'Young man, to thee I say, Arise;' and the dead sat up, and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother; and fear took hold of all, and they were glorifying God, saying -- 'A great prophet hath risen among us,' and -- 'God did look upon His people.' And the account of this went forth in all Judea about him, and in all the region around.
And it came to pass, on one of the days, that he himself went into a boat with his disciples, and he said unto them, 'We may go over to the other side of the lake;' and they set forth, and as they are sailing he fell deeply asleep, and there came down a storm of wind to the lake, and they were filling, and were in peril. read more. And having come near, they awoke him, saying, 'Master, master, we perish;' and he, having arisen, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there came a calm, and he said to them, 'Where is your faith?' and they being afraid did wonder, saying unto one another, 'Who, then, is this, that even the winds he doth command, and the water, and they obey him?' And they sailed down to the region of the Gadarenes, that is over-against Galilee, and he having gone forth upon the land, there met him a certain man, out of the city, who had demons for a long time, and with a garment was not clothed, and in a house was not abiding, but in the tombs, and having seen Jesus, and having cried out, he fell before him, and with a loud voice, said, 'What -- to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech thee, mayest thou not afflict me!' For he commanded the unclean spirit to come forth from the man, for many times it had caught him, and he was being bound with chains and fetters -- guarded, and breaking asunder the bonds he was driven by the demons to the deserts. And Jesus questioned him, saying, 'What is thy name?' and he said, 'Legion,' (because many demons were entered into him,) and he was calling on him, that he may not command them to go away to the abyss, and there was there a herd of many swine feeding in the mountain, and they were calling on him, that he might suffer them to enter into these, and he suffered them, and the demons having gone forth from the man, did enter into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep to the lake, and were choked. And those feeding them, having seen what was come to pass, fled, and having gone, told it to the city, and to the fields; and they came forth to see what was come to pass, and they came unto Jesus, and found the man sitting, out of whom the demons had gone forth, clothed, and right-minded, at the feet of Jesus, and they were afraid; and those also having seen it, told them how the demoniac was saved. And the whole multitude of the region of the Gadarenes round about asked him to go away from them, because with great fear they were pressed, and he having entered into the boat, did turn back. And the man from whom the demons had gone forth was beseeching of him to be with him, and Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Turn back to thy house, and tell how great things God did to thee;' and he went away through all the city proclaiming how great things Jesus did to him.
and lo, there came a man, whose name is Jairus, and he was a chief of the synagogue, and having fallen at the feet of Jesus, was calling on him to come to his house; because he had an only daughter about twelve years old, and she was dying. And in his going away, the multitudes were thronging him, read more. and a woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, who, having spent on physicians all her living, was not able to be healed by any,
and a woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, who, having spent on physicians all her living, was not able to be healed by any, having come near behind, touched the fringe of his garment, and presently the issue of her blood stood.
having come near behind, touched the fringe of his garment, and presently the issue of her blood stood. And Jesus said, 'Who is it that touched me?' and all denying, Peter and those with him said, 'Master, the multitudes press thee, and throng thee, and thou dost say, Who is it that touched me!'
And Jesus said, 'Who is it that touched me?' and all denying, Peter and those with him said, 'Master, the multitudes press thee, and throng thee, and thou dost say, Who is it that touched me!' And Jesus said, 'Some one did touch me, for I knew power having gone forth from me.'
