Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He cured them.

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform thy vows to the Lord.'

But I tell you not to swear at all; neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne;

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

And a leper came to Him, and throwing himself at His feet, said, "Sir, if only you are willing you are able to cleanse me."

"Sir," he said, "my servant at home is lying ill with paralysis, and is suffering great pain."

"Sir," replied the Captain, "I am not a fit person to receive you under my roof: merely say the word, and my servant will be cured.

Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first to go and bury my father."

And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, Sir," they replied.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

"To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower.

"So the farmer's men come and ask him, "'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'

"The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man;

Here a Canaanitish woman of the district came out and persistently cried out, "Sir, Son of David, pity me; my daughter is cruelly harassed by a demon."

Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him. "O Sir, help me," she said.

"Be it so, Sir," she said, "for even the dogs eat the scraps which fall from their masters' tables."

"Sir," he said, "have pity on my son, for he is an epileptic and is very ill. Often he falls into the fire and often into the water.

two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."

The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.

"Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.

He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His answer was, "'I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.

So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door.

"Afterwards the other bridesmaids came and cried, "'Sir, Sir, open the door to us.'

The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, and said, "'Sir, it was five talents that you entrusted to me: see, I have gained five more.'

"The second, who had received the two talents, came and said, "'Sir, it was two talents you entrusted to me: see, I have gained two more.'

"But, next, the man who had the one talent in his keeping came and said, "'Sir, I knew you to be a severe man, reaping where you had not sown and garnering what you had not winnowed.

One of them ran forthwith, and filling a sponge with sour wine put it on the end of a cane and offered it Him to drink;

"Sir," they said, "we recollect that during his lifetime that impostor pretended that after two days he was to rise to life again.