And Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people;

Beware of false Teachers--men who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves. By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? read more. So, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while a worthless tree bears bad fruit. A sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a worthless tree bear good fruit. Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Hence it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such men. Not every one who says to me 'Master! Master!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. On 'That Day' many will say to me 'Master, Master, was not it in your name that we taught, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many miracles?' And then I shall say to them plainly 'I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.' Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock. The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for its foundations were upon the rock. And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck against that house, and it fell; and great was its downfall."

"Foxes have holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.'

That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the Sea,

That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the Sea, such great crowds gathered round him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood upon the beach.

such great crowds gathered round him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood upon the beach. Then he told them many truths in parables. "The sower," he began, "went out to sow; and,

Then he told them many truths in parables. "The sower," he began, "went out to sow; and, As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once.

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.

As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away. Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it.

Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it. Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.

Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold. Let him who has ears hear."

Let him who has ears hear." Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said: "Why do you speak to them in parables?" read more. "To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those.

"To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those. For, to all who have, more will be given, and they shall have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. read more. That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says--'You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, And, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving, For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, And with their ears they should hear, And in their mind they should understand, and should turn--And I should heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear; For I tell you that many Prophets and good men have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them. Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the Sower. When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path.

When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path. By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully;

By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully; 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.

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.

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. But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold."

But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold." Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But, while every one was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then went away.

But, while every one was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then went away. So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the tares made their appearance also.

So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the tares made their appearance also. On this the owner's servants came to him, and said 'Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the tares in it come from?'

On this the owner's servants came to him, and said 'Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the tares in it come from?' 'An enemy has done this,' was his answer. 'Do you wish us, then,' they asked,' to go and gather them together?'

'An enemy has done this,' was his answer. 'Do you wish us, then,' they asked,' to go and gather them together?' 'No,' said he, 'for fear that, while you are gathering the tares, you should root up the wheat as well. read more. Let both grow side by side till harvest; and then I shall say to the reapers, Gather the tares together first, and tie them in bundles for burning; but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"

in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet--'I will speak to them in parables; I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world.'

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.

Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and, to test Jesus, requested him to show them some sign from the heavens. But Jesus answered: [ "In the evening you say 'It will be fine weather, for the sky is as red as fire.' read more. But in the morning you say 'To-day it will be stormy, for the sky is as red as fire and threatening.' You learn to read the sky; yet you are unable to read the signs of the times!] 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.

On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him: "Who is really the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said: read more. "I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all. Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said 'Pay what you owe me.' Thereupon his fellow-servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. 'Have patience with me,' he said, 'and I will pay you.' read more. But the other would not, but went and put him in prison till he should pay his debt. When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him. Upon that the master sent for the servant, and said to him 'You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt. Ought not you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow- servant, just as I showed mercy to you?' Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt. So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his Brother from his heart."

"What is it that you want?" he asked. "I want you to say," she replied, "that in your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left."

What do you think of this? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the elder and said 'Go and work in the vineyard to-day my son.'

Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.

Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. When the time for the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his share of the produce. read more. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. A second time the owner sent some servants, a larger number than before, and the tenants treated them in the same way. As a last resource he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But the tenants, on seeing his son, said to each other 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, and threw him outside the vineyard, and killed him. Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" "Miserable wretches!" they exclaimed, "he will put them to a miserable death, and he will let out the vineyard to other tenants, who will pay him his share of the produce at the proper times." 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.' And that, I tell you, is why the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation that does produce the fruit of the Kingdom. Yes, and he who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces, while any one on whom it falls--it will scatter him as dust." After listening to these parables, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees saw that it was about them that he was speaking; Yet, although eager to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, who regarded him as a Prophet.

Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge. He gave three thousand pounds to one, twelve hundred to another, and six hundred to a third, in proportion to the ability of each. Then he set out on his travels. read more. The man who had received the three thousand pounds went at once and traded with it, and made another three thousand. So, too, the man who had received the twelve hundred pounds made another twelve hundred. But the man who had received the six hundred went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!' '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!' Then the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!' '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; And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!' '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? Then you ought to have placed my money in the hands of bankers, and I, on my return, should have received my money, with interest. 'Therefore,' he continued, 'take away from him the six hundred pounds, and give it to the one who has the six thousand. For, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him. As for the useless servant, 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'

When I was a stranger, you did not take me to your homes; when I was naked, you did not clothe me; and, when I was ill and in prison, you did not visit me.'

Jesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground, And then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing--he knows not how. read more. The ground bears the crop of itself--first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear; But, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he 'puts in the sickle because harvest has come'."