And Jesus said, 'Some one did touch me, for I knew power having gone forth from me.' And the woman, having seen that she was not hid, trembling, came, and having fallen before him, for what cause she touched him declared to him before all the people, and how she was healed presently;
And the woman, having seen that she was not hid, trembling, came, and having fallen before him, for what cause she touched him declared to him before all the people, and how she was healed presently; and he said to her, 'Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee, be going on to peace.'
and he said to her, 'Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee, be going on to peace.' While he is yet speaking, there doth come a certain one from the chief of the synagogue's house, saying to him -- 'Thy daughter hath died, harass not the Teacher;' read more. and Jesus having heard, answered him, saying, 'Be not afraid, only believe, and she shall be saved.' And having come to the house, he suffered no one to go in, except Peter, and James, and John, and the father of the child, and the mother; and they were all weeping, and beating themselves for her, and he said, 'Weep not, she did not die, but doth sleep; and they were deriding him, knowing that she did die; and he having put all forth without, and having taken hold of her hand, called, saying, 'Child, arise;' and her spirit came back, and she arose presently, and he directed that there be given to her to eat; and her parents were amazed, but he charged them to say to no one what was come to pass.
And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, 'Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.' And he said unto them, 'Give ye them to eat;' and they said, 'We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;' read more. for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, 'Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;' and they did so, and made all to recline; and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude; and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.
And it came to pass on the next day, they having come down from the mount, there met him a great multitude, and lo, a man from the multitude cried out, saying, 'Teacher, I beseech thee, look upon my son, because he is my only begotten; read more. and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him, and I besought thy disciples that they might cast it out, and they were not able.' And Jesus answering said, 'O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring near hither thy son;' and as he is yet coming near, the demon rent him, and tore him sore, and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the youth, and gave him back to his father.
And he was casting forth a demon, and it was dumb, and it came to pass, the demon having gone forth, the dumb man spake, and the multitudes wondered,
and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all, and Jesus having seen her, did call her near, and said to her, 'Woman, thou hast been loosed from thy infirmity;' read more. and he laid on her his hands, and presently she was set upright, and was glorifying God. And the chief of the synagogue answering -- much displeased that on the sabbath Jesus healed -- said to the multitude, 'Six days there are in which it behoveth us to be working; in these, then, coming, be healed, and not on the sabbath-day.' Then the Lord answered him and said, 'Hypocrite, doth not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or ass from the stall, and having led away, doth water it? and this one, being a daughter of Abraham, whom the Adversary bound, lo, eighteen years, did it not behove to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?' And he saying these things, all who were opposed to him were being ashamed, and all the multitude were rejoicing over all the glorious things that are being done by him.
And it came to pass, in his going on to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee, and he entering into a certain village, there met him ten leprous men, who stood afar off, read more. and they lifted up the voice, saying, 'Jesus, master, deal kindly with us;' and having seen them, he said to them, 'Having gone on, shew yourselves to the priests;' and it came to pass, in their going, they were cleansed, and one of them having seen that he was healed did turn back, with a loud voice glorifying God, and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving thanks to him, and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, 'Were not the ten cleansed, and the nine -- where? There were not found who did turn back to give glory to God, except this alien;' and he said to him, 'Having risen, be going on, thy faith hath saved thee.'
And it came to pass, in his coming nigh to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the way begging, and having heard a multitude going by, he was inquiring what this may be, read more. and they brought him word that Jesus the Nazarene doth pass by, and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, deal kindly with me;' and those going before were rebuking him, that he might be silent, but he was much more crying out, 'Son of David, deal kindly with me.' And Jesus having stood, commanded him to be brought unto him, and he having come nigh, he questioned him, saying, 'What wilt thou I shall do to thee?' and he said, 'Sir, that I may receive sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee;' and presently he did receive sight, and was following him, glorifying God; and all the people, having seen, did give praise to God.
And a certain one of them smote the servant of the chief priest, and took off his right ear, and Jesus answering said, 'Suffer ye thus far,' and having touched his ear, he healed him.
