"Where is the new-born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and have come to do homage to him."

'And thou, Bethlehem in Judah's land, Art in no way least among the chief cities of Judah; For out of thee will come a Chieftain- - One who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

It is you who are the Salt of the earth; but, if the salt should lose its strength, what will you use to restore its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown away, and trampled underfoot.

Let your words be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from what is wrong.

Take care not to perform your religious duties in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in Heaven has no reward for you.

But, when you do acts of charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in yours?

If you, then, wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those that ask him!

By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

Hence it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such men.

And then I shall say to them plainly 'I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.'

Then Jesus said to the Captain: "Go now, and it shall be according to your faith." And the man was cured that very hour.

And on getting to the other side--the country of the Gadarenes--Jesus met two men who were possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one was able to pass that way.

But, that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--then he said to the paralyzed man-- "Get up, take up your bed, and return to your home."

No man ever puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for such a patch tears away from the garment, and a worse rent is made.

Nor do people put new wine into old wine-skins; for, if they do, the skins burst, and the wine runs out, and the skins are lost; but they put new wine into fresh skins, and so both are preserved."

Then their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly cautioned them. "See that no one knows of it," he said.

If no one welcomes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave that house or that town, shake off its dust from your feet.

Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples,

And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me."

I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does any one fully know the Son, except the Father, or fully know the Father, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.

"It is a wicked and unfaithful generation," answered Jesus, "that is asking for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

No sooner does a foul spirit leave a man, than it passes through places where there is no water, in search of rest, and does not find it.

Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once.

As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away.

But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once.

By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.

'No,' said he, 'for fear that, while you are gathering the tares, you should root up the wheat as well.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

For John had said to him 'You have no right to be living with her.'

In the evening the disciples came up to him, and said: " This is a lonely spot, and the day is now far advanced; send the crowds away, that they may go to the villages, and buy themselves food."

He is in no way bound to honor his father.' In this way you have nullified the words of God on account of your traditions.

On this his disciples came up to him, and said: "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?"

A wicked and unfaithful generation is asking for a sign, but no sign shall be given it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and went away.

Now the disciples had crossed to the opposite shore, and had forgotten to take any bread.

But the disciples began talking among themselves about their having brought no bread.

"Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.

I tell you, some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Son of Man coming into his Kingdom."

When they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus himself alone.

So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."

"I tell you," answered Jesus, "that at the New Creation, 'when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,' you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.

But many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.

'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said.

Now when those who had been hired about five o'clock went up, they received two shillings each.

"You do not know what you are asking," was Jesus' answer. "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?" "Yes," they exclaimed, "we can."

Jesus, however, called the ten to him, and said: "The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them as you know, and their great men oppress them.

No, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to take the first place among you, must be your slave;

So the answer they gave Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," he said, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.

Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.'

They, however, took no notice, but went off, one to his farm, another to his business;

They sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of any one; for you pay no regard to a man's position.

That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:--

Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother.

For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven.

No one could say a word in answer; nor did any one after that day venture to question him further.

"The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses.

Jesus replied to them as follows: "See that no one leads you astray;

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

Learn the lesson taught by the fig tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

And so may you, as soon as you see all these things, know that he is at your doors.

But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself.

For, just as in the days of Noah, so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

In those days before the flood they went on eating and drinking, marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark,

But this you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them;

But the prudent ones answered 'No, for fear that there will not be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell it, and buy for yourselves.'

But the bridegroom answered 'I tell you, I do not know you.'

Therefore watch, since you know neither the Day nor the Hour.

'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!'

'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!'

The man who had received the six hundred pounds came up, too, and said 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man; you reap where you have not sown, and gather up where you have not winnowed;

'You lazy, worthless servant!' was his master's reply. 'You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather up where I have not winnowed?

For, when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I was thirsty, you gave me no drink;

"You know that in two days time the Festival of the Passover will be here; and that the Son of Man is to be given up to be crucified."

And I tell you that I shall never, after this, drink of this juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father."

Then he came to the disciples, and said: "Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. Hark! my time is close at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of wicked men.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. "The man whom I kiss," he had said, "will be the one; arrest him."

Then the High Priest stood up, and said to Jesus: "Have you no answer? What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?"

"Now play the Prophet for us, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?"

But Peter denied it before them all. "I do not know what you mean," he replied.

Again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man!"

Then Peter began to swear, with most solemn imprecations: "I do not know the man." At that moment a cock crowed;

While charges were being brought against him by the Chief Priests and Councillors, Jesus made no reply.

Yet Jesus made no reply--not even a single word; at which the Governor was greatly astonished.

Now, at the Feast, the Governor was accustomed to grant the people the release of any one prisoner whom they might choose.

For he knew that it was out of jealousy that they had given Jesus up to him.

"He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the 'King of Israel'! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

He has trusted in God; if God wants him, let him deliver him now; for he said 'I am God's Son.'"

But the angel, addressing the women, said; "You need not be afraid. I now that it is Jesus, who was crucified, for whom you are looking.

Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Now there was in their Synagogue at the time a man under the power of a foul spirit, who called out:

"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"

Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying ill with fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.

Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.

And so many people collected together, that after a while there was no room for them even round the door; and he began to tell them his Message.