It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge--each having his special duty--and orders the porter to watch. Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming-- whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning-- read more. Lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all--Watch!"

All the people in the Synagogue, as they listened to this, became enraged.

"There were two people who were in debt to a money-lender; one owed fifty pounds, and the other five. As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?" read more. "I suppose," answered Simon, "it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt." "You are right," said Jesus,

"To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.'

To which Jesus replied: "A man was once going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him of everything, and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. As it chanced, a priest was going down by that road. He saw the man, but passed by on the opposite side. read more. A Levite, too, did the same; he came up to the spot, but, when he saw the man, passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan, traveling that way, came upon the man, and, when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, dressing them with oil and wine, and then put him on his own mule, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out four shillings and gave them to the inn-keeper. 'Take care of him,' he said, 'and whatever more you may spend I will myself repay you on my way back.' Now which, do you think, of these three men," asked Jesus, "proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" "The one that took pity on him," was the answer; on which Jesus said: "Go and do the same yourself."

Jesus also said to them: "Suppose that one of you who has a friend were to go to him in the middle of the night and say 'Friend, lend me three loaves, For a friend of mine has arrived at my house after a journey, and I have nothing to offer him;' read more. And suppose that the other should answer from inside 'Do not trouble me; the door is already fastened, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'; I tell you that, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is a friend, yet because of his persistence he will rouse himself and give him what he wants. And so I say to you--Ask, and your prayer shall be granted: search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you. For he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened. What father among you, if his son asks him for a fish, will give him a snake instead, Or, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you, then, naturally wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him!"

Then Jesus told them this parable-- "There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile; And he began to ask himself 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? read more. This is what I will do,' he said; 'I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them; And I will say to myself, Now you have plenty of good things put by for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.' But God said to the man 'Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared--who will have it?' So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God."

Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight; And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once. read more. Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and bid them take their places at table, and will come and wait upon them. Whether it is late at night, or in the early morning that he comes, if he finds all as it should be, then happy are they. This you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have let his house be broken into.

"Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time? Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. read more. His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property. But should that servant say to himself 'My master is a long time coming,' and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy.

No, I tell you; but, unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen men at Siloam on whom the tower fell, killing them all, do you suppose that they were worse offenders than any other inhabitants of Jerusalem? read more. No, I tell you; but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same manner." And Jesus told them this parable-- "A man, who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, came to look for fruit on it, but could not find any. So he said to his gardener 'Three years now I have come to look for fruit on this fig tree, without finding any! Cut it down. Why should it rob the soil?' 'Leave it this one year more, Sir,' the man answered, 'till I have dug round it and manured it.

"When you are invited by any one to a wedding banquet, do not seat yourself in the best place, for fear that some one of higher rank should have been invited by your host;

Then Jesus went on to say to the man who had invited him: "When you give a breakfast or a dinner, do not ask your friends, or your brothers, or your relations, or rich neighbors, for fear that they should invite you in return, and so you should be repaid. No, when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;

One of the guests heard what he said and exclaimed: "Happy will he be who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!" But Jesus said to him: "A man was once giving a great dinner. He invited many people, read more. And sent his servant, when it was time for the dinner, to say to those who had been invited 'Come, for everything is now ready.' They all with one accord began to ask to be excused. The first man said to the servant 'I have bought a field and am obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to consider me excused.' The next said 'I have bought five pairs of bullocks, and I am on my way to try them. I must ask you to consider me excused'; While the next said 'I am just married, and for that reason I am unable to come.' On his return the servant told his master all these answers. Then in anger the owner of the house said to his servant 'Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.' Presently the servant said 'Sir, your order has been carried out, and still there is room.' 'Go out,' the master said, 'into the roads and hedgerows, and make people come in, so that my house may be filled; For I tell you all that not one of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'"

So Jesus told them this parable-- "What man among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep till he finds it? read more. And, when he has found it, he puts in on his shoulders rejoicing; And, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, and says 'Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' So, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one outcast that repents, than over ninety-nine religious men, who have no need to repent. Or again, what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says 'Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.' So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God's angels over one outcast that repents." Then Jesus continued: "A man had two sons; And the younger of them said to his father 'Father, give me my share of the inheritance.' So the father divided the property between them. A few days later the younger son got together all that he had, and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life. After he has spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual want. So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs. He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything. But, when he came to himself, he said 'How many of my father's hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death! I will get up and go to my father, and say to him "Father, I sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants."' And he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him. 'Father,' the son said, 'I sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.' But the father turned to his servants and said 'Be quick and fetch a robe--the very best--and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet; And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; For here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.' So they began making merry. Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing, And he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant. 'Your brother has come back,' the servant told him, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.' This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so. 'No,' he said to his father, 'look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a kid, so that I might have a merry-making with my friends. But, no sooner has this son of yours come, who has eaten up your property in the company of prostitutes, than you have killed the fattened calf for him.' 'Child,' the father answered, 'you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours. We could but make merry and rejoice, for here is your brother who was dead, and is alive; who was lost, and is found.'"