And the third day a marriage happened in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there, and also Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage; read more. and wine having failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, 'Wine they have not;' Jesus saith to her, 'What -- to me and to thee, woman? not yet is mine hour come.' His mother saith to the ministrants, 'Whatever he may say to you -- do.' And there were there six water-jugs of stone, placed according to the purifying of the Jews, holding each two or three measures. Jesus saith to them, 'Fill the water-jugs with water;' and they filled them -- unto the brim; and he saith to them, 'Draw out, now, and bear to the director of the apartment;' and they bare. And as the director of the apartment tasted the water become wine, and knew not whence it is, (but the ministrants knew, who have drawn the water,) the director of the feast doth call the bridegroom, and saith to him, 'Every man, at first, the good wine doth set forth; and when they may have drunk freely, then the inferior; thou didst keep the good wine till now.' This beginning of the signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him;
Jesus came, therefore, again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine, and there was a certain courtier, whose son was ailing in Capernaum, he, having heard that Jesus is come out of Judea to Galilee, went away unto him, and was asking him that he may come down and may heal his son, for he was about to die. read more. Jesus then said unto him, 'If signs and wonders ye may not see, ye will not believe.' The courtier saith unto him, 'Sir, come down before my child die;' Jesus saith to him, 'Be going on; thy son doth live.' And the man believed the word that Jesus said to him, and was going on, and he now going down, his servants met him, and told, saying -- 'Thy child doth live;' he inquired then of them the hour in which he became better, and they said to him -- 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him;' then the father knew that it was in that hour in which Jesus said to him -- 'Thy son doth live,' and he himself believed, and his whole house; this again a second sign did Jesus, having come out of Judea to Galilee.
Jesus then having lifted up his eyes and having seen that a great multitude doth come to him, saith unto Philip, 'Whence shall we buy loaves, that these may eat?' -- and this he said, trying him, for he himself had known what he was about to do. read more. Philip answered him, 'Two hundred denaries' worth of loaves are not sufficient to them, that each of them may receive some little;' one of his disciples -- Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter -- saith to him, There is one little lad here who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes, but these -- what are they to so many?' And Jesus said, 'Make the men to sit down;' and there was much grass in the place, the men then sat down, in number, as it were, five thousand, and Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those reclining, in like manner, also of the little fishes as much as they wished. And when they were filled, he saith to his disciples, 'Gather together the broken pieces that are over, that nothing may be lost;' they gathered together, therefore, and filled twelve hand-baskets with broken pieces, from the five barley loaves that were over to those having eaten. The men, then, having seen the sign that Jesus did, said -- 'This is truly the Prophet, who is coming to the world;'
And when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, and having entered into the boat, they were going over the sea to Capernaum, and darkness had already come, and Jesus had not come unto them, read more. the sea also -- a great wind blowing -- was being raised, having pushed onwards, therefore, about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and coming nigh to the boat, and they were afraid; and he saith to them, 'I am he, be not afraid;' they were willing then to receive him into the boat, and immediately the boat came unto the land to which they were going.
Jesus, therefore, again groaning in himself, cometh to the tomb, and it was a cave, and a stone was lying upon it, Jesus saith, 'Take ye away the stone;' the sister of him who hath died -- Martha -- saith to him, 'Sir, already he stinketh, for he is four days dead;' read more. Jesus saith to her, 'Said I not to thee, that if thou mayest believe, thou shalt see the glory of God?' They took away, therefore, the stone where the dead was laid, and Jesus lifted his eyes upwards, and said, 'Father, I thank Thee, that Thou didst hear me; and I knew that Thou always dost hear me, but, because of the multitude that is standing by, I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send me.' And these things saying, with a loud voice he cried out, 'Lazarus, come forth;' and he who died came forth, being bound feet and hands with grave-clothes, and his visage with a napkin was bound about; Jesus saith to them, 'Loose him, and suffer to go.'
After these things did Jesus manifest himself again to the disciples on the sea of Tiberias, and he did manifest himself thus: There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. read more. Simon Peter saith to them, 'I go away to fish;' they say to him, 'We go -- we also -- with thee;' they went forth and entered into the boat immediately, and on that night they caught nothing. And morning being now come, Jesus stood at the shore, yet indeed the disciples did not know that it is Jesus; Jesus, therefore, saith to them, 'Lads, have ye any meat?' they answered him, 'No;' and he said to them, 'Cast the net at the right side of the boat, and ye shall find;' they cast, therefore, and no longer were they able to draw it, from the multitude of the fishes. That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus was loving saith to Peter, 'The Lord it is!' Simon Peter, therefore, having heard that it is the Lord, did gird on the outer coat, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea; and the other disciples came by the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but as it were about two hundred cubits off, dragging the net of the fishes; when, therefore, they came to the land, they behold a fire of coals lying, and a fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus saith to them, 'Bring ye from the fishes that ye caught now;' Simon Peter went up, and drew the net up on the land, full of great fishes, an hundred fifty and three, and though they were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus saith to them, 'Come ye, dine;' and none of the disciples was venturing to inquire of him, 'Who art thou?' knowing that it is the Lord; Jesus, therefore, doth come and take the bread and give to them, and the fish in like manner; this is now a third time Jesus was manifested to his disciples, having been raised from the dead.
And there are also many other things -- as many as Jesus did -- which, if they may be written one by one, not even the world itself I think to have place for the books written. Amen.
'Men, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;
And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one,
and having gone through the island unto Paphos, they found a certain magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name is Bar-Jesus; who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; this one having called for Barnabas and Saul, did desire to hear the word of God, read more. and there withstood them Elymas the magian -- for so is his name interpreted -- seeking to pervert the proconsul from the faith.
and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning them before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found it five myriads of silverlings;
The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,
him, whose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,
The salutation by the hand of me, Paul, which is a sign in every letter; thus I write;
and it doth great signs, that fire also it may make to come down from the heaven to the earth before men, and it leadeth astray those dwelling on the land, because of the signs that were given it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling upon the land to make an image to the beast that hath the stroke of the sword and did live,
Smith
Miracles.
A miracle may be defined to be a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man. It is not, therefore, the wonder, the exception to common experience, that constitutes the miracle, as is assumed both in the popular use of the word and by most objectors against miracles. No phenomenon in nature, however unusual, no event in the course of God's providence, however unexpected, is a miracle unless it can be traced to the agency of man (including prayer under the term agency), and unless it be put forth as a proof of divine mission. Prodigies and special providences are not miracles. (A miracle is not a violation of the laws of nature. It is God's acting upon nature in a degree far beyond our powers, but the same king of act as our wills are continually exerting upon nature. We do not in lifting a stone interfere with any law of nature, but exert a higher force among the laws. Prof. Tyndall says that "science does assert that without a disturbance of natural law quite as serious as the stoppage of an eclipse, or the rolling of the St. Lawrence up the falls of Niagara, no act of humiliation, individual or nation, could call one shower from heaven." And yet men by firing cannon during battle can cause a shower: does that cause such a commotion among the laws of nature? The exertion of a will upon the laws does not make a disturbance of natural law; and a miracle is simply the exertion of God's will upon nature. --ED.) Again, the term "nature" suggests to many persons the idea of a great system of things endowed with powers and forces of its own --a sort of machine, set a-going originally by a first cause, but continuing its motions of itself. Hence we are apt to imagine that a change in the motion or operation of any part of it by God would produce the same disturbance of the other parts as such a change would be likely to produce in them if made by us or by any other natural agent. But if the motions and operations of material things be produced really by the divine will, then his choosing to change, for a special purpose, the ordinary motion of one part does not necessarily or probably imply his choosing to change the ordinary motions of other parts in a way not at all requisite for the accomplishment of that special purpose. It is as easy for him to continue the ordinary course of the rest, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change at all. Thus, though the stoppage of the motion of the earth in the ordinary course of nature would be attended with terrible convulsions, the stoppage of the earth miraculously, for a special purpose to be served by that only, would not of itself be followed by any such consequences. (Indeed, by the action of gravitation it could be stopped, as a stone thrown up is stopped, in less than two minutes, and yet so gently as not to stir the smallest feather or mote on its surface. --ED.) From the same conception of nature as a machine, we are apt to think of interferences with the ordinary course of nature as implying some imperfection in it. But it is manifest that this is a false analogy; for the reason why machines are made is to save us trouble; and, therefore, they are more perfect in proportion as they answer this purpose. But no one can seriously imagine that the universe is a machine for the purpose of saving trouble to the Almighty. Again, when miracles are described as "interferences with the law of nature," this description makes them appear improbable to many minds, from their not sufficiently considering that the laws of nature interfere with one another, and that we cannot get rid of "interferences" upon any hypothesis consistent with experience. The circumstances of the Christian miracles are utterly unlike those of any pretended instances of magical wonders. This difference consists in -- (1) The greatness, number, completeness and publicity of the miracles. (2) In the character of the miracles. They were all beneficial, helpful, instructive, and worthy of God as their author. (3) The natural beneficial tendency of the doctrine they attested. (4) The connection of them with a whole scheme of revelation extending from the origin of the human race to the time of Christ.