There was once a rich man, who dressed in purple robes and fine linen, and feasted every day in great splendor. Near his gateway there had been laid a beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores, read more. And who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table. Even the very dogs came and licked his sores. After a time the beggar died, and was taken by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In the Place of Death he looked up in his torment, and saw Abraham at a distance and Lazarus at his side. So he called out 'Pity me, Father Abraham, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering agony in this flame.' 'Child,' answered Abraham, 'remember that you in your lifetime received what you thought desirable, just as Lazarus received what was not desirable; but now he has his consolation here, while you are suffering agony. And not only that, but between you and us there lies a great chasm, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross from there to us.' 'Then, Father,' he said, 'I beg you to send Lazarus to my father's house-- For I have five brothers to warn them, so that they may not come to this place of torture also.' 'They have the writings of Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham; 'let them listen to them.' 'But, Father Abraham,' he urged, 'if some one from the dead were to go to them, they would repent.' 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,' answered Abraham, 'they will not be persuaded, even if some one were to rise from the dead.'"

Nor will people say 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!'; for the Kingdom of God is within you!

Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never despair. "There was," he said, "in a certain town a judge, who had no fear of God nor regard for man. read more. In the same town there was a widow who went to him again and again, and said 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a time the judge refused, but afterwards he said to himself 'Although I am without fear of God or regard for man, Yet, as this widow is so troublesome, I will grant her justice, to stop her from plaguing me with her endless visits.'" Then the Master added: "Listen to what this iniquitous judge says! And God--will not he see that his own People, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them--though he holds his hand? He will, I tell you, have justice done them, and that soon! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded every one else with scorn, Jesus told this parable-- "Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer.

"Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way--'O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-- thieves, rogues, adulterers--or even like this tax-gatherer. read more. I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.' Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even 'to raise his eyes to Heaven'; but he kept striking his breast and saying 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Jesus, however, called the little children to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said, "and do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.

He said: "A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a Kingdom and then return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds each, and told them to trade with them during his absence. read more. But his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say 'We will not have this man as our King.' On his return, after having been appointed King, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done. The first came up, and said 'Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.' 'Well done, good servant!' exclaimed the master. 'As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.' When the second came, he said 'Your ten pounds, Sir, have produced fifty.' So the master said to him 'And you I appoint over five towns.' Another servant also came and said 'Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief. For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.' The master answered 'Out of your own mouth I judge you, you worthless servant. You knew that I am a stern man, that I take what I have not planted, and reap what I have not sown? Then why did not you put my money into a bank? And I, on my return, could have claimed it with interest. Take away from him the ten pounds,' he said to those standing by, 'and give them to the one who has the hundred.' 'But, Sir,' they interposed, 'he has a hundred pounds already!' 'I tell you,' he answered, 'that, to him who has, more will be given, but, from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their King, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.'"

[Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.

And saying as they did so: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself."

In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that man is a thief and a robber; But the man who goes in through the door is shepherd to the sheep. read more. For him the watchman opens the door; and the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

For him the watchman opens the door; and the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he has brought them all out, he walks in front of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice. read more. They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him; because they do not know a stranger's voice." This was the allegory that Jesus told them, but they did not understand of what he was speaking. So he continued: "In truth I tell you, I am the Door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vine-grower. Any unfruitful branch in me he takes away, and he cleanses every fruitful branch, that it may bear more fruit. read more. You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you. Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored.

I have spoken to you of all this in figures; a time is coming, however, when I shall not speak any longer to you in figures, but shall tell you about the Father plainly.

I have spoken to you of all this in figures; a time is coming, however, when I shall not speak any longer to you in figures, but shall tell you about the Father plainly.

"My kingly power," replied Jesus, "is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the Jews; but my kingly power is not from the world."

But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners.

For that was only a type, to continue down to the present time; and, in keeping with it, both gifts and sacrifices are offered, though incapable of satisfying the conscience of the worshiper;

For he argued that God was able even to raise a man from the dead--and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.