Watsons
MIRACLES. A miracle, in the popular sense, is a prodigy, or an extraordinary event, which surprises us by its novelty. In a more accurate and philosophic sense, a miracle is an effect which does not follow from any of the regular laws of nature, or which is inconsistent with some known law of it, or contrary to the settled constitution and course of things. Accordingly, all miracles presuppose an established system of nature, within the limits of which they operate, and with the order of which they disagree. Of a miracle in the theological sense many definitions have been given. That of Dr. Samuel Clarke is: "A miracle is a work effected in a manner unusual, or different from the common and regular method of providence, by the interposition of God himself, or of some intelligent agent superior to man, for the proof or evidence of some particular doctrine, or in attestation of the authority of some particular person." Mr. Hume has insidiously or erroneously maintained that a miracle is contrary to experience; but in reality it is only different from experience. Experience informs us that one event has happened often; testimony informs us that another event has happened once or more. That diseases should be generally cured by the application of external causes, and sometimes at the mere word of a prophet, and without the visible application of causes, are facts not inconsistent with each other in the nature of things themselves, nor irreconcilable according to our ideas. Each fact may arise from its own proper cause; each may exist independently of the other; and each is known by its own proper proof, whether of sense or testimony. As secret causes often produce events contrary to those we do expect from experience, it is equally conceivable that events should sometimes be produced which we do not expect. To pronounce, therefore, a miracle to be false, because it is different from experience, is only to conclude against its general existence from the very circumstance which constitutes its particular nature; for if it were not different from experience, where would be its singularity? or what particular proof could be drawn from it, if it happened according to the ordinary train of human events, or was included in the operation of the general laws of nature? We grant that it does differ from experience; but we do not presume to make our experience the standard of the divine conduct. He that acknowledges a God must, at least, admit the possibility of a miracle. The atheist, that makes him inseparable from what is called nature, and binds him to its laws by an insurmountable necessity; that deprives him of will, and wisdom, and power, as a distinct and independent Being; may deny even the very possibility of a miraculous interposition, which can in any instance suspend or counteract those general laws by which the world is governed. But he who allows of a First Cause in itself perfect and intelligent, abstractedly from those effects which his wisdom and power have produced, must at the same time allow that this cause can be under no such restraints as to be debarred the liberty of controlling its laws as often as it sees fit. Surely, the Being that made the world can govern it, or any part of it, in such a manner as he pleases; and he that constituted the very laws by which it is in general conducted, may suspend the operation of those laws in any given instance, or impress new powers on matter, in order to produce new and extraordinary effects.
In judging of miracles there are certain criteria, peculiar to the subject, sufficient to conduct our inquiries, and warrant our determination. Assuredly they do not appeal to our ignorance, for they presuppose not only the existence of a general order of things, but our actual knowledge of the appearance which that order exhibits, and of the secondary material causes from which it, in most cases, proceeds. If a miraculous event were effected by the immediate hand of God, and yet bore no mark of distinction from the ordinary effects of his agency, it would impress no conviction, and probably awaken no attention. Our knowledge of the ordinary course of things, though limited, is real; and therefore it is essential to a miracle, both that it differ from that course, and be accompanied with peculiar and unequivocal signs of such difference. We have been told that the course of nature is fixed and unalterable, and therefore it is not consistent with the immutability of God to perform miracles. But, surely, they who reason in this manner beg the point in question. We have no right to assume that the Deity has ordained such general laws as will exclude his interposition; and we cannot suppose that he would forbear to interfere where any important end could be answered. This interposition, though it controls, in particular cases, the energy, does not diminish the utility, of those laws. It leaves them to fulfil their own proper purposes, and affects only a distinct purpose, for which they were not calculated. If the course of nature implies the general laws of matter and motion, into which the most opposite phenomena may be resolved, it is certain that we do not yet know them in their full extent; and, therefore, that events, which are related by judicious and disinterested persons, and at the same time imply no gross contradiction, are possible in themselves, and capable of a certain degree of proof. If the course of nature implies the whole order of events which God has ordained for the government of the world, it includes both his ordinary and extraordinary dispensations, and among them miracles may have their place, as a part of the universal plan. It is, indeed, consistent with sound philosophy, and not inconsistent with pure religion, to acknowledge that they might be disposed by the supreme Being at the same time with the more ordinary effects of his power; that their causes and occasions might be arranged with the same regularity; and that, in reference chiefly to their concomitant circumstances of persons and times, to the specific ends for which they were employed, and to our idea of the immediate necessity there is for a divine agent, miracles would differ from common events, in which the hand of God acts as efficaciously, though less visibly. On this consideration of the subject, miracles, instead of contradicting nature, might form a part of it. But what our limited reason and scanty experience may comprehend should never be represented as a full and exact view of the possible or actual varieties which exist in the works of God.
2. If we be asked whether miracles are credible, we reply, that, abstractedly considered, they are not incredible; that they are capable of indirect proof from analogy, and of direct, from testimony; that in the common and daily course of worldly affairs, events, the improbability of which, antecedently to all testimony, was very great, are proved to have happened, by the authority of competent and honest witnesses; that the Christian miracles were objects of real and proper experience to those who saw them; and that whatsoever the senses of mankind can perceive, their report may substantiate. Should it be asked whether miracles were necessary, and whether the end proposed to be effected by them could warrant so immediate and extraordinary an interference of the Almighty, as such extraordinary operations suppose; to this we might answer, that, if the fact be established, all reasonings a priori concerning their necessity must be frivolous, and may be false. We are not capable of deciding on a question which, however simple in appearance, is yet too complex in its parts, and too extensive in its object, to be fully comprehended by the human understanding. Whether God could or could not have effected all the ends designed to be promoted by the Gospel, without deviating from the common course of his providence, and interfering with its general laws, is a speculation that a modest inquirer would carefully avoid; for it carries on the very face of it a degree of presumption totally unbecoming the state of a mortal being. Infinitely safer is it for us to acquiesce in what the Almighty has done, than
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jesus answering said to them, 'Having gone, declare to John the things that ye hear and see, blind receive sight, and lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear, dead are raised, and poor have good news proclaimed,
but the Pharisees having heard, said, 'This one doth not cast out demons, except by Beelzeboul, ruler of the demons.' And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, 'Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated, and no city or house having been divided against itself, doth stand, read more. and if the Adversary doth cast out the Adversary, against himself he was divided, how then doth his kingdom stand?
and we have known that God doth not hear sinners, but, if any one may be a worshipper of God, and may do His will, him He doth hear; from the age it was not heard, that any one did open eyes of one who hath been born blind; read more. if this one were not from God, he were not able to do anything.'
Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me;
if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me;
the chief priests, therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered together a sanhedrim, and said, 'What may we do? because this man doth many signs? if we may let him alone thus, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and will take away both our place and nation.'